County tracks HB 4082 allowing one-time UGB expansions for senior and manufactured housing

Deschutes County planning staff briefed commissioners Feb. 19 on House Bill 4082, a proposal to allow one-time urban growth boundary (UGB) expansions for senior housing or manufactured housing that meet specified affordability and acreage criteria.

Doug and planning staff said the bill has momentum: it passed the House with several votes against but a clear majority and now heads to the Senate. The bill follows previous one-time UGB expansion provisions used by Central Oregon cities. Staff said qualifying projects must meet affordability thresholds (an 80% AMI requirement was cited) and acreage caps (an example limit of 100 acres for larger cities was discussed) and that the bill mirrors earlier pilot statutes used in the region.

Peter from community development noted the DLCD (via LCDC) has initiated rulemaking to revise phasing rules for affordable housing pilot projects in Bend, Redmond and another project outside the region; the change is intended to allow jurisdictions to phase units so projects can amortize costs while meeting statutory requirements.

Commissioners asked staff to track a broader housing package under Rep. Marsh’s omnibus effort and to monitor potential changes to thresholds (from "severely rent burdened" to simply "rent burdened") that would expand eligibility for the streamlined UGB path.

Why it matters: onetime UGB expansion authority can shift land from county to city jurisdiction, enabling housing projects that meeting statutory affordability goals and thus affecting land-use, local planning and housing supply.

Next steps: staff will add HB 4082 and related housing measures to next week’s report and monitor DLCD rulemaking and any amendments in the Senate.