Can Vacant Offices Become Housing? What Developers Need to Know

18 Sep 2025 • 17 min • EN
17 min
00:00
17:15
No file found

With office vacancies soaring, the idea of converting commercial buildings into housing sounds like a win-win—but is it feasible? In this video, Ezra Hammer unpacks the legal and logistical hurdles of office-to-residential conversions, from zoning and building code constraints to floorplate challenges and financing gaps. While popular in theory, conversions often face major headwinds—especially in cities like Portland where planning code changes lag market needs. Developers exploring adaptive reuse or value-add multifamily opportunities will find this discussion a must-watch primer on turning empty square footage into livable density.

From "HFO Multifamily Marketwatch for Oregon and SW Washington"

Listen on your iPhone

Download our iOS app and listen to interviews anywhere. Enjoy all of the listener functions in one slick package. Why not give it a try?

App Store Logo
application screenshot

Popular categories