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Following several sensationalist stories that grossly mischaracterized the current demolition inspection process, Portland kicked off a process to fully review existing regulations. HBA members and staff worked diligently with the city and community stakeholders to adopt a process that will utilize remote video rather than on site inspections, conserving city resources while ensuring that demolition sites are fully monitored. Importantly, the remote inspections will allow for dramatically reduced wait times windows, reducing them from over a day to several hours. This will provide builders with greater certainty in the development process and reduce costs associated with renting mechanical wetting equipment. The city is currently in the process of finalizing the new regulations, which are anticipated in February. HBA thanks the city for advancing a smart reform that will reduce builder costs while fully addressing community concerns around demolitions. For more information on HBA’s work in the City of Portland, contact Ezra Hammer at ezrah@hbapdx.org. Next Article Previous Article