The Portland Residential Infill Project is expected for approval by the Portland City Council today, culminating a six year process that became more and more ambitious with every iteration.
[Update: the Portland City Council voted to approve the residential Infill project on August 12, by 3-1 vote, according to a press release from Portland: Neighbors Welcome.]
"Portland’s city council seems certain Wednesday to set a new bar for North American housing reform by legalizing up to four homes on almost any residential lot," reports Michael Andersen.
The Residential Infill Project, the name of the package of planning and zoning reforms, is expected to pass with a 3-1 vote, after years of headlines describing the reforms proposed by the project as more controversial than they appear in the end. Planetizen has been tracking the Residential Infill Project through ups and downs and twists and turns since 2016, but Andersen traces the origin of the project back six years, to a letter by a local micro-developer.
Andersen expects the effects of the new rules to present a turning point in the history of the city. "The measure will make it viable for nonprofits to intersperse below-market housing anywhere in the city for the first time in a century."
Among the specifics of the Residential Infill Project are a “deeper affordability” option that will allow four to six homes on any lot, "if at least half are available to low-income Portlanders at regulated, affordable prices," explains Andersen.
The new rules also include big time parking regulation reform, removing parking mandates from three quarters of land zoned for residential use in the city.
All in all, Andersen says the new rules are: "the most pro-housing reform to low-density zones in US history."
The Sightline Institute is sharing this infographic, created by Alfred Twu, to illustrate the kinds of housing development legalized by the Residential Infill Project.
Image by Alfred Twu, courtesy of the Sightline Institute.
Included in Andersen's in-depth article is a lot more detail about the reforms implemented by the Residential Infill Project, the evolution of the project as it made its way through the planning and political process in Portland, and a comparison of how this new planning reform compares to other recent, ambitious planning innovations implemented in cities like Minneapolis, Austin, Seattle, and Vancouver.
Finally, Andersen concludes with a call for more cities to follow Portland's example, and for the federal government to aid in that effort.
FULL STORY: ON WEDNESDAY, PORTLAND WILL PASS THE BEST LOW-DENSITY ZONING REFORM IN US HISTORY
Portland Adjusts Residential Infill Plan to Minimize Displacement
Portland wants to add density but doesn't want to displace current residents of low- and middle-income neighborhoods.
Charlotte's New, Controversial Comprehensive Plan to End Single-Family Zoning
A tight vote after months of controversy has produced a major zoning reform effort that differs significantly from recent examples on the West Coast and in Minneapolis.
'Permit Ready Plans' for ADUs Published in Stockton, California
Cities looking to provide incentive for the construction of accessory dwelling units are increasingly released "permit ready plans" to help the cause.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
DOT Officially Cancels California High-Speed Rail Funding
The Trump administration has repeatedly taken aim at the LA-to-Bay Area rail project, blaming Democratic leaders for cost overruns and delays.
Legislators Push Back Against ‘Rent-Setting’ Software
In the last six months, lawmakers in more than two dozen cities and states have made strides to stop landlords from using anti-competitive rental software to determine how much to charge for rent. Shelterforce looks at the wins and losses so far.
DOT Awards 77% of BUILD Grants to Road Projects
Trump’s DOT is directing 87 percent of total grant dollars to states that backed the President in the last election.
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
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie