Lane County Finance Manager Sentenced in Major Homes for Good Embezzlement

A Lane County judge on Wednesday imposed a prison term of more than four years on Miranda Renee Wilcox, the long time finance manager at Homes for Good, after she pleaded guilty to six counts of aggravated theft for embezzling more than $560,000 from the county housing authority. The conviction follows Wilcox's arrest in May 2025 and marks a significant breach of trust for an agency responsible for critical housing supports in Lane County.

Court records and public reports indicate Wilcox had served as Homes for Good finance manager since 2015 and funneled funds through a pattern of fraudulent reimbursements, inflated wages, and fake overtime claims. The scheme is documented as occurring between 2022 and her arrest in May 2025, during which the misappropriated funds exceeded $560,000. Prosecutors pursued six counts of aggravated theft, and Wilcox entered guilty pleas to those charges prior to sentencing.

Homes for Good administers rental vouchers, home weatherization programs, and other support services for low income renters across Lane County. The agency manages limited public resources that are intended to help vulnerable residents secure and maintain housing. The loss of more than half a million dollars to internal fraud threatens those services and raises immediate concerns about program continuity and fairness for voucher recipients.

Local officials and housing advocates will be watching how Homes for Good and county oversight bodies respond. The case exposes internal control failures at an agency charged with stewarding public funds. It is likely to prompt policy reviews related to financial oversight, auditing procedures, and separation of duties within Homes for Good and among related county agencies. Such reviews aim to prevent a recurrence and to restore community confidence in public housing administration.

For residents who rely on vouchers or weatherization assistance, the practical consequences could include delays in services, increased scrutiny for applicants, and a renewed emphasis on transparency as officials seek to reassure the public. The investigation and prosecution illustrate how mismanagement within a local agency can have ripple effects across social services and community trust.

The sentencing closes a criminal chapter, but it opens a governance one. Homes for Good and county leaders face the task of strengthening controls, communicating changes to the public, and ensuring that limited housing resources are protected for the residents who need them most. The story was reported by KLCC on November 5, 2025.