An 81-acre site for housing near Grant Avenue, Umatilla, remains under development. Umatilla continues to experience a boom in housing developments.

The city of Umatilla continues to experience a boom of major housing developments.

Several large housing projects completed have added close to 200 homes off Powerline Road.

Work recently started on a major project that will add 326 houses by the end of the year on an 81-acre site on Grant Avenue just west of the Latter-day Saints church.

Jacob Foutz, senior planner for Umatilla, credited the expansion to lower taxes for home builders compared to surrounding cities.

The development of the city’s infrastructure also is part of the reason for the construction boom.

“Most of the new development is going on Umatilla’s south hill, which is zoned for residential use and still has plenty of room for growth,” Foutz said. “As developers build out the area, they are required to pay for the needed improvements and extensions to roads and utilities, then hand those investments over to the city.”

Steven Wilson, chief sales officer at MonteVista Homes, explained the new development in Umatilla has 20 acres dedicated to the city for parks and future trail expansion.

“We are working on the creation of streets and will be able to invite home buyers by October,” Wilson said.

Wilson explained that several families are moving to the region from the Tri-Cities area for work.

“They are looking for quality housing with affordable prices. We are also seeing a market for retirees who are looking for a place closer to nature. Or families buying a second home,” he said.

The McClannahan Summit offers options of housing with three or four bedrooms, two or three baths in 1,470-2,500 square feet in single and two tiers.

“The houses can be customized in multiple tiers, which is also a way to attract buyers in the luxury market,” he said.

The McClannahan Summit, he said, is tapping right into the growing need of houses in Northeastern Oregon from families moving to the region to work for companies such as Google and Walmart and for smaller businesses, as well as that segment of elders looking for single-level homes.

The view of the Columbia River also is attractive to home buyers, he said, as in close proximity to shopping, medical, schools and parks.

“We are also seeing families moving to the area to follow their kids going to college,” Wilson said.

Umatilla has been developing its infrastructure, and the new home developments brings revenue through property taxes, enterprise zone agreements, system development charges and other sources to help the city provide for the needs new homes and businesses create.

The city continues to make improvements in the water and wastewater systems, as well as creating better parks with playground equipment, lighting and new restrooms.

“We are building up in momentum of this huge growth in South Hill, and there are even waiting lists to buy homes there,” Foutz. said. “We said yes to development and it is paying off in the last three years, and there is still great potential.”