Portland's Central City Code Amendments Project, a package of downtown zoning changes aimed at office-to-housing conversion, heads to a City Council vote expected in fall or winter 2026.
Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability · on the Central City Code Amendments' first council hearing, set for Oct. 6
The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability said city staff have published the Recommended Draft of the Central City Code Amendments, incorporating the Planning Commission's amendments, ahead of the first City Council hearing. The council's Housing and Permitting Committee will hold a public hearing on the Recommended Draft on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. The Planning Commission completed its review in July and voted to recommend approval of the Proposed Draft as amended.
Oral testimony registration for the Oct. 6 hearing opens Oct. 1 at 9 a.m., and the same committee hearing will also take up the State Land Use Compliance Project's Recommended Draft, due to be published by Sept. 22.
The Portland Planning Commission voted unanimously on July 14 to send the Central City Code Amendments Project, a package of downtown zoning changes aimed at converting empty office space to housing, to City Council. Downtown office vacancy stood at 29.6% in the second quarter of 2026, according to a Kidder Mathews report. The current draft raises height limits for qualifying residential projects but contains no financial incentives.
A City Council vote on the package is expected this fall or winter.