Inclusionary zoning hasn't helped as much as the state of Oregon was hoping when it passed a law to lift restrictions on the policy in 2016. Construction excise taxes could be the next policy to catch on around the state.
"Following mild skepticism from some builders and strong support from community advocates, Medford City Councilors approved a construction tax that will fund new incentives to build more low- and middle-income housing within the city," reports Nick Morgan.
"Faced with a shortage of new housing and increasing demand in the city pushing up home prices and rents, councilors described the tax as a business-friendly move in the right direction," according to Morgan. Support for the tax came even from anti-tax members of the Medford City Council—some councilmembers expressed surprise at their own support for the tax.
Morgan reports that Medford's new excise tax is modeled on a similar tax approved by the city of Bend. Jared Brey picks up on the larger trend of Oregon municipalities turning to the excise tax to fund affordable housing investments. According to Brey, the rise of excise taxes in the state has been enabled by a package of housing bill approved by the state legislature in 2016. At the time, the law was heavily scrutinized for lifting a ban on inclusionary zoning. That policy has been under renewed scrutiny in the state.
FULL STORY: Affordable housing excise tax approved unanimously
Coming Soon: A 3D-Printed Neighborhood
The march of progress continues.
3D Printing Affordable Housing at Scale
A new 3D printer, coming soon to the market, promises serious construction cost savings in an era of seriously expensive construction costs.
Austin’s Building Boom Not Reaching Lowest-Income Families
Despite having the highest rate of affordable housing construction in the nation, Austin is still underproducing housing for the neediest households.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)