One Question for Portland City Council Candidates: More Duplexes in Single-Family Neighborhoods?

The plan is bound to be a lightning rod in a city where most residential land is zoned for single-family homes.

A snow day in Southeast Portland. (Sam Gehrke)

City Hall is poised to take up a policy that could determine whether Portland's neighborhoods get more expensive or see denser development.

The plan is bound to be a lightning rod in a city where most residential land is zoned for single-family homes. A new draft of the Residential Infill Project, as it's called, is due out next week and will make its way to the City Council by fall.

WW asked five candidates for the open seat on the council to respond to one of the most controversial elements of the plan: whether duplexes should be allowed in single-family neighborhoods.

We asked: Do you support the city's plan to allow duplexes on single-family lots where now only one house is allowed? Why or why not?

Stuart Emmons
No, but he would test it in a few areas. "I have concerns about the potential loss of a lot of affordable housing with the Residential Infill Project: the negative effects of encouraging replacement of older, naturally affordable housing with new luxury housing, which will result in accelerated displacement and gentrification in Portland's lower-income neighborhoods."

Jo Ann Hardesty
Yes. "Housing must be available at all income levels in all neighborhoods in Portland regardless of your ZIP code. The city has a responsibility to equitably distribute housing resources that allow all income levels housing options in all neighborhoods."

Loretta Smith
Yes. "As a duplex owner, I appreciate it is an opportunity for my son to get affordable housing for his family and to provide multigenerational housing to our residents. We are in a housing crisis. Supporting the construction of duplexes is one way we add more housing to the community."

Andrea Valderrama
Yes, with some caveats. "As someone who currently lives in an eight-person multigenerational house, I recognize the need for more creative housing options of current housing stock. I believe we can also be respectful of the traditional nature of neighborhoods while adapting to the new realities of our city and people."

Felicia Williams
Yes. "We are in the midst of a housing crisis, and with the average household size continuing to decrease, we need to adjust our housing types and zoning to meet current and future demand."

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.