191136

Emergency Ordinance

*Approve application under the Multiple-Unit Limited Tax Exemption Program under the Inclusionary Housing Program for Sellwood Bridgehead Building 2 located at 551 SE Tacoma St

Passed

The City of Portland ordains:

Section 1.  The Council finds:

  1. On behalf of the City of Portland, the Portland Housing Bureau (“PHB”) administers the Multiple-Unit Limited Tax Exemption Program (the “MULTE Program” or “Program”), authorized under ORS 307.600-307.637 and City Code Chapter 3.103.
  1. The MULTE Program provides a 10-year property tax exemption on the residential portion of the structural improvements so long as Program requirements are met. During the exemption period, property owners remain responsible for the payment of taxes on the assessed value of the land and any commercial portions of the project, except for those commercial improvements deemed a public benefit and approved for the exemption.
  1. The MULTE Program is an incentive provided to developments complying with the City Inclusionary Housing (“IH”) Program, which requires 99 years of restricted rents of a percentage of units within the building.
  1. PHB received a request for a 10-year property tax exemption under the MULTE Program for the development known as Sellwood Bridgehead Building 2 (the “Project”) and located at 551 SE Tacoma St (the “Property”), in conjunction with the City’s Inclusionary Housing Program. The Project, located in the SELLWOOD-MORELAND neighborhood, will be a mixed-use housing project and will restrict 20 percent of the total bedrooms in the Project to households earning no more than 80 percent of the median family income (“MFI”) at the time of lease-up. Using the reconfiguration option, one one-bedroom unit and five two-bedroom units, which is 17 percent of the project’s total 36 units, will be restricted to households earning no more than 80 percent MFI. The Owner of record for the property is SOUTH BLOCK PROPERTY OWNER LLC (“Owner”).
  1. The MULTE Program has an annual cap limiting the approval of new property tax exemptions to no more than 15 million dollars of new estimated foregone revenue within a five-year period, defined as any current year and the previous four years. There is sufficient cap remaining for the 2022 calendar year to include the Project’s application.
  1. PHB has the responsibility for reviewing compliance of applications with the minimum MULTE Program requirements and has concluded that the application for the Project does indeed meet the minimum Program requirements.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:

  1. The request for a 10-year property tax exemption under the MULTE Program is hereby approved for 17 percent of the residential portion of the structural improvements of Sellwood Bridgehead Building 2, including 17 percent of residential parking and common areas.
  2. Approval of the application is provided subject to the Project meeting the following conditions:
    1. The Project must restrict 17 percent of its 36 units to households earning no more than 80 percent MFI (the “Restricted Units”). The Restricted Units, through reconfiguration, will consist of one one-bedroom and five two-bedroom units.
    2. The application will comply with the Program requirements established in City Code Chapter 3.103, including the requirement that the Owner sign a Regulatory Agreement and report annually to PHB each tax year that the exemption and restrictions are in effect.
    3. The Restricted Units will be built to meet all minimum Americans with Disabilities Act and Fair Housing Act requirements. The Project will also be built to ensure at least five percent of the Restricted Units, totaling one, be fully adaptable to become fully accessible per ADA and FHA standards if necessary to accommodate tenants with disabilities.
  3. PHB shall provide a copy of this Ordinance to the Multnomah County Tax Assessor as prescribed by City Code Section 3.103.050 (A).
  4. If, prior to the completion of construction, the Project is changed in any way that would reduce the number, percentage or distribution of the Restricted Units in the Project, or the approved public benefits provided, Owner must provide written notice to PHB.  If such changes still conform to the Program requirements, PHB will amend the Regulatory Agreement.  Such amendment would not be subject to City Council approval if changes are minor and would result in substantially the same Project.  

Section 2.  The Council declares an emergency exists because timely City approval of the application for the MULTE Program is necessary in order to allow the Project to meet requirements to approve the building permit as outlined by the Bureau of Development Services; therefore, this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Council.

An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)

Passed by Council

Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede

Impact Statement

Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information

To ensure Portland has economically inclusive development and neighborhoods, the city requires that new buildings being constructed (with more than 20 units) also provide Inclusionary Housing units (“IH Units”), restricted for 99 years under the Inclusionary Housing (“IH”) Program.

In exchange for providing IH Units, developers receive some benefits, including a 10-year property tax exemption – typically on all residential units in the Central City, or on only eligible rental units restricted under the IH Program outside the Central City.

For the building associated with this ordinance, below are the IH Program options available to the developer in city code. The option selected by the developer is in bold.

On-Site

Units

New

Off-Site Units

Existing

Off-Site Units

Fee-in-Lieu

Units at 80% of Median Income

7 Units

N/A

N/A

N/A

Bedrooms at 80% of Median Income

11 Bedrooms

N/A

N/A

N/A

Units at 60% of Median Income

4 Units

7 Units

9 Units

N/A

Bedrooms at 60% of Median Income

6 Bedrooms

N/A

N/A

N/A

Units at 30% of Median Income

N/A

4 Units

5 Units

N/A

No IH Units

N/A

N/A

N/A

$960,572

The developer selected the option to provide 20% of the building’s 36 total units. Using the option to reconfigure the building’s IH obligation into larger type units, the building’s original requirement of three one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units, will be provided in one one-bedroom and five two-bedroom units, which is 17 percent of the project’s total 36 units, and will be restricted to households earning no more than 80 percent median income for 99 years.

Original IH Unit Requirements

(7 IH Units)

Total Bedrooms in Original IH Unit Requirements

IH Obligation utilizing Reconfiguration

(6 IH Units)

(3) One-bedroom

(4) Two-bedroom

11 bedrooms

(1) One-bedroom

(5) Two-bedroom

Because this building is outside the Central City Plan District the tax exemption will apply to the IH Units.

Overview of building and units:

36-unit building at 551 SE Tacoma St

  1. Market rate units: 30 units
  2. IH Units: 6 units

Building Unit Summary

Studio

One

Bedroom

Two

Bedroom

Three

Bedroom

Total

-

15

21

-

Market Rate

-

14

16

-

Restricted at 80% of Median Income

-

1

5

-

Average Square Footage

-

668

1,087

-

Largest Square Footage

-

752

1,156

-

Smallest IH Unit

-

752

1,106

-

Regulated restricted rents compared to new construction market rate rents in the same neighborhood:

Building Rent Summary

Studio

One

Bedroom

Two

Bedroom

Three

Bedroom

Market Rate

-

$1,721

$2,420

-

Restricted at 80% of Median Income

-

$1,598

$1,918

-

Monthly Rent Difference

-

$123

$502

-

Annual Rent Difference

-

$1,476

$6,024

-

Over the 99 years of required rent restriction, market rents will only continue to increase at a faster rate compared to regulated rents.

If this ordinance is not approved by City Council, the development will proceed without any IH Units.

ORS 307.621 and City Code Section 3.103.060(B) state that PHB will take applications to City Council for approval in the form of an ordinance and deliver approved applications to the Multnomah County Tax Assessor. This action meets those requirements.

Financial and Budgetary Impacts

The City will pay the $5,100 application activation fee to Multnomah County, should the application move forward.   

This Ordinance approves a property tax exemption resulting in foregone tax revenue. The total estimated amount of the property tax revenue not collected for the 10 years of the exemption period is valued at approximately $95,230 in today’s dollars, assuming a four percent discount rate and a three percent annual assessment increase. This 10-year estimate includes taxes foregone by the City of Portland, Multnomah County and other entities which receive property taxes within Multnomah County. The reduced amount of property taxes to the City of Portland over the 10 years is roughly 33 percent of that amount, or $31,426 The City will still benefit from property taxes collected on the improved value of the land during the exemption period.

Property tax exemption value and foregone revenue:

Estimated total foregone revenue:

$95,230

Estimated first year value of the tax exemption:

$10,340

Estimated annual value of the tax exemption per IH Unit during the exemption period:

$1,587

Estimated annual foregone revenue per IH Unit over 99-year restriction term:

$160

Central City Plan District:      Yes     No

Remaining 5-Year Cap:       $12,224,010

Property Management:        Not selected yet

Community Impacts and Community Involvement

As the largest taxing jurisdiction affected by the tax exemption programs, Multnomah County has approved the administration of the programs in order to meet shared affordable housing goals.

100% Renewable Goal

Approval of the MULTE does not impact the City’s total or renewable energy use.

Agenda Items

Passed

  • Commissioner Carmen Rubio Yea
  • Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Yea
  • Commissioner Mingus Mapps Yea
  • Commissioner Dan Ryan Yea
  • Mayor Ted Wheeler Absent

Contact

Cassie Graves

Program Coordinator

Requested Agenda Type

Consent

Date and Time Information

Requested Council Date