In a move aiming to confront Portland's housing crisis, the City Council has unanimously passed the city's first Housing Production Strategy, which Commissioner Carmen Rubio devised. This strategy outlines a series of actions and reforms intended to boost the construction and availability of affordable housing across the city, as detailed by the City of Portland.

According to the City of Portland, Commissioner Rubio, echoing the sentiment of the staff's findings from the previous year, stated, "We need more housing in Portland – a lot more housing." His proposal comes amidst rising costs of living, which have exacerbated the housing challenges faced by low-income households, working families, communities of color, and other vulnerable residents, often resulting in displacement and homelessness.

The strategy involves 35 distinct action items, ranging from adjustments in zoning codes and speeding up the permitting process to expanding homeownership incentives. Together, these items are intended to steer Portland toward meeting its housing needs for the next two decades. Remarkably, some of these items have already been completed, while others are underway or set to begin in the fall.

Ahead of the newly elected officials taking office in January, Rubio emphasized the need for immediate action due to the housing emergency, stating, "With a seamless handoff and foundation-setting from Commissioner Ryan, I took up the next challenges assigned to me and acted with urgency – because our housing emergency requires it." The Commissioner's remarks were made during the City Council session, as detailed in the City of Portland. Furthermore, drawing inspiration from Los Angeles, Rubio hinted at implementing similar reforms to reduce the timeline for affordable housing development approvals within 90 City desk days, demonstrating a proactive approach to tackling the housing situation.