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11/12/2019 Member News

HBA Calls for Portland To Adopt Market Driven Parking Reform


In an article published recently in the Portland Tribune, HBA called on the City of Portland to adopt a market driven approach towards parking. Current requirements mandate that builders include parking as part of multifamily buildings, even when no demand exists. HBA urged the City Council to adopt the Better Housing By Design (BHD) program, which will have a third hearing later this month. BHD allows for greater flexibility and density in high quality transit areas and also relaxes parking minimums, emphasizing housing for people, rather than cars.

Eliminating parking minimums allows for more space within a building to be dedicated to housing. Current city regulations require at least 162 square feet for each parking space. Allowing for buildings to swap this space for habitable uses ensures that more families have opportunities for housing. This, in turn, means that they will not have to live farther from Portland's business centers, like downtown (where many jobs are concentrated) and will lead to fewer vehicle miles traveled. Fewer miles means reduced greenhouse gas emissions from transportation (Multnomah County's largest emissions sector), which helps advance a pro-climate agenda at the neighborhood level. HBA applauds city staff and the Planning and Sustainability Commission for their support and advancement of BHD. As Portland’s housing crisis continues to worsen, it is imperative that the City Council adopt BHD and allow for the construction of more housing units. For more information on BHD and to learn about HBA's work in Portland, contact Ezra Hammer at ezrah@hbapdx.org.

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