Accessible and Clear Zoning = Faster Housing: UrbanForm Expands Across Oregon with MMHF

Every building project starts with zoning. Yet in most communities, zoning information is complex and difficult to access. For developers, city staff, and housing advocates, that creates friction and slows down the delivery of the homes our communities need. UrbanForm, in partnership with the Missing Middle Housing Fund, is working to change that by bringing accurate, efficient, and verifiable zoning clarity to more regions across Oregon.

From Yamhill to Polk, Coos, and Boardman

This summer, UrbanForm expanded its platform to three new regions: Polk County, Coos County, and the City of Boardman in Morrow County. These communities join Yamhill County, where the successful launch in Winter 2025 brought all 11 jurisdictions—including the cities of McMinnville and Newberg—onto the UrbanForm platform. With this expansion, zoning codes for cities such as Monmouth, Independence, Falls City, Coos Bay, North Bend, and Bandon are now digitized and accessible online.

Why Zoning Clarity Matters

The result is simple but powerful: any parcel in these project areas now comes with instant, verifiable zoning clarity. UrbanForm’s web portal presents key zoning regulations, points directly to the relevant and authoritative sections of code and summarizes everything in an easy-to-use report. That means:

• More transparent and accessible zoning regulations

• City staff freed to focus on higher-value planning work

• Higher-quality permit applications

• Faster reviews with fewer errors

• Promotes business and economic development

For cities with limited technical capacity, UrbanForm functions as vital infrastructure—making zoning information available instantly, without weeks of research or extra staff time. 

The projects for Polk and Coos Counties were made possible by support and involvement from Business Oregon, CCD Business Development Corporation, the Southern Oregon Coast Regional Housing Authority, as well as city staff, planners, and private sector building professionals, highlighting the role of cross-sector collaboration in scaling housing solutions.

Impact in Action

The impact is already clear. In Yamhill County, the digitized platform has improved application quality, reduced staff workload, and given developers the confidence to move forward with projects faster. It was so successful that the regional Council of Governments gave the project an award. 

By expanding this model across Oregon, UrbanForm and the MMHF are showing how verifiable zoning clarity leads to faster housing development opportunities at scale.

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning. At UrbanForm, our mission is to build better buildings, cities, and environments by removing one of the biggest barriers to housing: zoning accessibility and complexity. With the support of partners like the Missing Middle Housing Fund, Business Oregon, CCD Business Development Corporation, the Southern Oregon Coast Regional Housing Authority, as well as city staff, planners, and private sector building professionals, we’re helping communities across Oregon accelerate the path from concept to construction.

If you’re interested in talking with us, we’d love to connect.