WSJ Editorial Board: Oregon’s Housing Shortage Is a Policy Failure

The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board published a profile of Oregon’s housing shortage on Sunday, based on analysis conducted by State Economist Josh Lehner. Between 2010 and 2019, the state added 400,000 new residents, but permitted only 37 housing units per 100 new residents. The Journal blames the state’s urban growth boundaries, which limit sprawl, for the lack of building, as well as policies like inclusionary zoning, which has curtailed the construction of buildings over 20 units in Portland. They cite a report by Up for Growth, which found that Portland’s IZ policy is “diminishing the supply of housing at nearly all income levels.” Read more.