Bill would let counties approve rebuilding after disasters through administrative process

Sen. Suzanne Weber presented Senate Bill 1561A to the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on Feb. 24, describing the bill as a narrowly drawn measure to allow local governments to approve the restoration or replacement of dwellings damaged or destroyed by natural disasters through an administrative process instead of a full land-use review.

"SB 1561A prevents this from happening by allowing homes destroyed by disaster to be rebuilt through a streamlined administrative process rather than a full land use review," Weber told the committee, citing a 2023 case in which missing county records forced a grieving family into a costly land-use review and jeopardized their insurance timeline. Weber and supporters said a similar temporary policy adopted after the 2020 wildfires helped families recover more quickly.

Representative Darcy Edwards, who testified in support, said the bill requires compliance with building codes that were in effect at the time of original damage and includes clear timelines for application and construction. Rep. Boomer Wright highlighted safeguards in the bill, including that it applies to involuntary events and requires proof that the original dwelling was lawfully established.

Dave Honeycutt of the Oregon Property Owners Association and Tom Powers of Multnomah County described constituent cases where missing permits triggered extensive reviews and urged the committee to adopt the administrative alternative to reduce delay and retraumatization. The committee closed the public hearing on SB 1561A and scheduled further work sessions.