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The use of zoning to advance affordable housing is a hot issue in the Oregon Legislature this session, and House Bill 2564 would give jurisdictions more teeth to require it. The bill passed the House and is now in the Senate rules committee.

The bill, according to its summary, would permit local governments to 鈥渋mpose conditions on approved permits that effectively establish sales prices for up to 30 percent of residential development or limit purchase to class or group of purchasers in exchange for one or more developer incentives.鈥�

The bill also would repeal a law that prevents local governments from imposing such conditions.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Jennifer Williamson, D-Portland, who wrote in an email that communities need more control over zoning.

鈥淟ocal communities best understand their local housing needs,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淲hile lifting the ban on inclusionary zoning will not solve every problem, it will make sure communities have one more tool, if they choose to use it, to address our growing housing crisis.鈥�

Martha Pellegrino, Portland’s director of government affairs, said the bill will sit in the rules committee until enough votes are assured for passage in the Senate.

Jon Chandler, CEO of the Oregon Home Builders Association, hopes the bill doesn’t get them.

鈥淲e don’t like it a lot,鈥� he said of the bill. 鈥淭he issue on the table is whether or not builders and developers should be required to provide housing at certain price points.鈥�

Chandler said the bill includes a list of incentives that jurisdictions could provide to entice builders to include a portion of housing below market price. He said he made many of the suggestions, but did not mean for inclusionary zoning to be mandatory.

鈥淲hat the bill is trying to do is for cities to require that as a condition of development,鈥� he said.

Chandler said the bill would force developers and builders to be the solution for providing affordable housing, but he says they are not to blame.

鈥淚 don’t believe builders or developers have any unique obligation to solve the affordable housing problem beyond the general public,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s a societal problem 鈥� but we object to being told it’s your problem to fix. We didn’t cause the problem; the market sets prices.鈥�

Chandler said a requirement of 30 percent affordable housing is too high and that 20 percent is more reasonable.

But the bill has support of local governments, and the Portland City Council stated in a letter supporting the bill that it does not go far enough to help minorities.

鈥淭he most recent data from the Portland Housing Bureau shows that the average family of color is effectively priced out of the current rental and for-sale market in Portland,鈥� the letter states.

Pellegrino said the city and many other parties are pushing hard for the bill to reach the Senate floor.

鈥淲e are working behind the scenes and once we have that (the votes), then we will get it scheduled (for the Senate floor),鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it’s pretty close, but we are still a couple of votes shy.鈥�