Updating Multifamily Housing Design Requirements

We’re taking a second look at our multifamily design standards 

The Multifamily Housing Design project intends to update Salem’s design standards for multifamily housing, which is development with three or more dwelling units. The project aims to help meet our community’s housing needs by removing barriers to the development of multifamily housing and ensuring that new development is compatible with our neighborhoods.

To accomplish this, the project is expected to:

• Provide greater flexibility in how multifamily design standards can be met.
• Create new design standards for small multifamily housing projects.

The City plans to seek input from local officials and the public, including neighborhood association representatives, developers, and others. Outreach is expected to include focus groups, stakeholder interviews, and public meetings.

This project is expected to be complete by summer 2019.

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Housing needs

The City of Salem completed a study called the Salem Housing Needs Analysis (HNA) in December 2014. It examined if there was enough land within Salem’s portion of the Urban Growth Boundary to meet anticipated housing needs over the next 20 years.

The study determined that there is a projected deficit of 207-acres of land for multifamily housing. This deficit must be addressed so the City can ensure there is enough housing for residents. One of the ways the study recommended meeting this deficit was to lower barriers to multifamily development by revising the City’s design standards.

Work plan

In February 2016, the City Council directed staff to begin working to address Salem’s projected deficit of multifamily land as outlined in staff’s work plan. The City has completed the first task on the work plan, which was allowing accessory dwelling units in Salem.

This project is identified in phase 2 of the work plan. Specifically, the work plan states that staff will explore creating a menu of design standards options for multifamily housing.

Existing regulations

The City’s existing regulations require multifamily development - three or more housing units - to go through multiple family design review (Salem Revised Code Chapter 702). Such development must meet a list of design standards, which address everything from landscaping to building design to pedestrian access. If just one standard cannot be met, the project must go through a public hearing process for approval. This has been identified as a potential barrier to the development of multifamily housing in Salem.

The existing design standards are generally geared toward large, suburban-type projects and are therefore not well suited for smaller multifamily housing projects. The standards have thus been identified as potential barriers to development.

Assistance and funding

The City is working on this project with a consultant, 3J Consulting, and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) through its new Oregon Housing Planning Project. The state project provides local governments with technical assistance to promote housing availability and affordability. The state legislature appropriated funding for the work during the 2018 legislative session.

The City applied for technical assistance through the Oregon Housing Planning Program during the summer of 2018. DLCD selected the City to receive the assistance in the fall.