Addressing Oregon's Housing Crisis

Oregon’s housing crisis is worsening. Rents and home prices keep rising, putting intense pressure on working families, students, and seniors. These challenges also hurt local businesses that depend on nearby workers. To protect our quality of life and natural resources, Oregon needs a thoughtful, affordable, and efficient housing strategy.

This proposal offers a balanced, fiscally responsible plan that expands housing options while protecting farmland and supporting local economies.

Key Strategies:

• Infill Housing and ADUs: Encouraging smaller homes within existing neighborhoods, like Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), can expand housing without expanding urban boundaries. According to Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), ADUs offer a low-impact, affordable option while preserving neighborhood character.

• Streamlined Permitting: The Oregon Home Builders Association reports that delays and red tape in the permitting process increase construction costs. Streamlining approvals can help speed up building and reduce expenses for everyone.

• Modular and Prefabricated Construction: As the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies explains, modular homes reduce labor demands and building time, making them a key tool for increasing supply affordably.

• Flexible Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs): Moderate and well-planned adjustments to UGBs, guided by Oregon State University research, can increase housing stock without significantly threatening farmland.

• Market-Based Vacancy Fees: To reduce the number of empty investment homes and increase available rentals, cities like Portland are exploring vacancy fees. These fees are less intrusive than traditional regulations and can support housing programs without new taxes. Although it is a slightly skeptical idea.

• Private Investment Incentives: Tax credits and faster permitting can encourage private developers to build affordable housing while preserving healthy market competition, as recommended by the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Smart Budgeting & Public Benefit

This approach keeps government spending low by leaning on private-sector innovation, reducing bureaucracy, and using vacancy fees as a revenue stream. The goal is to create more housing in Oregon without burdening taxpayers, supporting both affordability and fiscal responsibility.

Conclusion:

With smart planning and targeted policy, Oregon can reduce housing costs, support economic growth, and preserve its natural beauty. This plan encourages the private sector to do what it does best: build, compete, and meet demand, while ensuring all Oregonians have access to stable and affordable homes.

Sources:

• Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, ADU Guide: https://www.oregon.gov/lcd

• Oregon Home Builders Association, Permitting Study: https://www.oregonhomebuilders.com

• Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu

• Oregon State University, UGB Research: https://workspace.oregonstate.edu

• National Low Income Housing Coalition: https://nlihc.org