A new $850,000 federal award will fund two intersections on Water Avenue, but OMSI District leaders say the project missed its planned 2025 groundbreaking and remain in design work. City officials promise a timeline update soon.

Salem’s subsidized apartments are mostly occupied — a 2.6% vacancy rate — while Portland has seen roughly 1,900 empty affordable units. Lower subsidized rents and hands‑on voucher matching help explain the gap.

Lawmakers in Salem are considering adding roughly 300 acres to the Portland urban growth boundary to court tech employers, reigniting the farmland‑vs‑jobs fight. The change would require rule or statutory tweaks and large public hearings.

Clark County is weighing a yearlong extension of a moratorium that would block park redevelopments and protect roughly 2,000 manufactured homes while new rules are drafted.

Permits are issued and crews are working at Tanasbourne as In‑N‑Out moves its Portland‑area push forward. The chain must still win a city traffic plan before the restaurant can open.

The Strong Building will add 75 affordable apartments in Humboldt, including 11 deeply affordable units at 30% AMI. PHB is urging people with historic N/NE ties to join the Preference Policy waitlist.

A Portland Business Journal ranking shows 34 firms handled nearly $3.6B in sales and more than 22.6M sq ft leased in 2025, highlighting who drives the metro’s commercial deals.

ECONorthwest presented its annual State of the Economy at the Portland Metro Chamber forum, with new data on migration, job growth and downtown recovery. The companion downtown report was also unveiled.

Portland’s plan to rezone 19 parcels for affordable housing has prompted fierce pushback in Centennial after a shelter opened nearby, neighbors say. City Council will hear the proposal Feb. 11.

House Bill 4082 would let cities add limited UGB sites for manufactured-home parks and 55+ housing, tapping a one-time expansion program with affordability rules.

Owners' master plan would replace much of Lloyd Center — including the rink — with housing, offices and parks. Tenants and the Save Lloyd coalition have mounted a petition and are preparing testimony ahead of a Feb. 5 hearing.

Beaverton's South Cooper Mountain already has more than 1,600 homes and plans for thousands more, parks and hundreds of affordable units.

FERC issued a 40‑year license for a 1,200‑MW pumped‑storage project near Goldendale, prompting tribal and conservation groups to vow rehearing and legal action.