announced in spring 2019 by City of Portland, and Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, is a bundling of programs including two residential code update projects -- Better Housing by Design Project, and Residential Infill Project (RIP) -- and the Anti-displacement Action Plan.

Better Housing by Design project

see main article, Better Housing by Design

"We know we need more multi-unit housing. These buildings and our mixed-use corridors will accommodate most of the population growth over the next two decades. And they’ll be housing not just single millennials – but families with children and a higher proportion of people of color. We need to design multi-unit buildings with them in mind. And Better Housing by Design begins to do that. "The Better Housing by Design Project ensures that new multi-family construction will provide more comfortable, healthy and family-friendly units with diverse housing options, safe and attractive outdoor spaces, as well as better pedestrian connections to neighbors and streets. An affordable housing bonus provides an incentive to create even more housing for Portland’s lower income households." [City of Portland 2019]

Residential Infill Project (RIP)

see main article: Residential_Infill_Project.

In order to meet the demands of our growing city and ensure that future generations of Portlanders can live and thrive here, we need to take advantage of our entire housing area. Single-family zones make up 43% of our housing land supply while multi-dwelling zones cover 8%. Our single-family neighborhoods can provide housing options that improve the quality of life for current and future residents – our teachers, bus drivers, retail clerks, construction workers and students. We believe that RIP is one tool to achieve that vision. The Residential Infill Project has been amended by the Planning and Sustainability Commission to deliver even more smaller scale, less expensive housing in Portland’s single-family neighborhoods. By offering homeowners and home builders the opportunity to create up to four units on a single-dwelling lot (at a smaller scale and height than is currently allowed), the Residential Infill Project allows the return of attractive, popular and more affordable middle housing types to Portland’s residential neighborhoods.

Anti-displacement Action Plan.

The new Anti-displacement Action Plan will create a community-led task force to provide leadership on the implementation of anti-displacement policies. Building on the previous work of community organizations, the effort will develop a toolkit of strategies and accountability measures to address the root causes of displacement to inform decision-making and action. The result will be an action plan and formal agreement between City bureaus and community partners that holds us all accountable for positive results as the city continues to grow.

allow 6-plex if 50% affordable

this was apparently inspired by 6-plex allowance provision in Austin's Affordability_Unlocked housing program, approved in May 2019.

References

Portland, City of. Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. [2019a] "Housing Opportunity Initiative." https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/740643.
Portland, City of. Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. [2019b]. "Housing Opportunity Initiative Elements & Timeline Updated 8/26/19". August 26, 2019. https://efiles.portlandoregon.gov/Record/13182894/File/Document.