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Date ArticleType
8/11/2021 Member News

Sightline Institute Study Shows RIP will not Address Immediate Need for Housing in PDX


New research by the Sightline Institute shows that most of the “new” housing types allowed under the residential infill project (RIP) zoning and code changes will not pencil out, at least in the short term. Due to cost of lots, construction, and government regulations as well as fees, the cost to develop new housing is too high to create rental units at a competitive price in most neighborhoods.

However, some projects do pencil, mainly those that would add units to lots with existing housing. According to the research, “A project that creates two 800-square-foot accessory dwellings—essentially a backyard duplex, capped at 20 feet tall—starts to make economic sense if each newly built two-bedroom could rent for at least $1,760 per month.”

As rents and the cost of housing continue to escalate more projects become economically viable, however it is incumbent on city leaders to look for solutions now rather than wait until the crisis deepens. HBA has and continues to work with Portland Building and Urban Development Council members and the city to address the challenges with RIP while also looking forward to RIP 2.0, which will add townhomes and cottage clusters to the available housing types on July 1, 2022.

To learn more about HBA's work on RIP and with the city of Portland, contact Ryan Makinster at ryanm@hbapdx.org.