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Committee previews Portland unified housing strategy, sets Phase 2 for policy analysis
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Summary
The Homelessness & Housing Committee received Phase 1 of a unified housing strategy on Dec. 9 — an inventory of plans and 200+ actions — and discussed Phase 2 policy analysis, stakeholder engagement and where the city should focus along the housing continuum.
On Dec. 9 the Portland City Council Homelessness and Housing Committee heard a Phase 1 progress report on the city’s unified housing strategy, an inventory and staff analysis intended to inform a draft strategy for adoption next year.
Eric Kingstrom, director of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, introduced the staff team and described the multi-bureau collaboration. Michael Bonacour, interim director of the Portland Housing Bureau, said the project will proceed in three phases: an inventory (Phase 1), targeted policy analysis and stakeholder engagement (Phase 2), then broader public engagement and a final draft for adoption (Phase 3).
"We are wrapping up Phase 1," Bonacour said, describing an inventory that pulls together housing, shelter strategy, zoning, climate goals and other policies to inform priorities. Jesse Connor, senior policy analyst at the Housing Bureau, said staff catalogued more than 200 actions across six categories — funding; production and preservation; homelessness and shelter; stabilization, anti-displacement and fair housing; climate-forward measures; and wages and workforce — and identified areas for deeper Phase 2 analysis.
Committee members used the presentation to press staff on the city’s role along a housing continuum that spans emergency shelter through market-rate homeownership. Councillor Jamie Dunphy and others argued the Housing Bureau should emphasize nonmarket, deeply affordable production and preservation, while some members, including Councillor Zimmerman, asked whether the bureau should play a larger role influencing market-rate supply and zoning to increase overall housing availability.
Councillors asked for more detail on preservation outcomes, geographic concentration of preservation activity and how the strategy would treat ownership models such as condominiums. Bonacour said Phase 2 will include targeted stakeholder engagement and subject-matter experts to refine the inventory, prioritize high-impact actions and bring recommendations back to the committee and the unified housing strategy table.
The committee did not take formal action on the Phase 1 report; staff and councilors agreed to continue the discussion at a work session and the broader council table early next year.
