Benny Westcott
By Benny Westcott
Of The New Era
The Planning Commission heard the results of a housing needs analysis, which explored the possibility of considerable population growth in Sweet Home over the next 20 years, during its Thursday, May 5, meeting at City Hall.
Conducted by 3J Consulting of Beaverton, the FCS Group of Portland, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development and the City of Sweet Home, the analysis is required by state law to ensure adequate land for residential property over such a period to meet demand.
Sweet Home is projected to add 1,720 people over the next two decades, according to FCS Group Project Manager Tim Wood, who described that number as “a lot.”
“We’re going to have to plan to make sure there’s enough housing,” he said.
The analysis took a detailed look at the city, finding that of the 4,107 total housing units within city limits in 2020, 73% of housing stock was single-family detached, which Wood called standard for the state. Some 13% was manufactured homes and other unclassifiable housing types, while 7% was multi-family and another 7% was townhomes. Wood expected that a recorded 5% vacancy has dropped. About 70% of single-family detached home units were owner-occupied, compared to 45% of mobile homes. All multi-family and townhomes were renter-occupied.
Sweet Home increased from 2.41 people per household in 2010 to 2.59 in 2020, a larger jump than either Linn County (2.53 to 2.60) or the state (2.45 to 2.49) took during the same time frame.
About 28% of Sweet Home renter households were considered severely rent-burdened, above the county or state averages of 21% and 24%, respectively. Severe rent burden occurs when more than 50% of a household income is spent on housing.
The median home sales price has increased substantially in the last two years, from $244,000 to $348,000. Sweet Home saw an annual change in median price of 19.4% during that span, higher than those of Lebanon, Brownsville, Albany and Junction City. Still, Sweet Home is relatively affordable compared to surrounding cities, as its median home price of $348,000 sits below Lebanon’s $387,000, Brownsville’s $420,000, Albany’s $414,000 and Junction City’s $447,000.
“Over the last two years, especially, but also over the last couple decades, you’ve seen pretty significant increases in home values,” Wood said. “That’s driving a lot of housing-cost burden, not just for people who own but for people who are trying to rent. As that demand increases, the price is going to increase too.”
Sweet Home is projected to need 691 additional housing units by 2042, plus 16 units of shared housing. The projection calls for 503 single-family detached homes, 93 manufactured homes/cottages, 49 multi-family units and 46 townhome/plex units.
With additional housing projected for the future, 3J Consulting Senior Project Manager Scott Fregonese said that the city permits residential uses in the majority of its zones.
“This is quite interesting,” he said. “You have a lot of availability for residential, even in some of your commercial zones.”
As the housing needs analysis called for additional infrastructure to keep pace with a rising population, Planning Commission Chair Jeffrey Parker noted that Sweet Home has already witnessed its fair share of growth.
“We’ve been in town 17 years, and Sweet Home’s done more growing in probably the last year than the previous 16,” he said.
In other action:
— The Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit to allow for self-storage, enclosed RV/boat storage and canopy parking for RVs and boats at a proposed self-storage facility north of Main Street and east of 24th Avenue. Applicant Eric Lund plans to build 600 self-storage units and canopied RV and boat parking on the property, which would have an access driveway off of 24th Avenue. The facility would be gated with 24-hour access.
“There’s a waitlist for all of the storage units around, so hopefully it will be 100% [occupancy],” Lund said. “I need a storage unit myself, and I’ve got 15 friends in the Lebanon and Sweet Home area that need them, and they’re all on waitlists. They’re definitely needed.”
Commissioner Jamie Melcher echoed that sentiment.
“Storage units definitely are in high demand, and needed,” she said.