Legislation in Oregon would follow the lead of Minneapolis in overturning single-family zoning—for all cities in the state with more than 10,000 residents.
"Rep. Tina Kotek (D-Portland), speaker of the Oregon House, is drafting legislation that would end single-family zoning in cities of 10,000 or more," according to an article by Rachel Monahan.
Specifically, the legislation "would require cities larger than 10,000 people to allow up to four homes to be built on land currently zoned exclusively for single-family housing." Also, as currently conceived, the legislation "sets a deadline of 16 months for cities to come up with a plan to allow for duplexes, triplex, quads as well as so-called housing 'clusters.'"
Kotek also released a statement, saying that bold action is required to provide housing opportunities for the state's residents. "Allowing more diverse housing types in single family neighborhoods will increase housing choice and affordability, and that's a fight that I'm willing to take on," said Kotek in the statement.
According to Monahan, a successful election for Democrats in both houses of the Oregon Legislature has ensured that housing will take a prominent place in this year's legislative agenda.
A wave of similarly broad upzoning proposals around the country has met mixed levels of success, at both the state and local levels. A proposal to allow four units on 96 percent of Portland's single-family neighborhoods has been in the works for a few years in Portland, delayed again most recently until summer. While the city of Minneapolis was successful in allowing triplexes in the entire city, the state of California didn't manage to move a statewide upzoning plan out of committee.
FULL STORY: Could Oregon Become the First State to Ban Single-Family Zoning?
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.