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WHEREAS, the 2023 State of Housing in Portland Report shows that housing affordability remains a challenge for most Portlanders, as rents and home sales prices have continued to climb and outpace incomes; and

WHEREAS, through Ordinances 187371, 187973, 188627, 189387, 190342, 190756, the City Council has declared and extended a housing emergency; and

WHEREAS, since the initial declaration, the City continues to take significant action to alleviate the emergency housing needs of people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness or displacement. Some of the measures are based on directives set forth in previous ordinances cited above, while others are part of larger local/regional/statewide efforts to increase the supply of affordable units and to enhance local tenant protection policies; and

WHEREAS, City Council adopted the 2045 Housing Needs Analysis (HNA) as a supporting document to the City's Comprehensive Plan on December 15, 2023, by Ordinance 191547; and 

WHEREAS, profound income disparities continue to exist despite recent income gains for all types of households. While the citywide Median Household Income (MHI) was $85,876 in 2022, the MHI for renter households was $57,489 – 33 percent less than the citywide median; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the overall rent growth in Portland was an average of 8 to 9 percent – one of the highest in the nation. The average overall asking rent has increased year over year by 6.1 percent in 2021 and 3.7 percent in 2022, but slowed to a modest growth of 0.4 percent in 2023; and

WHEREAS, households are considered cost-burdened if they pay 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs. Cost-burdened households are at increased risk of housing instability, with homelessness as the worst manifestation; and

WHEREAS, in 2022, more than a third of Portland households and about half of all renters in the city were cost burdened; and

WHEREAS, the population experiencing homelessness are amongst the most vulnerable residents of Portland. The 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) count recorded 6,297 people as experiencing both sheltered and unsheltered houselessness in Multnomah County. While the PIT count does not assess causes for homelessness, there is recognition that lack of affordable housing is a leading factor; and

WHEREAS, the 2045 HNA found a need for more than 120,000 new housing units by 2045; and

WHEREAS, on January 10, 2023, Governor Kotek signed Executive Order 23-04 acknowledging a statewide housing shortage and affordable housing crisis, establishing an annual housing target statewide of 36,000 units; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Oregon House Bill 2003 (2019), Oregon Revised Statutes 197A.100 and Oregon Administrative Rules 660, Division 8, cities with a population greater than 10,000 are required to prepare and adopt an HNA that identifies needed housing types and price levels; and

WHEREAS, within one year of adopting an HNA, cities with a population greater than 10,000 are required to develop and adopt a Housing Production Strategy (HPS) to promote the development of needed housing identified in the adopted HNA; and 

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability has worked closely with other City bureaus to identify 35 strategies across eight categories to address the wide range of housing needs in Portland; and

WHEREAS, on February 13, 2024, the Housing Production Strategy Discussion Draft was published; and

WHEREAS, BPS solicited community comments on the discussion draft through an online survey, presentations, interviews and community meetings; and

WHEREAS, on May 28, 2024, BPS staff provided a briefing on draft strategies to the Planning Commission to solicit input from the Commission in their non-legislative, advisory capacity on the Housing Production Strategy’s consistency with adopted Comprehensive Plan policies. During the briefing, there was an opportunity for public comment. Twenty-seven (27) people provided in-person comment and another 107 submitted written comment through the Map App; and

WHEREAS, on June 11, 2024, the Planning Commission held a work session on the draft strategies and found that the strategies are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; and

WHEREAS, on July 25, 2024, the Housing Production Strategy (Exhibit A) was published; and

WHEREAS, on July 26, 2024, notice of the August 28, 2024, City Council hearing on the Housing Production Strategy was mailed to those who presented oral and written comment to the Planning Commission; and

WHEREAS, on August 28, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on the Housing Production Strategy and invited public testimony.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, City Council adopts the Housing Production Strategy to guide the City of Portland’s actions to increase housing production.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, City bureaus with jurisdiction over land use, transportation, infrastructure, economic development, and housing decisions will coordinate to implement the Housing Production Strategy and support the production of needed housing throughout Portland with goal of making housing more affordable to all Portlanders; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Portland will work with local stakeholders to advocate and collaborate with regional jurisdictions, state agencies and the federal government to promote actions that will increase housing production, especially for affordable housing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability will update City Council on the progress to implement the Housing Production Strategy by June 30, 2027, consistent with State requirements for a mid-term progress report.