SALEM — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is accepting applications for her newly created Housing Production Advisory Council, which was established through an executive order on Tuesday, Jan. 10, Kotek’s first full day in office.

The Housing Production Advisory Council will be responsible for proposing an action plan to meet the state’s housing production goals. It will be composed of 25 members, including the governor or her designee, bipartisan members of the Oregon House and Senate, relevant state agency directors and a Tribal member. The largest share of members — 18 — will be appointed by Kotek with the goal of assembling a highly effective, diverse and representative council, ready to get to work for Oregonians.

Kotek is looking to appoint housing developers with expertise in permanent supportive, affordable and market rate housing; representatives of rural and coastal communities; representatives of communities of color; local government representatives; and experts in land use, fair housing, permitting, workforce development and construction.

Oregonians interested in applying for the council can submit an application, which are online at bit.ly/3Y7W8yT. Applications are due Wednesday, Feb. 15. Appointees will begin work on the council in early March.

Kotek’s executive order established an annual housing production goal of 36,000 additional housing units at all levels of affordability across the state to address Oregon’s housing shortage and keep pace with projected population growth. That’s an ambitious target — about an 80% increase over current construction trends — and would set Oregon on a path to build 360,000 additional homes over the next decade.

The executive order dictates that two co-chairs be appointed, one living or working in an urban area and the other in a rural area. The council is scheduled to provide a recommended framework for an action plan by April 1.