News

ARTICLE
Date ArticleType
4/7/2020 Member News

Responding to HBA Concerns, Clackamas County Refines Buildable Lands Inventory


In September 2019, Clackamas County completed an updated Housing Needs Analysis and Buildable Lands Inventory (HNA and BLI) for rural and urban unincorporated areas and seven cities within the county. Due to the complexity of the undertaking, HBA requested that the county work with its consultant team to develop a layered web map tool and re-conduct detailed parcel level review.

This analysis produced significant results. The county had incorrectly identified 29 parcels in four areas (unincorporated Clackamas County, Happy Valley, Oregon City, and West Linn), totaling over 55 acres, as available for housing. Using the webmap tool and the county’s density assumptions, HBA calculated that these parcels would have accommodated 327 housing units. With the 29 parcels available for housing, the HNA projected a net capacity surplus of 123 housing units. However, the errors revealed a net capacity deficit of 204 dwelling units! Additionally, the four areas saw a 166% decrease in net capacity to accommodate their anticipated housing needs over the next 20 years.

Because the areas have a capacity deficit for their projected housing needs across most residential land use designations, this refined parcel-level analysis reemphasizes the critical need for jurisdictions to consider policies that encourage housing supply. The analysis will inform the county’s Housing Strategies Project, as well as the cities’ comprehensive and master planning efforts. To learn more about HBA’s work in Clackamas County, contact Roseann Johnson at roseannj@hbapdx.org.