housing & industry advocacy

decide to freeze any increase to development-related fees in their approved budget. This was a welcomed nod to the development and business community from the mayor, indicating that Portland is open for business. We are hoping to carry this message to other jurisdictions in the area.

City of Portland Freezes SDC Fee Increases

Portland City Council approved a $7.1 billion budget, and in doing so provided some relief to the city’s business community and citizens. In a rare but welcomed move, the City of Portland has approved a one-year freeze on any increases to the city’s regular SDC fees for the coming year. This means that all fees will remain the same as they were for the last year, which range from $20,000 to $30,000 on average. This pro-development move, led by Mayor Wheeler also included a reduction in planned utility rate hikes for water and sewer services.

• SDC Fees: No Increase

• BES Rate Payer Increase: 3.15% instead of 5.15%

• Water Rate Payer Increase: 7.7% instead of 8.9%

• Parking Fees: 20 cent increase, instead of 40 cents

Gresham Vesting Code Approved

HBA successfully led an effort to change how and when the City of Gresham determines vesting rights for approved subdivisions. Following months of advocacy in partnership with local builders, HBA met with city staff, councilors, and community groups to ensure that new vesting timeframes allowed builders flexibility needed to design and construct subdivisions that are more safe, livable, and affordable. As approved, council voted to changed the timing in which planned subdivisions receive vesting rights from the “Tentative Plan Approval” to the “Recording of the Final Plat”. While a small change in language, it allows builders to receive up to three additional years to build out phased subdivisions in the city. This will help more builders avoid costly design requirements, and better plan for financing of larger projects.

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Sherwood West Expansion Plans Moving Forward

The City of Sherwood’s long-running plans for an Urban Growth Boundary expansion passed a significant milestone with the conclusion of its Technical and Community Advisory Committees in May 2023. The Sherwood West Preliminary Concept Plan is a study of 1,291 acres of Urban Reserve lands located to the west and north of city limits. While an earlier version of a preliminary concept plan was adopted in 2016, it’s been updated to accommodate for recent developments including the completion of Sherwood High School, Washington County’s Urban Reserve Transportation Study, the city’s Comprehensive Plan, and the implementation of newly allowed middle housing options from HB 2001.

Washington County Update: Inspection Staffing

HBA members and staff met with Washington County’s Land Use and Transportation Leadership team last week to discuss ongoing challenges related to the county’s inspection processes. While many improvements have been realized on the intake and file check submissions, the wait time for simple building inspections have risen to upwards of 10 business days. The good news is that the county has successfully hired 4 new inspectors who will hopefully help ease the long delays many builders are facing. While there’s no official word on when we might expect to see improved services for inspections, we expect it to take at least several more weeks before new staff is fully trained.

HBA Provides Feedback on Local Housing Production Strategies

Several local cities are finalizing their Housing Production Strategies following state-guidance from HB2003. HBA has been working with staff in several cities (including Gresham and Beaverton) to ensure that any tools being considered to boost housing supply does not unintentionally hinder production of market-rate or affordable housing. If you’d like to learn more or offer your support for a particular strategy report, please reach out to HBA’s government affairs staff.