Please copy, modify, and email this text to your legislators and the Governor — you can find your legislators here.

Sample letter to Oregon legislators

Dear ______,

I am writing you regarding SB1537.  This bill has many positive provisions that will help build more housing for Oregonians. However, it also contains an unnecessary provision that will allow cities to unilaterally expand their Urban Growth Boundaries without following the normal process for such expansions. This provision will result in thousands of acres of our valuable agricultural land being needlessly brought into Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs) production. 

It's unnecessary because:

• Oregon already has well over 10,000 acres of land available for housing construction inside existing UGBs.

• We have a UGB expansion process that requires demonstration of need and encourages smart, compact, urban development. 

It's harmful because:

• It siphons needed infrastructure dollars from inside existing UGBs where construction is more efficient and cost effective.

• Oregon has a housing shortage, primarily for low- and moderate-income Oregonians. Such affordable housing is not likely to be built in these expanded UGB areas, far from existing infrastructure.

The only ones who will benefit from this provision are developers, who will be able to buy land cheaper, sell it at a higher price and pass on to taxpayers the cost of building roads, sewers, water supplies and other necessary infrastructure.

As a constituent, I ask that you please amend SB1537 to remove this unnecessary and costly provision that will erode protection for our fertile, productive and irreplaceable agricultural land.

Thank you for your support and the good work you do for Oregon!