Best practices book - Flipbook - Page 360
Building Confidence, Building Community.
Additionally, Denver is working on changing the zoning codes to allow more accessory dwelling units (ADU). There are
just a handful of neighborhoods that can build ADU’s, however, the zoning department is in the process of expanding
these opportunities into more areas within the county to create more affordable housing options. ADU’s can allow a
current resident to stay in their neighbor who may be struggling to make ends meet. It also gives an opportunity for
people to get more affordable housing options within residential zone districts. The building permit process is working
with Habitat for Humanity to create a more expedited permitting process. Denver also created a pilot program for five
projects in 2020 that have a minimum percentage of affordable units in the project. These projects benefit by getting
a permit fee reduction up to $50,000 and have an expedited plan review process from concept site development plan
submission to issuance of the building permit. The goal is to reduce the overall process somewhere between 4-6
months depending on the size and complexity of the project. This reduces carrying costs and overhead and allows
more affordable projects to come online in a much faster manner.
C. Portland, OR
According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are approximately 14,000 chronically
homeless in Portland. On a statewide level, Oregon passed House Bill 2916 that allow municipalities the right to
create transitional housing via campgrounds in urban centers. Refer to appendix D1, or follow this link for more
detailed information https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2916/B-Engrossed.
Portland has taken advantage of this Bill and has several success stories like Dignity Village (https://dignityvillage.
org/), Right 2 Dream too (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_2_Dream_Too), Hazelnut Grove (https://www.facebook.
com/HazelnutGrovePDX/), and Kenton Women’s Village (https://www.catholiccharitiesoregon.org/services/
housing-services/kenton-womens-village/). Portland has also implemented an easier way to contact authorities with
nuisance encampments, with a new website resource “One Point Contact Campsite Reporting System” (https://www.
portlandoregon.gov/toolkit/article/562214). They also have worked on some of the more basic requirements of living
in encampments by providing some of the most basic needs like portable toilets and showers (https://www.oregonlive.
com/portland/2019/06/portland-has-a-plan-for-its-human-poop-problem.html). Refer to Appendix D7).
The Portland Planning Department has also prepared a Comprehensive Planning document to identify housing needs
– and ensure plans enable a supply of housing that needs identified needs. This includes not only the number of
housing units, but also by tenure and income (refer to appendix D2). Additionally, Portland has developed some very
creative solutions including the repurposing of storage container/trailers. They have implemented a code guide: Special
Construction – IBC/3/#1 & IRC/1/#2 (refer to Appendix D3). Another successful temporary measure has been put
into effect allowing certain facilities to be used for temporary shelters without meeting the entire letter of the current
International Building Code (IBC) or International Residential Code (IRC). This required a code change (refer to Appendix
D4). Most recently, Portland is contemplating City Code changes to facilitate short term housing and mass shelter
projects (please refer to Appendix D5). Other Zoning Code amendments are under way regarding the allowance for
Homeless Facilities (refer to Appendix D6).
D. Los Angeles, CA:
Currently, LA County (which includes all cities within the county) has 59,000 homeless as of June 2019 and has
increased 12% from the year before.** They have an estimated 150 people becoming homeless in LA County every
day vs. 130 homeless people get into housing daily.*** Housing experts attribute these rising numbers to skyrocketing
housing costs. In LA County, the median home price in August 2019 was over $600,000. The average rent of a onebedroom apartment now stands at more than $1,700 a month, and a two-bedroom apartment is priced at over $2,200 a
month.”****
The focus from state, county, and cities in LA County has been housing. Laws have been passed to provide more
emergency, low-income and affordable housing with a focus especially on accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The first
ADU law required that all local jurisdictions allow ADUs. However, local jurisdictions took advantage of some loopholes
to prevent some ADUs from being constructed. The state responded by passing five additional state laws to take effect
in 2020, that reduce local ordinance-imposed barriers. One law requires they be approved within 30 days. It is also state
law that now two ADUs can be built on a single property.
Building and Safety developed an ADU Submittal Form that the applicant fills out to aid the reviewer and helps ensure
the project has required items. In 2019, the unincorporated LA County issued 514 ADU permits. We do not have tallies
for previous years.
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Homelessness in the United States, How are Major Jurisdictions Dealing with This Issue?
www.iccsafe.org | page 5
