As Portland accepts comments for its Comprehensive Plan update, one writer asks why so much of the city's zoning prohibits multi-family housing—especially as the cost of rent has increased by double-digit percentages in the past year.
Michael Andersen starts a recent post examining rising cost of rent in the city of Portland to the all-important number seven—the number of miles people are willing to travel by bike to commute.
Anderson is concerned that as rents rise in Portland (11 percent in the past year), zoning in the city's central core (especially its central seven miles) prevents the type of multi-family housing that benefits most by cycling (and vice versa). According to Anderson: "Here's one factor at play in one of the country's most persistent urban rental shortages: in two-thirds of Portland's central seven miles, it's illegal to build a multi-family building."
The post goes on to examine the different benefits of upzoning—the limited benefit for those living in poverty as compared to, for example, a prospective Portland State student. The question of zoning is especially pertinent given the city's ongoing process to update its Comprehensive Plan.
FULL STORY: Maybe this is why you can't afford to rent in the central city
The Fallacy of the Millennial Housing Shortage
A dissenting argument claims that the efforts of "affluent urban pioneers" to increase supply in the most desirable urban areas will do more harm than good.
Portland, Maine to Revise Zoning Code
The ReCode initiative promotes more diverse housing types and reduces parking requirements, among other changes.
Portland Council to Consider Zoning Amendments
The proposed zoning and land use changes would offer bigger incentives for developers of ‘moderately priced’ housing and relax some restrictions that builders say drive up the cost of construction.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research