A year ago, Portland declared an official housing emergency to ease homelessness and rising housing costs. A year later, the emergency continues.
"Portland's declared 'housing emergency' will continue through at least October 2017," reports Brad Schmidt.
According to Schmidt, earlier this week, "the City Council voted unanimously to extend the emergency first enacted last October. The declaration is supposed to ease zoning restrictions for temporary shelters and loosen design requirements for affordable-housing projects."
Schmidt also reported on the city's political debate about housing a year ago, which included the decision to declare a housing emergency and a $30 million spending proposal by Mayor Charlie Hales.
As for the progress the city has made in the meantime, Schmidt reports that 475 shelter beds have already opened or are expected to soon open, and "[o]fficials hope to open an additional 175 by June 2017."
FULL STORY: Portland's 'housing emergency' extended extra year
Portland Replaces Camping Ban With New Policy
Unhoused residents can sleep on public property when no shelter space is available, but still face penalties for violating new regulations or not moving into shelter if offered.
Portland Warming Shelters Close Despite Persistent Cold
Advocates say using an arbitrary temperature cutoff to open and close winter shelters ignores the reality of cold weather risks.
Portland Moves Forward With Contentious Homelessness Strategy
The city’s plan to reduce the number of unhoused people has met with criticism, particularly for a proposal to ban encampment on public property citywide.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service