Safe and affordable housing options are vital to creating healthy communities. Worrying about housing is stressful and can have health impacts. In addition, children without housing may struggle in school.

Our goal is to increase housing choices to meet community need by:

• Encouraging housing variety and supply to help slow rent increases and keep home prices modest
   
• Increasing affordable housing to help meet the needs of low and middle-income households
   
• Identifying incentives and funding to support affordable and equitable housing options

Background

The following changes have been implemented:

• The Equitable Housing Site Barriers and Solutions project analyzed the Community Development Code (CDC) to find possible code updates to land use designations and development standards that could help improve affordability.
   
• The CDC was updated to allow retirement housing communities in more places and better comply with Fair Housing law and best practices
   
• Several standards were updated to make it easier to develop housing, especially in areas that allow more residential development.
   
• Property tax exemption for regulated, affordable rental properties owned or operated by a nonprofit organization were enabled.
   
• Parking requirements were updated to allow lower parking minimums for regulated affordable housing
   
• A more flexible alternative development path allowing optional density bonuses was created for developers producing regulated affordable housing

Housing studies

Equitable Housing Barriers and Solutions study identified and recommended changes to County regulations and development code standards that may be barriers to housing development. Contact: Kim Armstrong, senior planner, 503-846-3686.

• Equitable Housing Site Barriers and Solutions Summary
   
• Equitable Housing Site Barriers and Solutions Final Report

Fair Housing Code Updates Issue Paper 2018-02 addresses how County codes and regulations need updating to better comply with Fair Housing best practices, and state and federal laws and regulations. Recommended updates included the County's group care definitions and requirements, temporary day/overnight homeless shelter operations at religious institutions, accessory dwelling units, and more. Contact: Kim Armstrong, senior planner, 503-846-3686.

Rightsizing the Parking Code Issue Paper 2017-04 addresses how parking impacts success of affordable housing, economic development traffic flow, smart growth,  historic preservation and other community goals. Contact: Dyami Valentine, senior planner, 503-846-3821.

Housing-related ordinances

Ordinance 859: Improved compliance with state law, simplify standards and encourage housing development relating to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). 

Ordinance No. 853: Updated open space requirements for planned developments (which provide flexibility in standards and locations of uses through innovative design) to increase housing units and lower per-unit costs.

Ordinance No. 842: Amended the Community Development Code (CDC) to address recommendations from the Equitable Housing Site Barriers and Solutions Project.

Ordinance No. 841: Added a flexible design options for regulated affordable housing, including allowing optional density bonuses for developers producing regulated affordable housing.

Ordinance No. 835: Complied with new state laws (Oregon Senate Bill 1051), including removing design standards that weren’t clear and objective and allowing Accessory Dwelling Units in all residential land use districts that allow detached-single dwellings.

Ordinance No. 832A: Updated code related to fair housing and group care.

Ordinance No. 827: Adjusted minimum off-street parking requirements, established parking standards for regulated affordable housing, expanded eligibility for reducing minimum parking ratios, updated parking lot design standards and added standards for electric vehicle charging spaces and motorcycle parking.