Discover and Create Your Neighborhood
Land Use & Transportation Committee (LUTC)
Agenda - Everyone Welcome!
September 16th 7pm-9pm / 3534 SE Main Street, Portland
7:00
Welcome, Introductions, Announcements
7:15
Exploring All Housing Solutions: Portland Housing Policy

Lead: Jessica Conner, Senior Policy and Planning Coordinator , Portland Housing Bureau

Background:  The City of Portland's Housing Bureau has been working to understand and address the housing crisis with a focus on the most housing insecure in Portland. They produce an annual " State of Housing " report which contains much needed understanding and data on housing need. They create/support policies and programs that support homeowners, future homeowners, renters, and the houseless as well as build affordable housing. The Housing Bureau achieves its goals by working in partnership with other City Bureaus and community partners.

Purpose:  Making changes in our single-dwelling zones is not the only solution being taken by the City to address housing affordability or housing supply. For a more complete picture of city-wide efforts to provide affordable housing, housing opportunity, housing security, and prevent displacement in the region, we will hear an overview of what the Housing Bureau has been working on, their partnerships with community organizations and other city bureaus, and their perspective on recent proposals in single-dwelling zones at the state and local level.
8:00
Exploring Proposals in the Single-Dwelling Zone: Residential Infill Project

Lead: Morgan Tracy, Project Manager, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability

Background:   The   Residential Infill Project   (RIP) is proposing updating the rules that shape our single-dwelling residential neighborhoods so that more people can live in them, while limiting the construction of very large new homes. The lastest version of this proposal, Residential Infill Project Recommended Draft , which serves as the Planning and Sustainability Commission’s second round of recommendations to City Council, is out for public review.

RIP has been through a number of iterations since the concept plan was first introduced to this group in summer of 2016. This includes an uncommon second round with the Planning and Sustainability Commission and passage of bills by the state legislature in June 2019 that will impact this proposal. State Legislature passed two bills that directly relate to the Residential Infill Project:

  • The first, House Bill 2001, requires cities to allow one or more middle housing types (attached houses, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and cottage clusters) in all zones that allow residential uses. The city must adopt rules to comply with the bill’s requirements by June 30, 2022.
Note : Middle housing types in the R10 and R20 zones are included within the scope of House Bill 2001, but are not included in the Planning and Sustainability Commission’s recommendation, and will need to be addressed separately in a follow up project.

  • The second, Senate Bill 534, requires cities to recognize platted lots in all zones that allow single dwellings, subject to limitations on natural resources, hazards, slopes and infrastructure.
Note : This bill has a sooner effective date of March 1, 2020. Additional amendments are being developed to respond to these requirements and will be posted as soon as they are available.
Purpose:  Become familiar with the most current proposal going to City Council that account for new state legislation. This is an opportunity to ask questions and clarify unknowns based on all the information and learning the group has done over the last three months (understanding the history of these zones, review of the housing crisis data, urban growth boundary, displacement, and more). Please come with constructive questions and ideas about the proposal.

Please note that as of now, City Council has a public hearing on the Recommended Draft scheduled in November 2019, followed by council deliberation, possible amendments, and decision. The public will have an opportunity to provide testimony on the Recommended Draft during the public hearing and will be able to provide written testimony via the project’s online Map App and as mailed testimony.
NOTE!
LUTC Meeting Rules of Conduct: Please Review Prior to Next Meeting
Have you read SE Uplift's September Newsletter yet?

SE Uplift hosts a number of relevant trainings, community-building activities, and fun events. See our Newsletter for more!
Join us at the LUTC meetings the 3rd Monday of the month (June through August) for the FINAL session of our expanded Single-Family Zones Learning & Discussion Series as we explore current proposals in the single-dwelling zone.
What's Going on in SE Portland?

New Rules to Address Short-Term Rentals' Impact on Rental Housing

Community members has expressed concern over the number of short-term rentals (e.g. Airbnb, VRBO) in Portland; their supplanting of long-term, more affordable rental units; and how they might be contributing to the current housing crisis. In August of 2018, the City of Portland approved a $4 per night booking fee on short-term vacation rentals to dedicate toward housing and homeless initiatives. This helps address concerns, but there have been speculation that the number of permitted short-term rentals grossly underrepresent the total number operating. in 2018, the city auditor estimated that just 22% of listings in the city had permits.

As of August of 2018 the City came to a data sharing agreement with Airbnb (and are working on similar agreements with others) that could lead to a significant crackdown on unpermitted vacation rentals across the city and hopefully add more information to this conversation of short-term rentals and housing in Portland. Read full article here .

Also note that the City of Portland has a "Short Term Rental Registry" which lists all currently permitted rentals in Portland. Go into portlandmaps.org gallery here .
Projects open for public comments, input, or action across the region.

Projects and funding efforts to be on land use and transportation advocates' minds include:

  • Residential Infill Project, BPS
  • Better Housing By Design, BPS
  • Bike Parking, BPS
Dates vary, go here for more information.

  • Regional Flexible Funding for Transportation, Metro
Weigh in, take survey by October 7th. go here.

  • Portland in the Streets events, PBOT
Events still happening throughout September, go here .

  • Seeking Proposals for Homeownership Asset Preservation Pilot, Portland Housing Bureau
Up to $200,000 available for home retention services and legal estate planning services for homeownership asset preservation in communities experiencing displacement. Go here.
Weigh in on Barriers to Transit Use - Today!

PAID INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY: Reminder, the nonprofit ideas42 is working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) on a commuting transportation project, and they are looking to speak with residents who commute for work into the Central City. All interview participants will receive cash compensation. Fill out this  60-second survey  by September 12, and they will be in touch if you meet the eligibility requirements. 
LUTC Meeting Rules of Conduct: Please Review Prior to Next Meeting

The SE Uplift LUTC hosts a number of relevant and contentious topics important to our community. We value that our LUTC meeting is a venue where accurate information about policies and proposals are shared and various (not all) perspectives exist and can be shared. Please understand that with the diversity of opinions and perspectives, comes an enormous responsibility on SE Uplift staff and participants to maintain a respectful and civil environment.

Every participant is welcome to share their perspective, ask clarifying questions, challenge assumptions, and make recommendations. Additionally, SE Uplift asks that participants do the following to keep this forum inclusive, where everyone feels comfortable engaging and welcome. Therefore, by attending our LUTC meetings, participants are agreeing to the following:

  • To contribute toward positive civic discourse. This means ask the tough questions, challenge assumptions, disagree but be civil, be polite and be respectful. This means do not yell, cut people off, shout out your feelings, interrupt others, roll your eyes, mumble under your breath, or other subtle actions that create a unwelcoming environment.

  • To assume not everyone feels as you do about an issue. I can guarantee everyone does not agree 100% on these complex issues. We are commonly caught in professional and social bubbles where our own opinions and experiences are reinforced, giving an impression that everyone thinks and believes what we do. I know we know that's not true.

  • Be courteous of presenters and participants' time and their expertise, even if you don't agree. Many participants and presenters are not compensated for their time. If you feel you have data or expertise to the contrary, raise your hand and share your perspective and rationale for that. Keep your comments time appropriate, do not get into a debate regarding your own issues when that was not scheduled on the agenda, give others an opportunity to weigh in as well. If you have more to share, please, reach out to the facilitator, (Leah Fisher), for the best way to share more information with the group.

  • Be open-minded and listen to hear. Often these issues are highly complex, have history, and directly impact individuals' lives. Depending on how close/far you live, work, or play from the proposal(s) your perspective and the impacts on you vs. the community as a whole will vary greatly.

  • Recognize and appreciate we are all experts of our own lives and experiences. It's important to lead with "from my experience" or "I feel that" or "I've been impacted in this way" or "my concern is", "has this been considered?, How". Please do not assume your experience/concern/frustration/priority is the same as everyone in the room or the community - I can promise it is not.

  • To not state your opinion as absolute or fact. For example do not say things like: "no one wants those ugly buildings with no parking" (someone next to you might be living in one and think it is a fine place to live). Instead say, "I don't like the style/height/mass of some of the new buildings, and I'm concerned about parking."

  • To not treat presenters/guests - or anyone - as if you are superior/ better/ more entitled. Just because this is a public and open meeting, it doesn't give you the right to do whatever you want or say things like "I pay your salary" . And avoid otherizing people/groups and using terms like "you/those people".

  • No filming or photos without permissions. If you choose to bring a video camera or camera - you are responsible for bringing and collecting signed consent forms from all participants.

Contact Us
Get in Touch Today!

Leah Fisher
(503) 232 0010