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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Medford standoff ends with man in custody ... Wildlife Images golden eagle gets cataract removed in Medford ... Portland, feds meet on changes to police use-of-force reporting ... Medford standoff ends with man in custody ... Wildlife Images golden eagle gets cataract removed in Medford ... Portland, feds meet on changes to police use-of-force reporting ... OUR VIEW Our View: Lift the ban on inclusionary zoning Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Feb. 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News It's no secret that many families in Jackson County are struggling financially, and one of the biggest hurdles they face is finding housing they can afford. A bill before the 2016 Legislature would allow — but not require — cities to enact "inclusionary zoning" laws to help address that. Oregon is one of only two states that bans cities from enacting such laws, and the ban should end. A new report from the United Ways of the Pacific Northwest provides an overview of a segment of the population designated as ALICE — asset limited, income constrained, employed. These are people above the poverty line but below the basic cost of living for their community. In Jackson County in 2013, the report found, 45 percent of households were either poor or ALICE. The report listed a bare-bones budget for a family of two adults, one infant and one preschooler starting with housing at $829 a month. This budget, the report says, allows for no savings and a very modest standard of living, but still adds up to $52,704 in annual expenses — well above the poverty level. People who go to work every day, who are not poor, but still cannot afford even that standard of living — 28 percent of Jackson County households — would benefit the most from inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning requires a certain percentage of new housing developments or apartment complexes to be offered at below-market rates. The details of how that is accomplished would be up to the city enacting the rules, and could be customized to fit local circumstances. The bill provides for easing the burden on developers by offering incentives, such as waiving systems development fees, offering density adjustments and expediting permits. It caps the required proportion of affordable housing in any given project at 30 percent, but a local ordinance could specify a smaller percentage. The important thing to remember about Senate Bill 1533 is that it merely allows cities to adopt inclusionary zoning; it does not require any city to do so — in essence, increasing local control. Oregon has banned such laws statewide since 1999. The only other state with a similar ban on the books is Texas. It's time Oregon joined the vast majority of the country and permitted this modest effort to help struggling families. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501