Winterbrook Planning is proud to celebrate the unanimous adoption of Happy Valley’s housing production strategy (HPS) by the City Council. This milestone marks a major step forward in the city’s efforts to create more housing opportunities while balancing state requirements and local needs. As their city website clearly states, “Happy Valley is a planned growth community.”

A Plan for Growth

The HPS, mandated by Oregon law, provides a comprehensive roadmap for encouraging housing production over the next six years. It contextualizes the city’s housing needs, highlights existing efforts, and sets forth a series of actionable strategies designed to address key barriers to housing production. Winterbrook’s team, led by Ben Schonberger and Larissa Gladding, played a central role in Happy Valley’s housing production strategy, working closely with city staff, stakeholders, and the public to craft a strategy that is both ambitious and achievable.

Strategies in the Happy Valley HPS are:

• Promoting, Educating, Clarifying Existing Opportunities
• Addressing Availability and Cost of Land and Infrastructure
• Reducing Local Regulatory Barriers
• Incentivizing Affordable and Accessible Housing

DLCD Housing Planning Assistance Program

This work was made possible through the Department of Land Conservation and Development’s (DLCD) housing planning assistance program. DLCD provides crucial grant funding to help Oregon cities update local land use plans, ensuring that communities like Happy Valley can proactively meet their housing needs. Winterbrook has been privileged to assist not only Happy Valley but also Dayton, Rainier, Sweet Home, and Tangent in leveraging DLCD resources to advance their housing goals.

We are grateful for the collaboration with city leaders, staff, and community members who made this strategy a reality. As we look ahead, Winterbrook remains committed to supporting cities across Oregon in planning for growth, housing affordability, and sustainable development.

A big congratulations to Happy Valley!

The views in beautiful Happy Valley