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The Lake Oswego City Council is considering a $25,000 tax on demolitions. Councilors have expressed support for this steep housing penalty for demolishing old structures, and are currently debating how to spend the proposed revenue. City staff have drafted an issue paper outlining the tax, alternatives, and related discussions to date. Notably, the City Council is also considering a Construction Excise Tax, which would add thousands of dollars to the cost of new housing. HBA believes that the demolition penalty is an inappropriate way to raise revenue and will only lead to higher home prices and rental costs in Lake Oswego. As part of our advocacy against the proposed tax, HBA members and staff will meet with senior City staff in the coming weeks. To learn more about our work in Lake Oswego and to join the conversation, please contact Roseann Johnson at roseannj@hbapdx.org. Next Article Previous Article