Demand for housing in Portland keeps rising, but the inventory of houses and lots is tight. Small houses on larger lots and old houses that haven't been well-kept are frequent targets of developers who can profit from tearing them down and building a new house - or two, three or even four. City permit data show demolitions shot from 115 in 2010 to 308 in 2014. The trend has spawned a chorus of neighborhood protests and the attention of City Hall.

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