Housing Land Advocates serves as an advocate for thoughtful land use planning that aligns with housing policy, and as a watchdog to ensure that state and local governments fulfill their obligations under adopted housing policies and statutes. HLA comments on, supports, and critiques affordable housing policy choices that affect land use decision making throughout the state.
In the Portland metropolitan area, HLA has focused much of its advocacy work on Metro, the elected regional government. Metro implements regional planning policies to achieve a variety of goals throughout the tri-County region (Washington, Clackamas, and Multnomah). HLA has urged Metro to take a leadership role in planning for affordable housing on a regional scale. Follow the links below to view some of our advocacy materials.
HLA does not offer legal representation to individuals.
COMMENT LETTERS
Local Policy Development
- City of Portland- Comments on the Resdential Infill Project, Project Concept Report, urging stronger provisions to expand housing opportunities for low-income communities (November 23, 2016)
- City of Portland-Planning and Sustainability Commission- Comments on proposed Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (October 24, 2016)
- City of Portland- Joint Letter, Fair Housing Council of Oregon and Housing Land Advocates, Comments on proposal to allow nurseries in residential zones and eliminate no-net-loss requirements for some quasi-judicial decisions (July 26, 2016)
- Portland Development Commission- Comments regarding the lack of a clear anti-displacement for N & NE Portland (March 25, 2016)
- Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission- Comments on the Northwest Parking Update Project (March 8, 2016)
- Mayor Hales and Council- Comments on the Comprehensive Plan Update and the City’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing (Jan. 7, 2016)
- Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability- Comments on proposed affordable housing bonus in Mixed Used Zones section of Portland’s Comprehensive Plan Update (Nov. 16, 2015)
- Portland Housing Advisory Commission- Letter in support of increasing TIF set aside for affordable housing to 50 percent (Sept. 1, 2015)
- Portland City Council- Coalition letter in support of affordable housing tools included in Portland’s Comprehensive Plan Update. HLA is part of a coalition of 22 community organizations seeking to end displacement and prioritize affordable housing in Portland. (July 9, 2015)
- Housing Authority of Washington County – Comments on proposed amendments to HB 2198 (April 28, 2015)
- Portland Housing Bureau- Comments on N./N.E. Housing Strategy (Jan. 20, 2015)
- Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability- Comments on Comprehensive Plan Change 133- Increasing Minimum Lot Sizes in Eastmoreland (January 13, 2015)
- Portland Commissioner Dan Saltzman- Comments on Proposed 2014 Urban Renewal Area Amendments Package (December 10, 2014)
- Portland Development Commission- Comments on Proposed Vanport Development (February 11, 2014)
- Portland City Council- Comments on Proposed Park Avenue West Development (February 11, 2014)
- City of Portland- Comments on Portland Comprehensive Plan Update 1 (May 1, 2013)
- Portland City Council- Letter on Proposed Changes to Minimum Parking Requirements (April 3, 2013)
- Street Roots Article- Balancing Parking Policy and Housing Needs (March 15, 2013)
- City of Portland, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability- Comments on Proposed Amendments to Parking Requirements (March 7, 2013)
- City of Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission- Comments on Zero Minimum Parking Requirement Policy (November 14, 2012)
- Oregonian Editorial, “Portland Apartments with No Parking”- Comments (September 16, 2012)
- City of Portland- Comments on Comprehensive Plan Update (August 30, 2012)
- Portland Design Commission – Conway Master Plan (March 1, 2012)
- City of Portland – Comments on Portland Plan (November 29, 2011)
Portland Metro Policy Development
- City of Happy Valley- Joint comments from HLA & FHCO on proposed comprehensive plan and zoning map amendments for a 58-lot planned unit development without adequate Goal 10 findings (February 14, 2017)
- City of Sandy- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on proposed Urban Growth Boundary expansion without adequate Goal 10 findings (November 28, 2016)
- City of Happy Valley Planning Commission- Joint comments from Housing Land Advocates and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, on proposed zone and comp plan change without adequate Goal 10 findings (November 8, 2016)
- City of Happy Valley-Joint letter on behalf of Housing Land Advocates and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Comments on proposed addition of 40 acres to the East Happy Valley Comprehensive Plan without adequate Goal 10 findings (October 4, 2016)
- Clackamas County- Comments on the draft 2017-20121 Assessment of Fair Housing, including patterns of segregated housing and concentrated poverty, and an overall lack of affordable housing County-wide (September 20, 2016)
- City of Happy Valley- Joint letter from Housing Land Advocates and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Comments on proposal to add 40 acres to the East Happy Valley Comprehensive Plan (September 13, 2016)
- City of Hillsboro-Joint letter from Housing Land Advocates and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Comments on proposed zone changes and zoning map amendments (September 6, 2016)
- City of Happy Valley- Comments on proposed Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Map amendments (June 14, 2016)
- Joint letter from Housing Land Advocates and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon- Comments on proposed amendments to Title 16 of the Happy Valley Municipal Code, affecting housing density within the Happy Valley Town Center Boundary Area (June 12, 2016)
- City of Hillsboro- Joint Letter from HLA and FHCO, Comments on proposed zoning amendment without required Goal 10 Housing Analysis (May 3, 2016)
- Metro – Comments on the agency’s opportunities, challenges and obligations related to equitable housing (March 8, 2016)
- City of Happy Valley- Comments regarding a proposed zone change, appeal process requirements, and compliance with Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals and the Federal Fair Housing Act (March 2, 2016)
- City of Milwaukie – Comments on proposed changes to regulations related to short-term rentals, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rentals as conditional uses in residential zones (Feb. 9, 2016)
- City of Happy Valley- letter in opposition to proposed downzone and associated Comprehensive Plan Map/Zoning Map amendments, submitted jointly with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (Jan. 19, 2016)
- City of Tigard- Coalition letter in opposition to proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment and zone change (Dec. 11, 2015)
- Columbia City- Coalition letter in opposition to proposed amendments to City’s development code for failing to meet Goal 10 obligations (Sept. 1, 2015). This is a joint letter submitted with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon.
- Metro- Comments: MTIP & RTP Civil Rights Assessments Do Not Meet Title VI Obligations (June 19.2014)
- Metro- Comments on Proposed Workforce Housing Implementation Budget Amendment (June 12, 2014)
- City of Hillsboro- Second Draft of Proposed Amendments to City Development Code for Group Homes (May 14, 2014)
- Metro- Joint Letter Urges Metro to Take up Workforce Housing as a Key Regional Issue (February 26, 2014)
- City of Hillsboro- Proposed Amendments to City Development Code for Group Homes (June 12, 2013)
- Metro- Comments on Regional Flexible Fund Allocation Process (June 6, 2013)
- Metro- Comments on Project Selection for Regional Economic Opportunity Funds (December 11, 2012)
- City of Lake Oswego- Support for Adoption of Foothills Urban Renewal Plan by Lake Oswego City Council (December 4, 2012)
- City of Lake Oswego- Support for Housing Choice and Housing Affordability Provisions in Updated Comprehensive Plan (November 19, 2012)
- City of Lake Oswego- Support for Foothills Urban Renewal Plan with TIF Set Aside for Affordable Housing (November 14, 2012)
- City of Lake Oswego- Comments on Foothills Urban Renewal Plan Affordable Housing Options (October 2, 2012)
- Metro Housing Needs Analysis (November 14, 2011)
- Support for Adoption of Ordinance No. 11-1252 (January 12, 2011)
- Community Investment Strategy Recommendations (September 27, 2010)
- Sustainable Communities Initiative Grant (May 4, 2010)
- Strategies for a Prosperous and Sustainable Region (October 15, 2009)
Statewide Policy Development
- City of Salem- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO, in support of code amendments to establish standards for diverse housing types (April 17, 2017)
- HLA signs on to NCRC Comment Letter for Columbia State’s Application to Acquire Pacific Continental, requesting a community benefits plan (April 12, 2017)
- City of Eugene- Joint letter from FHCO and HLA on proposed zone change without adequate Goal 10 findings (April 5, 2017)
- City of Albany- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on a proposed comprehensive plan amendment and zone change that does not meet the City’s Goal 10 obligation to provide needed housing types, as demonstrated by its Housing Needs Analysis (March 20, 2017)
- House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources- Testimony in opposition to HB3245, which would allow cities to set up financial and procedural barriers to appealing local comprehensive plan amendments (March 15, 2017)
- City of Cottage Grove- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on a proposed comprehensive plan amendment and zone change without adequate Goal 10 findings (March 15, 2017)
- City of Medford- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on proposed zoning map amendment without adequate Goal 10 findings (March 9, 2017)
- City of Eugene- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on a proposed zone change without adequate Goal 10 findings(March 8, 2017)
- City of Hood River- Comments in support of a comprehensive plan amendment to allow for the development of affordable housing, which includes appropriate Goal 10 findings (February 28, 2017)
- City of St. Helens- Joint comments from HLA & FHCO on proposed comprehensive plan and zoning map amendments without adequate Goal 10 findings (February 14, 2017)
- City of Medford- Joint comments from HLA & FHCO on proposed zoning map changes without adequate Goal 10 findings (February 9, 2017)
- City of Cave Junction Planning Commission- Joint letter from FHCO and HLA-Comments on proposed rezone without adequate Goal 10 findings (January 23, 2017)
- City of Cave Junction Planning Commission- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on proposed Comp Plan and zone map amendment to rezone single family residential to employment and industrial lands without adequate Goal 10 findings (December 12, 2016)
- City of Prineville Planning Commission- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on proposed Comp Plan amendments to add residential lands without adequate Goal 10 findings (December 6, 2016)
- City of Stayton Planning Commission- Joint comments from HLA and FHCO on proposed annexation of 27.5 acres without adequate Goal 10 findings re: buildable lands supply and needed housing units (November 28, 2016)
- City of Salem-Joint letter from HLA & the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Comments on a proposed Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Map amendment to rezone 0.52 acres from residential to commercial (September 20, 2016)
- City of Salem-Joint letter from housing land advocates and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Comments on proposed comprehensive plan and zoning map amendment to rezone 5 acres from residential to open space (September 6, 2016)
- City of Turner Planning Commission- Joint letter from the Fair Housing Council of Oregon and Housing Land Advocates, Comments on proposed Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Map amendments, to rezone 0.5 acres from Multi-family Residential to Downtown Commercial (August 24, 2016)
- City of Bend- Comments on proposed affordable housing policies in the City’s Comprehensive Plan update (August 24, 2016)
- City of Florence Planning Commission- Comments on proposed development code amendments related to mobile homes (August 23, 2016)
- Benton County- Joint Letter from the Fair Housing Council of Oregon and Housing Land Advocates, Comments on proposed comprehensive plan amendment to rezone 0.8 acres from Urban Residential (UR-10) to Urban Commercial (UC) (July 18, 2016)
- Lane County- Joint Letter from Housing Land Advocates and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Comments on proposed Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Map Amendment to rezone 1.95 acres of Rural Residential (RR-5) to Rural Industrial (RI) (July 7, 2016)
- City of Cottage Grove- Comments on proposed Comprehensive Plan Map and Zoning Map amendments that would downzone 7.95 acres of land (June 15, 2016)
- City of Silverton- Comments on proposed development code amendment requiring a buffer of R-5 land between RM-10 and R-1 land (June 14, 2016)
- City of Jefferson- Comments on proposed annexation and subsequent rezone of the annexation area as Low Density Residential (R1) (June 1, 2016)
- City of Medford- Comments on proposed zone change from single family residential to light industrial (May 24, 2016)
- City of Hubbard- Joint letter from HLA and FHCO, Comments on proposed zoning map amendment from Residential Commercial to Commercial (May 16, 2016)
- State of Oregon Department of Land Conservation & Development- Comments on Post Acknowledgement Plan Amendment notice process and proposed improvements (March 8, 2016)
- City of Enterprise Planning Commission- Comments on proposed amendment of zoning map from multi-family residential to commercial (April 5, 2016)
- City of Adair Village- Comments on a proposed comprehensive plan amendment and zoning map change from residential to commercial (April 4, 2016)
- City of Eugene- Comments on a proposed amendment of the zoning map from limited High Density Residential to Neighborhood Commercial (March 2, 2016)
- Senate Committee on Human Services and Early Childhood, Comments on SB 1533 and SB 1575 related to impacts on Statewide Planning Goal 10- Housing (Feb. 1, 2016)
- State of Oregon Housing and Community Services, Housing Stability Council, Comments on LIFT Program draft design framework (Feb. 4, 2016)
- Written testimony in opposition to House Bill 3222, which would exempt Oregon Cities with populations under 25,000 from Goal 10 housing obligations (March 26, 2015)
- Letter from the Oregon Inclusionary Zoning Coalition to the Oregon Legislative Work Group on Housing Affordability (August 5, 2014)
- Comments on the Department of Land Conservation & Development Strategic Plan RE: Goal 10, Housing (July 22, 2014)
- HLA Board Member Jenny Logan’s recent article “Otherwise Unavailable”: How OR. REV. STAT. 197.309 Violates the Fair Housing Act (Journal of Affordable Housing, Vol. 22, No. 2 Winter 2014.)
- HLA Endorses Bill to Repeal ORS 197.309, Ban on Inclusionary Zoning (October 11, 2012)
- Support for Oregon House Bill 3531 – Inclusionary Zoning (May 23, 2011)
- Coalition for Affordable and Safe Housing – Support for HB 3531 (May, 2011)
National Policy Development
- Comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Draft Environmental Justice 2020 Action Agenda Framework (June 4, 2015)
- What Hath New Jersey Wrought? Carrie Richter and Ed Sullivan on the failure of New Jersey’s Council on Affordable Housing to adopt new administrative rules related to Mt. Laurel implementation (March 19.2015)
- Amicus Brief in support of Respondent, Supreme Court of the United States, Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs, et al. v. The Inclusive Communities Project, INC. (December, 2014)
- United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Comments on Proposed Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Assessment Tool (Docket No. FR-5173-N-02) (November 4, 2014)
- Amicus Brief, United States Supreme Court, Town of Mount Holly, ET AL., v. Mount Holly Gardens Citizens in Action, Inc.
- United States Department of Housing and Urban Development- Proposed changes to Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rules (September 17, 2013)
- Letter to Senator Merkley Supporting a Federal Renters Tax Credit (July 16, 2013)
- Letter to Senator Wyden Supporting a Federal Renters Tax Credit (July 16, 2013)
- FTA New Starts/Small Starts Policy Guidance (March 26, 2012) Also available from the National Low Income Housing Coalition
- HUD Disparate Impacts Rule (January 17, 2012)
- HUD Environmental Justice Strategy (November 14, 2011)
Housing Land Advocates 