Elections Bring Fresh Faces, Potentially More Market-Rate Friendly, to Portland City Council

Portland City Hall building with windows draped in LGBTQ rainbow flag.

Following this month’s elections, the Portland City Council has 12 city council members, and the city has a new Mayor. Starting in 2025, there will be three council members elected from each of four new districts. Only two of the 12 recently elected council members have previously served (Dan Ryan and Steve Novick). For the first time in its history, Portland will have a professional city manager overseeing all bureaus, and the council will focus on policy, legislative, and budgetary decision-making.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Here is our projected Portland City Council support for market-rate housing development based on insights from the candidates’ stated positions on housing and development and their endorsements.

Likelihood of each candidate supporting the development of market-rate multifamily housing and general support for landlords.

The Portland City Council will have 12 members. Five have demonstrated a moderate to high likelihood of support for market-rate multifamily housing. A majority of votes will be required to effect policy. In case of a tie, the Mayor-Elect Keith Wilson will cast the tie-breaking vote, as the Mayor has no vote otherwise.

Mayor-Elect Keith Wilson: High Likelihood to support multifamily housing — Wilson has pledged to streamline permitting processes and incentivize housing development, indicating strong support for market-rate housing.

CANDIDATES CURRENTLY KNOWN AS MOST LIKELY TO SUPPORT MARKET-RATE HOUSING

1. *Loretta Smith (District 1): Moderate to High Likelihood – She aims to cut red tape and streamline the permitting process, which is beneficial for developers and landlords.
2. *Dan Ryan (District 2): High Likelihood – Is a proponent of a single permitting entity to enhance housing development efficiencies.
3. *Steve Novick (District 3): High Likelihood – Supports zoning revisions for diverse housing types, indicating a favorable stance towards multifamily developments.
4. *Eric Zimmerman (District 4) High Likelihood. – Seeks to maximize housing units while minimizing aspirational design constraints. Supports a 90-day permit standard and review systems for experienced developers. It also proposes doubling height limits in dense areas and providing incentives for affordable housing development and ownership models.
5. *Olivia Clark (District 4): Moderate to High Likelihood – Though focused on affordable housing strategies, her emphasis on efficient permitting aligns with developer interests.

Elected leaders whose full positions will take more time to determine:

Portland City Council District 1

• Jamie Dunphy: Supports finalizing and effectively implementing changes to create a consolidated permitting bureau for smoother processing. Proposes that the Housing Bureau and Prosper Portland collaborate with downtown building owners to convert vacant office buildings into housing, with aggressive measures to acquire foreclosed properties if owners do not cooperate. Advocates localized accountability and resources for addressing housing needs.

• Candace Avalos: Intends to build upon Commissioner Rubio’s work by streamlining the permitting system and accelerating housing production. Plans to use community-led Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts to fund construction. Focuses on increasing housing capacity in high-opportunity neighborhoods by revising zoning bonuses and incentives. Seeks to create more housing opportunities along 82nd Avenue.

Portland City Council District 2

• Elana Pirtle-Guiney: Identifies the existence of empty affordable housing units and vacant commercial spaces, arguing that addressing vacancies is key to resolving housing issues—plans to increase housing vouchers and add navigators to assist projects through the permitting process. Pirtle-Guiney also supports leveraging master plan developments to enhance housing availability quickly.
• Sameer Kanal: Advocates for a diverse range of housing types, including market-rate, affordable, subsidized, and social housing, with an emphasis on streamlining the permitting process. Proposes direct assistance for converting vacant offices and motels into housing. Supports the creation of new housing units through the construction of the I-5 lid and suggests imposing a vacant property tax to encourage usage of empty units.

Portland City Council District 3

• Tiffany Koyama Lane: She is a proponent of using vacant lots, buildings, and unused parking spaces for housing development. She also supports a land value tax to incentivize better land use. Additionally, she emphasizes building on existing changes to permitting and zoning while promoting the Housing Production Strategy, particularly for the Inner Eastside.
• Angelita Morillo: Supports incentivizing high-density development in transit-rich neighborhoods and emphasizes converting underutilized properties and vacant office buildings into housing or shelter spaces. Endorsed by Portland: Neighbors Welcome, she aligns with the Inner Eastside for All plan.

Portland City Council District 4

• Mitch Green: Suggests creating a standing council committee to monitor the permitting process and ensure that adequate resources are allocated for efficient execution. Proposes a review of the System Development Charges to alleviate costs associated with construction while maintaining project standards.

* Indicates Multifamily NW and the Revitalize Portland Coalition endorsed candidates

Analysis by Aaron Kirk Douglas HFO Director of Market Intelligence.