Yuyun Lusiyani
Andrea Bell, the director of Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), an agency responsible for distributing billions in taxpayer money to address the state’s critical housing crisis, is facing intense scrutiny following revelations by ProPublica concerning her failure to disclose her husband’s employment with a consulting firm that benefits significantly from OHCS funding. This oversight has triggered calls for an immediate ethics investigation by Governor Tina Kotek’s office, casting a shadow over the transparency and accountability of a vital state agency at a time when Oregon grapples with unprecedented housing challenges.
Bell, who assumed leadership of OHCS in 2022, oversees an immense financial portfolio. Over the past five years, the agency has allocated more than $1.4 billion in state funding to developers for the creation of rent-restricted apartments. This figure swells considerably when factoring in the federal tax credits, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), that OHCS is responsible for allocating, making it a pivotal player in the affordable housing landscape across the state. The agency’s decisions directly impact the availability and affordability of housing for thousands of Oregonians, particularly those with low incomes.
The Nexus of Influence: Spousal Employment and State Funding
The heart of the ethical dilemma lies in the professional role of Bell’s husband, Joshua Crites. Crites serves as a director for JH Brawner, a consulting firm specializing in assisting local housing authorities with the development of subsidized apartment projects. These projects frequently seek and receive substantial funding and federal tax credit allocations from OHCS – the very agency Bell leads.
JH Brawner, with offices spanning Oregon, Washington, and Arizona, touts an impressive track record, claiming involvement in the development of 20,000 low-income housing units with a collective development cost of $3 billion. The firm’s activities in Oregon include consulting on at least two significant housing authority projects that have either applied for or been awarded tens of millions of dollars from OHCS since Crites joined the company in 2023. It is crucial to note that JH Brawner is compensated by the housing authorities it advises, not directly by the state of Oregon. However, the indirect financial benefit derived from state-approved projects raises significant questions about potential conflicts of interest.
A Failure to Disclose: Breaching Oregon’s Ethics Laws
Oregon state law mandates strict transparency from public officials, especially those in leadership positions managing public funds. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 244.060 explicitly requires leaders like Bell to annually report all sources of household income on ethics disclosures. This includes specifically naming spouses’ income sources, particularly when there is a potential for a conflict of interest. Furthermore, ORS 244.120 dictates that any government official identifying a conflict of interest must formally notify their appointing authority in writing.
Andrea Bell failed to comply with either of these critical requirements until confronted by ProPublica. Prior to the investigative journalists’ inquiry, Governor Kotek’s office, the appointing authority for Bell, confirmed that it had "not been notified of any potential or actual conflict of interest."
Bell’s initial attempt at disclosure, made in 2025, was notably vague and incomplete. It contained a misspelled note stating, “Spouse serves in an advisory role for a developmen.” This entry conspicuously omitted the name of the company, instead providing only a misspelled street address, without a suite number, for JH Brawner’s office in Issaquah, Washington – a commercial building known to house multiple tenants. This minimal and imprecise disclosure effectively obscured her husband’s specific employer and its direct nexus to the affordable housing sector.
The critical turning point came on September 23, 2025, when ProPublica directly questioned Bell about her failure to disclose her husband’s employer. On that very day, Bell promptly filed amended economic disclosures for the preceding three years. These new forms explicitly named JH Brawner as her husband’s employer, a clear admission of the prior omissions.
In a statement responding to the inquiry, Bell affirmed, “I take concerns about my statement of economic interests (SEI) seriously and am committed to transparency, accountability, and compliance with state law.” However, she did not directly address whether she had played any role in her agency’s decisions concerning projects on which JH Brawner had consulted.
The Agency’s Internal Processes and Bell’s Role
When questioned about Bell’s direct involvement, LeiLani Barney, a spokesperson for OHCS, stated that housing subsidies are initially approved by an internal committee that does not include Bell. The spokesperson further indicated that these approvals are then reviewed by the Housing Stability Council, a body on which Bell also does not serve. However, the agency’s own website clarifies that Bell "advises the housing council as it sets policy and makes funding decisions," suggesting an influential, albeit indirect, role in the overall funding framework. When ProPublica sought to identify the members of the internal committee responsible for initial approvals, Barney instructed the publication to file a formal records request, indicating a lack of immediate transparency regarding a key part of the funding process.
Neither JH Brawner nor Joshua Crites, the firm’s director of strategic initiatives, responded to messages seeking comment on the matter.
Expert Opinions and the Call for an Ethics Review
The gravity of Bell’s undisclosed ties has been underscored by several former officials knowledgeable in state ethics laws. Three individuals, speaking to ProPublica, characterized Bell’s lack of disclosure as a significant issue meriting thorough review to ascertain if she influenced any governmental decisions that subsequently benefited her husband’s company.
Russell Lehman, a retired administrative law judge who previously served on Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission from 2019 to 2021, expressed strong concerns. Lehman stated that Bell appeared to have violated state law, irrespective of her subsequent corrections. He questioned, “Why did it take a reporter asking you about it to have you file your reports?” adding, “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need ProPublica for this kind of thing.” His remarks highlight the critical role of investigative journalism in upholding public accountability when official mechanisms fall short.
The seriousness of the allegations prompted an immediate reaction from Governor Kotek’s office. A spokesperson for the Governor called for a comprehensive evaluation by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC). "The Governor holds all agency leadership to consistent and high ethical standards and any question on conflict of interest should be referred to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for thorough review," the spokesperson asserted in a statement. Bell subsequently confirmed to ProPublica that she had indeed sought an advisory opinion from the commission at the Governor’s urging and had updated her ethics disclosures "to provide clarity."
Detailed Project Involvement and Funding Pathways
The funds channeled through Bell’s department are instrumental in facilitating affordable apartment projects across Oregon. These funds, combined with federal tax credits, are designed to lower development costs for builders, thereby enabling them to charge rents that are accessible to lower-income households. JH Brawner, Crites’ employer, plays a crucial role in this ecosystem by advising public housing authorities on structuring these subsidized housing deals. Their responsibilities include complex tasks such as negotiating property acquisitions, financial structuring, overseeing project appraisals, and actively collaborating with state agencies like OHCS.
Joshua Crites joined JH Brawner in 2023, bringing with him a background from various local housing authorities in Oregon, Washington, and Ohio. He and Bell jointly own a home in the Portland suburbs, as indicated by public records.
JH Brawner’s website explicitly details its involvement in several Oregon projects. One such project is Park Place, a 200-unit development in Clackamas County spearheaded by the local housing authority. This project received a substantial $36 million in state funding. While a spokesperson for Clackamas County clarified that the housing authority "did not advocate or discuss the Park Place project or application with Andrea Bell" and that JH Brawner was hired as a consultant before Crites joined the firm, the ongoing nature of such projects means that Crites’ firm continued to benefit from OHCS funding after his employment.
Another project, Aloha 209th in Washington County, is currently awaiting a significant $17.5 million subsidy from the state. JH Brawner also consulted on two other state-backed projects for Washington County, which were already deep into the financing process before Crites’ arrival at the firm. Work on these projects continued as recently as last year, according to JH Brawner’s website.
Policy Shifts and Discretionary Funding
In an attempt to streamline its funding allocation process and potentially reduce discretionary decisions, Bell’s agency adopted a new policy in 2024. This policy shifted from a competitive bidding model to one that allocates funds to eligible projects in the order that applications are received. However, despite this shift, the agency’s discretion remains a point of contention.
Molly Rogers, executive director of the Washington County housing authority, a client of JH Brawner for the Aloha 209th project, publicly stated in a June 2025 meeting that she had directly contacted Andrea Bell regarding the project. The Aloha 209th project is not slated to receive its $17.5 million state subsidy until at least 2028, and Rogers expressed the county’s desire to accelerate the funding timeline. Rogers reported that Bell was "open to having a discussion, which is great." This direct communication between a housing authority official whose project is advised by Bell’s husband’s firm, and Bell herself, underscores the delicate balance of influence and the importance of stringent ethical boundaries. Neither Rogers nor Bell responded to requests for comment on these public remarks.
Pat Hearn, who served as the director of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for nearly two decades, emphasized the importance of public officials maintaining a clear distance from potential conflicts. He advised state leaders "to stay as far away from the line as possible, not to get as close as they can without crossing it." In Bell’s specific case, Hearn concluded, "It’s just too close, especially since we know that the agency has approved funding for these projects that the husband’s company has advised on."
A Pattern of Ethical Concerns within OHCS
Bell’s situation is not an isolated incident within Oregon’s housing official circles. It marks the second conflict-of-interest issue to surface within OHCS in recent memory. In December 2025, a state investigation revealed that an appointee to Oregon’s Housing Stability Council – the very body responsible for approving housing subsidies – had violated state conflict-of-interest laws. This individual had voted to award money to projects designed by the architecture firm where she was employed. The appointee, who subsequently resigned, claimed to have upheld high ethical standards and recused herself from votes on projects she directly worked on. The ethics commission ultimately issued a warning letter in that case.
Following this incident, a spokesperson for the state housing agency informed The Oregonian/OregonLive that housing council members had received explicit feedback on how to be "clearer and more consistent" when declaring conflicts of interest. Disturbingly, just four months after this directive, Bell filed her annual ethics statement, which, at that time, still listed only her own income for her household, omitting her husband’s employer and income source.
Broader Implications and the Path Forward
The revelations surrounding Andrea Bell’s undisclosed spousal business ties raise profound questions about public trust, accountability, and the integrity of Oregon’s crucial affordable housing initiatives. With billions of dollars at stake and a severe housing crisis impacting countless residents, the public’s confidence in the impartiality of OHCS leadership is paramount.
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission’s review will be critical in determining the extent of any ethical breaches and recommending appropriate actions. Potential outcomes could range from advisory opinions and warnings to fines or more significant administrative actions, depending on the commission’s findings regarding the intent and impact of the non-disclosure. Beyond legal ramifications, the incident highlights the ongoing need for robust ethics training, clear guidelines, and proactive disclosure practices for all public officials, particularly those managing substantial public funds. The role of investigative journalism, as demonstrated by ProPublica, remains an essential safeguard in ensuring transparency and upholding the ethical standards expected of those in public service. The outcome of this investigation will undoubtedly shape perceptions of accountability within Oregon’s state government and influence future policies aimed at preventing similar conflicts of interest.
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