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8/20/2019 Member News

With Support of HBA, Portland Approves of ADUs in Townhouses


On September 16th, the Bureau of Development Services promulgated a new Code Guide to allow for the construction of ADUs in townhomes. This clarification was necessary because the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC) does not explicitly recognize ADUs. Instead the ORSC treats primary dwellings with attached or enclosed ADUs as two-family dwellings. However, the ORSC defines townhomes as single family dwellings. The Code Guide provides for an alternate definition and equivalent standards for two-family townhouses (i.e. a townhouse with an ADU). This establishes an avenue for a townhouse with an ADU to be designed to the ORSC instead of requiring full compliance with standards for apartment buildings in the Oregon Structural Specialty Code. These changes will save builders resources while allowing for construction to remain under the more user-friendly ORSC. The HBA thanks the Bureau for their forward thinking approach to promote housing in Portland. To learn more about our work in Portland and to participate in our monthly Portland Building and Urban Development meetings, please contact Ezra Hammer at ezrah@hbapdx.org.

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