Bend may not qualify for a state program to help cities with affordable housing, because Bend has become so unaffordable.

That would stink.

When the Legislature gave Bend and other cities the chance for a one-time expansion of city limits to add mostly affordable housing, we couldn’t help but be optimistic. Bend could add 100 net acres if it met some requirements.

But Bend may not meet a requirement.

One requirement is that a city must have a greater percentage of cost-burdened households for housing than the state average. Bend meets that threshold right now. City staff cautioned a council subcommittee Monday Bend may not meet it when the numbers are updated in September. That would mean — Bend would not qualify.

Bend’s high cost of housing has been driving people out of Bend. So Bend, a city with affordable housing problems could not qualify for a program set up by legislators to help with affordable housing because Bend has been so unaffordable.

The bill that created this one-time urban growth boundary exception was Senate Bill 1537. And all is not lost, because Bend may still meet the threshold or the Legislature could modify the rules for qualifying.

Some people don’t like exceptions to Oregon’s land use laws. This program is, though, an exception that emphasizes affordable housing. It is required to be on land that is contiguous to the existing urban growth boundary. The 100 acres also would be factored into any next request to expand the urban growth boundary. It’s not like it’s an additional 100 acres completely outside of that process.

If you are curious, you can find more about this issue by listening to the city of Bend’s Community Building Subcommittee meeting starting at about the 30-minute mark. Here’s a link: tinyurl.com/Bendexception.