It is no secret that the home building industry has been booming in recent years. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for new homes and renovations has remained high, driven by low interest rates and a growing population, making homeownership more desirable than ever.
The last few years have forced us to be reactive to business challenges. Now we have an adjustment that may bring all that into reality. As things shift, there may be more time to be proactive and do the things you put off when there wasn’t enough bandwidth.
The current uncertainty rippling through our economy, specifically in our industry, can cause crippling effects –tendencies to hide and cause many to have a “wait and see” approach. On the flip side, it can also be an opportunity to stop, collaborate, and listen.
First, you have to put in the effort. It’s not enough to pay your membership dues and expect results. It takes time to build trust. I’m involved with the HBA because I get value out of it. When I began attending events regularly, joined a council, and consistently saw my peers, we developed a relationship. When the collective information is shared by those we trust, our networks become even more valued. And you don’t gain trust if you’re not in front of somebody.
Next, keep learning. Whether you like to read, listen to podcasts, or watch webinars, find ways to increase your knowledge. Don’t go stagnant. It’s time to recommit to
deepening your skills. There are plenty of free and paid resources to connect with.
Ultimately, leverage your team’s collective knowledge. Host a brainstorming session and share ideas from all levels and all team members. Decide if you should start or stop specific meetings. Analyze your current processes to make sure they’re efficient and effective. Build time into your calendar for these meaningful conversations within your company; you’ll benefit from it for the rest of the year.
Finally, plug into an upcoming HBA event. Mark your calendar for the BuildRight Conference on April 19 at McMenamins Kennedy School. Join us for the Member Lunch on May 24 with Jodi Hack from our state association (OHBA), providing a housing and business legislative update. Make the most of your membership by joining the Professional Women in Building Council, Home Performance Council or Remodeling & Custom Building Council. Or find other ways to connect with your peers at the HBA.
Whether you are just starting out or have been in business for years, there has never been a better time to invest in your future by building these critical relationships and practices. Focus on building strong networks and connections with others in our field. And if nothing else - turn off the news. We’ll get through this with consistent dedication to our growth, relationships, and controlling what we can control.
DEDICATED BUILDER TEAM WITH OVER 50 BRANDS TO CHOOSE FROM. SPECIAL BUILDER PRICING FROM ENTRY LEVEL TO LUXURY PREMIUM PRODUCTS. DEDICATED IN-HOUSE SALES, PARTS & SERVICE, INSTALLATION, AND DELIVERY. NO PROJECT TOO SMALL OR TOO LARGE. WE CAN SERVICE A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME UP TO LARGE MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS.
BY: PRESTON KORST AND ARA HIRST, HBA Staff
It can be hard to capture the connection between local government decisions and their impact on housing. Most city council work sessions and votes are technical, often times dry updates to codes that have little impact on the housing industry at large. Even though there is perhaps no industry as regulated by local government than residential construction— the majority of decisions are narrow in scope and difficult to measure. There are typically no more than a few half-asleep citizens listening patiently, if not apathetically.
This was not the case in January 2020 when the City of Portland’s chambers overflowed with passionate housing advocates. Up for discussion was a controversial proposal for state-mandated reforms to the city’s zoning codes that had seen little change in over a century. For more than 6
hours, nearly 150 people testified passionately on whether to fundamentally overhaul the city’s entire approach to residential zoning.
What stemmed from that marathon of testimony was another 18 months of intense work by staff to develop and implement what is now called the Residential Infill Project (RIP). Familiar to most builders in Oregon, House Bill 2001 realized a general relaxing of residential zones in the state, allowing in its place a variety of missing middle housing types including duplex, triplex, 4-plex, ADUs, and cottage clusters on lots that had previously been restricted to a traditional single-family home.
With these reforms in place for nearly a year and a half, many are now asking: What’s being built? And more specifically, have any builders adapted to implement the reforms into their business models?
Mike Mitchoff and Sean Heyworth are business partners who own Portland Houseworks, a mid-sized custom home building company developing infill-style products in Portland. They’ve been tracking these proposed code changes long before they were even on the radar of the council. That’s
Prior to RIP, this four-unit project located on SE 70th Street required extensive land division maneuvering to attain greater density. The original lot had to be subdivided from one tax lot into two, where two local builders, Sean and Mike, then built the maximum that the code allowed— one home with an ADU on each lot. Afterwards, they were required to re-combine everything back into a single tax lot in order to sell each home as a condo. This entire division process took an extra 12-15 months to accomplish with an added cost of roughly $10,000-$12,000 per unit in added carrying cost, city fees, and consultant time..
because for more than 15 years, Portland Houseworks built a variety of housing, including traditional townhomes, multifamily developments, and single-family homes. Sensing an unmet market demand for smaller boutique homes close to transit options and high demand pockets of Portland, Sean and Mike repositioned their business model towards what is now recognized as the quintessential RIP project.
“We saw a city with older, smaller housing stock but most
of the new construction being delivered was substantially larger than neighboring properties. We asked ourselves if new smaller homes would be in demand? With limited land available for development in Portland, coupled with fewer people living in the homes that we build, building smaller just might be attractive.,” said Mike.
For a decade, they mastered the craft and technicality of building densely on challenging infill lots—dealing with everything from infrastructure installation, land divisions, glazing requirements, setbacks, tree removal, to financing. “Every lot that we see is different. Different widths & depths. Some are more challenging than others due to street improvements and/or trees, and others are fairly straight forward.” Having built dozens of detached single-family homes with separate ADUs was a main feature of their work during this time, as that was the fullest extent allowed by code. They specialized in knowing how to make dense urban living more functional.
“Infill projects are really front loaded. In order to get it right, layout, massing, and orientation are far more important than designing a traditional house or development.” Mike explained that the design “needs to pay attention to everything from setbacks and private space, to neighboring properties and trees. Creating a functional small space is often times the result of experience… We use many methods to create livability from simple things like private outdoor spaces and window orientation to more complex concepts as texture, layering, and color.
Story continued on page 6
crisis.
One of the first uses of the newly allowed infill project was designed and built in a R5 residential zone in North Portland just off of the Dekum Triangle across the street from Woodlawn Elementary School. What was just a rundown single-family home, and then a vacant lot for a few years on a single tax lot that before RIP only allowed one home and one ADU to be built, now stands four custom townhouse style condos with a moderate building envelope and reasonable price tags ranging from $399,000 - $425,000.
The homes range from two to three bedrooms, one and half baths and 875 to 1,100 sqft. Whether attached or detached, Portland Houseworks’ homes tend to be consistently smaller than other new construction offerings, which they see need in the market for as household formations have been trending downward over the years. All homes are built with efficiency in mind, with all electric Energy Star appliance packages, including ductless mini-split heating and cooling units. Each are well insulated and receive an EPS score. “These houses are basically a smaller version of a custom home,” Mike explained. Most of the homes Portland Houseworks builds are forsale products, and their buyers understand the tradeoffs with smaller footprint living in established neighborhoods.
“Because of the density, RIP has allowed infill builders many options to build and sell additional units, typically at lower price points,” Mike said. “Our houses sell on average between $299K - $515K with a few outliers in the mid to high $500s.”
Beyond their affordability, middle housing style projects enable the creation of smaller communities within well established neighborhoods, as shared corridors or outdoor spaces function as communal spaces that bring people together, Mike explained. “From a technical standpoint, even though these are challenging projects to design, there are components of the design and livability that can be shared between multiple dwellings and in theory there should be some efficiencies created for the builder.”
This one example demonstrates the impact that policymakers, housing advocates, and determined builders can have in the ongoing struggle to ease our region’s housing supply and affordability crisis.
In August 2021 the Residential Infill Project went into effect, opening a whole new market to builders working in this space. “RIP was a natural fit for infill builders like us because we were already used to building on smaller, more logistically challenging sites.” The code changes created an opportunity for Mike and Sean to expand their building model in more geographic areas throughout the city and in less expensive forms.
“Prior to RIP, we couldn’t get more than a house and one ADU on a single lot. To add density on a larger parcel required a land division to create additional lots. The land division process is complicated, costly, and time consuming—often adding 12 to 15 months to development timeline. RIP has allowed greater density on single family lots without land divisions and costly Right of Way improvements,” Mike explained.
This, Sean says, allows them to drastically shrink their development timelines, reduce market exposure, and shrink carrying costs, all of which “results in more predictable and less risky projects.” No longer required to undertake time-intensive land divisions to accommodate a site, in addition to having far greater selection of land available to them translates to more housing being built and greater confidence in their future. The impact has been that they are now able to leverage their deep knowledge of dense building in more areas of the city, while doing so at a quicker pace and lower cost.
While still in its infancy as a program, other builders appear to be seeing the value of the program as well. According to city data the first 12 months of the program saw a total of 367 new units permitted that were previously banned (the majority of those being four-plexes.) More recently, data suggests that the city is seeing more interest from builders looking to build newly allowed cottage clusters, which are smaller, detached units that often face or cluster around a shared open space.
Portland Houseworks is one of the firms leading this trend—they already have 25 cottages in the design phase of development and view clusters as the next frontier for infill development in Portland. “The less restrictive cottage cluster requirements are going to make building small, detached housing in the City of Portland really attractive,” said Mike.
The future of infill in Portland is exciting
Portland Houseworks is no stranger to the various stakeholders surrounding their projects. From neighbor sentiments to the interactions with city staff, they understand the nuances of navigating these relationships for the betterment of the larger community.
Suggesting practical changes like assigning a single point of contact at the city to act as a liaison for builders and the many infrastructure bureaus, Sean noted, might increase efficiency. He also feels an overall alignment of the city-builder relationship is imperative. “Can we upend the adversarial relationship between developers and staff by all recognizing that we play key roles in solving the housing crisis?” he asked.
As a for-profit builder participant in the original RIP committee, they saw strong pushback from citizens in the early years of the program’s design. Throughout that process, as it developed, Mike says that most people recognized the need to balance the pros and cons of these development code changes. Now that it’s passed and the housing is getting built, they report vastly lower levels of hostility from neighbors than the original conversations with RIP might have suggested. “The conversations I’m having now are around how we can make the finished product better, more affordable, and fit into existing neighborhoods more seamlessly,” he explained.
Looking ahead, the team at Portland Houseworks is equally optimistic, “The future of infill in Portland is exciting and is happening as we speak.”
Under RIP, they are able to continue to work with their curated team of consultants and subcontractors and in cooperation with the city to deliver “high quality, well located, attainable market rate homes”.
“In order for a city to thrive its residents need to buy in, to feel secure and stable. In our opinion that all starts with housing affordability. The more missing middle housing matures, the more the City of Portland will prosper.”
The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
At Eastbank Appliances You'll Find the Very Best Detailed Product Knowledge from Oregon's Largest Sub Zero & Wolf Builder Supplier
At Eastbank Appliances You'll Find the Very Best Detailed Product Knowledge from Oregon's Largest Sub Zero & Wolf Builder Supplier
At Eastbank Appliances You'll Find the Very Best Detailed Product Knowledge from Oregon's Largest Sub Zero & Wolf Builder Supplier
At Eastbank Appliances You'll Find the Very Best Detailed Product Knowledge from Oregon's Largest Sub Zero & Wolf Builder Supplier
At Eastbank Appliances You'll Find the Very Best Detailed Product Knowledge from Oregon's Largest Sub Zero & Wolf Builder Supplier
Experience Quality Trust
Experience Quality Trust
Experience Quality Trust
At Eastbank
We At Eastbank
At Eastbank Appliances You'll Find the Very Best Detailed Product Knowledge from Oregon's Largest Sub Zero & Wolf Builder Supplier
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At
Experience Quality Trust
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---We promise Detailed Planning, Follow Up and Professional Delivery---
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At Eastbank Appliances You'll Find the Very Best Detailed Product Knowledge from Oregon's Largest Sub Zero & Wolf Builder Supplier Experience Quality Trust
Experience Quality Trust
800 SE Hawthorne Blvd just 3 minutes from Downtown Portland 503.954.1192
800 SE Hawthorne Blvd just 3 minutes from Downtown Portland 503.954.1192
---We promise Detailed Planning, Follow Up and Professional Delivery---
---We promise Detailed Planning, Follow Up and Professional Delivery---
Experience Quality Trust 800 SE Hawthorne Blvd just 3 minutes from Downtown Portland 503.954.1192
800 SE Hawthorne Blvd just 3 minutes from Downtown Portland 503.954.1192
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www.eastbankappliance.com
800 SE Hawthorne Blvd just 3 minutes from Downtown Portland 503.954.1192
Open to the Public 8:30 to 5 Mon - Fri Saturdays by Appointment
800 SE Hawthorne Blvd just 3 minutes from Downtown Portland 503.954.1192
Open to the Public 8:30 to 5 Mon - Fri Saturdays by Appointment
www.eastbankappliance.com Open to the Public 8:30 to 5 Mon - Fri Saturdays by Appointment
www.eastbankappliance.com
www.eastbankappliance.com Open to the Public 8:30 to 5 Mon - Fri Saturdays by Appointment
800 SE Hawthorne Blvd just 3 minutes from Downtown Portland 503.954.1192
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April
April 13
HBF Executive, 8:30 am, HBA Offices
April 12
HPC Executive, 9:30 am, HBA Offices + Zoom Auction Committee, 3:00 pm, Off Site
May 3
PBUD Council Meeting, 9:00 am
May 11
HBF Executive, 8:30 am, HBA Offices
May 18
HBF Board of Directors, 7:30 am, HBA Offices
Government Affairs, 10:00 am, Zoom
April 20
HBA Board of Directors, 11:30 am, HBA Offices
May 9
SOD Builder/Sponsor/Exec Meeting, 12:00 pm, HBA – First Floor
May 10
HPC Executive, 9:30 am, HBA Offices + Zoom
Government Affairs, 10:00 am, Zoom
May 17
PWB Executive, 10:00 am, HBA Offices + Zoom
Golf Committee, 11:30 am, HBA Offices
May 25
Finance Committee, 10:45 am, HBA Offices
HBA Executive, 11:30 am, HBA Offices
May 26 – 29
Auction Committee, 1:00, HBA Offices + Zoom
Membership & Retention Committee, 12:00 pm, HBA Offices + Zoom
HBA Offices Closed –Memorial Day HBF
H&G
HPC
Presented by Energy Trust of Oregon
Wednesday, April 19
7:30 am – 6:00 pm
McMenamins Kennedy School 5736 NE 33rd Ave | Portland
Cost: $249 members / $299 Non-Member
Builders, remodelers, developers, specialty contractors, verifiers and other industry professionals - Register now for the 2023 BuildRight Conference. Presented by Energy Trust of Oregon. BuildRight connects industry professionals from Oregon and Washington in an educational environment that teaches about the latest innovations, high-performance building, newest technologies, policies and legislation, code changes and latest market trends. Learn more at www. buildrightpdx.com
Thursday, May 11 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Standard TV & Appliance
**Save the date**
Join the HBA’s PWB Council for a Happy Hour at Standard TV & Appliance. All Members are welcome! More Details will be coming soon on our website but please save the date in the meantime. Visit www.hbapdx.org for more!
All-Member Luncheon:
Legislative and Advocacy Update with OHBA CEO Jodi Hack
Wednesday, May 24 11:30 AM - 1:00 pm
Home Builders Association of Metro Portland 15555 SW Bangy Rd. - First Floor Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Cost: Early Registration: $35 members / $40 Non-Members | After May 17: $40
Join us Wednesday, May 24th, from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM for our next All-Member Luncheon featuring important State and local advocacy work connected to the biggest push for more housing ever seen in Oregon. Learn about housing-related legislation in this year’s session, the work of the Governor’s Housing Policy Advisory Council, and additional issues impacting local land use, permitting, jurisdictional review and other issues related to new housing and remodeling. The program will feature OHBA CEO Jodi Hack, HBAGP Director of Policy and Government Affairs Preston Korst, and HBA member Justin Wood, who sits on the Governor’s Housing Policy Advisory Council.
Our March Luncheon had over 120 attendees, providing great opportunities to connect or reconnect with people and businesses in our industry over a great lunch provided by Celebrate Catering. Bring members from your company and encourage guests and non-members to come as well!
Pre-registration required. Seating is limited.
DISCOUNT GAS
For more information contact Kathy Temple at 541-408-5155 Kathy.Temple@ edstaub.com
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING
For more information contact Tim Holstein at 503-975-0660 timh@ swipenow.com
BUILDER/REMODELER MANUFACTURER REBATE PROGRAMS
For more information contact Tami Walter, 503-684-1880 or tamiw@ hbapdx.org
Accountable Siding
Kyle Kulikov 971-444-0135 kyle@accsiding.com
ASD Designs
Andrew Dryden 360-558-8084 andrew.dryden@gmail.com
Broan-NuTone
Josh Morse 262-673-4340 Josh.Morse@broan.com
Ant Building Company Hong Tran 503-616-2222 office@antbuilding.com
Fouch Building & Remodeling
John Fouch 503-912-0080 fouchbuilding@comcast.net
Builders Digital Experience (BDX) Rene Campos 503-333-0385 rcampos@thebdx.com
Cascade Northern Mortgage
Sheila Eisert 503-793-8085 loanlady5@gmail.com
DO&Be
Melissa Galland 360-448-8575 melissa@DOandBe.agency
Green Spark Homes Darrick Price 503-857-2824 darrick@greensparkhomes.com
HiLine Homes
Krista March 360-225-1849 kmarch@hilinehomes.com
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL
For more information: www.cicpp.com
Foundation First Northwest LLC
Joe Smith 503-719-7548 joe@foundationsfirstnw.com
Green O Construction LLC
Gabriel Horta 503-621-4199 gabehorta@gmail.com
Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce
Lynn Snodgrass 503-665-1131 lynn.ceo@greshamchamber.org
Jason Smith Construction Krista Boyd 503-266-3030 krista@jasonsmithconstruction.com
QI Carpentry, LLC Mizan Raheem 971-255-2779 qicarpentrypdx@gmail.com
WORKERS COMPENSATION
Qualifying HBA members can save up to 1% on SAIF.
Lewis & Clark Bank Malcolm Hodge 503-212-3118 mhodge@lewisandclarkbank.com
Lixil
Mike Trinh 503-348-6359 mike.trinh@lixil.com
Onstage in Oregon Inc.
Peter Kleier 971-533-1237 peter@onstage-online.com
Talan Warden Construction LLC
Talan Warden 208-819-5147 talan@talanwardenconstructionllc.com
40-49 Years
Milgard Windows - Portland
Progressive Builders Northwest
SAIF Corporation
30-39 Years
Clean It Up Mark!
Gomes Construction Company
Happy Homes Properties Inc.
Northwest Earthmovers
Pacific Crest Building Supply
20-29 YEARS
AMSG & Associates Inc.
Brookfield Properties Development
Dirt & Aggregate Interchange
Haggart Homes
Heritage Bank
McDermott Fence & Construction Inc
Metke Remodeling & Luxury Homes
Rich Bailey Construction, LLC
Stafford Homes & Land LLC
Zion Metal Works
10-19 YEARS
AKS Engineering & Forestry LLC
BK Marek Construction Inc
C & K Custom Remodeling Inc.
Carey’s Custom Woodworking, Inc.
Central Air, Inc
Dan Jones Inc.
Eastbank Contractor Appliances
Energy Trust of Oregon
ESP Supply Inc.
Gibson Construction LLC
Gores Construction Inc.
Greg Baurer Floor Covering
High Performance Homes, Inc.
His Builders, LLC
JRA Green Building
Lifetime Exteriors
Marnella Homes, LLC
NW Siding & Windows
Pacific Lifestyle Homes
Pahlisch Homes
TA Liesy Homes NW, LLC
Ultimate Comfort, Your Heating & Cooling Specialist
Withers Lumber Co.
5-9 YEARS
ANCI, Inc.
B Wheeler Enterprises LLC
Custom NW Remodeling & Floors
David Weekley Homes
DBS Group LLC
DC Builders
International Wood Products
ITech Painters
Neilson Construction
Oak Grove Custom Cabinets
Old Republic Title Company
Otak, Inc.
ReFIT, Remodeling for Independence
Together
Schumacher Custom Homes
SQFT Studios
The Charles H. Day Co. Inc.
Vulcan Design & Construction, Inc.
1-4 YEARS
All Surfaces Inc
Blessing Landscapes LLC
Blue Sky Property Northwest
BENEFITS
For more information, contact the Program Manager at Capital Benefits Group at 425641-8093.
The Anderson Group, Inc. DBA Anderson Poolworks
Dana Anderson 503-625-5628 dana@andersonpoolworks.com
TimberHP
Alexandra Hodges 207-348-8152 alexandra.hodges@timberhp.com
Budget Blinds of Beaverton, Lake Oswego & Oregon City
Canopy Building Group, LLC
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Beaverton, Inc.
Emser Tile
Entrance Door & Glass Co.
Garage Experts of Portland
Gutterman’s Supply
JC Reeves Corporation
Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
Kneeland Brothers
Marvin
Miller Paint Company
Northwest Superior Painting inc
O’Neill Construction Group, Inc.
Partners Group
PNW International Inc.
Premier Building Systems
Quail Homes
Suite Additions, LLC
Uncommon Cabinetry Incorporated
VYM LLC DBA GT Landscape Solutions
Willamette Renovations LLC
Williamsen & Bleid, Inc.
Take advantage of these exclusive member discounts from HBA business partners, visit hbapdx.org/bene ts for more info.BY: JODI BAILEY, HBA DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP
Hearing the feedback of members about HBA’s recent Spring All Member Luncheon, which had strong attendance of around 120 people, paints the picture of everything we are striving to accomplish at the Home Building Association of Greater Portland. If you ever wonder about membership value, look no further.
Julie Sandlin of WFG shared, “I felt a wonderful sense of camaraderie and everybody’s willingness to help each other. Everyone wants all to succeed.”
HBA provides many great ways for our members to connect and build relationships and networks. I think Razvan of Elite Home Painting said it well, “Your network will increase your net worth.”
My great passion for the HBA began when I was a member. I found a diverse group that held similar values and broadened my perspectives, educational opportunities, and grew my leadership skills by serving on committees and boards. HBA members support each other and the industry, with mentorship to grow others’ careers and businesses. Many members also use the cost saving benefits and business solutions HBA offers as a means to help your businesses thrive.
HBA’s diligent advocacy for our varying member segments helps ensure that we have an environment in our community in which we can build successful businesses. In turn, the industry is able to work together to build safe, solid, advanced homes for the people in our communities to call home for generations to come.
We appreciate all of our members. It truly does take a village and we need your support to share the benefits of being part of the HBA. Help us to keep growing our association by telling your peers, businesses connections and others in our industry about HBA. A robust, growing membership is essential to our advocacy, education and networking offerings. To learn more about member benefits or connecting with potential members, contact me at jodib@hbapdx.org.
want
You want to do it right, and we want to help you. Get information for the Northwest Region including technical literature, products, and contact details for your local territory managers.
Get information for the Northwest Region including technical literature, products, and contact details for your local territory managers.
MIKE BAIR - Portland Metro Trus Joist Territory Manager bairm@trusjoist.com (503) 853-4638
MIKE BAIR - Portland Metro Trus Joist Territory Manager bairm@trusjoist.com (503) 853-4638
IF
IF YOU ARE:
• Building with TJI® Joists, Microllam Parallam® PSL, or TimberStrand
• Framing FLOORS, ROOFS or WALLS
• Building with TJI® Joists, Microllam® LVL, Parallam® PSL, or TimberStrand® LSL
• Needing Help with Details and Special Conditions
• Framing FLOORS, ROOFS or WALLS
• Looking for Continuing Education Credits and wanting to attend an Online Webinar
• Needing Help with Details and Special Conditions
• Looking for Continuing Education Credits and wanting to attend an Online Webinar
• Having a Problem or Need a Repair/Field-Fix
Just scan the QR code
• Having a Problem or Need a Repair/Field-Fix
Just scan the QR code
You
to do it right, and we want to help you.
The Home Building Association of Greater Portland has partnered with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and Capital Benefit Services to bring members more affordable health care through the Building Industry Insurance Trust. HBA members deserve a health plan that's tailored to your industry and focused on the well-being of your employees and your business. Powered by the most trusted name in health insurance, your plan offers access to a broad provider network and support from an award-winning customer service team.
To learn more or get a quote, visit buildingindustryinsurancetrust.com or call (425) 641-8093.
As a business owner or as an individual investor, managing cash flow is one of the most important and challenging aspects of a sound financial management strategy. Cash management is an important aspect of both business and personal finance and can be a critical factor in building wealth over time. A well-thought out and disciplined cash management and investment strategy can help you to manage your cash flow effectively, maximize your returns, and achieve your financial goals.
It’s no secret that interest rates have been at all time lows in recent years. Great for borrowers as the cost of debt was low, however, as an investor,
returns on excess cash have also been near all time lows. But over the last year as interest rates have risen, the need to more critically evaluate a strategy for your cash reserves has grown significantly given the potential low-risk, tax-efficient returns that are available.
As of March 2023, high-yield savings and money market accounts were providing returns from 4%-5%. Ultra-short term U.S. Treasuries were offering tax-equivalent returns of nearly 6%. U.S. Treasuries are highly liquid investments with preferential state tax treatment. They are traded in large volumes every day in financial markets around the world. As a result, investors can buy or sell Treasuries
quickly and easily at market prices, without significantly affecting the price of the security. This helps investors to maintain liquidity.
It’s important each business and individual develop a cash management strategy that is right for their needs and risk tolerance. By choosing the right investment options, investors can maximize their returns on idle cash. It’s critical to take the time to work with the right professionals to not only understand your options, but also the pros and cons of each option, to the build the right cash management strategy for you.
If you have any questions regarding cash management strategies, connect with Joe Seifert at Delap. 503-974-5687.
TikTok, like many social media platforms, has become a go-to place for people to share their life stories, feelings and experiences with the world. But there is also an alarming trend of using these platforms to self-diagnose mental health conditions.
Self-diagnosing a mental health condition is difficult to get right. Mental health is complex and requires professional expertise and knowledge. If someone scrolls through TikTok and comes across a post about relatable mental health topic, they may be quick to assume the condition applies to them.
But before jumping to conclusions, Andree Miceli, Regence’s clinical director for behavioral health, says it’s best to talk with a professional first. “If you come across a post where someone is sharing their symptoms of depression, it can be natural to think you might have depression, too, especially if you’re experiencing similar feelings of sadness or lack of energy,” says Miceli. “This is where talking to your primary care provider or another health care professional can help. They can help you identify your feelings, uncover other possible issues, and determine if you need treatment.”
One reason people may turn to apps like TikTok to diagnose themselves is because they
can offer a sense of comfort for those seeking to connect with others who share similar experiences. TikTok’s format allows for easily digestible videos that appear in a never-ending algorithmic feed, giving people immediate access to information that can make them feel seen or understood.
However, the information isn’t always accurate or reliable. A recent study analyzing 500 TikTok videos with hashtags like #mentalhealthadvice found that 83.7% of the shared mental health advice was misleading; and 14.2% of the studied video content was potentially damaging. With 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiencing a mental illness each year, it’s important to find credible content and then seek professional help.
“There can be a lot of misinformation circulating online, and people who are not trained or qualified in mental health can easily misinterpret the symptoms and causes of mental health conditions,” says Miceli. “Eating disorders are especially hard to identify over social media because they can involve a combination of physical, psychological and social factors. Self-diagnosing an eating disorder can lead to further harm as people may not fully understand their condition.”
Self-diagnosing can also lead to stigma and shame. When someone self-diagnoses, they may feel like they have failed or that they are somehow to blame for their condition. This can lead to a delay in seeking proper treatment
and other potential long-term issues. Use what you see online to talk to a health care professional
While some consider self-diagnosing a first step in recognizing the need for help and support, that step is only advisable if it’s followed by seeking guidance from licensed mental health professionals.
“It’s important to remember that mental health is a serious health matter that should be addressed only by professionals,” says Miceli. While social media can be a convenient source of support and information, it should never be used as a means to self-diagnose mental health conditions. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health – and it’s worth taking seriously.”
Whether you may need occasional emotional support or ongoing mental health care, we can help you find the behavioral health care option that’s right for you. In addition to our network of therapists, counselors and psychiatrists, you can find mental health resources and care options at regence.com.
If you’re experiencing a mental health emergency, dial 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The lifeline provides free, confidential, 24/7 support to anyone who’s depressed, needs to talk or is thinking about suicide.
Home Building Foundation received a very sweet donation right around Valentine’s Day. Executive Director Brenda Ketah received the keys from Parr’s Tim Jefferies and Drew Roberts for a gently used GMC truck. Parr’s Brian Kegg says they are happy to help “We at Parr have had a long-term relationship with HBF and are big fans of their work.”
Having a designated vehicle has been a long time need for HBF. The Foundation and the other affiliates of HomeAid America work with service providers that are building or remodeling their facilities to help people experiencing homelessness. We ask builders and suppliers to donate their time and materials to get the job done. As the conduit to these partnerships, HBF’s project manager Chris McDowell is often driving from one end of the Portland Metro to another to pick up donations, and to deliver supplies to our shelter building sites.
HBF’s Brenda Ketah explains, she reached out to Parr last summer when attempts to receive grant funding for a truck fell through. Brian says “It was easy for us to say yes. This presented a perfect opportunity for Parr to lend a hand in making Chris’s job and life easier by repurposing one of our older lumber pickups.”
HBF’s transportation needs ramped up the past 18 months, as we expanded our outreach to local high schools. Students from nine area high schools from St. Helens down to Yamhill-Carlton are building small projects for our shelter partners. Parr helped by delivering a stack of lumber to Glencoe High for a shed that students will build for Project Homeless Connect.
The tight market for new trucks led Parr to have to delay its intended donation to HBF. When a new truck was delivered Parr’s Redmond Truss Plan in January, Brian arranged for a retired truck to come here. “It was our pleasure to present the truck as a gift to the HBF and are honored to be a small part of the impactful work the foundation does.” HBF Executive Director
Brenda Ketah is thrilled with the donation. “Having a designated HBF Truck will be a huge time saver, and will potentially save us money in rental fees, which will allow us to help more agencies that need our help.”
The truck will become an advertising vehicle for Home Building Foundation as Chris drives it around town. Fund Development Manager Kyle Ellerbe is
looking forward to wrapping the truck with our new Home Building Foundation logo. Of course, the truck will also feature a thank you message to our friends at Parr as well. We cannot do our work without the support of the Home Building Industry. If you’d like to donate materials, or your time, please reach out to Chris at Chrism@hbapdx.org
BY: HBF STAFF
After a two-year hiatus, Home Building Foundation joined forces with Miller and Rodda to supply paint to two worthy shelters in Portland in early March. Three local companies, The Oregonian, Fireside Home Solutions and Washington Federal Bank, assembled volunteer paint teams to put a much-needed coat of paint on Project Homeless Connect’s new day center facility in Hillsboro and the Community of Hope’s Hope House in St Johns. Roughly two dozen volunteers, split evenly at the shelters, worked on a cold, rainy Saturday morning to paint common spaces in the 1940’s-era buildings, both of which are under renovation. After a few short hours, there was a noticeable change in both spaces.
Shelters often need new paint jobs after only a few years because of their heavy use. Painting a Better Tomorrow offers an opportunity to help these high-use facilties quickly with no cost to the shelter provider. Project Homeless Connect’s Day Center is an active HBF project, and the Hope House, which provides transitional shelter for single-parent households, was last renovated by the Foundation in 2018.
Volunteer groups like Washington Federal Bank and The Oregonian are regulars to the event. HBF board member Gwen Ozaki who organized The Oregonian team said that her co-workers come out every year “because they go away feeling they made a difference.” For Fireside’s Mel Duncan, who previously was Executive Director of HBF, the event offers an opportunity to include her kids so she can “guide them by example.” Thank you to our volunteer teams and to Miller and Rodda for generously donating paint and painting supplies. If you want to participate in next year’s Painting a Better Tomorrow, contact Project Manager Chris McDowell at chrism@hbapdx.org.
For five years now, Home Building Foundation Portland’s building community impact has grown because of the leadership from Project Manager, Chris McDowell. HBF is based on HomeAid’s collaborative model of asking the residential building community to build or remodel shelter for providers serving people who are homeless. HBF Builder Captain Nathan Young praises Chris’s leadership. “Chris is the silent backbone of making HBF projects come together and I don’t think he gets enough recognition for his hard work and dedication.”
Chris never asks someone to perform a task he wouldn’t do himself. He’s the first to pick up a hammer or a shovel. As a multiple time HBF partner, builder Nathan Young tells us he appreciates Chris’s ability to move projects along. “His passion for getting the work done is contagious! On the St. John’s Village project, he would be there every day working on the details that helped to make the new village feel like a home for the residents. He does not complain when there are changes or redirection, he just puts his head down and makes it happen!“
Executive Director Brenda Ketah hired Chris to replace herself as Project Manager when she took over the helm of HBF. She needed someone who had the combination of construction experience and a passion for nonprofit work, and found that in Chris.
“Chris has a heart for making a difference in the community and brings with him construction experience, excellent volunteer coordination skills, degrees in Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture, and isn’t afraid to jump in and get his hands dirty. We are fortunate to have Chris on the HBF team!”
Chris’s has a large fan club in the service provider community. They can affirm, he takes such a keen interest in the projects he supervises, he will show up all hours of the day and night. Kim Marshall Gordon, of HBF’s current project for Project Homeless Connect Washington County says they are grateful for his hard work and compassion. “What has been so inspiring for us, is his ability to befriend and show our houseless friends that they are seen and known. When he is onsite everyone knows his name and thinks he works for Project Homeless Connect. “
A recent example of his work ethic is him leading a volunteer team to move some goats to a new pen at A Village for One, where HBF is starting work on a second home for girls escaping sexual exploitation. Director Cassie Trahan says she is excited to work with Builder Captain Jim Standring and especially Chris again. “Chris is a person that truly cares about the quality and impact of his job and those his role serves. He goes above and beyond and is often found doing direct tasks that just need to get done and
In March, Richmond American Homes generously donated some lightly used office furniture to an HBF project in Hillsboro. The shelter provider, Project Homeless Connect, is using the new desks, chairs, and lighting for its recently renovated Day Center that serves as a hub for its homeless outreach and administrative staff. Thank you to our friends at Richmond American for the donation! If you are interested in making a similar donation to an HBF shelter project, contact Chris McDowell at chrism@hbapdx.org.
there is no one else to do it at the time. He is not one that easily says “We can’t do that. I don’t know if I have ever even heard those words from him without extensive problem solving first.”
HBF’s Workforce Development coordinator
Teresa Spangler credits Chris for a successful launch of a initiative to bring projects to local high school training programs. Chris coordinates the purchase, donations and delivery of building materials so students can build needed items for local shelters. When HBF piloted a project to have students build picnic tables this past summer, Chris taught Constructing Hope trainees how to cut lumber, build and stain picnic tables, then delivered ten tables himself to several villages for the houseless. After that experience, Chris noticed the program could use better tools. He used grant money, and led HBF staff on a holiday Santa run to drop them off. Constructing Hope instructor Irvin Brown tells us, “That brought tears to my eyes.”
Fund Development Manager Kyle Ellerbe says Chris is just as hands on when he is asked to help with events for HBF, and for HBA. We feel fortunate to work alongside Chris McDowell here at HBF. We hope you’ll assist him with one of our projects. As the building community and our nonprofit partners will tell you, you’ll be working alongside an inspiration.
BY: CAROL EISENLOHR, BUILDING TOWARDS BETTER LLC AND HBA BUILDING SCIENCE CONSULTANT
The Home Performance Council, Marnella Homes, and the Building Science Program with the help of the HBA put together a booth at the Portland Spring Home & Garden Show this year for the first time. The booth showcased energy efficient building products and processes. Tony Marnella of Marnella Homes and I sat at a high-top table in the center of the booth labeled “Ask the Expert” and answered all kinds of questions. The booth had a surprising amount of interest from homeowners looking for high performance builders, remodelers and products.
Tony and I will be forming a work group to put together a concept for a booth in next year’s Home & Garden Show that highlights performance building practices and products. We hope to have a more interactive booth with behind the walls displays and a lot of information on the benefits of owning or building an energy efficient home. If you would like to participate in this work group and brainstorm with us on next year’s booth at the Home & Garden Show, send me an email and I will add you to the interest group: buildingscience@hbapdx.org
I recently had a great conversation with one of our HBA members from Fiberon, Kelly Arndt. We were discussing the BuildRight Conference, sustainability and builders having a choice of quality products that are also good for the environment to offer their homeowners. She shared with me their “Composite Decking Green Story” and I thought I would share it with you. You might want to learn a little more about their products at https://www.fiberondecking.com
The HBA Building Science Program is a technical resource available to HBA members free of charge, funded in part by Energy Trust of Oregon, Home Certified, OrePAC, Portland General Electric and NW Natural. If you would like to utilize the Building Science Program to create a continuous improvement plan focused on your building challenges or a plan to prepare for future code changes, contact Carol Eisenlohr, HBA’s Building Science Consultant at carole@hbapdx.org or call to schedule an appointment at 503-710-2910.
Don’t forget to schedule your BuildRight Coffee Chat with industry experts!
Join the HBA Building Science Consultant, ETO and other experts every Thursday at 9am via Teams or Zoom. Talk through code questions, address specific building challenges and find resources for better building practices. To schedule your individual chat, contact HBA’s Building Science Consultant Carol Eisenlohr at 503-710-2910 or buildingscience@hbapdx.org.
WE SHARE THIS SAME PASSION. AND WHEN YOU’RE CHOOSING YOUR DECKING, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU’RE CHOOSING A PRODUCT THAT IS BOTH GOOD FOR YOUR HOME AND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
Every home that participates in Energy Trust’s EPS™ New Construction offering receives an Energy Performance Score (EPS). Participating builders can differentiate themselves in the market by leveraging the EPS sheet, which showcases their home’s estimated monthly energy bills, EPS and more. New EPS sheets are designed to help even more.
In 2021, EPS New Construction staff collected input from EPS builders and verifiers to understand how they use the EPS sheet, and which features are most important to them. Most trade allies reported that energy cost data is a critical element—more than any other characteristic. They also suggested the current sheet be simplified and condensed to a single page. In addition, builders mentioned that the sheet should place more attention on innovative features that differentiate their homes.
Using this feedback, Energy Trust updated the layout of the EPS Sheet, making the following changes:
• Updating the overall look of the sheet
• Simplifying technical details to reduce the sheet to a single page, making it more understandable for homebuyers
• Adding an ‘additional features’ section that highlights things like solar, storage and/or electric vehicle components
The new EPS sheet is now online, and you can view a sample EPS sheet in Insider. Have questions or comments regarding this new layout? Contact the EPS New Construction team at 1.877.283.0698.
HBA’s BuildRight Conference presented by Energy Trust of Oregon, the signature high performance building and remodeling educational event of the year, returns to McMenamins Kennedy School on April 19, 2023. You don’t want to miss this informative event!
BuildRight connects industry professionals, including builders, developers, remodelers, verifiers and specialty contractors from Oregon and Washington in an educational environment that teaches about the latest innovations, highperformance building, newest technologies, policies and legislation, code changes and latest market trends. Plus, attendees earn CCB credits for each session, and this year, verifiers can also earn RESNET credits.
Opening Keynote Preview: The Big New Challenge in Residential Design and Construction
with Christine Williamson
For the past 30 years, we have achieved dramatic and consistent improvements in the energy efficiency of residential buildings partly thanks to big improvements in building enclosures— notably, more intelligent and effective approaches to glazing, insulation, and air-tightness.
The building industry remains wellpositioned to continue our success in this area, but we now seek to complement those advances by enhancing occupant
Session Preview:
Christine Williamson teaches architects, architects in training, and other building industry professionals about building science and construction. She also provides technical design consulting services to architects, developers, and contractors, assisting with design development and
reviewing details and specifications to improve durability, comfort, and energy efficiency. She is the founder of @BuildingScienceFightClub, an Instagram community dedicated to teaching building science and construction to architects and other building professionals.
health through improved indoor air quality. This is not a small challenge—it requires a deep understanding of mechanical ventilation, how changes to the interior environment will affect the enclosure, and what design adjustments will be needed to ensure that our air-quality efforts don’t undercut building better enclosures.
Building enclosure designs that do not account for higher relative humidity in the interior can have serious adverse consequences for durability, putting the
Greg Lasher, Associate Project Manager TRC Companies, Kevin Rose, Lead Engineer, Codes & Standards, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and Mark Heizer Mechanical & Energy Code Engineer, Oregon Building Codes Division will lead this session breaking down these significant code changes.
Both Oregon and Washington are expected to update to new energy codes before the end of 2023. While each state is increasing the efficiency level of its residential energy code, the states have taken different approaches in designing their codes to
single largest asset of most homeowners at risk and ultimately leading to poor interior air quality. The switch from exhaust-only ventilation to balanced ventilation with filtration and humidity control gives us the opportunity to achieve comparable air-quality improvements in a very short time. Join Christine Williamson as she talks us through the risks and tradeoffs—and the tremendous opportunities awaiting smart and creative building-industry professionals.
generate these energy savings. In this session, speakers involved in the code development and implementation process in each state will summarize the significant changes coming with the new code versions and help decode what these changes will mean for projects that will be permitted to these new codes. As Oregon and Washington’s codes evolve, they increasingly rely on wholehome solutions to achieve higher levels of efficiency. Getting these solutions right the first time requires careful design, coordinated implementation on-site, and steady collaboration at all points along the way.
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BY GO LABFor many, the last election isn’t far enough in the rearview to begin thinking about the next. For HBA’s Government Affairs team, we’re constantly monitoring the electoral field to ensure the home building industry has strong representation at the local level. The next one we’re weighing in on will be the Primary Election held on May 16th, 2023 and will consist of mostly ballot measures and special district levies, with a few special elections for candidates. HBA is involved in the following races.
SUPPORT: Multnomah County Commission, District #3: Julia Brim-Edwards
We have officially endorsed Julia Brim-Edwards to fill the vacant Multnomah County Commission seat formerly held by now Chair Vega Pederson. Julia is a lifelong resident of district 3 and currently serves on the Portland Public School Board having been elected three times. Before running for office, Julia had a 17-year career as an executive in Nike’s public affairs division. Julia lists housing as her top priority, saying: “I have a long track record of fixing problems to make life better for people in this community. That kind of effective, hands-on leadership has never been more important.”
OPPOSE: Multnomah County Measure 26-238: Establishes Eviction Representation Program Through Use of New Capital Gains Tax.
HBA strongly opposes Measure 26-238 and is working closely with the opposition campaign to defeat this upcoming ballot measure in Multnomah County that would establish a destructive capital gains tax on all county residents. Voters will be asked whether to approve a tax to fund a new department designed to fund lawyers to represent residents facing eviction (no income qualifications). While we agree with the intent of the measure, to help people avoid evictions, we believe that there are better funding and policy alternatives available. For this reason, HBA is proud to formally support Building a Better Future Multnomah, a coalition of businesses and community leaders working collectively to ensure the measure is defeated.
SUPPORT: Oregon City Measure 3-597: Urban Renewal District to Fund Infrastructure for Housing, Livability, and Tourism Oregon City’s proposed Urban Renewal District will support needed infrastructure installation in support of critical community objectives, including housing and economic development. The vote would allow the city to borrow up to $44m for public use projects, including transportation and utility infrastructure for a 500-unit housing development on a 62-acre brownfield on the former Rossman Landfill.
SUPPORT: City of North Plains Measure 34-322: Creates 5-Year Public Safety Local Option Levy for Police Services
The Public Safety Levy in North Plains will help fund new police officers for overnight patrol and services. Given the fact that North Plains is the fastest growing city in Oregon, this measure will help ensure that rapid growth is managed in a manner that is responsible and safe for current and existing residents.
SUPPORT: City of Gresham Measure 26-239: Public Safety Levy for Police, Fire, and Homeless Services
The Public Safety Levy proposed for Gresham will help secure new staffing resources, while protecting current services levels. The funding will allow the city to add 26 new police officers and retain another 13 employees. It will also fund roughly 16 new firefighters and add new resources to the homeless services division.
Other Measures HBA Is Supporting
• Lake Oswego School District Measure 3-592: Local Option Levy Renewal to Maintain Teaching Positions, Classroom Programs
• Sherwood School District Measure 34-323: Local Option Levy to Maintain Teachers, Class Sizes
• Clackamas County Fire District Measure 3-594: Local Option Levy for Fire and Emergency Medical Services
• Molalla Fire District Measure 3-591: Local Option Renewal Levy to Maintain Fire, Emergency Medical Operations
• Canby Fire District Measure 3-596: Replacement Local Option Levy for Fire and Emergency Services
• Sheridan School District Measure 36-223: Bond to Renovate Facilities and Improve Safety of Schools
• McMinnville Fire District Measures 36-226 and 36-227: Formation, combination of city and rural units
• City of Dundee Measure 36-224: Local Option Levy for Fire and Emergency Services
If you would like to get more involved in supporting HBA legislative priorities, please reach out to Preston Korst, HBA’s Director of Policy and Government Affairs at prestonk@hbapdx.org.
In December, business and trade groups filed a suit against Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to challenge the hurried and fractured process by which it wrote and adopted land use rules following Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order on climate change. The Oregon Home Builders Association (OHBA), Oregon Association of Realtors (OAR), Oregon Business & Industry (OBI), and Oregon Trucking Associations (OTA) assert that the final CFEC rules should be invalidated because they were adopted without a genuine opportunity for review, public comment, or response to important questions posed by the public and key stakeholders.
Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio was tapped to lead the city’s housing and economic development bureaus. With the Mayor’s recent “reshuffling” of Bureaus into clusters, Commissioner Rubio will now oversee the Portland Housing Bureau, Bureau of Development Services, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, and Prosper Portland. In addition to tactfully reforming the controversial Portland Clean Energy Fund with strong support from both business and environmental advocates, Rubio was the commissioner-in-charge of the bureau responsible for the Residential Infill Project, the city’s implementation of HB 2001 which opened single-family zoning to middle housing types like duplex, triplex, and fourplex products. We look forward to a productive relationship with Commissioner Rubio as we partner to increase the stock of housing in Portland to meet the needs of more low- and middle-income families.
In addition to roughly doubling the state’s Housing Production Targets from 20,000 new homes per year to 36,000 annually, Governor Kotek is launching a Housing Production Advisory Council that is expected to support her administration’s goals to address the state’s housing supply deficit. Made official by executive order, there is still much that is unknown about how the Governor’s plans to reach such ambitious goals. In a statement, Governor Kotek said “I set this target to reflect the level of the need that exists, knowing that we will not get there overnight, or even in one year… But we will ramp up over time and keep pushing for partnerships that will increase housing construction as much as possible to start meeting the needs of more Oregonians.”
After more than a year of HBA’s advocacy and support, the Metro Council voted to formally approve the River Terrace 2.0 Land Exchange, which will clear the way for thousands more homes in Tigard. On Thursday, February 2nd, Metro’s Council voted 7-0 in favor of the proposal that was presented by staff and requested by the City of Tigard. This is a big win for the region and HBA’s members who’ve worked with our Government Affairs team to develop policies that foster the creation of new housing in our region. This is the first time a land-swap has been used in our area, with Metro identifying roughly 350 acres of land in
For more information on any of the below items, please contact Director of Policy and Government Affairs Preston Korst at prestonk@hbapdx.org
Damascus and Oregon City that met several layers of criteria including being contiguously adjacent to the current boundary while not having been zoned for urban use, incorporation, or concept planning in the past 20 years. The lands identified meet all of these conditions. Although the Clackamas County Commission did oppose this exchange, we believe that the end result (more housing, sooner) justifies the devices used.
More importantly, what’s going into the UGB is two portions of land formerly known as Roy Rogers East and West urban reserves. These areas total 500 acres near Tigard between SW Scholls Ferry Road and SW Roy Rogers/SW Beef Bend. In early concept planning, the city identified between 3,000 and 4,500 new housing units to be built, in addition to other commercial and public use spaces. Construction could begin as soon as 2026. HBA and our partners who testified in support of this exchange will now begin working with Tigard going forward on their future planning to ensure they use effective and flexible policies geared towards maximizing housing output.
HBA has officially signed on to endorse a campaign designed to defeat an upcoming ballot measure in Multnomah County that would establish a destructive capital gains tax on all county residents. On the May 16th Primary, voters in Multnomah County will be asked to vote on a measure that would establish a new .75% capital gains tax on all residents to help fund a new department at the county designed to represent all residents facing eviction (with no income qualifications necessary). While we in the housing industry agree with the intent of the ballot measure, which is to help avoid evictions, we believe that there are better funding and policy alternatives available to do so.
For this reason, HBA is proud to formally support Building a Better Future Multnomah, which is a coalition of businesses and community leaders who are working collectively to ensure the measure is defeated. The coalition will officially launch with a website and introduce their advertising campaign in the coming days to help educate voters and draw in additional endorsements. To help defeat the measure, our local association and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) are making a $25,000 investment to the campaign and will help ensure that communication materials include the negative impact that this measure would have on housing affordability.
HBA and our members are working with the City of Gresham to help address an ongoing issue around moving architectural design standards for larger subdivision developments. Following HBA advocacy, the City Council approved a request to allow staff to begin reviewing the development code in order to update how the city calculates and approves vesting periods for planned subdivisions. Given the increasingly complex and time intensive processes required to plan, finance, and buildout new subdivisions, builders (both affordable and market-rate) are finding it difficult to meet ever-changing architectural development standards, especially in light of the less familiar Middle Housing Land Division standards. Add in recent supply chain and labor shortages to this mix and the timeframe to complete a planned subdivision takes even longer than in past years.
This is why the HBA is working closely with Gresham staff to improve
the vesting period and process for subdivisions. In collaboration with city leadership and staff, we believe that allowing more time to complete planned housing developments (some with over 200 units), will ensure that homes are built thoughtfully and with safety and efficiency in mind, without being rushed in order to meet new architectural standards. Click here to view HBA testimony supporting Gresham’s
development vesting. If you would like to learn more or engage in this process, please reach out to our Government Affairs team.
HBA is leading a coalition of business and non-profit partners in expanding the City
For more information on any of the below items, please contact Director of Policy and Government Affairs Preston Korst at prestonk@hbapdx.org
of Portland and Multnomah County’s joint workforce housing property tax exemption program. In its current form, there is an annual 100-unit cap on the Home Ownership Limited Tax Exemption (HOLTE) program, which provides a 10-year property tax exemption on structural improvements for newly built homes that are sold at $455,000 or below to a buyer earning 100% AMI. In conjunction with the city’s SDC waiver program, this exemption is designed as an innovative development incentive for newly allowed middle housing while also reducing the barriers to affordable homeownership.
HBA’s Political Action Committee, OFAH, supports pro-housing candidates and measure at the local and state level. We advance policies that support the entire housing industry while directly challenging antidevelopment activities. Our work ensures that Oregonians, regardless of income, have access to diverse and a ordable housing options.
In collaboration with Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors, Portland Business Alliance, Habitat for Humanity, Proud Ground, Portland Housing Center, and Oregon SmartGrowth, the HBA is requesting that the county and city move jointly to eliminate the cap on the number of units that can qualify for this program. If successfully, this small change would help increase housing supply in Portland and expand access to homeownership for working families. Click here to view HBA testimony supporting Portland’s HOLTE program.
Experts tell us there are at least two ways to look at every problem:
• We can rely on our automatic, involuntary response, which is influenced by intuition and unconscious bias.
• We can engage in deliberate, analytical problem solving.
This is sometimes called “fast” and “slow” thinking, and there are advantages and disadvantages to both. For instance, if we’re about to be run over by a speeding taxi, the best response is to leap to safety. But if we’re surprised by a sudden fire, the proper response requires conscious thought.
Making safe decisions often requires that we slow down and think deliberatively. This helps to counter any biases, such as assuming company leaders always know what’s right or sticking with the way things have always been done. Consider asking the following:
• What are other ways to perform this task?
• What alternatives are the safest?
• Do we have enough information to make an informed decision?
• Is any key information missing?
• Why are we doing it this way?
The following techniques also can help build resilience and increase performance, focus, and memory while reducing stress, anxiety, and fatigue.
Switch on
Ask simple questions to activate deliberate thinking:
• What’s changed since my last shift?
• How would someone else see this?
• Does this mean I’m safe?
PAUSE before acting:
• Perceive the situation.
• Allow at least 10 seconds.
• Understand before taking action.
• Seek new solutions.
• Evaluate if things are going as expected.
Take a walk
• Focused walking, such as in a labyrinth, can induce a contemplative or meditative state of mind.
Unplug from screens
• Powering down electronics provides time to reset, refresh, and refocus.
Practice mindfulness
Follow these steps for five minutes each day:
1. Sit with your back straight.
2. Take a deep breath and close your eyes.
3. Notice your natural breathing pattern but don’t change it.
4. As your mind wanders, bring your awareness back to your breathing.
Over 120 members joined HBA for the annual Spring All Member Lunch presented by NW
in March
