2019 State Housing Bill Updates that Affect SE Portland

By David Krogh

HB2001 was amended by the House Committee on Human Services and Housing and was referred to the Joint Ways and Means Committee on April 12.

Per the Oregon State Legislature bill status pages, the latest HB2001 amendment (#11) mandates cities over 25,000 in population statewide and all jurisdictions within Metro (except for cities under 1,000 in population) to allow middle housing densities in single family zones including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes (quads), townhouses and cottage clusters.

Cities outside of Metro with populations of 10,000-25,000 and counties over 15,000 must allow duplexes in single family zones but may also allow middle housing types.

Cities under 1000 in population are exempt from HB2001.  The current amendments include provisions requiring cities to do density analyses.

This bill would have the same impact to SE Portland as the Residential Infill Project (RIP).  It would densify/upzone all single family zoned areas to allow infill of multifamily structures up to and including fourplexes.

The bill does not address affordability or deal with infrastructure requirements. It could take several years for infill to occur and would most likely occur sooner in outer SE Portland where there is currently more infill and redevelopment potential.   At this point, it is not known if such redevelopment will cause displacement of residents.

HB2003 was passed on April 11 by the House Committee on Agriculture and Land Use and referred to the Joint Ways and Means Committee.

It promotes regional housing need assessments to be overseen by the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). These must include economic analysis factors. DLCD can require cities to address housing needs.

Periodic review of six years is required for cities within a Metropolitan Service District (MSD)and eight years for cities over 10,000 in population outside of an MSD.

Cities allocated new housing capacity must implement for this within two years. This bill includes an emergency clause and monies for DLCD to implement.

Effects to SE Portland would depend on how the City of Portland updates its housing need assessments in response to an adoption of HB2003.  The process and implementation could take several years.

HB2075 was adopted with only minimal modifications by the House Agriculture and Land Use Committee and on March 28, was referred to the Joint Ways and Means Committee.

This bill provides funding for implementation of new housing provisions to be implemented by DLCD. It would help to pay for the studies and implementation measures required by cities to comply with HB2001 and HB2003.

SB 8 first passed by the Senate Committee on Housing and then by the Senate on April 17 and was referred to the House on April 18.  No additional hearings are noted as of this writing.

SB8 requires Petitioners (primarily appellants) to pay costs and attorney fees to prevailing intervening developers of affordable housing projects approved by local governments.

For example, an appeal by neighborhood residents of an apartment project which includes affordable units could cost the residents legal and other fees if they lose the appeal. The ultimate intent is to support speedier approvals for affordable housing.

SB10 has been referred without recommendation from the Senate Housing Committee to the Senate Committee on Rules.  No hearing dates are scheduled thus far.

This bill would require substantial density increases in cities for areas within a half mile of major transit and light rail corridors.

For SE Portland, any corridor that has at least fifteen minute bus service during peak service hours would be subject to intense density increases within a half mile of that corridor.

This would include at minimum SE Belmont, Hawthorne, and Division Streets, SE Powell Blvd., SE MLK Blvd., and SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd.  Implementation of the densification/upzoning process would be a requirement for the City of Portland and would take years to undertake.

Final notes for these bills:  Once out of both House and Senate Committees, bills are respectively voted on by the House and Senate before being sent to the governor for signature and final adoption.

In addition, none of these bills will provide immediate remedies for Portland’s (or the State’s) affordable housing shortages.  It will take years for much of the housing development authorized by these bills to occur.

2019 State Housing Bill Updates that Affect SE Portland

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