Chapter 8.

Decades ago, Norm Krumholz urged planners to address social and economic disparities by planning with a simple rule: take actions that benefit the least well off in the community. Portland, Oregon, made an explicit commitment to equity planning in 2012 as part of The Portland Plan, a strategic plan to realize a vision of “a prosperous, educated, healthy, and equitable Portland into the future”. Portland has national reputation among urban planners for its urban growth boundary, sustainability initiatives, and commitment to transit and bicycle planning. The Comp Plan development process was an opportunity to use public planning powers to address the provision of goods to less advantaged renters who were increasingly squeezed in the housing market, despite a huge development boom. Developing an inclusionary housing zoning regulation for Portland was one facet of the implementation program for agreed upon concept of “anti-displacement.” Developing the implementing regulations for the Comp Plan’s anti-displacement policies meant working in a space of considerable uncertainty.