Portland’s Vacancy Tax Proposal: Quick Fix or Quagmire?
Release Date: 08/07/2025
HFO Interview with Iain MacKenzie, Founder of Next Portland
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
Today, we’re spotlighting a conversation between Greg Frick and Iain MacKenzie, founder of the Next Portland blog. If you were tracking apartment development in Portland anytime between 2014 and 2022, you probably used his site. The good news? Next Portland is coming back!
info_outline
HFO TV interviews Mark McMullen VP of Policy and Research at the Common Sense Institute of Oregon
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
In this HFO interview with Mark, we discuss why housing production is stalling, what’s driving Oregon’s population slowdown, and whether the state’s new condo rules will move the needle on housing production.
info_outline
Oregon and Southwest Washington Multifamily Update for 2026
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
This week we’re tracking policy shifts, new state laws, and early signs of momentum in the multifamily market as we head into the new year.
info_outline
Is It Time to Repipe? Plumbing Risk and Strategy for Aging Multifamily
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
In this episode, we’re diving into an unglamorous but absolutely critical topic: plumbing systems in aging apartment stock—and how to know when you’re just fixing leaks versus when it’s time to fully repipe. Our expert voice today is Matt Dorn, Senior Project Manager with Caliber Mechanical. Matt’s been in the trade for about thirty years, starting as an 18-year-old apprentice and working his way up through foreman, business owner, estimator, and now division head at Caliber. His team specializes in commercial work, including a lot of new multifamily and multifamily repipes and...
info_outline
Mass Timber, Real Returns, and the Future of Multifamily
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
Today we’re talking about a topic that’s getting a lot of buzz in development circles: mass timber: what it is, why capital cares, and what it could mean for your multifamily portfolio. Our guide and source today is Noel Johnson from the Bates Center for Entrepreneurship & Leadership at Lewis & Clark College. Noel has spent more than twenty years in development, starting his career at Trammell Crow Residential and later becoming one of the region’s leading voices on mass timber and behavioral finance.
info_outline
Washington State of Play: Rent Caps, Rising Costs, and the National Cooling Trend
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
In today’s episode, we’re turning our attention to Washington State. From new rent control laws to mixed market signals across Seattle, Spokane, and beyond. Then we’ll take a quick scan of the national apartment landscape: vacancy spikes, rate pressure, and why some buyers are biding their time.
info_outline
Portland's Pause: Cooling Rents, Unspent Funds, and the Supply Hangover
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
In this episode, we’re looking at a shifting landscape. Rents are cooling and vacancies are rising. Portland city hall just discovered it had $21 million it forgot to spend.
info_outline
HFO TV interviews Angela Wilhelms, Oregon Business & Industry CEO
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
Angela Wilhelms, President and CEO of Oregon Business and Industry (OBI), discussed the organization's role in advocating for businesses at the state level. OBI recently released a report ranking Oregon as the nation’s seventh most regulated state, with 179,000 regulations, many of which are excessive and burdensome. Wilhelm highlighted that 74% of small businesses struggle to keep up with changing regulations. She emphasized the need for legislative and executive oversight to streamline regulations and improve business competitiveness. Wilhelm also noted the impact of regulatory complexity...
info_outline
HFO TV interview with Emily Picha, from EcoNorthwest, discussing investment strategies for Downtown Portland
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
In this episode, EcoNorthwest’s Emily Picha reveals how the recent report, "All In on Central City," outlines over 100 projects and public-private strategies that are reigniting investment and livability in downtown Portland.
info_outline
Economist Joe Cortright, from the City Observatory, discusses the US economy and impacts on Oregon.
HFO Multifamily Marketwatch
Economist Joe Cortright of City Observatory joins us to unpack the U.S. economy’s slowing growth, Oregon’s dependence on migration and trade, and the risks posed by costly infrastructure projects and volatile tax revenues.
info_outlineToday's episode explores vacancy taxes, a topic that several Portland City Council members are currently discussing. Some argue the proposal can help reduce vacant properties across the city. But is it really the solution to our housing crisis, or are they simply looking at a policy that sounds promising but falls short?