Middle Housing in Wilsonville Project

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This project has concluded. Please see wilsonvilleoregon.gov/housing for the latest information about housing in Wilsonville or contact Wilsonville's planning team at planning@wilsonvilleoregon.gov for questions about middle housing.

Update on Project Adoption by City Council

Ordinance No. 851, adopted by Wilsonville City Council on October 18, 2021, implements the policy decisions made through this project.

Project Explanation

Part of what makes Wilsonville a desirable community is its history of thoughtful and innovative residential planning.

As the City updated its residential code to comply with Oregon House Bill 2001, we again took a thoughtful approach to also answer the question: ‘how can our regulations serve as a catalyst for an array of housing types that meet pressing current and future needs?’

In finding our answer, we sought to

Update on Project Adoption by City Council

Ordinance No. 851, adopted by Wilsonville City Council on October 18, 2021, implements the policy decisions made through this project.

Project Explanation

Part of what makes Wilsonville a desirable community is its history of thoughtful and innovative residential planning.

As the City updated its residential code to comply with Oregon House Bill 2001, we again took a thoughtful approach to also answer the question: ‘how can our regulations serve as a catalyst for an array of housing types that meet pressing current and future needs?’

In finding our answer, we sought to address the past and consider the future while also enhancing the look, feel, and function of our neighborhoods.

What motivated this work?

Increasing Housing Costs. Many who chose to live in Wilsonville even 5-10 years ago may not make the same choice today due to cost. Rent and home prices have increased at a much greater rate than incomes, pushing some of our friends and neighbors out of Wilsonville. Nearly 1 in 4 families spend more than a third of their income on housing, and the number is climbing. Many kids growing up in Wilsonville are not likely to be able to afford to live here as adults.

Changing Households. Household compositions are changing, and the trend is accelerating. Future housing inventory must match the community’s needs, which may include housing for smaller, young households and more seniors living with their adult children.

Addressing Systemic Injustices. Housing rules and regulations have historically been powerful tools of racial exclusion. How the City’s housing rules and regulations have been (or could be) tools of racial exclusion must be carefully examined.

The Growth of “Middle Housing”?

Middle Housing – which consists of housing of all types that land between detached single-family homes and apartment complexes – help address these concerns.

State law defines middle housing to include duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, and cottage clusters. Some middle housing types include a few units on one lot (duplex, triplex) while others feature homes on separate lots that share a common wall (townhouses). Though middle housing is already present in many Wilsonville neighborhoods, the demand is higher than the supply.

We appreciate the community members who joined the conversation with questions, comments and ideas throughout our public process. You helped identify solutions that can help effectively address our current challenges.

Share Your Experience Looking for Housing in Wilsonville

What was it like looking for housing in Wilsonville? If your experience was not recent, share how your experience may have been different if it occurred today.

Some questions to help get you started:

  • What stage of life were you in while looking for housing?
  • Were you able to find what you desired? If not, what could you not find?
  • Did you find the home you wanted at a price you could afford? If not, what tradeoffs did you make? 
  • If you were looking for a detached single-family home, would you have considered an attached unit if it otherwise had the attributes in a home you were looking for? 
  • What were the minimum attributes you were looking for within your budget? 
  • If you found what you wanted, would you have been able to afford your home at the price it is today? If not, what might have you chosen instead?

Thank you for sharing!

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
  • Share We need more types of housing, at varied prices, to keep Wilsonville diverse and inclusive on Facebook Share We need more types of housing, at varied prices, to keep Wilsonville diverse and inclusive on Twitter Share We need more types of housing, at varied prices, to keep Wilsonville diverse and inclusive on Linkedin Email We need more types of housing, at varied prices, to keep Wilsonville diverse and inclusive link

    We need more types of housing, at varied prices, to keep Wilsonville diverse and inclusive

    by Garet Prior, almost 5 years ago

    To keep Wilsonville a place where people of all incomes and backgrounds can live, we need to concentrate our efforts on the following needs:

    People of color, and their need for affordable, multi-room homes to support multi-generational housing.

    In the past decade, Wilsonville’s Latinx population doubled to 11% of the population and is growing. The cost of our multifamily housing is the higher end of the market, and cheaper homes do not have enough bedrooms to support multi-generation housing, which is common in immigrant and minority communities.

    Single-parent homes and their need for affordable housing that is connected to jobs,

    ... Continue reading

    To keep Wilsonville a place where people of all incomes and backgrounds can live, we need to concentrate our efforts on the following needs:

    People of color, and their need for affordable, multi-room homes to support multi-generational housing.

    In the past decade, Wilsonville’s Latinx population doubled to 11% of the population and is growing. The cost of our multifamily housing is the higher end of the market, and cheaper homes do not have enough bedrooms to support multi-generation housing, which is common in immigrant and minority communities.

    Single-parent homes and their need for affordable housing that is connected to jobs, transit, and services.

    It is entirely understandable that trying to balance work and raising children is a major emotional, physical, and economic stress. Single-parent households have the largest need for subsidized housing of any other household type. If we can lessen their burden for safe and affordable housing, we make a stronger Wilsonville.

    Low or fixed-income individuals and families, and their need for homeownership.

    Combine the fact that only 9% of Wilsonville is middle income, with the average home sales price rising 40% in the last four years, and homeownership is a fleeting dream for many residents. Homeownership is central to American culture and a major source of generational wealth building, supported by a complex government and private market system. Not surprisingly, family wealth in America has a historic and systemic racial gap, where white families have on average 12 times the amount of wealth than black families.

    People in need of emergency, transitional, or supportive housing.

    Major needs in Wilsonville exist for people who are looking for shelter immediately, occasional support when they miss a paycheck or receive an unexpected bill, or long-term because of a physical or mental disability. Currently, there are 44 students in the school district experiencing homelessness and only 8 beds to serve people experiencing homelessness in all of Clackamas County.

  • Share Looking ahead to downsize/retire on Facebook Share Looking ahead to downsize/retire on Twitter Share Looking ahead to downsize/retire on Linkedin Email Looking ahead to downsize/retire link

    Looking ahead to downsize/retire

    by MissyCC, about 5 years ago

    Hoping to retire soon, but want to downsize - preferably to something with NO common walls. A Cottage home sounds perfect! Have lived in a two-story residential home for too many years to retire only to listen to someone in another unit flush their toilet. Hope developers see the opportunity to build Cottage Homes, which could appeal to single working people as well as seniors.

    However, no matter what type of housing, PARKING is incredibly important. For example, a multi-generational home will have multiple vehicles. That's just reality. Without requiring parking SCALED to the number of bedrooms, any "on-street" parking... Continue reading

    Hoping to retire soon, but want to downsize - preferably to something with NO common walls. A Cottage home sounds perfect! Have lived in a two-story residential home for too many years to retire only to listen to someone in another unit flush their toilet. Hope developers see the opportunity to build Cottage Homes, which could appeal to single working people as well as seniors.

    However, no matter what type of housing, PARKING is incredibly important. For example, a multi-generational home will have multiple vehicles. That's just reality. Without requiring parking SCALED to the number of bedrooms, any "on-street" parking typically does NOT allow enough space for all the vehicles in a household. A two-bedroom apartment/condo/townhouse may have roommates, each with their own car, yet parking provided for only one vehicle. Both these examples show there is NOT ENOUGH PARKING!!!

    As much as possible, a garage should be provided with housing units WITH the requirement that it is used for parking a vehicle (not just for storage).

  • Share Penny pinching just isn’t cutting it on Facebook Share Penny pinching just isn’t cutting it on Twitter Share Penny pinching just isn’t cutting it on Linkedin Email Penny pinching just isn’t cutting it link

    Penny pinching just isn’t cutting it

    by MDT, over 5 years ago
    We are a family of six, renting a three bedroom apartment for the past three years. We have fallen in love with Wilsonville and want to raise our children here.


    We are in a time in life where we want to be in a house before our children are too much older and will be out of the house. We have not been able to find anything within our budget and have begun searching out of town to buy.


    We preferably need at least three bedrooms, two bath for our four children, but the availability of homes/townhomes/ condos in our... Continue reading

    We are a family of six, renting a three bedroom apartment for the past three years. We have fallen in love with Wilsonville and want to raise our children here.


    We are in a time in life where we want to be in a house before our children are too much older and will be out of the house. We have not been able to find anything within our budget and have begun searching out of town to buy.


    We preferably need at least three bedrooms, two bath for our four children, but the availability of homes/townhomes/ condos in our price range is so sparse that I don’t know how we’ll be able to snab one even once we have saved up the rest of a down payment.

    At current availability, we will be using 50% of our income on housing (which we do at our apartment right now) and would not have enough income for saving for our retirement let alone college funds.


    We are 33, have no debt, and are pinching and saving every penny, but it seems it will take another 5 years before we can afford a home here, meanwhile, our rent is increasing every year.