Housing

HOUSING

The City of Astoria is taking part in the Clatsop County Housing Task Force which is composed of representatives from each city and the County (elected officials and staff) as well as local school districts and hospitals, partnering together to identify and support regional solutions that can address residents’ housing needs.

The City of Cannon Beach is hosting an archive of Housing Task Force meeting agendas and minutes - Housing Matters and meeting videos on their YouTube page - CB YouTube

In 2019, Clatsop County and five local incorporated cities, including Astoria, contributed to the development of a Housing Strategies Report which identified strategies to better align the housing supply with local needs. The report is being used to guide recent housing development discussion and efforts. The Housing Strategies Report can be found here - 2019 Housing Strategies Report , Appendix A , Appendix B , and Appendix C – and a report summary here - Summary

Since Astoria has a population greater than 10,000 residents, the City is required to complete a Housing Capacity Analysis and Housing Production Strategy. As part of this effort, the Housing Task Force is first completing a Buildable Land Inventory, which is expected to be completed in 2025. The Housing Capacity Analysis and Housing Production Strategy are expected to be completed in 2027.

As the City continues its work with the Housing Task Force, the Astoria City Council has prioritized the following efforts:

• Darigold Site – the City is working with Clatsop County to develop the Darigold site (385 9^th St), which was identified as a surplus property with potential for a housing development. Once an agreement is reached, the City will choose a developer through an RFP process for a project that maximizes the number of workforce housing units. Workforce housing is defined as 60% to 120% of AMI.
• City-Owned Land – the City is identifying underutilized city-owned properties that are suitable for housing development. Once properties are identified, the City will choose a developer through an RFP process with requirements to build workforce housing.
• Development Code Changes – the City is evaluating its development code to determine how to streamline review processes and eliminate unnecessary restrictions in order to encourage housing development. The City is using the State’s Housing Production Strategy Program as a guide for code changes.
• Home Stay Lodging/Vacation Rental Enforcement – the City is actively tracking Home Stay Lodging and Vacation Rental complaints through a code compliance effort. Violators of the City’s codes and licensing requirements face fines and potential revocation of their license.

If you have questions about the city's housing efforts, please email comdevadmin@astoria.gov and a  staff member will answer your questions.