Madras planning commissioners approve updated Housing Action Plan

The Madras Planning Commission voted June 4 to approve an updated Housing Action Plan that staff says sets the city’s policy direction for addressing shortfalls in housing across income levels.

Planning staff told commissioners the plan is non‑regulatory policy intended to guide future code changes and financing tools rather than to enact immediate land‑use changes. "This plan is setting the policy direction," a planning staff member said, adding the plan quantifies housing needs using widely accepted methodologies.

The staff presentation included specific five‑year targets the plan identifies: a need of 179 affordable units (under about 80 percent of area median income) and about 61 market‑rate units, along with a smaller identified need for workforce housing. Commissioners asked whether the plan proves that past housing growth resulted from the previous action plan; one commissioner argued the plan cannot isolate causation. "This document doesn't know either," that commissioner said, questioning whether market fluctuations—not incentives—drove the recent increase in housing.

Planning staff responded that the plan’s purpose is to quantify need, not to determine cause. "This is not an analysis trying to identify the cause," staff said. "It is quantifying the need regardless of the cause."

After discussion, Commissioner Eder made a motion to approve the Housing Action Plan; Commissioner Garrett seconded. A roll‑call exchange on the record produced two explicit "aye" responses, one recorded "nay," and one abstention was noted. The planning staff member announced the motion carried. The commission did not adopt any code amendments at the meeting; staff said changes to development code and any financing tools (including housing urban renewal) would return later for separate review and hearings.

Why it matters: the plan provides the policy framework and targets staff and elected officials can use to prepare code amendments, identify funding mechanisms and, where needed, consider a housing urban renewal district to support construction of identified units. Planning staff said the commission’s review is intended to ensure the commission’s perspective is considered before related code amendments are brought forward.

What’s next: staff told commissioners it plans to return in roughly six to eight months with code amendment proposals identified in the action plan and that any financing tools would require separate public hearings and, where applicable, city council approval.