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North Portland resident urges targeted rezoning, demolition restrictions to protect historic homes
Summary
Madeline Masters of District 2 testified that broad up‑zoning and infill are prompting demolition of significant historic homes and encouraging land speculation, and she urged transparency, targeted rezoning, demolition limits and design approaches that preserve existing structures.
Madeline Masters testified during public comment that recent up‑zoning and infill in North Portland are undermining multigenerational housing and historic resources, framing the change as "a Trojan horse" for extracting value for developers. "Bought privately for $450,000 it is now listed as a raised development site for $6.95," Masters said, characterizing rapid price changes and a loss of longtime housing stock.
She urged committee members to consider six principles she shared in written materials: transparency, targeted rezoning rather than citywide sweeping changes, restrictions on demolition with incentives for preservation, form‑based zoning and design flexibility, longevity in design, and attention to neighborhood aesthetics. Masters said these steps would reduce land speculation, preserve markers of local identity and help maintain housing diversity.
Her testimony was part of the committee's public comment period and was not followed by a formal staff response at the time; committee members later continued to committee business.
