SB 1521 Public Hearing: Fixing Inclusionary Zoning So Housing Still Gets Built (Oregon Senate)

Описание: The Oregon Senate Committee on Housing and Development holds a public hearing on Senate Bill 1521.

SB 1521 would allow local governments in the Portland metropolitan statistical area to require affordable units in new multi-unit residential developments only if the jurisdiction offsets the expected marginal loss created by that requirement. The bill lays out methods and standards for calculating the expected loss, with operative dates starting January 1, 2028 for new rental housing developments and January 1, 2029 for all developments.

Chair Pham describes SB 1521 as a response to hard lessons from Portland’s early inclusionary zoning program—when affordability mandates were not fully funded, developers avoided the 20-unit threshold by building 19-unit projects or took projects elsewhere, reducing overall housing production. Invited testimony from Sightline Institute, Habitat for Humanity Portland Region, and a Portland developer highlights the case for periodic recalibration, clearer guardrails, and flexibility to better align affordability targets with realistic project economics.

Public testimony includes support from Portland Neighbors Welcome, Oregon Smart Growth, and Housing Oregon. Housing Oregon testifies in support, emphasizing that inclusionary zoning works best when fully funded, and noting SB 1521’s importance for homeownership—especially condominiums—so inclusionary zoning does not unintentionally suppress condo production.