Metro
Metro#
Metro is the directly elected regional government serving the Portland metropolitan area, encompassing Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. Established by voters in 1978 and effective January 1, 1979, it is the only directly elected regional government in the United States.1 Metro is governed by a seven-member Metro Council consisting of six district councilors and a council president elected regionwide.2
Metro’s primary responsibilities include managing the Portland-area urban growth boundary, regional land use planning, operating parks and natural areas, and running waste management programs.3 In recent years, its housing role has expanded significantly through voter-approved measures to fund affordable housing and homelessness services.
Policy Positions#
- Urban growth boundary management: Metro is required by state law to maintain a 20-year supply of buildable land within the urban growth boundary and reviews the land supply every six years, adjusting the boundary as needed.4 In December 2024, the Metro Council voted to expand the UGB to include approximately 1,200 acres at Sherwood West.5
- Affordable housing investment: Metro administers the $652.8 million affordable housing bond approved by voters in 2018, which is on track to create an estimated 5,600 affordable homes across the tri-county region – exceeding its initial goal by 1,700 units.6
- Homelessness services funding: Metro oversees the Supportive Housing Services measure (Measure 26-210) approved by voters in May 2020, which funds homelessness prevention and housing placement through a regional income tax. The program has helped more than 15,000 people leave homelessness for housing since its passage.7
- Middle housing implementation: Supports implementation of HB 2001 (2019), which requires cities within the Metro urban growth boundary with populations over 1,000 to allow middle housing types in residential zones.8
- Rent stabilization: Testified in support of SB 611 (2023), which capped annual rent increases for residential tenancies.9
- Cautious on UGB expansion shortcuts: Has historically opposed legislative proposals that would allow cities to bypass Metro’s urban growth boundary process, including HB 3072 (2021) and HB 4118 (2022), which would have allowed cities to unilaterally expand the UGB for workforce housing. Testified neutral on SB 1537 (2024), the governor’s housing package that included a temporary fast-track UGB expansion process.10
Key Legislative Involvement#
- HB 3031 (2025): Testified in support of establishing a housing infrastructure financing program through the Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority.11
- SB 1537 (2024): Testified neutral on Governor Kotek’s comprehensive housing package, which included provisions for a fast-track urban growth boundary expansion process with review by Metro.10
- HB 3414 (2023): Testified in opposition to the governor’s initial housing accountability bill, which included an alternative UGB amendment process. The bill passed the House but failed in the Senate.12
- SB 611 (2023): Testified in support of capping annual rent increases for residential tenancies.9
- HB 3155 (2021): Testified in support of requiring cities within Metro with populations over 10,000 to conduct housing needs analyses, replacing the prior requirement that Metro allocate housing capacity among cities.13
- SB 458 (2021): Testified in support of allowing land divisions to separate middle housing dwelling units, complementing HB 2001 implementation.14
- HB 2655 (2021): Testified in opposition to prohibiting counties from establishing minimum lot sizes of more than one acre for residential-zoned land.15
News Coverage
| Article | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metro President Will Step Down for Lake Oswego Gig | Willamette Week | March 12, 2026 |
| YVYV: Mike Wilkerson | Full Interview | KATU News | July 20, 2025 |
Legislative Testimony
2025
3 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 49 Adds two members to the Building Codes Structures Board and adds two professions that the board members must represent. |
Kyung Park | Oppose | 2025-03-06 |
| HB 3031 Establishes a program through which the Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority may provide financial assistance for infrastructure to support housing development. |
Kyung Park | Support | 2025-02-28 |
| HB 2075 Extends the sunset for the property tax incentive benefit programs for brownfields and property on brownfields. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2025-02-06 |
2024
2 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 1530 Appropriates moneys to and modifies expenditure limitations for the Housing and Community Services Department, Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services, State Department of Energy, Oregon Business Development Department, Department of Transportation, Water Resources Department and Oregon Department of Administrative Services for various programs. |
Jenna Jones | Support | 2024-02-12 |
| SB 1537 Requires the Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Department of Consumer and Business Services to jointly establish and administer the Housing Accountability and Production Office. |
Anneliese Koehler | Neutral | 2024-02-08 |
2023
8 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 611 Caps annual rent increases for residential tenancies. |
Jenna Jones | Support | 2023-06-21 |
| HB 3414 Requires local governments to approve certain adjustments to land use regulations for housing development within urban growth boundary. |
Anneliese Koehler | Oppose | 2023-06-09 |
| SB 611 Caps annual rent increases for residential tenancies. |
Jenna Jones | Support | 2023-03-27 |
| SB 979 Provides that constructing child care facility within project for affordable housing does not subject project for affordable housing to prevailing wage requirements if child care facility meets specified requirements. |
Jenna Jones | Support | 2023-03-24 |
| HB 3442 Authorizes local governments to allow, prohibit, require zone change for or subject to conditional use permit development of certain affordable housing on certain lands within tsunami inundation zones or 100-year floodplains. |
Jenna Jones | Oppose | 2023-03-16 |
| HB 5019 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to specified state agencies for certain purposes related to housing. |
Jenna Jones | Support | 2023-03-09 |
| HB 2889 Amends Oregon Housing Needs Analysis and land use requirements for local governments related to urbanization. |
Jenna Jones | Support | 2023-02-07 |
| SB 799 Requires residential landlords to extend notice periods for terminations of tenancy based on nonpayment of rent and to include additional notices. |
Jenna Jones | Support | 2023-01-31 |
2022
4 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 1524 Modifies provisions of tax laws. |
Anneliese Koehler | Unknown | 2022-03-01 |
| HB 4118 Allows city to expand its urban growth boundary, or to require Metro to expand its urban growth boundary, in order to include land designated as urban reserve that supports workforce housing and commercial development supportive of workforce housing if certain conditions are met. |
Anneliese Koehler | Oppose | 2022-02-14 |
| SB 1557 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to distribute moneys to specified housing authorities for affordable housing preservation rental assistance pilot programs for tenants of housing being withdrawn from publicly supported housing. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2022-02-02 |
| SB 1536 Limits restrictions on portable cooling devices in residences by landlords, homeowners associations, condominium associations and local governments. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2022-02-01 |
2021
23 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 278 Requires landlords and courts to delay termination of residential tenancies for nonpayment for 60 days if tenant provides documentation of application for rental assistance. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-06-14 |
| SB 5534 Modifies amount of lottery bonds authorized to be issued for specified state agencies. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-05-07 |
| HB 3124 Increases time that written notice must be posted before removal of homeless individuals from established camping site. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-05-04 |
| HB 3155 Requires cities within Metro with population greater than 10,000 to conduct housing needs analysis. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-05-03 |
| SB 141 Makes percentage of partial property tax exemption for property of vertical housing development projects proportional to allocation of floor area to residential housing or low income residential housing, without rounding up or down. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-04-27 |
| SB 458 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Randy Tucker | Unknown | 2021-04-01 |
| HB 5011 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-03-30 |
| HB 3184 Requires Portland State University Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative to study long-term rent assistance and to report to interim committee of Legislative Assembly no later than September 15, 2022. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-03-22 |
| HB 2837 Removes designation of rural reserves from private road commonly known as Lasich Lane in Washington County. |
Randy Tucker | Support | 2021-03-17 |
| HB 2488 Requires that statewide land use planning goal relating to citizen involvement address participation and engagement for disadvantaged groups. |
Randy Tucker | Unknown | 2021-03-09 |
| HB 3154 Excludes manufactured dwelling parks and certain multifamily dwellings from inclusion of buildable lands available for infill. |
Randy Tucker | Oppose | 2021-03-03 |
| HB 3072 Allows local government to expand its urban growth boundary to include land designated as urban reserve that supports workforce housing and commercial development supportive of workforce housing if certain conditions are met. |
Randy Tucker | Oppose | 2021-03-03 |
| SB 282 Extends grace period for repayment of residential rent accrued during emergency period of April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, until February 28, 2022. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-03-03 |
| SB 79 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to provide grants and technical assistance to organizations increasing homeownership program access to persons of color. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-03-02 |
| HB 2163 Establishes long-term rental assistance program in Housing and Community Services Department operating in three to four regions. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-02-23 |
| SB 458 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Randy Tucker | Support | 2021-02-18 |
| HB 2655 Prohibits counties from establishing minimum lot size of more than one acre for residential zoned land. |
Randy Tucker | Oppose | 2021-02-03 |
| HB 2655 Prohibits counties from establishing minimum lot size of more than one acre for residential zoned land. |
Randy Tucker | Oppose | 2021-02-03 |
| HB 2655 Prohibits counties from establishing minimum lot size of more than one acre for residential zoned land. |
Randy Tucker | Oppose | 2021-02-03 |
| HB 2518 Establishes program to make forgivable loans to reimburse private owner or operator of brownfield for eligible costs incurred in completion of removal or remedial action at brownfield. |
Randy Tucker | Support | 2021-02-01 |
| HB 2518 Establishes program to make forgivable loans to reimburse private owner or operator of brownfield for eligible costs incurred in completion of removal or remedial action at brownfield. |
Randy Tucker | Support | 2021-02-01 |
| HB 2283 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Randy Tucker | Support | 2021-02-01 |
| SB 141 Makes percentage of partial property tax exemption for property of vertical housing development projects proportional to allocation of floor area to residential housing or low income residential housing, without rounding up or down. |
Anneliese Koehler | Support | 2021-01-27 |