In a move that’s sure to infuriate many Oregonians, Hacienda Community Development Corp. (CDC) is handing out taxpayer dollars to help non-citizens buy homes, all while excluding American citizens. This outrageous program, funded by the state’s taxpayers, has come under fire for its blatant disregard for the struggles of Oregon’s own citizens, as reported by the Daily Caller.

The Camino a Casa program, run by Hacienda CDC, is offering $30,000 in down payment assistance to eligible non-citizens. According to documents shared with the Daily Caller, Republican Oregon state Rep. Ed Diehl confirmed that the program is intentionally excluding American citizens from eligibility. Diehl, outraged by this state-sponsored discrimination, highlighted the dire housing situation in Oregon and criticized the misuse of taxpayer dollars to favor non-citizens over struggling American families. He said, “American citizens in Oregon are struggling to find and buy a home… Oregon can’t end this state-sponsored discrimination soon enough.”

Oregon is now giving $30,000 for new home buyers. The only requirement?

You can't be an American citizen.pic.twitter.com/85BEjjBvbW

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 22, 2024

Shotgun Pistol - No FFL Required, Shipped Directly To Your Home

Hacienda CDC is funded through the Economic Equity Investment Program (EEIP), a state initiative born from the Economic Equity Investment Act (SB 1579), passed in 2022. This program, designed to promote economic equity, has allocated millions of dollars to Hacienda CDC. The organization’s funding comes not only from Oregon’s state coffers but also from federal taxes via the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The EEIP initially received $15 million to distribute to organizations like Hacienda CDC, aiming to assist disadvantaged individuals in buying property, starting businesses, and building wealth. In 2024, the state legislature poured an additional $8 million into the program.

Critics argue that Hacienda CDC’s policies discriminate against residents based on race and citizenship status. According to Business Oregon, participants must be considered part of a disadvantaged community, which includes non-citizens, to qualify for EEIP funding. The organization’s apparent focus on non-citizens has sparked significant concern about its compliance with state contracts. The contract viewed by the Daily Caller specifies that Hacienda CDC must not refuse service based on protected class considerations, yet American citizens are being denied access.

Adding insult to injury, Hacienda CDC partners with credit unions that provide mortgage loans to non-citizens who lack social security numbers. These loans are processed using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), exploiting a loophole in the IRS system.

Andrew Quinio, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, noted Oregon’s troubling pattern of racially discriminatory policies, which he believes violate the constitutional rights of residents. He pointed out that Oregon’s laws are not supposed to favor or disadvantage any individual based on race, directly or indirectly.

Meanwhile, the housing crisis in Oregon continues to worsen, with only 19% of residents in Portland able to afford a median-sized home. Yet, taxpayers are funding home purchases for non-citizens while American families are left behind.