One Potential Legislative Solution to the Housing Crisis

    While there are plenty of reasons to think that the housing crisis much of the US is experiencing today will only continue to grow more dire, there are a couple of glimmers of hope that could eventually result in change. One of those glimmers of hope is House Bill 2001, which was passed by the Oregon legislature in 2019. HB 2001 illustrates one of the ways that states can legislate solutions to housing shortages and inflated housing costs.

HB 2001 does one primary thing: it mandates that local rules about housing development change to allow a more diverse array of housing types. For much of the last half-century, most local governments have prioritized detached, single-family homes instead of encouraging denser housing options. While there are many pros and cons to single-family homes, one of their biggest impacts on local housing markets is a decrease in available housing compared to areas with denser housing developments like apartments. Because of our culture’s favoring of single-family developments, most areas have inflated housing prices. 

    Under HB 2001, average-sized cities in Oregon must allow duplexes and other similar types of housing to be built in areas that have been zoned for single-family homes. The effect of this, allowing one more housing unit to be built in a given space, has been massive in the past five years. In a crisis like the one we’re facing today, every little bit helps. In a time when inflated housing prices are pushing more and more people into homelessness, a more diverse supply of housing will impact the lives of so many Oregonians.

If you want to know more about HB 2001, check out this fact sheet from the state’s website: https://www.oregon.gov/lcd/UP/Documents/HB2001OverviewPublic.pdf 

For additional information, visit https://www.npr.org/2019/07/01/737798440/oregon-legislature-votes-to-essentially-ban-single-family-zoning