QP: Why the American Dream Is Just a Dream for Many in Portland

Cities in Oregon are required to have Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs). However, those boundaries are not supposed to be permanent limits to urban expansion. UGBs are required to include enough land to allow for adequate housing over a 20-year period. The Portland regional government, known as Metro, is in the process of analyzing the need for expansion of the Portland UGB. In a draft report released in July, Metro proposes to maintain such a tight land supply that single family homes would only account for 23% of all new housing. The rest of the units would be apartments or other forms of high-density living. Surveys show that 80% of the population aspires to live in homes, and 53% already do in the Portland region. Therefore, it’s shocking that Metro is planning to take away the option of home ownership for 77% of future buyers. Metro is seeking public input on its draft growth plan, and testimony will be accepted until August 22. Citizens who desire to live in single family homes should demand that Metro approve an expansion of the growth boundary sufficient to accommodate both homes and apartments in future development.