Woodburn became one of Oregon‘s fastest-growing cities, both in population and housing production, on its own. To sustain that momentum, the city needed some help.

Last week at Woodburn City Hall, Gov. Tina Kotek took part in a ceremonial signing of six laws that involve housing, including one that allows the city a one-time urban growth boundary expansion and gives it enough land to continue that growth for years.

“What’s great about this day and why we’re celebrating is these new laws will have a positive impact on the lives of everyday Oregonians,” Kotek said. “They’re about our seniors who deserve to age in the communities they have called home for decades.

“These bills are about young families who want to live near schools and safe neighborhoods where their kids can grow up.”

House Bill 4035, which Kotek signed into law March 31, makes it easier for cities with a population greater than 25,000 to make a one-time urban growth boundary expansion of up to 150 acres. An amendment to the bill will allow Woodburn to add 120 acres in its northwest corner inside the urban growth boundary. There, approximately 600 new homes will be built, including 30 percent designated as affordable housing.

Woodburn added 2,181 housing units between 2021 and 2025. The city is Oregon’s third-fastest-growing by population.

Before HB 4035 passed, city leaders projected Woodburn would run out of developable residential land in the next few years.

Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, said legislators saw how much development has occurred in Woodburn in recent years during a tour of the city in 2025.

“It is very clear that this is a community that doesn’t see checking off housing as just checking off the box,” Marsh said. “It is a community that sees housing as an avenue for really supporting families.

“Woodburn was the inspiration for legislation that was passed in the short session, and Woodburn will continue to be a model for cities across the state.”

Other new laws encourage development of affordable housing for seniors by allowing cities to designate land for individuals 55 and older, establish an affordable housing preservation program, expand self-certification of housing, prohibit private equity firms from purchasing single-family homes unless listed for sale to the public, and authorize a state fund for mixed-income housing.

Kotek set a goal of 36,000 new housing units produced in Oregon each year shortly after being sworn into office in 2024.

Approximately 50,000 new homes have been built in Oregon since she became governor, she said.

In 2025, new home permits were up by 5 percent in Oregon while they were down 3 percent in the entire United States, she added.

“We know that too many Oregonians are faced with an impossible choice,” Kotek said. “For some, that choice pushes them out of their house.

“We know that affordability is a relentless contributor to the issue of homelessness. And housing affordability is directly related to housing supply.”

That growth has led to strains on the capacity of cities’ aging infrastructure like water, sewer, roads and stormwater. Many of those cities don’t have the money to make those improvements.

Kotek called on the federal government to help pay for those kinds of projects.

“It is a major issue,” she said. “We have very aging systems here for water and sewer. So, they need upgrades anyway, but if we’re going to put more homes on those lines, they also need more help.

“If there is one thing the Trump administration could actually help us with is more financing for upgrading our public works systems — our water and sewer systems.”

Kotek also pointed out infrastructure investments made in the 2026 legislative session. Silverton got $5 million for its planned water treatment facility. St. Paul got $2 million for its water system.

Woodburn accomplished its previous growth without using the provisions of the new laws designed to encourage housing growth. Now it has the help to continue.

Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, applauded city leaders for making development possible at its current scale.

“They’re amazing,” said Thatcher, the sponsor of the original bill. “I’m proud to be associated with them in whatever way I happen to be. It’s a privilege to represent Woodburn. They’re go-getters.”

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in The Statesman Journal and then was distributed on the USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.

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