“Bend is a place where people show up for each other. It’s a city built on resilience, where outdoor adventure meets a deep sense of community, and where residents actively shape its future rather than just watching it unfold. What makes Bend truly special is its spirit of innovation and problem-solving. Whether it’s local builders creating more efficient, attainable housing, small businesses finding creative ways to thrive, or neighbors stepping up to support each other in times of need, there’s an unmistakable drive to make things better, together. … Instead of resisting change, people here are working to shape it in a way that strengthens neighborhoods, supports local businesses, and preserves the natural beauty that makes Bend home.” — Jesse Russell, small-scale developer and community member in Bend, Oregon
Fighting the Housing Crisis Through Smart Policy Changes
Like many growing cities, Bend has faced housing challenges. In recent years, the city has embraced incremental, bottom-up development to create a more flexible and responsive housing market. They’ve done so in a few key ways:
Taking a leading role in implementing Oregon’s Middle Housing Code (HB 2001). This code eliminated single-family-only zoning, opening the door for duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and cottage clusters.
Encouraging homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (also known as ADUs or backyard cottages). The city streamlined the approval process, reduced regulatory barriers, and waived certain fees.
Implementing the Core Area Plan, which focuses on transforming underutilized land near downtown into walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. This plan allows for a broader range of housing types, such as live-work units, small apartments and townhomes.
Working with local builders, architects and advocates: Projects like Hiatus Homes and other cottage-style developments demonstrate that people want compact, well-designed homes in walkable communities. The city has responded by adjusting zoning codes to make it easier to build these types of projects, including reducing unnecessary parking mandates and allowing for more creative site designs.
By removing zoning barriers, encouraging incremental, locally-driven development, and embracing a wider range of housing options, Bend is showing how cities can adapt to evolving housing needs without sacrificing character or affordability. The goal isn’t just to build more housing — it’s to build better, more flexible housing that serves the needs of Bend’s residents.
Incremental Action
One of Bend’s best examples of swift, resourceful action came in response to an urgent cold-weather shelter shortage. Central Oregon winters can be harsh, and as temperatures dropped in late 2022, city leaders, nonprofits and local businesses acted fast to open a warming shelter at the former Rainbow Motel, repurposing the vacant property into a safe space for people in need. Rather than waiting for a long-term solution, the city fast-tracked permits, while businesses and volunteers provided blankets, food and hygiene kits. The effort required minimal renovations, leveraging existing resources instead of costly new construction. This quick, community-driven response set a precedent for using underutilized spaces to address housing insecurity. It’s a prime example of how Bend’s residents and leaders don’t just identify problems — they take immediate action to solve them.
Making a Commitment to Building Safer Streets
In recent years, Bend’s approach to street design has shifted to reflect a long-term commitment to fiscal responsibility and place-based development. By shifting from car-centric expansion to a pattern of human-scaled growth, the city is ensuring that its streets remain not just safe, but also productive, sustainable and welcoming for all. They’re doing this in a few key ways:
The Core Area Plan: This plan aims to transform underutilized spaces in central Bend into walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. This includes redesigning streets with features like wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes and traffic-calming measures.
Bend’s Transportation System Plan: This plan prioritizes safety improvements and multimodal access, ensuring that new infrastructure investments support walkability and transit rather than just expanding roads for cars.
Neighborhood Greenways program: This program slows traffic and enhances safety in residential areas.
Much of this work was encouraged by the work of grassroots organizations like Bend Bikes and the Oregon Walks coalition. Meanwhile, local business districts, such as the Box Factory and Galveston Avenue, have also embraced pedestrian-first design, demonstrating that streets that prioritize people are also good for business.
Bend Is Unlocking Development by Removing Parking Mandates
Bend is rethinking its relationship with parking. Recognizing that outdated parking mandates were holding the city back, Bend has taken major steps to reform its approach to parking and prioritize better land use, more housing and a stronger local economy:
Eliminating mandatory parking requirements for duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes across the city, which lets developers build more housing without being forced to over-provide parking.
Scrapping parking minimums in Transit-Oriented Areas, which encourages walkable, mixed-use development near key transportation corridors.
Implementing shared parking strategies in downtown and the Old Mill District, which let businesses pool parking rather than requiring each one to build separate, underutilized lots.
Investing in multimodal infrastructure, including bike lanes, transit improvements and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, which reduces car dependence and makes alternative transportation more viable.
Developers are responding to these changes by building more housing and mixed-use projects that would have been impossible under the previous parking rules. While there’s still progress to be made, Bend is moving toward a more financially productive, people-centered approach to land use. By reducing parking mandates, the city is unlocking opportunities for small businesses, making housing more attainable, and ensuring that land is used for people, not just cars.
Making Smart and Transparent Finance Choices in a Fast-Growing City
As one of the fastest-growing cities in Oregon, Bend faces the challenge of funding infrastructure in a way that is both sustainable and transparent. The city has made important strides, including:
Performance-based budgeting: Instead of using line-item budgets, the city focuses on aligning every dollar spent with measurable outcomes. This lets the public clearly see how public investments will deliver long-term value.
The Open Budget Portal: This program gives residents an easy way to see exactly how the city allocates funds.
Regular public meetings: In these meetings, officials break down the long-term liabilities associated with major projects, ensuring that residents understand the true costs of maintaining Bend’s infrastructure over time.
System development charges (SDCs): These fees, paid by developers, help fund infrastructure and public services for new developments. This ensures that infrastructure projects have clear funding mechanisms in place before they more forward.
Promoting infill development and mixed-use neighborhoods: This more compact development pattern generates more tax revenue per acre and ensures that infrastructure investments yield a higher long-term return.
These policies are a crucial part of making Bend’s financial model work — not just for today but also for future generations.
Making Local Government More Accessible and Responsive
In recent years, Bend has taken significant steps to make local government more accessible, transparent and responsive to the needs of the community. They do this in a number of ways:
The Neighborhood Leadership Alliance: This city-backed organization brings representatives from each of Bend’s 13 neighborhood associations together with elected officials to ensure that residents’ concerns are incorporated into city planning efforts.
Digital engagement: The “Engage Bend” online platform lets residents provide feedback on city initiatives. In addition, city council meetings are live-streamed and residents can submit public comments remotely.
Community-led task forces and committees: The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee brings together city officials, housing advocates, developers and residents to craft policies that support housing affordability and smart growth. The Transportation Advisory Group plays a similar role in shaping infrastructure investments.
Active participation from city leaders: Council members and the mayor regularly host town halls, attend public events and neighborhood association meetings, and engage directly with residents through social media and local news outlets.
These efforts builds trust and ensures that elected officials are accountable to the people they serve. While no system is perfect, Bend is continually working to foster a civic culture where people have a voice in shaping their town’s future.
