Home Forward Struggles to Fill Vacant Apartments Quickly

New data shows the housing authority takes an average of 185 days to fill a vacant unit, raising concerns about the affordable housing crisis.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Home Forward, Portland's housing authority, has revealed that it takes an average of 185 days to fill a vacant unit in one of its buildings. This slow turnaround time for filling apartments stands in contrast to the city's affordable housing crisis, with thousands of people sleeping homeless on the streets each night. Affordable housing developers and the mayor's office have expressed concern over these lengthy vacancy periods, which they say are "egregious" and "don't make any sense."

Why it matters

Home Forward is the state's largest affordable housing provider, so the agency's ability to quickly fill vacant units is crucial to addressing Portland's affordable housing shortage. The long vacancy periods mean many units are sitting empty for over half a year, exacerbating the housing crisis and failing to serve the thousands of residents in need of affordable homes.

The details

Home Forward says the lengthy unit turnover is due to the extensive repairs needed in many apartments, as well as the time required to advertise, market, and process waiting lists for the units. However, data shows that some of Home Forward's property management contractors are able to fill units much faster, raising questions about the agency's own processes. Home Forward is now taking steps to address the issue, including holding monthly meetings with its slowest contractor and lowering rents at some properties.

  • In 2025, it took Home Forward an average of 185 days to fill a vacant unit in one of its buildings.

The players

Home Forward

Portland's housing authority and the state's largest affordable housing provider.

Tom Brenneke

A local affordable housing developer who says Home Forward's 185-day average to fill a unit is "appalling" and "egregious."

Rylee Ahnen

A spokesman for Home Forward who acknowledges the unit turnover time is "too long" and that the agency is working to address the issue.

Mayor Keith Wilson

The mayor of Portland who has turned his attention to Home Forward's high vacancy rates and tenant safety concerns, and is seeking to improve coordination with the housing authority.

Cody Bowman

A spokesman for Mayor Keith Wilson who says the mayor is focused on supporting Home Forward's efforts to fill units quickly and keep residents safe.

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What they’re saying

“These numbers are egregious. I've never seen numbers this big. It doesn't make any sense to me. It's so far off that it just begs the question: What's going on? Ultimately, all this hurts is the tenant and taxpayer.”

— Tom Brenneke, Affordable housing developer (Willamette Week)

“Pinehurst's 292 days, Ahnen says, is 'not an acceptable time frame for Home Forward.' To reduce that time, Ahnen says, the agency has begun holding monthly meetings with Pinehurst executives to review performance, has hired leasing consultants to find ways to attract tenants more quickly, and has lowered rents at a handful of properties.”

— Rylee Ahnen, Spokesman, Home Forward (Willamette Week)

What’s next

Home Forward says it is working to address the lengthy unit turnover times, including by holding monthly meetings with its slowest property management contractor, hiring leasing consultants, and lowering rents at some properties. The mayor's office is also seeking to improve coordination with Home Forward to support faster and more consistent unit turnover.

The takeaway

Home Forward's struggle to quickly fill vacant apartments highlights the challenges the agency faces in addressing Portland's affordable housing crisis, even as it works to develop new units. The lengthy vacancy periods mean many affordable homes are sitting empty for months, exacerbating the shortage of housing options for the city's most vulnerable residents.