Item A: Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption Program

Home Browse Search

• For-sale project occupancy – For-sale units may not be rented at any time (both prior to initial sale and after homebuyer qualification); properties which are rented are subject to termination of the exemption. Homebuyers must occupy the property as their primary residence. • MWESB goals – Applicants must provide a plan to meet PHB’s business equity goals for participation of Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Businesses (MWESB) in professional services and construction contracting and City workforce training and hiring goals. • Marketing Plan – Applicants must submit a Marketing Plan that describes elements including but not limited to engaging community stakeholders, the use of gathering and commercial space in the project, and outreach to a target audience. • Neighborhood Contact – Applicants are required to participate in the Neighborhood Contact process prior to applying for the building permit and tax exemption program. The Neighborhood Contact process provides a setting for the applicant and neighborhood residents to discuss a proposed project in an informal manner. By sharing information and concerns during the application process, all involved have the opportunity to identify ways to improve a proposed project, and to resolve conflicts before the tax exemption is approved. The requirements for Neighborhood Contact are: • The applicant must contact the neighborhood association for the area, by registered or certified mail, to request a meeting. A copy of this request must also be sent by registered or certified mail to the district neighborhood coalition. • The neighborhood association should reply to the applicant within 14 days and hold a meeting within 45 days of the date of the initial contact. If the neighborhood association does not reply to the applicant's letter within 14 days, or hold a meeting within 45 days, the applicant may request a land use review or building permit without further delay. If the neighborhood requests the meeting within the time frame, the applicant must attend the meeting. The applicant may attend additional meetings on a voluntary basis. The neighborhood may schedule the meeting with its board, the general membership, or a committee. • After the meeting and before pulling the building permit, the applicant must send a letter to the neighborhood association and district neighborhood coalition. The letter will explain changes, if any, the applicant is making to the proposed project. • Copies of letters, and registered or certified mail receipts must be submitted with the tax exemption application. • Green building – The project must be built to meet healthy and resource efficient environmental building standards. The applicant must certify in the application to build the project using one of the following standards: • Register and certify at the silver level for US Green Building Council’s Leadership and Energy in Environmental Design (LEED); • Register and certify at the silver level for Earth Advantage Multifamily; • Build to meet Oregon’s Reach Code for Commercial or Residential Buildings; or • Comply and certify for Enterprise Green Communities’ criteria for affordable housing. Certification must be submitted to PHB with the first year’s financial document submission. If the project is not built to meet one of the standards, the exemption will be terminated. • Eligible project types – Projects must be proposed construction, additions to existing structures or conversion of existing non-residential property to housing. Projects must have at least ten units with a minimum density of 35 units per net acre of site area (residential only); or at least ten units with a minimum density of 20 units per net acre of site area (mixed use with ground floor commercial space) and at least two times the amount of residential floor area to non-residential floor area; home ownership projects are exempt from this requirement. A row-house or townhouse development containing for-sale or rental units is eligible as long as all other eligibility criteria are met. The project must not be designed or used as transient accommodation, including but not limited to hotels and motels. Existing multiple-unit housing projects which are currently or will become subject to a low income housing assistance contract with an agency or subdivision of Oregon or the United States are eligible