Portland Zoning Laws were recently changed by the city council to make it easier for developers to build denser housing in the PDX area, especially on streets that were previously only zoned for single family homes.
Will recent changes to the zoning laws help our rental market? The answer to this question is yes.
Having more duplexes, triplexes and even fourplexes in the PDX rental market will of course create more housing and this is a good thing because housing still continues to be a ‘hot commodity’ in the Portland rental market, despite Covid-19.
The recent changes to Portland Zoning Laws will have a big affect on our local rental market because this means that more housing will be created and with that housing will also come jobs.
About The Portland Zoning Laws Changes
Portland officials revamped the city’s residential zoning rules Wednesday to allow denser housing units to be built in most city neighborhoods, particularly ones that previously only allowed single-family houses.
The City Council also prohibited new extra-large homes on most lots, required more wheelchair-friendly housing, created incentives for affordable housing in high-income neighborhoods and took other steps that proponents said would increase economic and racial integration.
Local and national proponents of the changes said they are potentially the most effective and important housing equity rules approved so far in any U.S. city. But critics said they could enrich developers, hurt quality of life in established neighborhood and undermine incentives to concentrate new housing near transit corridors.
The Portland City Council voted 3-1 to adopt the new rule, referred to as the Residential Infill Project, which city officials have discussed publicly and revised since 2015.
Specifically, the plan will allow more duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes as well as more accessory dwelling units and cottages to be built amid existing single houses. New developments wouldn’t be required to offer off-street parking. The new policy will also allow up to six units on residential lots where at least half of the units are affordable for families with income no higher than 60% area median income to rent or for families earning no more than 80% area median income to buy.
The policy lowers the size of new homes that can be built in place of existing homes. Currently, city code allows homes on most residential lots to be torn down and replaced with a single-family home of up to 6,750 square feet. That would be reduced to no larger than 3,500 square feet.
Portland officials revamped the city’s residential zoning rules Wednesday to allow denser housing units to be built in most city neighborhoods, particularly ones that previously only allowed single-family houses.
The City Council also prohibited new extra-large homes on most lots, required more wheelchair-friendly housing, created incentives for affordable housing in high-income neighborhoods and took other steps that proponents said would increase economic and racial integration.
Local and national proponents of the changes said they are potentially the most effective and important housing equity rules approved so far in any U.S. city. But critics said they could enrich developers, hurt quality of life in established neighborhood and undermine incentives to concentrate new housing near transit corridors.
Source – Oregon Live
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