Oregon Governor Backs House Bill to Slash Red Tape and Boost Housing Affordability

Oregon's housing affordability crisis is about to face a new challenger, a legislative package designed to slice through the red tape that raises both costs and barriers for Oregonians in search of a roof over their heads. House Bill 2258, which received a hearing this week before the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness, carries the weight of the Governor’s mission to streamline the home-building process.

The bill introduces a set of pre-approved building plans, intended to speed up the approval processes and make it easier to build various housing forms including apartments and townhomes. The Governor sees this effort as crucial for the families cornered by the high cost of living, as she explained, “Families struggling with the high cost of housing are forced to make impossible choices – between staying in the communities they love, and finding a place they can afford. This affordability crisis deepens our homelessness crisis,” Governor Kotek said, according to an official statement. "It demands creative, practical solutions to increase the supply of homes quickly. We have to cut red tape and get out of our own way. Pre-approved building plans just makes sense."

With a clear goal of putting more homes on the Oregon map, the bill is gaining traction as an innovative solution to a systemic problem. Representative Pam Marsh shared her support, saying, “Solving the housing crisis requires us to be creative, innovative, and focused on the end goal — more homes on the ground.” Marsh expressed her gratitude towards the Governor's efforts to streamline what has traditionally been a complicated bureaucracy, according to a statement obtained by the Governor's office.

Current building proposals face extensive, often unpredictable permitting processes that differ from one city to the next, a scenario where a single plan could be reviewed multiple times in varying jurisdictions before getting a green light. This repetitive review process not only creates bottlenecks but also adds to the housing expense. Under House Bill 2258, the Building Code Division (BCD) under the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) alongside the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) would be responsible for developing both the building and land use plans, which would be targeted at sites prime for development, such as vacant and non-sensitive environmental areas.