Bend 2030 has laid out a wide-ranging list of recommendations aimed at the city of Bend for resolving the housing affordability crisis.

While some of the suggestions could take years before coming to fruition, others are likely within reach in the short term, leaders of the group said.

The nonprofit, which is studying future livability in Bend, presented results from an online survey and October forum to the Bend City Council last week.

Members of the group echoed recommendations that were made in September by the city’s affordable housing advisory committee and added other ways the city could address the problem moving forward.

“It’s our hope that these (recommendations) come before the council as quickly as possible so we can start to see some easing of this crisis,” said Erin Foote Marlowe, vice-chair of the Bend 2030 board.

The recommendations suggest adding or amending city development codes to allow for greater density within the city limits, a shift that was met with strong support in an online survey and forum.

“This is kind of new for Bend,” said Marlowe, adding that the city has changed. “We’re more diverse and not so afraid of the density that may be coming.”

The city defines housing as affordable based on area median income. Affordable housing was defined in multiple ways in the Bend 2030 survey. The majority of the 1,145 participants stated that living in an affordable home in a nice neighborhood represented affordable housing. Others said lower rents, and 52 percent said being able to afford a home near their work.

About 84 percent of survey participants said that the lack of housing in Bend is either critical or extremely critical right now. Nearly 90 percent said the problem would be worse in the future.

“Mostly what we learned is people want to see aggressive and creative approaches to alleviating the problem,” said Marlowe, about the survey.

The affordable housing advisory committee presented two options for greater density to the Bend Planning Commission Monday.

The first option would be to implement a so-called “cottage code,” which would streamline development of small, single-family detached units around a common area on a half-acre or more. The proposal would remove the requirement for a conditional-use permit and would require at least four cottages with a common open space and a maximum of 14 cottages per development.

Although the code wouldn’t necessarily guarantee affordable housing, the density could bring the price down for each unit. Jim Long, the city’s affordable housing manager, told planning commissioners.

The change would allow developers to get creative, and affordable housing developers are “intrigued” by it, Long said. The type of development is currently allowed by the city, but the process to gain approval is time-consuming because of the required conditional-use permit.

“What we heard when we went out into the community is they would love a housing choice like this, but unfortunately it doesn’t exist because it’s so cumbersome to go through,” said Andy High, chairman of the advisory committee.

The committee also presented a possible density bonus for developers if they provide 50 percent of the units they build as affordable housing. The bonus allows developers to increase the typically allowed maximum of residences for a particular property.

The committee has also recommended amendments to city code for accessory dwelling units, which are garages or other portions of a house converted to a living space or an addition to a house. The proposal would allow the units to be 800 square feet instead of the currently allowed 600-square-foot limit and would remove the requirement of a conditional-use permit.

In addition, to allow greater density within the city, the committee recommended exempting developers from paying system development charges if they create affordable housing units. The fees are used to fund streets, sewers, parks and water.

The Bend 2030 survey found moderate support for the idea, while the forum held in October with 80 participants showed very little support.

Marlowe said Bend 2030 is still encouraging the city to look at SDC exemptions even though there has been mixed support because the survey found that residents are willing to find other ways to fill the gap.

Participants in the survey showed strong support for a small housing-affordability fee tacked on to water and sewer bills.

“We really want to encourage the city to consider these proposals because we did find support for them, and some people see them as crucial,” said Marlowe.

The housing affordability advisory committee will present the two main recommendations to the City Council in February. The change to accessory dwelling units is being considered by the city’s Urban Growth Boundary Remand Task Force.

Long said the affordability committee will present the proposed SDC exemption to the Bend Park & Recreation District in January.