Community

Top 10 Donation Spots in Portland

The holiday season often comes with an influx of new stuff, from decor and winter maintenance supplies to gifts and kitchen gear. If you find yourself feeling a little cluttered as a result, consider donating!

There are some awesome organizations around Portland that can give your unwanted possessions a second life. Maximize the good you do with what you have by following this simple guide, compiled with the assistance of SCRAP PDX’s handy website.

What to Do With…

High-quality art and design materials > Donate to SCRAP PDX

SCRAP’s website has a useful list of stuff they do and do not accept. The bottom line: they, like many other local creative reuse and recycling organizations in Portland, aren’t exactly hurting for donations. That means they are selective with what they accept. Keep this in mind when donating to any of the organizations on this list—quality matters. Consider SCRAP for your donations that fit the bill and support their efforts in environmental sustainability education and mission that revolves around access to creative expression for everyone.

New and lightly used clothes > Donate to a local homeless shelter

There are a lot of wonderful community organizations in Portland focused on ensuring the health and safety of people who’ve fallen on hard times. At this time of year, your donation of a warm winter coat can make a huge difference for someone in need. Organizations that accept donations of clean clothes in good condition include:

Portland Rescue Mission
Central City Concern
Transition Projects
Rose Haven (specializes in items for women and children)

Bedding, clothing and other fabrics > Call the Pioneer Wiping Cloth Company

It’s best not to donate bedding, clothes and other fabrics that aren’t in new or like-new condition. If you wouldn’t want to wear it or snuggle up in it, it probably isn’t suitable for donation. But that doesn’t mean it needs to go into the trash—the Pioneer Wiping Cloth Company might be able to recycle your old fabrics. Give them a call to find out!

Old electronics and tech > Donate to Free geek

Free Geek is a nonprofit focused on reusing tech equipment rather than sending these hazardous materials to landfills. When they refurbish tech, they grant what they’ve fixed to local community organizations. You can donate just about anything electronic to Free Geek, and they’ll either reuse or recycle it for you.

Household appliances, fixtures and building materials > Call the ReBuilding Center to inquire about a donation

If you’ve never been to the ReBuilding Center, you should plan a trip as soon as possible. This place is a playground of salvaged building materials you can use in DIY home improvement projects. They also accept donations, though you should call ahead if you have a lot of stuff on hand.

Furniture, lamps and other furnishings > Donate to Community Warehouse

We love the Community Warehouse—Wick is very involved with the organization, and we believe in what they do. They’re a furniture bank, meaning they function similarly to a food bank, but for furniture. If you have home furnishings in good condition that you just don’t need anymore, donate them to the Community Warehouse! Last year, the served 7,000 families.

Building supplies > Contact Habitat for Humanity Portland Metro East to inquire about a donation

You don’t have to pick up a hammer to help Habitat for Humanity build houses for low-income families. Habitat would love to reuse your building materials, and they’ll even come pick them up! If you’re planning a renovation in your kitchen, for example, Habitat may be able to arrange for a crew to come remove cabinetry that they’ll then use in a new home.

Office & school supplies > Donate to Schoolhouse Supplies

Schoolhouse Supplies is a great local organization that provides free school supplies to children in need. Any old boxes of pencils, pens, notebooks or markers can go to good use with this organization. Like SCRAP, Schoolhouse Supplies has a list of items they do and do not accept on their website. Give this a read before you bring stuff to them.

Anything plastic > Call Far West Recycling to see if they can recycle

Portlanders are getting wise to the fact that plastic is pretty terrible for the environment. If you’ve recently replaced a lot of plastic stuff with more sustainable materials, that’s great! Far West Recycling may be able to recycle your unwanted plastics.

Everything Else > Call the Metro Recycling Hotline

Unsure what to do with everything else, or with things that get rejected for donation? Call the Metro Recycling Hotline and they’ll help: 503.234.3000

Portland Real Estate Market Action Report- May 2018

New listings made some gains this May in the Portland metro area. At 4,665, new listings outpaced May 2017 (4,388) by 6.3% and rose 16.9% from last month in April 2018 (3,990). This was the strongest May for new listings since 2008, when 5,182 were offered in the month. Closed sales (2,803) fell 3.2% short of the 2,896 closings recorded last year in May 2017 but showed a 11.1% increase from last month in April 2018 (2,523). Pending sales (3,201) fared similarly, decreasing 6.8% from May 2017 (3,435) but rising 6.4% from April 2018 (3,008). Inventory in the Portland metro area rose to 1.9 months in May. During the same time, total market time decreased by five days to end at 37 days.

Year to Date Summary Activity so far in 2018 is a little mixed compared to 2017. New listings (17,506) are up 4.9%. Closed sales (11,492) are down 0.2%, and pending sales (13,360) are down 0.8%. Average and Median Sale Prices Comparing 2018 to 2017 through May of each year, the average sale
price rose 5.9% from $423,800 to $448,600. In the same comparison,the median sale price rose 8.0% from $370,000 to $399,500.

Market Action Report- April 2018

Closed sales saw an upswing this April in the Portland metro area. There were 2,523 closings, a 13.7% increase over April 2017 (2,219) and a 6.4% increase over last month in March 2018 (2,371). New listings (3,990) saw gains as well, outpacing April 2017 (3,759) by 6.1% and March 2018 (3,648) by 9.4%. Pending sales, at 3,008 in April, fell 2.6% short of the 3,088 offers accepted last year in April 2017 but edged 3.9% over the 2,894 offers accepted last month in March 2018.

Inventory increased by a fraction of a month in the Portland metro area in April, ending at 1.8 months. During the same time, total market time decreased to 42 days. There were 4,469 active residential listings in the Portland metro area this April.

Comparing the average price of homes sold in the twelve months ending April 30th of this year ($436,000) with the average price of homes in the twelve months ending April 2017 ($406,400) shows an increase of 7.5%. In the same comparison, the median has increased 9.1% from $355,300 to $387,500.

Wick’s Tips- Considering a Tiny Home in PDX?

Wick: Hi all. Wick here! Today’s topic is tiny homes. Have you ever thought of owning a small house on wheels and renting it out? Otherwise known as the “tiny American Dream”:)? Today we are going to chat with someone who has done just that. This might help you decide if you want to get on the “tiny house train” or not!

Wick: Joining us is James -owner and proprietor of James’ and her husband Ryan’s tiny home. James, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with us today!

James: My pleasure! Happy to be here:)

Wick: James, at first glance I can’t believe I’m in a tiny home. This is so nice!

James: Thank you! Yes we love it a lot. We viewed several homes before we bought and when we saw this one it really clicked. We knew this was the one.

Wick: Where do you look for tiny homes? Craigslist (all over the west coast), Tiny House Listings, Ebay

James: That’s exactly right! We got really lucky– Portland Craigslist is where we found ours.

Wick: Ok. Gotcha! Correct me if I’m wrong but we are not only sitting in your tiny home but we are also sitting in your back yard!

James: That’s right we are! As you know tiny homes are required to be on wheels. The truck driver just backed it up the driveway. It was a tight squeeze next to the house but now here it sits. It’s integrated with our house with a new connected deck.

Wick: So cool! How about a quick tour?

James: Sure! Do you have 6 seconds to spare? Ha ha. We are now sitting in the living room. Here’s the dining room. Upstairs is the loft with a queen size bed. Here’s the kitchen with a propane range (it has an oven, too). And the bathroom with shower and composting toilet.

Wick: That reminds me – how are the utilities hooked up?

James: Power comes from the house via an extension cord. Since the tiny house runs on a 30amp system, we have a converter that we plug into an existing outlet in our basement. Eventually, we plan to hard wire so we don’t have to use a converter, but for now this works just fine (only one popped circuit so far)! Water is from our hose. There’s no plumbing hence the composting toilet and gray water sinks and shower. The water line goes straight to the tankless water heater in the closet, and then gets piped to the fixtures.

Wick: Gotcha. Good to know! I’m sure you’re aware that Chloe Eudaly, Portland city commissioner, is a big fan of tiny homes. She is a champion of renters rights and urban density.

James: That is true! City code states you are allowed one tiny home per residential property. There are some guidelines to follow but nothing too difficult to figure out.

Wick: James do you mind if I ask what everyone is wanting to know?

James: I’m ready.

Wick: How much did this tiny house cost?

James: Well … for the footprint, craftsmanship, layout and amenities, we got a steal of a deal at $28,500. We bought it from a woman who designed, built, and lived in it full-time for 2 years prior to selling it to us. We invested an additional $1000 in the toilet and another $1000, give or take, in decor (including a daybed that folds out to a king-sized bed for additional guests).

Wick: How much do you rent it for?

James: We currently have it set up as a short-term rental and we charge between $60-75/night. When we eventually rent it long-term, we plan to rent it for around $900 including utilities.We currently make about $1000 per month, on average.

Wick: Lastly, what are the pros and cons of owning a tiny home?

James: We haven’t seen any cons. Yet! The pros are it’s a good investment over time. It will probably be paid off in 4-5 years, depending upon how we utilize it in that time. It’s producing income. And we have a nice place for extended family to stay when they visit. We both really like using the tiny house as a vehicle and opportunity to make new connections with people and build community. There are so many reasons that we are proud of our city, and even just our home, and this is a chance for us to show and share!

Wick: Cool cool. Any last tips for someone considering joining the tiny home culture? Do your research! Learn the ins and outs of city and county codes, find a tiny house-friendly lender, take a class (there are several in town– including one through PCC!), talk with fellow tiny home enthusiasts, and get excited!!

James: Yes! It’s a great idea to run the idea by your neighbor first. It’s not required but it is a courteous thing to do. We did and it was a nice start to the whole project. They were and are very supportive. It helps to spend a bit of time thinking through what could be some overlooked aspects, like a neighbor’s view obstruction, possible noise issues, and possible impacts on street parking.

Wick: Great tip!! As I’ve said before, make allies out of your neighbors, not enemies:) Ryan thanks again for your time today and for shedding some light on this gray area of tiny homes:)

James: My pleasure Wick! Thanks for having me:)

Wick: If you have more questions about tiny homes as always please give me a ring or post a question on our social media. Thanks for watching!!

ADUs- What to Know

ADU- Accessory Dwelling Unit, aka “mother-in-law apartment,” “granny flat,” studio apartment, ohana (in HI).

An ADU is a second dwelling unit created on a lot with a house, attached house, or manufactured home. An ADU is smaller than the main dwelling. It can be a conversion of an existing portion of the home, an addition to the existing house, conversion of an existing garage, or the construction of an entirely new building.

ADUs are allowed in Portland on all Residential zones, all Commercial zones, and the Central Employment zone (EX). An ADU is required to have its own address, kitchen, bathroom, entrance and walk way. A building permit is required to construct an ADU- for both a new build and/or the conversion of an exiting structure. Plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits may also be needed. When applying for a permit, a complete application with plans must be submitted. For more details on the permit process, check out the City’s website here.

The development of an ADU requires permit fees and System Development Charges (SDCs)- Portland Parks, Environmental Services, Transportation, and Water Bureaus. Depending of the size of your ADU, these charges can be hefty. However, since 1998, the the city has waived all SDCs and will continue to do so until July 31st, 2018 (Note: It’s expected the city will extend this offer but we don’t know for sure).

ADUs must meet certain requirements in order to be permitted by the City. Detached ADUs can be 800 square feet or 75% of the square footage of the existing home- which ever is smaller. Basements or attics with ceilings 6 feet 8 inches or higher count towards the square footage of the main home. For example, if an existing house has 1,000 square feet of living area, the ADU size is limited to 750 square feet. For a house that has 2,500 square feet of living area, 75% of the floor area would be 1,875 square feet. In this case, the ADU size would be limited to 800 square feet. In addition to size constraints, detached ADUs cannot exceed 20 feet high, must be set back 40 feet from a front lot line or behind the rear wall of the house, and match the exterior finishes of the main home- trim, roof, pitch, eaves and windows. On-site parking is not required for an ADU. However, if an existing parking space is forfeited to build the ADU, the parking space must be replaced somewhere on site.

All ADUs, whether conversions of an existing space or a new construction, must have ready access to the electrical panel and water shut off valve. For detached ADUs, the Water Bureau requires the structure to have a separate water service. Other construction requirements may be specific to your ADU and will take into account: separation between units, ceiling height, doors, emergency escapes, stairways, energy, and livability .

You are allowed to rent out your ADU as a long term rental assuming it passes inspection and the total number of residents is within the bounds of the Zoning Code. ADUs are also allowed to be short term rentals, such as an airbnb, as long as a Type A or B permit is obtained from the City.

Financing an ADU can difficult. Banks can often find it hard to put a value on an ADU and won’t give a loan. However, with the increase in popularity of ADUs, more options for financing are starting to appear. Advantis Credit Union and Umpqua Bank are two institutions here in Portland with ADU programs. Talk with your loan consultant about the possibilities- they are out there. Here is a quick guide to help you get started. When it comes to property taxes, Multnomah county assesses and taxes ADUs the same as any other new improvement to a property. An appraiser will visit your property and appraise the entire property including the ADU. The added value associated with the construction of the ADU will be assessed and taxed. The ADU will not trigger a reset of the Maximum Assessed Value (MAV).

ADUs can be a great way to offset your mortgage, have space for family and friends, or offer affordable housing to a growing Portland population. Let us know if you have any questions. We are always here to help!

Market Action Report- March 2018

New listings int he Portland metro area saw a slight gain compared to last year this March. At 3,648 for the month, new listings edged 1.2% over the 3,604 new listings offered last year in March 2017 and were 44.2% warmer than last month in February 2018 (2,530). This is the best March for new listings in the area since 2010, when 4,987 new listings were offered.

Closed sales (2,371) were 4.9% cooler than the 2,494 closings recorded in March 2017 but ended 31.3% warmer than the 1,806 closings recorded last month. Pending sales fared similarly, cooling 4.9% from March 2017 (3,043) despite a 23.8% increase over the 2.337 offered accepted last month.

Inventory in the Portland metro area decreased slightly to 1.6 months in March, with total market time decreasing to 55 days. There were 3,844 active residential listings in the metro area in March. Comparing the average price of homes sold in the 12 months ending March 31st of this year ($435,000) with the average price of homes in the 12 months ending March 2017 ($404,200) shows an increase of 7.6%. In the same comparison, the median has increased 8.8% from $353,800 to $385,000.