Jonathan Bach

1 week ago | oregonlive.com | Jonathan Bach

A new Oregon law aims to speed housing construction by reducing local authority to scrutinize aesthetic details in applications and setting a “shot clock” for some other development decisions. Gov. Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 974 into law this week after it passed with bipartisan support in both chambers. It will take effect at the end of September. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Khanh Pham, D-Portland, and Sen.

1 week ago | oregonlive.com | Jonathan Bach

A proposal to waive housing development fees for three years advanced out of committee on a unanimous vote Monday, with Portland City Council members saying it couldn’t start soon enough. If passed by the full 12-member City Council, the proposal to temporarily exempt residential developments from system development charges for three years would start on Oct. 1. But members of the City Council Finance Committee said they’d like to see the ordinance go into effect much sooner.

2 weeks ago | oregonlive.com | Jonathan Bach

A plan sponsored by Mayor Keith Wilson and Gov. Tina Kotek to waive all housing development fees to accelerate Portland’s homebuilding goals could cost the city up to $63 million for parks, transportation and other infrastructure over three years, according to new city estimates. Wilson and Kotek unveiled the proposal in May to suspend the system development charges over the next three years or until 5,000 new units are in the pipeline.

2 weeks ago | oregonlive.com | Jonathan Bach

A bill to further limit annual rent increases in many manufactured home parks and for floating homes in marinas has passed in both chambers and now heads to Gov. Tina Kotek. House Bill 3054 passed Thursday out of the Senate 17-10 on largely party lines, with three excused votes. If signed, the bill would restrict yearly rent increases in parks and marinas with more than 30 spaces to 6%.

2 weeks ago | oregonlive.com | Jonathan Bach

Uncle Homer’s voice caught Maija Yasui off guard. Across the exhibit hall, her late uncle-in-law was the joyful narrator of a documentary about mushroom hunting near Mount Hood, one of two family videos playing on repeat at the Oregon Historical Society Museum. Maija couldn’t see the mushroom-hunting video yet. It waited at the end of the exhibit.