Eugene’s Middle Housing Code amendments offer an opportunity to create new housing options and reduce our dependence on automobiles — Eugene’s largest source of greenhouse gases.
We clearly have a housing crisis. Middle housing alone will not eliminate this crisis, but by allowing new forms of housing, reducing parking requirements and providing incentives to help achieve our climate and transportation goals, we can invest in adaptable and affordable housing for decades to come. In addition, middle housing will make more housing available in locations where driving is merely one option — and often not the best option.
I live in middle housing myself, and I love it! I virtually never have to drive, I know my neighbors and I have a home of a manageable size for a single person. Many friends are living in homes that are larger than they’d prefer and finding themselves driving for nearly every trip.
Middle housing isn’t for everyone. But single-family housing isn’t for everyone, either. Yet that is virtually all that Eugene offers. Incentivizing middle housing and eliminating parking mandates will allow more people to find housing that works for them, while also moving toward a future of greater energy-efficiency and climate resilience.
Sue Wolling
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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