Last April, Provision Investments purchased a 35-foot wide lot located east of 8406 SE Clay Street. The new owner intends to construct a three-story-tall structure containing nine residences. The new multifamily building will feature a communal bike room and internal trash facilities.

The project’s site contains one small shed but is otherwise undeveloped. Permit application 22-110546 did not mention onsite parking. However, at just 3,500 square feet, there is likely insufficient space to support automobile storage and nine residences. A significant number of driveways and poor pavement connotations limit curbside parking in this area. This segment of SE Clay street is an under-improved road with no sidewalks or curbs.

In the last few decades, developers added several new single-family homes along this street without installing sidewalks or curbs in front of their properties. Smaller developments in Portland can pay the Local Transportation Infrastructure Charge (LTIC) instead of building sidewalks. It prevents short segments of unconnected pedestrian paths and focuses developer money towards whole street improvements. In June 2020, Portland City Council expanded LTIC to cover multifamily buildings containing up to four units. This Clay Street project is over the limit and will likely need to create 35 feet of sidewalk and repair the roadway directly in front of the property.

Although this development may seem removed from transit options, it is just one block away from bus options on 82nd Avenue and near the bike-friendly SE Mill Street. Residents of these apartments may find the under-built infrastructure challenging. However, the project offers additional housing options that will meet the needs of some Portlanders looking for homes.

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