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The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development has issued $810,000 in grants to support 15 communities as they work to implement the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities program. Its aim is to strengthen transportation and housing planning, reduce climate pollution, and make communities more equitable.

Communities receiving assistance are Albany, Ashland, Bend, Central Point, Corvallis, Eagle Point, Eugene, Grants Pass, Keizer, Marion County, Medford, Philomath, Salem, Springfield, and Talent.

The grants provide consultant and direct assistance for building community engagement plans and studying potential areas to allow more climate-friendly development to occur. Those areas include city centers, town centers and transit corridors. Communities will update plans to have increased development where people can live, work, shop and play; improved facilities for walking, bicycling and transit; and reduced parking mandates to free up land for housing and other services.

Oregon’s work to address climate concerns has been in progress for more than a decade, starting with establishment of a greenhouse gas emissions reduction policy by the Legislature in 2007. The Oregon Department of Transportation has earmarked more than $15 million to support implementation. DLCD is seeking additional resources.

In 2020, the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission directed the DLCD to draft updates to state transportation and housing planning rules, and to convene a rulemaking advisory committee to help guide rule development to reduce greenhouse gases from driving.