Occupied Recreational Vehicle, including Tiny Houses on Wheels

Portland (City), Oregon

Overview

Name	Occupied Recreational Vehicle, including Tiny Houses on Wheels
Municipality	Portland (City)
Zoning Districts	On a site with a house, attached house or manufactured home
Effective Date	08/01/2021
Municipal Code	Chapter 33.260 Occupied Recreational Vehicle
Code Link	https://www.portland.gov/code/33/200s/code-33-260
Authority	Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) / Shelter to Housing Continuum (S2HC)

---

Summary

The City of Portland allows owners of a house, attached house or manufactured home to host up to one occupied recreational vehicle, including Tiny Houses on Wheels. The information on this page describes what is allowed and not allowed for placement of these vehicles.

What: Council adopted the S2HC zoning code amendments on April 28, 2021. These code changes expand options to address the needs of our city’s homeless population. Shelter-related elements took effect immediately upon adoption. Group living and RV/tiny house on wheels elements took effect on August 1, 2021.

Status: On April 28, City Council unanimously adopted the Shelter to Housing Continuum zoning code amendment package. The changes—which are intended to address the growing crisis of houseless Portlanders—expand where homeless shelters are allowed, add a new shelter format (outdoor shelters), and allow group living more broadly as well as occupancy of RVs and tiny houses on wheels. The shelter-related elements of the package go into effect immediately. The group living and RV/tiny house on wheels elements took effect on August 1. Through a separate ordinance, City Council also extended the current housing emergency until April 2022. The adopted ordinance and supporting documents, exhibits, and findings are available on the project website.

An occupied recreational vehicle is a vehicle and is not a building, structure or dwelling unit in terms of Title 33. The following standards clarify how Title 33 applies to an occupied recreational vehicle.

• Parking. Chapter 33.266 applies to both occupied and unoccupied recreational vehicles. The development standards in 33.266 that apply to parking area and recreational vehicles on a site also apply occupied recreational vehicles.
• Density. Because an occupied recreational vehicle is not a dwelling unit, building or structure it does not count toward minimum or maximum density or FAR.
• Other development standards. Occupied recreational vehicles are not subject to development standards in this Title that apply to buildings or structures. However, structures attached to an occupied recreational vehicle are subject to all applicable development standards in this Title.
• Accessory short-term rentals. An occupied recreational vehicle is prohibited from being an accessory short-term rental.

---

Key Contacts

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS)
1810 SW 5th Ave, Suite 710
Portland, OR 97201
(503) 823-7700
bps@portlandoregon.gov

---

Notes

Source:  https://www.portland.gov/bds/zoning-land-use/zoning-code-overview/occupied-rvs-and-tiny-houses-wheels#toc-land-use-and-other-requirements

Updated:  Loran – August, 2021

< Previous page

Please Suggest a Correction if you find broken links or misinformation.

Help us continue helping you. Join the Movement and become a THIA Member today!