Portland gets federal grant to tackle housing crisis, reduce building barriers [Video]

PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Portland $7 million Tuesday to reduce barriers to housing production and lower costs for renters and homebuyers, according to a press release from the department.

“From delving into mass timber construction, to expanding affordable homeownership opportunities, to creating a regional land bank, this award supports our vision for a livable city,” said Portland Housing Bureau Director Helmi A. Hisserich.

The funding aims to help Portland address challenges, including high land and development costs, underutilized vacant property, aging housing stock, inadequate infrastructure and outdated permitting processes.

“When the City of Portland formally adopted its Housing Production Strategy, we identified 35 actions needed to address the resilience of our affordable housing supply,” said Donnie Oliveira, Portland’s deputy city administrator for community and economic development.

The grant will support …