Addressing unmet housing needs

The City has a deficit of some affordable housing types, such as government-subsidized housing, existing lower-cost apartments, and smaller-scale housing like townhouses and quad-plexes. In addition, demographic changes suggest that there is a growing portion of the population that may need or desire smaller, more affordable housing, including seniors, millennials, Generation Z, and Latino/a/x populations. All of these factors support the need for more less expensive, smaller units and a broader array of housing choices in the City.

As Milwaukie grows, the City’s housing policies can impact how Milwaukie’s housing market changes. The City is assessing which policies can have the most impact to address current and future needs for affordable housing, both for renter households and to increase homeownership.

On January 17th, Milwaukie City Council discussed preliminary results from the Housing Capacity Analysis. This report helps the city better understand current and future housing demand and compares it to the city's current supply of developable land.

On February 7th, Milwaukie City Council discussed the draft summary of the Housing Production Strategy. This strategy outlines the specific tools, actions, and policies the City plans to take to address the housing needs identified in the Housing Capacity Analysis.