Eugene planners propose microvillage housing and two tax‑exemption incentives to boost production and deep affordability

City of Eugene planning staff on Wednesday presented their 2025 community engagement summary and outlined two housing actions intended to accelerate housing production and create deeply affordable options.

At the Eugene Planning Commission meeting, Terry Harding, principal planner with the city’s Community Planning and Design team, and Leah Rausch, planner, described a proposed microvillage housing type and Amanda D’Souza, development program manager in Community Development, outlined two proposed 10‑year property‑tax exemption incentives that would be enabled by state statutes for transit‑supportive multi‑unit housing.

The microvillage concept would allow small dwelling units — "essentially tiny homes," Rausch said — generally at or below about 400 square feet with a required private bathroom and a shared common building containing cooking and other service spaces. Staff proposed allowing a mix of detached and attached units and said developments would likely be required to include a minimum number of units (staff discussed roughly seven or more as a working example) plus open‑space, pedestrian circulation and basic landscaping and parking standards. Rausch said staff are also considering bonuses for units that are qualified and available to low‑income households and limited commercial uses on village sites to support resident workforce development or services.

"This type of housing is intended to meet some of Eugene’s local housing needs, especially for people with the…