Grants Pass residents will have an opportunity next month to learn more about the pressures facing local renters and to help shape future housing policy. The City of Grants Pass Community Development Department is hosting a public community forum on rent burden and related housing issues at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in the Council Chambers at 101 NW A Street in downtown Grants Pass.
City staff plan to present information on current housing statistics, trends in rental costs, and the ways rising rents affect household budgets. The evening will also cover barriers to building more housing, local fair housing protections, and available community resources for renters who are struggling to keep up with monthly payments.
Grants Pass has been identified by the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department as a severely rent burdened community. According to that designation, 25.7 percent of local renters pay more than half of their income toward rent. When such a large share of monthly earnings is devoted to housing, families and individuals often have less money left for other essential needs, including medical care, food, utilities, education, transportation and childcare.
The forum is intended to give residents a clear picture of how those numbers play out in everyday life. Presenters are expected to explain how rent burden is measured, what factors contribute to the problem, and how trends in wages, new construction and population growth interact to influence local rental markets. The discussion will also address why it can be difficult to reduce rent burden even when a community recognizes it as a serious concern.
City staff say they plan to listen closely to the experiences and ideas of those who attend. Participants will be encouraged to describe their own challenges with finding or keeping rental housing, to ask questions about existing programs, and to suggest practical approaches that might help ease the local housing crunch. Comments gathered during the session are expected to help inform future housing strategies, priorities for new initiatives and the focus of potential partnerships with other agencies and community organizations.
The meeting will take place in the Council Chambers at City Hall, a location that is familiar to many residents as the regular venue for city council meetings and public hearings. Doors will open before the scheduled start time to give attendees an opportunity to sign in, find seats and review any printed materials on current housing statistics or available services.
City staff are also aiming to make the event accessible to as many residents as possible. Community members who need language translation or other assistance in order to participate are encouraged to request support in advance. Those with additional questions about the forum or who require translation help can contact city staff member Mark Trinidad by email at mtrinidad@grantspassoregon.gov or by phone at 541 450 6062.
Organizers hope that by combining data, education and personal stories, the Rent Burden Community Forum will give residents a clearer understanding of how rising housing costs are affecting Grants Pass and what steps the community might consider as it works toward more stable and affordable rental options.