Residents of the Cherry Blossom Townhomes, an affordable housing complex in Southeast Portland, have raised concerns regarding fire safety compliance, prompting a city investigation.
The investigation uncovered that the complex, completed in 2023 with 31 units, was approved under fire code provisions that existed in 2019 just before new requirements were implemented.
Lacey Sutton, a resident of the complex, initially alerted the city to her worries about safety, leading to the inquiry by the city’s Ombudsman’s office.
Sutton indicated that communication with the Portland Fire Bureau was inadequate, describing their response as slow and frequently dismissive of residents’ concerns.
A significant issue highlighted was the height of the buildings, which stand at nearly 32 feet.
According to current fire codes, any building over 30 feet tall must be adjacent to a street wide enough to allow access for a ladder truck, or alternatively, must be equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system.
However, the Cherry Blossom Townhomes lack a sprinkler system, and nearby streets do not meet today’s standards for accommodating large fire trucks.
Tony Green, the city’s deputy ombudsman, noted that the building height was measured under the 2019 code, which allowed the height measurement from the ground to the junction of the roof and the building’s wall.
This metric rendered the buildings as less than 30 feet tall at the time of approval, which is why the plans were sanctioned despite at least one fire inspector voicing safety concerns during the approval process.
The report criticized the Fire Bureau for failing to properly document its decision-making procedures and for not adequately explaining the dismissal of that inspector’s concerns.
In 2021, the city revised code stipulations to require that buildings with flat roofs be measured to the highest point of the roof rather than the junction, which aligns with concerns raised about the safety of the Cherry Blossom Townhomes.
As residents voiced concerns in 2023 regarding code compliance four years after the approval, conflicting messages emerged from Fire Bureau officials, sending mixed signals about the safety of the complex.
In a conversation with Sutton, one inspector allegedly declared that the “place wasn’t built right” and that “the street wasn’t wide enough,” intensifying the fears of residents regarding safety.
Moreover, inconsistencies in communication were evident, with one senior fire inspector assuring Sutton that a full investigation into compliance would be initiated, only for her to be told later by different officials that her concerns were unwarranted.
Despite concluding that the complex was correctly approved based on the coding standards at the time, Green emphasized a lingering fire safety problem unrelated to the design of the buildings.
Residents were reported to be parking in areas of the access street that were never designated for parking, presenting potential hazards for fire vehicle access.
Although the access road meets requirements for a 30-foot tall building, parked vehicles could hinder access for essential fire services.
In response to the concerns surfaced by the investigation and to improve safety measures, the Homeowners Association at Cherry Blossom Townhomes has since restricted parking on the street, threatening fines and towing for violators.
Rick Graves from the Fire Bureau stated that efforts are underway to collaborate with the Cherry Blossom residents, addressing the parking dilemmas to prevent any interference with fire equipment operations.
While the Cherry Blossom Townhomes Homeowners Association has not commented specifically on the situation, it remains a focal point for ongoing discussions within the community.
The ongoing dialogue between residents, the Fire Bureau, and the HOA signifies a commitment to addressing these pressing concerns effectively and ensuring the safety of all residents.
image source from：https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/05/fire-code-investigation-at-portland-affordable-housing-complex-finds-parked-cars-could-block-fire-trucks.html
