On November 27, 2018 Tigard City Council approved code amendments to the Tigard Development Code allowing for a wider range of housing types within the city. These amendments are part of the city’s work to implement the recommendations of its 2013 Housing Strategies Report  and the Comprehensive Plan, and respond to the need for a greater diversity of housing for people at all stages of life. 

The code amendments provide siting and design standards for "Missing Housing" - smaller housing units that were once common but had been effectively zoned out of most cities over the past century. 

What is Middle Housing? 

Middle housing itself is a somewhat loose term, but generally consists of smaller housing units with a limited footprint that are sometimes grouped together on one or more lots. These types if housing have seen increased demand in the market as retirees and younger homeowners are seeking smaller, more vibrant, sustainable and walkable places to live.

Another purpose of these policies is to create an environment in which construction of a full range of housing types is feasible. This can be accomplished by providing residential zoning districts of varying densities and developing flexible design and development standards to encourage innovation and reduce housing costs.

The passage of House Bill 2001 in 2019 legalized middle housing like that already allowed in Tigard statewide. As part of this bill, the state agency in charge of land use planning adopted new rules that provide some specific requirements for cities like Tigard.

While these new rules will not have a major impact on Tigard’s housing regulations, some small updates will be needed to bring the city into full compliance. Those updates are expected to be adopted in mid-2022.

Some of the housing types allowed in Tigard include:

• Small Form Residential (single detached houses, duplexes, triplexes)
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) 
• Cottage Clusters
• Courtyard Units
• Quads
• Rowhouses

Housing Option Programs and Policies 

In addition to the changes to the Community Development Code, the Tigard City Council has enacted several policies to encourage the construction of more Middle Housing.

These include:

• A reduction of system development charges for middle housing.
• An exemption from system development charges for accessory dwelling units.
• A 75 percent reduction of the construction excise tax for middle housing.
• The creation of the city’s first middle housing revolving loan fund to provide construction lending for middle housing development