HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-01-27 Housing & Human Services PACKET
Ashland Housing and Human
Services Commission
Regular Meeting Agenda
January 27,2022:4:00–6:00pm
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/91251986989
1.(4:00)Approval of Minutes (5 min)
November 18, 2021
2.(4:05)CDBG and AHTFGrants ScheduleUpdate(5 min)
3.(4:10)Severe Weather Shelter Debrief(5min)
Linda Reid and Echo Fields
4.(4:15)Severe Weather Shelter Recommendations Finalization(35min)
Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
5.(4:50)Strategic Goal Review and Discussion(25min)
6.(5:15)Committee to Protect Ashland’s Mobile Home Parks Letter Review
andDiscussion(15min)
7. (5:30)Liaison Reports (20min)
Liaison Reports
Council(Gina Duquenne)Staff (Linda Reid)
SOU Liaison (Reese Rosenburg)General Announcements/Local Housing
SOU program report (Chris Mahan) Updates
8.(5:50)Upcoming Agenda Items, Events,and Meetings
Next Housing Commission Regular Meeting
February24, 2022
9.(4:30)Adjournment
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting,
please contactthe Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone is 1-800-735-2900). Notification 48
hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the
Ashland Housing and Human Services Commission
DraftMinutes
November 18, 2021
Call to Order
CommissionChairRich RohdecalledtheZoom meetingtoorderat4:00pm.
Commissioners Council Liaison
Rich RohdeGina DuquenneABS
Echo Fields
Leda Shapiro AbsentSOU Liaison
Linda ReppondNone appointed at this time
Joy Fate
Kathy KaliStaff Present:
Heidi ParkerLinda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
Chris MahanABSLiz Hamilton, Permit Technician
Jackie Bachman
Approvalof Minutes
CommissionersJackie Bachman/Echo Fieldsm/s to approve the minutes of
September 23,2021 and October 28, 2021.Heidi Parker abstains asshe has not seen
the minutes. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed
Public Forum none
Housing Production Strategy Overview
Brandon Goldman(BG), Senior Planner(see attachment for copy of presentation)
The Commission brought forth these questions:
JoyFate(JF)–taking into considerationzoning for tiny home or non-conventionalhousing?(BG) Processis
taking in any ideas. (JF)whatare the parametersfor low income?(BG)30% of median household
Rich Rohde (RR)–is there a way to speedup the StrategyProcess and is there a time that developers can come
and give their ideas for strategy?(BG) First step is to develop a Public Outreach Plan. That Outreach Plan will
tell us when we can offerthose opportunitiesfor strategizing.Speeding up the process, No. The city is looking to
have the plan completed by end of 2022, the adoption process with go forth.
Linda Reppond(LR)–you would wantsome of the commissioners to participate in thedevelopmentof the
strategy? What kind of workloadwill impact the Commission?(BG)4meetings with HHSC formal, 4 or 5 adhoc
meetings.
Echo Fields(EF)–feels council is not paying attention to this strategy. Wants engagement activities to be
outdoors.
Jackie Bachman (JB)–concernedabout transactionalhousing isnot being thought about. Can thisbe part of the
plan? (BG)notby name, transition and sheltersare not considered permanent housing.With the right working it
can be addressed in the plan.
Annual Update to the Council Debrief (Report given by Rich Rohde and Linda Reid)
LR–felt council was engaged and interested in whatthis commission is doing.
EF –thought the council needed some visual on the information.
RR–it seems that we are in the middle of what people are looking for in terms of housing.
Severe Climate Event Stakeholder Listening Session Debrief
Work Group: Rich Rohde,Echo Fields, Joy Fate
EF –who should be the activator of the shelter. How do we get collaborationwith multiple services?Reoccurring
theme was that the city needs to do more and get public buildings back online.
HP-feels a designated place is themostimportant.
Severe Climate Event Policy Recommendations Discussion
TheCommission discussed temp, planning, locationand facilitation of this policy and agreed to have Linda Reid
Draft together a Policy that she will them email to each commissionerand have the commissioners have a
recommendation motion via email.
Overview of the Affordable Housing Program PresentationPart 2
Commission agrees to move this Part 2 to future meeting due to time constraint.
Upcoming Events
December 1, 2021-Snowberry IIPreviewtour
December 9, 202111:00 AM-1:00PM-HHSC Goal Setting Retreatwith tour of OHRA facility and Rogue Retreat
Pallet Community
NextHousing Commission RegularMeetingJanuary 28, 2022
Adjournment:adjourned the meeting at6:10p.m.
Respectfullysubmitted by Liz Hamilton
Housingand Human Services
Commission Memo
TITLE:CDBG and AHTF Grant Schedule
DEPT:Community Development
DATE:January 27, 2022
SUBMITTED BY:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
Below is a spreadsheet that outlines the various timelines for CDBG and Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Grants for the 2022 grant year.
MONTHH&HS MEETINGCDBGAHTF
RFP Issued-first week of RFP Issued Lastweek of
January
JanuaryJanuary
thth
Regular meeting RFP Due-February18Proposals March 11
February
(receive CDBG apps
for review)
thth
CDBG App. Review March 24-Public March 24Review and Make
March
and RecommendationHearing/RecommendationsRecommendations
Consolidated Plan
Review and
Recommendation
th
April 19Council review April 19-Review and final
April
and final allocation/Annual allocation by Council
Action Plan Public Notice
th
Review and Approval May 26-Annual Action
May
of the CDBG Annual Plan Public
Action PlanHearing/Approval
nd
Review and Approval September 22
September
of the CDBG CAPER
Annual Presentation
November
to the Council
Goal Setting Retreat
December
Memo
DATE:January 27, 2022
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Severe Weather Shelter Debrief
Commissioner Fields and Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist will provide a brief report on the
most recent Severe Weather Shelter that took place in Ashland in late December and Early January.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Memo
DATE:11/22/2021
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Severe Climate EventPolicy Recommendation and Discussions
th
At a regular meetingheld on August 7, the City Council approved a motion to request that the Housing
and Human Services Commission develop a proposal for addressing the need for shelter options during
extreme weather events. The Council motion is as follows:
Council requests the Housing and Human Services Commission work with local partners, as well as the
staff and council liaisons to the commission, to identify the options available to comprehensively
address the extreme weather needs of Ashland residents, including extreme cold, extreme heat, and
dangerous levels of wildfire smoke. The Council further requests that the Housing and Human Services
Commission develop a proposal for Council consideration regarding how the Ashland Community can
best address these needs and the specific role the City will have in that process.
The Commission formed a Severe Climate Event Policy Recommendation Workgroup which met
several times throughout the process of developing recommendations. The Workgroup created and
implemented a plan to solicit stakeholder input to fulfill the Council’s outreach request and to gain input
from those interfacing or serving impacted populations, or those who have had a role in the emergency
shelter process in prior years, and those who have lived experience.
The workgroup also completed an audit of policies and best practice recommendations for severe and
inclement weather shelters and parameters from other communities throughout Oregon and the nation.
As well as informationfrom prior programs implement by the City of Ashland in partnership with area
non-profits. The workgroup also reviewed information on the health impacts of extreme climate events
from a variety of resources, including but not limited to, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
the Federal department of Health and Human Services, and non-profit organizations who advocate for
special populations.
The Workgroup usedthesepolicydocuments from other communities as a template to provide a
framework for the discussion and as a way to clarifyand organizethe key elementsthat a
comprehensive and inclusive policy should address. These elements were utilized asdiscussion topic
prompts for both the stakeholder listening sessions as well as for the discussion among the full
commission.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
The feedback from the stakeholder listening sessions, including a debrief meeting after enacting a severe
climate shelter event,as well as model language and potential structures gleaned from the resource audit
werecombinedand provided back to the larger commission as a starting point for discussion. The key
elements of a comprehensive policyare outlined below, as well as the recommendation that resulted
from the discussion of the full commission.
Background
TheCity has had two resolutions that address how the City will respond to incidents of inclement winter
weather. The current policy Resolution 2013-04 which replaced 2007-11,only set parameters for cold
weather conditions under which the City would declarea weather emergency and commit City resources
in the form of a City owned building. However, for many years the City had dedicated a small amount
of funding to support staff time at partnering non-profit agencies to provide volunteer coordination,
communication, and trainings in support of City initiated emergency shelters. The volunteer coordinator
was also tasked with finding alternate locations if a City owned building was not available, and with
communicating with other City staff who supported theirefforts. This staff included Fire Department
staff (CERT Coordinator) and Parks Department staffregarding the use of City owned buildings.
Policy Recommendations
1.The policy will set parameters for extreme temperatures both hot and cold and during extreme
weather events, and for instances of bad air quality.
The commissioners discussa number of different temperature thresholds. The commissioners also
discussed feedback form stakeholders, and their own feelings about the difficulties of balancing what
most felt to be morally and ethically right withthe realities of resources and what could be reasonably
accomplished. The Commissioners agreed that in an ideal world thethresholds be more reflective of
public health needs, however, they also agreed that the City should not adopt guidelines where the
triggersfor emergency shelter outpace the City and community’s ability to enact shelters. The City’s
guidelines should have flexibility, which would set the thresholds as a baseline but still allow for the
calling of shelters as needed. Such as in instances when the National Weather Service issues weather
warningsthat may necessitate calling for a shelter outside of any set temperature thresholds.
2.The policy will identify a coordinator for identification and coordination ofshelter locations.
Feedback regarding shelter locations included a recognition that daytime cooling and smoke shelters
could be accommodated in most publically owned buildings including some located on the SOU campus
(though it has also been pointed out that some homeless individuals have been trespassed from the SOU
campus). These buildings would potentially be in use and open to the public during the daytime shelter
operational hours, and as such would be available to shelter members of the public, and may not need
any volunteer oversight to operate them as daytime shelters. Overnight shelters however, generally
operate outside of normal business hours and may have differentsafety coderequirementsto
accommodate an overnight use, therefore a coordinator is needed for the night time shelter coordination.
There was a consensus amongCommissioners andstakeholders that city buildingsshould be made
available for sheltering purposes, even if they have previously been reserved for use as rentals or for
recreational purposes. City owned buildingsspecifically discussedfor shelter usesincluded Pioneer
Hall(it has been discussed that Pioneer Hall is preferred, however, there are needed repairs to this
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
building to accommodate and overnight use), the Community Center and the Grove. It was also
suggested to approach the school district about utilizing a space that is owned or managed by that entity
as those buildings are often well suited to sheltering purposes. Lastly, it was suggested that the City
look at making available or developing a commercial kitchen space for use during emergency events as
well as for the use of non-profit organizations providing meals for low income populations.The Pioneer
Hall kitchen already has Health Department approval to operate as a commercial kitchen for the
purposes of community meal preparation, but requires a periodic fee to be paid to maintain that
certification.
3.The policy should outline a plan for calling and staffing anemergency shelteras well as plan for
implementation of the shelter.A severe climateshelter teamshould be identified and included in
the plan.It is recommended that shelter coordination should be City’s primary role, and that the
City should set aside resources to fund a shelter coordinator either as part of a City staff
person’s role or through a contract with an outside agency, which is how the City has supported
this role in the past.
It is recommended that shelter coordination should be City’s primary role.TheCity should identify a
Decision Making Activator Team(similar to the process that the City of Medford has identified)with
the City Manager acting as the lead. The team would resemble a phone tree of sorts, withthe City
Manager as the leaderat the topof the treein making the determination to call a shelter, a designated
staff person would be identified and tasked with issuinga notification for both the need for volunteersas
well asto postpublic informationregarding the availability of shelter spaces. The shelter
implementation plan could potentially issue a call to the existing CERT volunteer lists(or to specific
CERT volunteers who have attended trainings specific to sheltering events)and would also issuea
NIXLE alert.Another staff role would be to coordinate communications between members of the
Decision Making Activator Team, relevant City staff involved in specific aspects of shelter organization
(such as law enforcement, parks department staff, and administration)and any community members or
non-profit entities serving in apaid/contractedvolunteer coordination role.
4.The plan should coordinate a group of people inside and outside of the City to work together to
implement an Extreme Climate Eventshelter.
The City and other community stakeholdersshould work together to identify and secure resources to
implement Severe Climate Event shelters. This includesongoing regularcooperation, communication,
and collaborationto coordinate volunteer lists and other resources to support volunteers (like offering
shelter specific trainings)locally and regionally. There was agreement for the desire to,“centerthe
voices with lived experience”. Focused on those who are needing respite during emergent events, such
as seniors, low-income/fixed income households, people’s with disabilities, medically fragile
individuals, and other vulnerable populations. It has also been suggested that the City create a central
online volunteer list which can be accessed by both City Staff members of the Decision Making
Activator team and community partners involved in shelter organization.
It is recognized that while the City has seen a dramatically increased capacity to house homeless
populations in the new OHRA Center, the UU Pallet Shelter Project,and the soon Rogue Retreat Pallet
Shelter Community, neither of these shelters addressesemergent and short term sheltering needs. So
while there may be a reduced number of homeless households seeking overnight shelter during extreme
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
climate events, there still willexist some measure of short term need among that population for
temporary overnight respite, and there will continue to be a need for short term emergent daytime smoke
and cooling shelters, some of which may be able to be assisted by these organizations at their respective
locations. However, locations and volunteers will still need to be mobilized during these short term
emergent climate events.
5.Each shelter should have a scheduled debrief under an action/reflection model.
This is part of theongoing local and regionalcoordination that should result in improved process and
best practices.
6.City’s role with regard to resource needs.
A review of other City’s policies has shown that there are a minority of City’s that provide direct
funding to support Severe Climate Event/Emergency Sheltering activities. The feedback received
through the stakeholder outreach events revealed that many stakeholders feel that the City’s role should
be to provide more resources, including funding to support short term shelters.Stakeholders felt that the
City relies too heavily on churches for providing locations, volunteers, and resources. Within the
community, the volunteer pool is aging and is less able to provide the same level of service as in years
past and many would like to see the City provide more resources to support short term shelters. These
resources include:
Locations for hosting shelters-which could impact City revenues through reduced classes/rental
income.
Direct funding to support volunteer training, coordination and support (though not necessarily
through providing a City a staff person to do these activities, but could be part of an existing
staff’s responsibilities).
Direct funding to support the resource needs of the shelter.
Materials (air purifiers,etc.)
In-Kind donations
Recommendations Overview:
Thresholds for calling a shelter:
The threshold for calling a cold weather shelter should be changed to 32 degrees or belowand/or
in instances where the National Weather Service issues a Weather Warning.
The threshold for calling an extreme heat shelter should be ___(TBD) and/or in instances where
the National Weather Service issues an Extreme Heat warning.
The threshold for calling a smoke related shelter would be ____(TBD) and/or above.
City’s Role inInstances of Emergency Shelter:
Shelter Activation and Coordination using a phone tree model
Establish a Decision Making Activator team similar to that established by the City of Medford
Identify staff to fulfill specific duties: City Manager-Shelter activator; TBD-Communication
Coordinatorbetween paid shelter coordinator and city staffinvolved/concerned with sheltering
activities, City Council and Administration; TBD-PublicInformation Officer/Nixle alerts/CERT
activation.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Provide City Buildings when needed, even if prior uses/reservations have to be cancelled.
Provide ongoing funding for contract volunteer/shelter coordination services from an area non-
profit service provideror in-house through existing staff.
Provide a platform for communications between Decision Making Activator Team and shelter
coordinators through an online platform that allows real time communication and updates
accessible by those inside and outside the City (create a OneDrive account)
Facilitate a regular ongoing emergency shelter group meeting to debrief after shelter events and
for planning and coordination for future shelter events and needs, which could include volunteer
trainings, coordination with potential providers of shelter locations and volunteers, and to
communicate regionally.
Provide materials and resourcesas needed (air purifiers/PPE) and in house targeted training
(through CERT).
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Memo
DATE:January 27, 2022
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Housingand Human ServicesCommission goalsetting
th
The Housing and Human Services Commission held their annual goal setting retreat on December92022.At
that time, they established the following goals:
2022Goals for Housing and Human Services Commission
Emergency Shelter,
o Movethe Severe Weather Shelter recommendations/resolutionforward to adoption
o Establish a location for emergency shelter,
o Establish a coordinator for the shelter-dedicated funding
o Build Cooperation and systems of communication at both the executive and operational levels.
Workforce Housing:
o Ask Brandon to educate the Commission on the UBG expansion process
o Promote capacity building and encourage newworkforce housing partnerships
o Work with SOU on potential housing opportunities on identified surplus properties
o Increase capacity for more mobile home parks
o Barrier Removal/to promote infill housingand group housing options
Food Resources: (lower priority)
o Address the need for a commercial kitchen in Ashland
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Memo
DATE:January 27, 2022
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Request from the Committee to Protect Ashland’s Mobile Home Parks
The Housing and Human Services Commission has received aletter requesting that the Commission
consider some policy changes that would provide protections for mobile home parks in Ashland.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
TO: Ashland Housing and Human Services Commission
From: Committee to Protect Ashland’s Mobile Home Parks
Date: 1/10/22
Greetings and Happy New Year! We are a group of mobile home park residents and homeowners who
want to protect and enhance the affordable housing found in our city’s mobile home parks. We would like
to get your feedback on one strategy: to create a new “mobile home park” zone that would protect parks
and give the city more overview of mobile home park closures in the future. We would like to propose an
ordinance very similar to a 2018 ordinance that the City of Portland passed which now protects that city’s
parks. May we please get on your agenda and have a discussion to brainstorm possibilities?
As you know, Ashland has three mobile home parks that house roughly 206 very-low, low-income and
middle-income households. Under current law and regulation, these parks could be closed by their owners
for redevelopment after one year’s notice. Some will remember that 20 years ago the Lower Pines Park
was closed (where the Rogue Credit Union now stands on Ashland Ave.) and 10 vulnerable households
were displaced. The city was unable to prevent this closure; we don’t want this to happen again!
To better understand the issues, we hope you will view this VIDEO. (We will soon have a Spanish-language
version of this video as well.)
Although this housing stock is a small percentage of Ashland’s affordable housing, it’s crucial to retain this
resourcein the current housing crisis. We must also prevent the displacement of very vulnerable
populations. Many park residents consist of the working poor,elderly folks and people with disabilities, as
well as a significant number of LGBT and Hispanic/Latinx families. We have lived here for decades, raised
families, attended Ashland’s schools and contributed to the local economy. We want our communities to
remain in place. As we make improvements to our homes, we want to know our investments are safe.
We believe a new mobile home park zone would advance the city’s goals to comply with the state’s Goal
10, which requires that cities offer a wide range of housing options, including those for very low-income
and low-income residents. Our proposed Portland-style ordinance would require that an owner go through
a zoning change process before closing a mobile home park and establish that a change would better match
the city’s housing goals. This ordinance could also support park owners in retaining and improving their
parks with a variety of incentives, such as the ability to sell unused density to other developers. The city
could also offer low-income housing space rental incentives as well. These incentives could help owners
repair aging infrastructure in our parks. We want a win/win situation for all concerned.
Our committee includes residents from Wingspread Mobile Home Park and The Pines. We are now seeking
representatives from Tolman Creek Mobile Home Park. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and
ideas, including other strategies we could support to protect and enhance our mobile home parks.
Here again is the VIDEO we have made. For a summary of the Portland ordinance, see pp 6-9of that
document. Thanks for your attention!
Cynthia Dettman, Delores Nims, and Alan Ackroyd, Wingspread Mobile Home Park
Contact: cyndettman@gmail.com
Kristal and Anais Urrutia, The Pines
Contact: Anaisura6@gmail.com; krystalurrutia917@gmail.com