Exploring Funding for Oregon's UGB Expansion Planning

Resources are available to support comprehensive planning efforts 

Oregon planning departments are managing significant workloads, including housing production targets, HAPO deadlines, and addressing post-pandemic growth with existing staff resources.

The DLCD offers the UGB Expansion Area Planning Grants as a practical resource to support cities. There is $500,000 available to help cities complete comprehensive planning for unannexed land within their UGBs. Applications are due on June 5, 2026, with awards anticipated in early July.

If your city, like most in Oregon, has unannexed land within its UGB, this grant is worth a serious look.

What the grant supports

The grant is designed to fund detailed planning work for unannexed UGB areas, which may include land use designation, constraint mapping, and buildable lands assessment. It also supports analysis to address applicable Statewide Planning Goals, covering areas like natural and cultural resources, hazards, transportation, and public facilities.

Essentially, this funding supports the necessary analysis to prepare unannexed land for eventual development, which is a foundational step for cities addressing housing production pressure.

Benefits of applying now

Consider this opportunity for the following reasons:

• Align with HAPO Timelines: Grant funding that accelerates zoning analysis can support demonstrable progress ahead of the September 2026 HAPO deadline, especially for cities classified as severely rent-burdened under HB 4006.

• Strategic Planning: Developing analysis-backed plans for UGB expansion areas positions cities more effectively for future annexation, infrastructure investment, and housing approvals. This grant provides resources to complete this essential planning work now.

• Support for Smaller Jurisdictions: For cities lacking in-house GIS capacity or dedicated planning staff, this grant can provide necessary support for the resource-intensive analysis required for UGB expansion areas

  
  

One thing worth knowing before you apply

The grant is flexible, covering technical assistance and tools selected by the applicant. This means there is no limitation to a pre-approved vendor list, and any platform or approach that aligns with your workflow can likely be scoped into your application.

UrbanForm assists Oregon cities by providing the parcel-level development feasibility analysis and digitized zoning codes that this grant is designed to fund. If you are preparing an application and would like to discuss how our services could support your project, we welcome that conversation.

The Application Deadline is June 5.

The deadline is June 5, with awards expected in early July, allowing successful applicants to utilize resources before fall planning cycles begin.1

We would be happy to discuss this grant opportunity with your city to determine if it aligns with your planning needs. No application is required to begin that conversation.