1972 Downtown Plan
The 1972 Downtown Plan considered a housing agenda with a premise of a healthy downtown resident population recognizing that it will support many of the diverse activities that make a downtown area successful (1). The major goal of the plans housing element was to increase the supply of downtown housing units for all income groups with by outlining four initiatives:
1. Land values can be set in urban renewal projects to encourage private investing in new housing.
2. Housing authority is granted permission to develop subsidized housing for low-income, elderly and minority groups.
3. Private investors may develop both high-income privately funded housing and low-income subsidized housing.
4. Development incentives may be granted for allowances of greater density development in downtown. (1)
The 1972 Downtown Plan also divided up guidelines to nine districts within the downtown area recognizing specific targets for each of the nine neighborhood districts. The districts were divided as: South Auditorium Urban Renewal Area, Fourth Broadway Corridor South of Market Street, Waterfront Area, Skidmore Fountain Area, Union Station Railyard Area, North of Burnside, West of Tenth Avenue, South Park Blocks, and South Waterfront (1).
1. Land values can be set in urban renewal projects to encourage private investing in new housing.
2. Housing authority is granted permission to develop subsidized housing for low-income, elderly and minority groups.
3. Private investors may develop both high-income privately funded housing and low-income subsidized housing.
4. Development incentives may be granted for allowances of greater density development in downtown. (1)
The 1972 Downtown Plan also divided up guidelines to nine districts within the downtown area recognizing specific targets for each of the nine neighborhood districts. The districts were divided as: South Auditorium Urban Renewal Area, Fourth Broadway Corridor South of Market Street, Waterfront Area, Skidmore Fountain Area, Union Station Railyard Area, North of Burnside, West of Tenth Avenue, South Park Blocks, and South Waterfront (1).
1988 Central City Plan
(2) 1988 Central City Plan Housing Element
In 1988, Portland aimed to maintain the downtown as the primary high density housing area in the region by keeping downtown housing production on pace with regional job creation (2). To accomplish a successful downtown housing increase, the plan stipulates six guidelines on which the city should prioritize. Of the six guidelines, the most significant consisted of a goal to promote 5,000 new housing units in central city by 2010, and reinforce the central city as a lively urban community especially during evenings (2).
The action chart in the “housing” section of the 1988 Central City Plan illustrates the three projects and seven programs to address downtown housing. Listed below are the critical goals that Portland outlined in the action chart.
-Provide year-round shelter for the homeless.
-Amend buildings codes and zoning regulations to allow for obsolete or unused industrial buildings to be converted to housing and also create cost effective loft housing units.
-Use urban renewal and TIF funding to create, develop and preserve urban housing.
-Establish an award program for developers of low-income and middle-income housing.
-Encourage State Board of Education to increase student-housing supply for Portland State University. (2)
The goals in the 1988 Central City was very influential to the current state of housing in the downtown neighborhoods and the current “return-to-the-city” movement.
The action chart in the “housing” section of the 1988 Central City Plan illustrates the three projects and seven programs to address downtown housing. Listed below are the critical goals that Portland outlined in the action chart.
-Provide year-round shelter for the homeless.
-Amend buildings codes and zoning regulations to allow for obsolete or unused industrial buildings to be converted to housing and also create cost effective loft housing units.
-Use urban renewal and TIF funding to create, develop and preserve urban housing.
-Establish an award program for developers of low-income and middle-income housing.
-Encourage State Board of Education to increase student-housing supply for Portland State University. (2)
The goals in the 1988 Central City was very influential to the current state of housing in the downtown neighborhoods and the current “return-to-the-city” movement.
1. Portland Bureau of Planning.Downtown plan: planning guidelines/Portland downtown plan, as adopted by City Council, December 1972.. Portland: The Committee, 1972.
2. Portland Bureau of Planning.Central city plan: adopted by the Portland City Council March 24, 1988. Portland: The Bureau, 1988.
2. Portland Bureau of Planning.Central city plan: adopted by the Portland City Council March 24, 1988. Portland: The Bureau, 1988.
Anthony Monaco