Candidate Statement: Erik Forsell AICP

Now, seemingly more than ever, 50 years after the implementation of comprehensive land use planning in this state, I believe we are at a pivot point. It’s my hope to help provide input as a member on the board. I have worked in rural, semiurban, and urban jurisdictions as a public sector planner and have a variety of experiences and perspectives that would provide an element of versatility to the board composition.

I am intrigued by the transformational changes to state law regarding housing and what that means for the other important components of our statewide land use system. As a ‘plannerd’, I have also found the topic of ecosystem services, and the quantification of natural processes in terms of currency a compelling and fascinating topic.

I started my journey into land use planning at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina where I earned my undergraduate degree in renewable energy system design and sustainable development. I then received my master's degree rom the University of Oregon in community and regional planning after reckoning with the back-breaking work done by solar installers. Currently, I am a city planner at the City of Portland. My work is focused on land divisions and residential infill, and I spend much of my time on the implementation and administration of the new middle housing options and land divisions.

I think the biggest challenge we face in planning now is the pendulum swing to the removal of planning and zoning administration as a legitimate power of the local jurisdiction. This seems to be happening increasingly at the federal level. I also contend that the new housing regulations that for all intents and purposes eliminate single family zoning, are the beginning of a path forward to opening more middle housing in this state. However, I remain a healthy skeptic of the ‘housing at all costs policy direction’ we are currently careening towards. The topic is fascinating in that like many of aspects of our field, it truly is a wicked problem.

There are concerns that the watering down of some of the discretion we use as planners may have unintended consequences that may not be positive in the future. I see some of the ‘red tape’ I hear about frequently, think environmental overlays, public improvements, tree protection etc. getting tossed out in favor of the construction of housing. I hope that I in my small role, I can help to provide a balance for those competing interests where possible.

I also think that the allowance for new housing products and overall densification is generally positive. However, there are some missing components that are planning adjacent. The vertical integration and institutional ownership of large quantities of housing is disturbing and am hopeful the federal government take a bigger role in putting guard rails on that practice.

Lastly, I am hopeful that financial institutions and/or the state can adapt and take a bigger role in developing funding mechanisms for housing. We are currently in somewhat of a wild, wild west of financial uncertainty for lending on the middle housing projects and their subsequent fee simple sale of lots.