The Portland City Council unanimously voted Wednesday to approve zoning rule changes that make it easier to open new shelters and other affordable housing options in nearly all parts of the city.
The rules expand where homeless shelters are allowed, allow a variety of outdoor shelters such as sanctioned campsites and tiny villages, allow more group living opportunities and permit people to live in an RV or tiny house on wheels parked on a residential lot.
The allowance for shelter in more places takes effect Friday while the group home, RV and tiny home rules go into effect August 1.
Commissioner Dan Ryan said the vote follows a challenging year that showed how nimble the city could be in using alternative outdoor shelters to provide safe places for people to sleep during the pandemic. While those actions were allowed under an emergency order, these rules changes will allow the city to continue to be flexible and creative, he said.
“Right now, we face an unprecedented emergency on our streets,” Ryan said. “Our current response is inadequate and … has been hampered by zoning codes.”
The vote was preceded by more than a year of planning and months of public hearings. Initially the city proposed allowing shelter to pop up in parks and other green spaces but it received ample pushback and reversed course.
Additionally, advocates and tiny home residents expressed concern with regulations for RVs and tiny homes on wheels. Under the new rules, those living on residential property must hook up to a campsite-like sewer system. People currently living in tiny homes argued what would make the living arrangement too costly. The city pushed the rules through without changing the requirements, though city commissioners said they would pay close attention to the impact in the coming months.
Overall, though, Portlanders expressed overwhelming support for the proposal over the past few months, recognizing the immediate need of homeless neighbors.
While more affordable housing is the ultimate answer to the homeless crisis, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said, allowing for a greater variety of shelter in more places will provide safe places for people to stay in the meantime.
“The crisis will only get worse if we aren’t using every tool available to us,” Hardesty said. “This is not a quick fix. We will continue to address new tools to address this severe humanitarian crisis we are in.”
Nicole Hayden reports on homelessness for The Oregonian. She can be reached at nhayden@oregonian.com or on Twitter @Nicole_A_Hayden.
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