Almost two and a half years after being approved by the State legislature and signed by the Governor, Deschutes County has passed the rules to allow for Accessory Dwelling Units on select properties. Permits can be applied for beginning December 1. ADU’s are a much needed type of middle housing and this is both welcome and long overdue.

We’re not exaggerating to say that this is most likely the largest and most impacting change to County zoning this century. Over 9000 individual properties will now be able to have a second residence. Other properties that already have extra living quarters that isn’t permitted might now be able to bring their property into legal compliance.

The County does have some specific requirements that ADU’s built in cities aren’t typically subject to, such as driveway and fire hardiness standards, but these should not be insurmountable for most owners.

Lasting Traditions has designed over 30 ADU’s so far, and if this is an investment you’re considering for your property, we’d like to consult with you. Please feel free to email us or call at (541) 420-3024.

All over America we are experiencing a housing crisis. Whether that term causes you to think of high costs, or homelessness or houselessness, a large driving factor is the simple lack of housing or “units”. This article that recently appeared in Bloomberg does a good job of explaining the issue, and what states like Oregon are doing to address the problem.

The City of Bend has provided a useful Powerpoint that explains what is required of it by the state under House Bill 2001 and Senate Bill 458, and how Bend will implement these new rules. In short, just about any residential lot in the City must allow up to 4-units and those units can, under the right circumstances, be divided up into their own properties. So, it used to be that a duplex or triplex or quadplex could only have one owner but now each unit could be owned separately. This means that these types of housing can bring home ownership into the reach of more potential buyers. Projects can even be planned out in stages, for example, to build a duplex now but divide it into 2 individually sellable units later.

This does not apply to ADU’s or Townhomes, but could in certain circumstances turn an ADU into a Duplex, depending on how the application is approached. It can get complicated, so for more information please contact us and we’ll be happy to discuss your potential project.

This story is sad, and could have been avoided. However much money they “saved” is now lost many times over.

Please, always insist on legal (and safe) work.

Thanks to the Bend Chamber of Commerce for both listing us as a trusted source for ADU design, and also inviting us to speak at their next event!

This home, built by Momentasize Construction, is located in the desirable Shevlin area of Bend. Currently for sale, it features the first Tesla roof installed on a residence on Central Oregon (the second Tesla roof in this area, period), and includes an attached 800 sq. ft. ADU with it’s own entrance and balcony on the rear. If you’re in the area during the Tour hours please visit.

Edit: Winner of 4 awards, but I can’t take any credit for the landscaping.

To have a place for more timely pictures of projects in progress, and collections of existing homes, we’ve started the Lasting Traditions Instagram page. Please visit and follow!

Housing costs and homelessness have been rising issues in Oregon for years, so in 2019 the State of Oregon passed House Bill 2001 as a major step towards solving these issues. Last November the City of Bend implemented sweeping code changes to comply.

These changes mean more properties than before can add accessory dwelling units, and “middle housing” (duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and townhomes) are now allowed on lots that previously were not allowed. Furthermore, parking requirements have been reduced which means smaller “infill” type properties can be more fully developed.

These changes are seeing immediate results. Local news reports that there has been a 60-40 shift in the direction of more multi-family housing. “There are currently 1,600 multi-family units under construction in the city, along with nearly 100 affordable housing units added last year and over 750 in the pipeline toward efforts to meet affordable housing goals.” according to KTVZ.

Multi-family doesn’t have to mean low quality or boxy looking – many builders and developers are constructing nice homes that would fit into a nice community.

At least half of the design work we’ve been commissioned for recently is ADU and multi-family. If you’re interested in building, please please contact us for a free consultation.

The construction industry, as we head in a post-pandemic economy, is radically changing. For those who like to stay on top of industry trends I’d like to offer Autodesk’s “Construction Outlook” as a resource. Autodesk is an industry leader in design software and most famously is the developer of AutoCAD.

Locally, costs have been rising due to both high demand for materials (particularly plywood and OSB) and delays in manufacturing and shipping of those products, but many are hopeful that this will level off or even drop some thru the year. Still there remains a shortage of housing nationwide and Bend remains a desirable town in which both to live and invest.

This years Green Tour is virtual and will take place from Sept. 17 thru the 26th. On the 24th at 5:00 pm there will be a live panel discussion about ADU’s and how they are changing the urban landscape. Robb Kerley is pleased to be a guest speaker on this panel. If you’re considering the possibility of adding an accessory dwelling to your property this event might be informative for you. Contact the Environmental Center for more information.

Update: watch the video here: Building an ADU in Bend, 2020 Green Tour

Rogers West has just completed and listed these two new homes, Lot 18 and Lot 20, in the new Northwest Community of The Lodges at Bachelor View. Follow the links and be sure to look at the inside photos as well, as the builder paid a lot of attention to detail.

Both homes are spacious with 3 bedrooms plus open loft bonus rooms and additional upstairs offices, designed for the large active family. Lots and homes these sizes are not so easy to come by in most Bend neighborhoods.

The Lodges at Bachelor View is a new neighborhood on the west side of Bend, just 5 minutes from downtown and only 17 miles from Mt. Bachelor. Adding to the development, next summer Rogers West will have two more homes in this community, each with a backyard ADU (accessory dwelling unit, or 2nd small home)! These are amazing as guest quarters, room for live-in parents, or higher end rental income.

It’s not two-story- those upper windows frame the 16′ tall living room. A build like that is no problem for YCH Custom Homes. They’ve put extensive care into their construction to present classical styles with modern influence. The result is a unique home that feels much larger than it is (1542 sq. ft.) and sits perfectly on it’s corner lot. These photos of our newest completed project are from the realtor listing. Check it out for more pictures and details.

For the third year in a row, Bend and Redmond together as a ‘metro area’ (which is really all of Deschutes County) has been named the best-performing small metro area in the U.S. based on a variety of economic data. The Bulletin reports that “Bend-Redmond, an area that comprises all of Deschutes County, secured the top ranking with all variables in the top 20, the Milken Institute noted in its report. Bend-Redmond was first in job growth over the five-year period 2012 to 2017 at 19.9 percent. The area was also first in wage growth for 2011 to 2016 at 25.2 percent.”

The local economy continues to diversify and gain strength years after the last recession in measurable ways. The full report from Milken, which has interesting comments about the local tech industry, can be found here.

More and more people who move to Bend work for technology or media companies, or are themselves sole proprietors. And more and more companies are allowing people to remote work. A recent article by the Source details new options for workers who live locally, as well as the self-employed, to have access to comfortable and beautiful spaces when a home office isn’t practical or desired. These spaces offer great access (as well as socialization) in a warm and inviting atmosphere. All have conference space and some even host events.

If you’re wanting to move to Central Oregon but weren’t sure how your work-life could move with you, consider the growing number of remote work sites as an attractive alternative to the old home office.

Clearpine in Sisters is a small but growing community that will eventually be home to approximately 100 individual residences. Phase 1 is finishing now, and we’ve had the privilege to work again with YCH Custom Homes to design for several lots. The first two to be finished are also adjacent to each other. These smaller mid-century modern style homes really show off the entry to the community (and sold quickly).

Lots 13 & 14 phase 1 Clearpine

AllyBrooke Custom Homes recently completed two new homes we were pleased to be able to design. The owner has a history of building quality mid to upper range homes that really present a lot of curb appeal.

This home is a Mid-Century Modern style with a two-story ‘butterfly roof’. Located in the newer SE Bend neighborhood of Hidden Hills, The darker color vertical panels above and below the windows and cable rail porch emphasize the simple elements of modern design.

Mid-Century Modern in Hidden Hills

Just off the canyon in Redmond in the appropriately named Canyon Rim Village, AllyBrooke also finished this single level Craftsman with a large front porch framed with stone columns. Little details like the small corbels over the porch show off the builder’s commitment to the style, and large windows fill this home with light.

Craftsman Style Home in Canyon Rim

We love designing classic style homes. If like these and you’re interested in building in Central Oregon, please contact us and we’ll be happy to discuss designing your home with you.

The Bend Bulletin interviewed us about the rising number of accessory dwelling units being constructed in Bend. Thanks in part to a code change last year, ADU applications now outnumber duplex applications by about 5:1. (There are zero triplex applications this year, interestingly enough.) The City is reviewing the code again and may soon make it even less restrictive.

It’s great that more and more property owners are making use of their land and space both to provide housing for family members and to earn rental incomes, and building an ADU is a very customizable and comparatively affordable option. If you are interesting is building one, please contact us and we’ll be happy to visit you and discuss your options.

Oregon just voted to adopt the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (called the ORSC) for 2017 based on the 2015 International Residential Code. This usually happens every three years and Oregon always modifies or removes sections of the code to make it’s own. This new code takes effect October 1 and there will be a 3 month grace period where projects can be submitted either under the new or old codes until it is fully in force starting the new year.

Codes never seem to get more simple or less restrictive. If you’re planning on a new building project please contact us for a free consultation.

We’re excited to be partnering with YCH Custom Homes again, this time on their new series of smaller homes on unique lots. This 1754 sq. ft. fresh modern design is situated in the community of Rabbit Hills in northeast Bend. The main level has tall ceilings and expands onto a courtyard, and views of both Mt Bachelor and Broken Top can be enjoyed from the spacious loft and balcony. Always taking their work to a higher level, YCH had these great renderings done of the home which is currently under construction. For more images and updates, as well as purchase information, please view the MLS listing.

Modern Style Home in Rabbit Hills

Tall ceilings and ample interior light

Wanting more work and storage space remains a strong driver for remodels and additions. Garages for new homes have gotten smaller over time, and for those who have room on their property a new garage or shop addition is a great way to add functionality and build equity.

We just recently completed the design of a large addition that will be a shop and full size coach bay, but with the added twist that the existing residence is a southwest adobe style set higher up on a bluff, and the new structure will have stucco to match the home and a solid (no folding segments) 14′ tall swing out aircraft hangar door. The large door will also have false panels that make it appear from the street to be a shorter roll up door. This new addition is over 2000 sq ft. and attached to the home by a wide breezeway.

Stucco home with large garage and shop addition

 
But most RV garages and shops are more straightforward. This design is currently under construction near Eagle Crest and is typical of what most homeowners need- just enough room for their camper and some shop and storage space on the side. These are simple to build, require little engineering, and with the style matched to the existing home they are usually easy to get approval from a community HOA.

A typical detached RV garage

 
 
 
However large or small your need is, we can design a space for you that meets your specific requirements and blends into your property.

Roger Phillips of RLP Custom Homes built this large 2800 sq. ft. home that sits on a sloped lot in Eagle Crest. Intended to be a retirement home for his client, we worked together to take advantage of all the potential of the property. The pictures show the mountains, but can’t really capture the panoramic views spanning from Mt Bachelor to Smith Rock. If you have land that has unique opportunities, please contact us for a free courtesy consultation.

Eagle Crest offers a dry climate with great views

Panoramic views up on the hillside

Open living area with high ceilings and windows