Council pulls parking mandate after affordability advocates pile into hearing
Portland Tenant Advocates Have Joined the Fight Against Parking Requirements
High parking minimums written into the code reduce flexibility and increase costs. Parking spaces can cost tens of thousands of dollars each, and requiring them even in projects where they aren't needed raises the costs of housing. Recently, Portland City Council decided to put on hold a proposal that mandated the construction of garages with larger transit-oriented apartment buildings... instead deciding to look at other options to manage parking, such as adjustments to the street permit system.
Bike Portland and Willamette Week both had stories about the decision.
““Parking minimums are extremely problematic,” Commissioner Steve Novick said. “If you increase the cost of something, you increase the cost of something. There is no way that requiring parking to be built does not drive up the cost.”
Novick said it might be possible to use Northwest to “pilot” new parking permit policies.”