Gov. Tina Kotek hired Tony Rocco, left, and Joel Madsen, right, to oversee the Housing Accountability and Production Office. (Governor’s office)
A longtime construction industry worker and an affordable housing director will jointly manage the Oregon office in charge of meeting Gov. Tina Kotek’s goal of building 36,000 homes per year, the governor announced Thursday.
Lawmakers created the Housing Accountability and Production Office with this spring’s Senate Bill 1537, a law that also gave cities more leeway to add land for housing to their urban growth boundaries — the state-approved line around a city that dictates where and how it can expand.
It’s all aimed at addressing a housing shortage caused by years of underbuilding that led to more than half of Oregon tenants spending more than they can afford on rent, median home prices topping $500,000 statewide and more than 20,000 Oregonians living in tents, cars or homeless shelters.
Kotek set a goal of building 36,000 homes per year when she ran for governor in 2022, but the state is still far from reaching that goal. Local governments in Oregon issued just fewer than 17,700 building permits in 2023, according to a federal database. They’re further behind this year — by September, builders had pulled just more than 10,800 permits.
“We need every possible tool to cut the red tape and boost housing production in Oregon in collaboration with our local communities,” Kotek said. “That means putting a strong foot forward at the HAPO. I am confident that the leaders who have stepped up to take these roles will hit the ground running and break down barriers at every stage of housing production — and ultimately, get more people into homes they can afford.”
She hired Joel Madsen and Tony Rocco to co-manage the housing office. The Oregon Department of Administrative Services hadn’t immediately responded to an email requesting their salaries and start dates.
Madsen spent 10 years as executive director of the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority, which oversaw affordable housing in Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties in Oregon and Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington. He left the authority in June 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile. He served on Kotek’s Housing Production Advisory Council, a panel of experts who recommended changes to state laws to reduce barriers to building more houses.
“Creating safe and affordable places for people to call home has been my passion and motivation throughout my 20 year career,” Madsen said in a statement. “I am prepared and excited for the opportunity to address Oregon’s housing needs at a statewide scale. I look forward to working with cities and developers as we systemically advance housing production.”
Rocco has more than 20 years of experience in construction, including working as structural program chief for the state’s Building Codes Division and as a laborer, home inspector and licensed contractor.
“I know firsthand how barriers to construction can affect development and understand the importance of protecting consumers by ensuring the housing being built is safe, efficient, and cost-effective,” Rocco said in a statement.
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