Portland City Council has dropped the hammer on housing woes with the approval of new reforms aimed to boost housing production. In a unanimous decision, the council has given the go-ahead to a set of ordinances introduced by Commissioner Carmen Rubio. "Today's actions are a clear demonstration that Portland is serious about building more housing," Rubio said, according to a statement released on Portland's official website.
The reforms, poised to take effect on March 1, will strategically amend zoning codes to help cut construction costs. The regulatory relief package spans across 15 issues, aimed to quickly move the needle on housing production. It includes changes to rules around bike parking, ground floor active use, height, non-conforming upgrades, ecoroof standards, and design review. Commissioner Rubio shared her pride in the legislative outcome in her statement, adding that the changes were set to spur housing production without compromising on environmental sustainability.
Another ordinance included addresses the Inclusionary Housing program, which aims to foster socio-economic diversity by integrating affordable housing units into new developments. The council moved to modify this program by offering greater property tax exemptions for qualifying projects in specific areas. These proposed tax adjustments are pending approval from Multnomah County. As Rubio put it, "The Inclusionary Housing program is doing what it was meant to do: expanding access for low- and moderate-income families to live in some of the most desirable areas of Portland."
The city-wide rally to confront housing issues is backed by more than just these ordinances. Over the past year, Rubio has managed to effectively push a slew of other initiatives through the pipeline, aiming to leverage every possible advantage held by the city government to up housing production. One such effort involves the recent consensus reached on City Council to consolidate the City's permitting functions—a move Rubio told Portland's portal, was meant to end decades of debate and unify the entity. Other actions span from freezing System Development Charges for a year to exploring new tax increment financing districts, and even offering $100 million to support green affordable housing over the next five years.
Portland's push for housing is further interlinked with state-level action. The historic investments in affordable housing approved during the 2023 legislative session and a bevy of other regulatory alterations demonstrate a growing synergy among city, county, and state efforts. Rubio highlighted the crucial partnerships that anchor the city's strides towards inclusive growth. "Portland can’t do this alone, and it’s why I appreciate Multnomah County’s partnership on supporting the expansion of inclusionary housing and the Governor making housing one of her top priorities," Rubio added, recognizing the burgeoning alignment of governments as a cornerstone for building a Portland "that works for everyone."
