Affordable Housing Developer Resources

In six steps, this toolkit provides a framework to guide community building to increase affordable housing acceptance.  Each step includes templates, samples, and expected outcomes to assist affordable housing developers accomplish:

• Community engagement and relationship building
• Communicate effectively about the project
• Build a network to increase support for the proposed project

Learn More(PDF, 4MB)

In August, 2018, the City of Medford implemented an Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax (CET). Proceeds from this fund have been employed to develop a wide variety of housing throughout Medford. Currently, the Affordable Housing CET is used for down payment assistance programs, programs and incentives to encourage construction of homes affordable to households with incomes at or below 80% of Medford’s Area Median Income (AMI), and for the development and construction of homes affordable to households with incomes up to 120% AMI. All funded developments are required to undertake a deed restriction, guaranteeing the homes will be affordable to lower income residents well in to the future.

The fee is 1/3 of 1% of the total valuation on all Building Permits submitted to the City of Medford. According to the ordinance, priorities for this funding are based upon the goals identified in the Community Development Block Grant Program's Five-Year Consolidated Plan.(PDF, 5MB)

Construction Excise Tax Questions & Answers(PDF, 158KB)

Construction Excise Tax Exemption Application(PDF, 162KB)

The City of Medford was granted entitlement status under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 1989.  Since then, HUD has granted the City an average annual entitlement of approximately $600,000.  CDBG funding is used to benefit low- and moderate-income persons, eliminate conditions of slum and blight, or meet an urgent need (as defined by HUD) within the City of Medford.

For more information, click here.

On August 2, 2018, the Medford City Council approved a System Development Charge (SDC) Deferral Program that allows builders and developers of residential, commercial, and industrial properties to defer paying street, sewer, storm drain, and parks SDC fees. The City’s SDC Deferral Program was effective on August 17, 2018.

SDC Deferral Frequently Asked Questions(PDF, 269KB)

SDC Deferral Request Form(PDF, 267KB)

On August 15, 2018, City Council approved Council Bill 2018-132 which resulted in reducing various City regulatory barriers to development of ADUs.

City Council approved Council Bill 2020-139 on November 19, 2020, authorizing the reduction of City SDCs assessed for construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).  

City Council also adopted Council Bill 2020-140 on November 19, 2020.  This Resolution authorized the 2020 Housing Opportunity Fund (HOF) funding award for incentivizing the construction of ADUs through offsetting a portion of the costs of city-assessed SDCs.  

City Council extended the ADU SDC Reduction Program by adopting Council Bill 2022-44 on May 19, 2022.  In addition to extending the program to reduce city-assessed SDC fees by 50%, Council also adopted Council Bill 2022-43 allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fiscal recovery funds to supplement the remaining 50% of SDC fees.

The ADU SDC Reduction Program and supplemental funding are separate programs that work in conjunction to reduce the costs of SDCs for developers of ADUs.

The ADU SDC Reduction Program commenced on December 1, 2020, and will expire on June 30, 2023.  This program will be assessed for programmatic performance and could be renewed again by City Council.


MEDFORD MUNICIPAL CODE
Sections 3.816, 3.817, 3.837, 3.840, 3.873, and 3.892

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