Equitable Housing Strategic Plan

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Consultation has concluded

Garden Apartments

There is a concern among community members about the availability of high-quality affordable housing in Wilsonville. The City’s 2018 Community Survey indicated that only 38% of residents rated the availability of affordable quality housing as excellent or good. This percentage is lower than previous surveys in 2012 and 2014, when nearly half of those surveyed believed Wilsonville had sufficient affordable housing.

In response, Wilsonville City Council directed City staff to look into programs, policies, and potential legislative changes to address these concerns and to respond to changes in the housing market. An Equitable Housing Strategic Plan Task Force was formed to evaluate current data, consider public input, provide technical expertise, and develop policies and strategies to address the gaps in Wilsonville’s residential housing stock.

The result of this work was the adoption of the Equitable Housing Strategic Plan in June 2020. Please visit ci.wilsonville.or.us/housing to review the final plan and learn more about upcoming implementation actions.

Thank you for your input on this project!

There is a concern among community members about the availability of high-quality affordable housing in Wilsonville. The City’s 2018 Community Survey indicated that only 38% of residents rated the availability of affordable quality housing as excellent or good. This percentage is lower than previous surveys in 2012 and 2014, when nearly half of those surveyed believed Wilsonville had sufficient affordable housing.

In response, Wilsonville City Council directed City staff to look into programs, policies, and potential legislative changes to address these concerns and to respond to changes in the housing market. An Equitable Housing Strategic Plan Task Force was formed to evaluate current data, consider public input, provide technical expertise, and develop policies and strategies to address the gaps in Wilsonville’s residential housing stock.

The result of this work was the adoption of the Equitable Housing Strategic Plan in June 2020. Please visit ci.wilsonville.or.us/housing to review the final plan and learn more about upcoming implementation actions.

Thank you for your input on this project!

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Tell us why you chose Wilsonville as your home.


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CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

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    Enough stuff for the wealthy

    by SW39, over 4 years ago

    In 2012 I paid $1295 per month for a 3 br apartment while going to college and taking care of my kids. We moved to Wilsonville because of the quality of the middle school. By 2015 I had graduated nursing school, was working in Salem and the rent had soared to $1795 for the same apartment. We need affordable housing for the middle class. Come on. Enough pretties for the millionaires, we need basics for the lower and middle classes.

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    Don't cave again

    by Immigrant1, over 4 years ago

    I completely agree with what was written here by Jennifer and others.

    I believe the city policymakers did indeed cave on Frog Pond to a well-organized protest by some of the wealthiest members of the community who conjured images of slums and scare tactics when the plans for Frog Pond West were being considered; instead we end up with 2-million dollar homes.

    As a city, we need to refocus our determination to build an inclusive community and one with a large variety of housing types including housing for all people who work here, and I don't just mean the high-tech... Continue reading

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    Living In a Tent is Touch and Go

    by Touchy Subject, over 4 years ago

    I want to start out by saying we call this place "Pleasantville." It is gorgeous, quiet, and clean, and we would love to have our daughter (who is now four) start school here.

    Unfortunately, this area is not very supportive of the blue-collar working class. My husband was an 18-wheeler driver, and we were relocated here in December of 2016. At the time, I had found an apartment that was only $40 per month more than our apartment in Texas. We would be losing more than 200 square feet, our second bathroom, and two walk-in closets, but we figured we... Continue reading

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    Great start

    by Jennifer , over 4 years ago

    I’ve been impressed with the efforts so far of the city to keep housing affordable, from the percentage of multi family rentals, to the transportation services offered. My main concerns are: 1) is there a plan for the mobile home park? If the landlord decides to sell, is the city prepared to assist these residents? 2) the town center redevelopment should have housing as part of the plan 3) please do not cave to pressure again regarding multi family development in the later Frog Pond development. What I observed was a number of loud voices from current single-family home owners... Continue reading

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    When housing was affordable

    by DagneSunrise, over 4 years ago

    My family moved here in 1987. The company my husband worked for had been closed down by the county, state and Federal tax departments. The owner left the country. My husband had found a new job in Portland and we had a 1 year old. It was a tough and scary time for us. Although inside the urban growth boundary, Wilsonville was considered a rural town. At the time it had an elementary school and middle school. The high school was in West Linn. There were 2 stop lights, the ones on either side of the freeway. It had Thriftway... Continue reading

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    Planning for the future growth in Wilsonville

    by mike walsh, over 4 years ago

    My wife and I raised our 2 children in Wilsonville when there was only 1 traffic light and the name Lowrie was associated with the only grocery store and not a school. That was in the 1980's and early 1990's. It was the country with wide open spaces and driving from one end of Wilsonville to the other took less than a minute. We now live in Charbonneau which so far the river has blocked development in our immediate area.

    I can understand why people were moving to Wilsonville over the last 20 years. It is obvious to anyone who... Continue reading
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    Wilsonville WAS a great place

    by GW01, over 4 years ago

    We bought our home in Wilsonville in 1999 because it was more affordable than everywhere else in the metro area, and it was quieter w/less traffic. And it was almost like being out in the country; on the other side of our cul-de-sac were farms and forest.

    Most of the things that brought us to Wilsonville are long gone, replaced by "McMansions" on tiny lots (Villebois), Tigard-like congestion on the roads during certain times of the day, and a city council that thinks it has to pursue growth, often for it's own sake.

    Wilsonville is still better than many cities... Continue reading

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    We love Wilsonville

    by Ngcombs, over 4 years ago

    We moved from California 17 months ago. We started looking in Oregon because our daughter's family lives here. We looked in several different communities and then our daughter suggested Wilsonville because it seemed to be the closest to the type of community we were living in.

    We visited several times before settling on our current residence. We love the many parks, walking trails and the real sense of community in Wilsonville. We both have done volunteer work, which really helps you to get to know the area and the people. The community Center is a great place to meet other... Continue reading

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    Why wilsonville

    by Sandra V, over 4 years ago

    We moved from LO to take advantage of a great market in LO. We found the renaisssnce boat club and love the area. However as retirees we are finding that Wilsonville really is geared to young families. Not much for us. No eclectic restaurants, no better grocery stores. Lots of great parks. We would love if he city would start considering things that might appeal to a broader range of community members.

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    Starting Out

    by Caitlin, over 4 years ago

    I never thought that I would live in Wilsonville. But here I am.

    Growing up in SW Portland, Wilsonville was a small town to pass through on the way down I5. Somewhere in my childhood, Bullwinkles came to town. That’s what I knew the town for. Birthday parties and the slightly strange Fry’s (I think it was something else in the 90s?). Wilsonville was fun but not on my radar as a place to live.

    Fast forward through college, the recession, and learning to budget. When it came down to purchasing a house, I wanted something with freeway access, a... Continue reading