Portland Implements Impact Fee Waiver
HBA: Home Builders Association of Greater Portland
Category: Government Affairs
Location: Lake Oswego, Ore.
Size: 601+ members
Year: 2025
The Home Builders Association of Greater Portland (HBA)'s advocacy efforts successfully facilitated reduced cost burdens for new residential builders and increased development by coordinating the implementation of a three-year impact fee waiver for the city of Portland, Ore. The up-front charges can range from $25,000 to $35,000 per new unit permitted within city limits. These prices are subject to creating additional carrying costs for home builders during construction and are typically passed down to home buyers, contributing to affordability issues. The effort by the HBA involved coordination of a six-month outreach and educational program with newly elected members of Portland's city council and mayor, prompting a 10-0 vote to waive all impact fees on residential development for three years.
Temporarily eliminating impact fees has led to a dramatic and immediate increased response from builders and residential developers. The waiver program opened to all applicants in August 2025, and within the first nine months of implementation, 1,248 new units had been submitted for permit approval. This is up from 800 total applications in 2024. The effort to address development and cost barriers demonstrates the value of advocacy and outreach services that the HBA can provide for its members and local builders.
