HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-10-26 Housing MIN
ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION
October 26, 2011
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Regina Ayars called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. at the Council Chambers located at 1175 East Main St.
Ashland, OR 97520.
Commissioners Present: Council Liaison
Regina Ayars Mike Morris, absent
Ben Scott
Barb Barasa Staff Present:
Richard Billin Linda Reid, Housing Specialist
James Dills Carolyn Schwendener, Admin Clerk
Commissioners Absent:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Billin/Scott m/s to approve the minutes of the September 28, 2011 regular Housing Commission meeting. Voice
Vote: All Ayes, minutes were approved as presented.
PUBLIC FORUM
No one spoke
EDUCATION PROGRAM PROPOSAL FOR RVTV
Dills and Barasa met to discuss the education program proposal for RVTV.
The first introductory segment of the program would introduce characters and explain who the Housing
Commission is and who they serve. Hopefully it would be entertaining enough to draw the audience in.
Suggested issues and highlights for the program;
Continuous segment on an appeal to support the Housing Trust Fund
Educational program
Current issues including interviews with developers, politicians, individuals sharing their experiences
Footage of affordable housing
Politics of housing pros and cons,
Manufactured housing, co-housing, SOU student housing, work force housing
Teen homelessness
More detail regarding the Housing Trust Fund
Talk to police, fire fighters, teachers, faculty
Plight of young families in the community, school closures
Highlight certain organizations that are part of the Housing Commission’s mission for workforce housing
Talk with organizations such as the Salvation Army, Access, Habitat for Humanity, Housing Authority of
Jackson County
Small footprint savings, current housing issues
The next step is to write out a pilot with a narrative. Dills currently has video cameras, microphones and a light kit
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reserved at RVTV. He is hoping to get some stock footage of affordable housing in town that could be used for the
program. The show will be approximately twenty to thirty minutes long. Dills explained the process used to apply at
RVTV for a time slot. Reid said that the City pays for a certain amount of RVTV slots but do not necessarily use all
those slots. Reid will check and see if there are any unused slots. January is the target month to begin the show.
The commissioners all agreed that this RVTV program is a wonderful idea and are very excited to see it happen.
MANUFACTURED HOUSING PRESERVATION PROJECTS LETTER
Barasa volunteered to put a letter together for the City Council that would urge them to put something in the
Consolidated Plan to address the preservation of manufactured home parks. Barasa distributed her draft letter for
the Commission’s review. She explained in her letter why the Housing Commission cares about manufactured
Housing and why they are a good thing trying to rid the preconceptions. Manufactured home parks are not tracked
in the City’s inventory as affordable because they are owned not rented. There are approximately 182 homes
located in three Manufactured Parks within the City of Ashland.
Reid explained that the Five Year Consolidated Plan is the document that governs the use of the city’s CDBG
funds. If we want to change goals during the five years, it’s a minor amendment and needs to be legally noticed.
Amendment goes to HUD for their approval.
Reid will reformat and edit the letter changing it into a memo and adding a potential motion to forward to the
Council.
RETREAT DISCUSSION
After a discussion the Commissioners agreed on the following agenda items.
RVTV project education
Recruitment Discussion
Review last year’s goals set goals for 2012
Review and update he Housing Work Plan (update the housing element of the comprehensive plan)
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The retreat will be on Saturday December 17 at the Parks Department located at 340 Pioneer Street from 9:00 am
to 1:00 pm. There will be no regular commission meeting in November.
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Ayars will be attending the City Council meeting on December 16. At that meeting the Council will be discussing
the new allotted member count for the Commission. The Commission is requesting to lower the member
Ayars said that the Mayor has received an application and interviewed Brett Ainsworth who is interested in joining
the Housing Commission. Ayars has arranged to meet with Mr. Ainsworth to introduce him to the Commission. The
Commission would like to see him appointed before the retreat so he can attend. Reid will check with administration
for Scott regarding his reappointment.
UPDATE ON PRESERVATION UNITS
Reid distributed an updated housing list of expiring Use Units. These units are tracked because they are
endangered. The City provides resources and options for funding; Community Development Block Grant funds,
Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Conservation Department rebates. There are State and Federal loan programs
and incentives to retain them as affordable. The Federal financing options are the department of Rural
Development (RD) and The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
CO-HOUSING PRESENTATION
Ayars attended the Co-Housing presentation commenting that it was well attended with a great amount of interest.
She discovered that there is already a group of seniors in town that are prepared to purchase in a Co-housing
Development if and when one materializes. Chuck Durrant, who lives in an inter-generational Co-Housing project
was a great speaker, said Ayars.
LIAISON REPORTS DISCUSSION
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Reid reported that the Homeless Task Force just finished up the Continuum of Care grant application process that
funds homeless services countywide.
In the past the Housing Commission has worked with the Housing Specialist to put together a work plan. Currently
the City is undertaking to update a Housing Needs Analysis which will incorporate both rental and ownership
properties. As part of that we looked at the housing work plan that was put together in 2005 said Reid. Most of
those items have been completed. The Commissioners agreed the retreat would be a good time to go over the
Housing work plan and see what is left and what they still need to accomplish. Reid would like to add to the list
looking at updating the housing element of the Comprehensive Plan.
Reid informed the Commission that an intern by the name of Brian Cole is working on his capstone in the
Geography and Planning Department and will be working on the Housing Needs Analysis for the City. Reid has
invited Mr. Cole to attend the Commission meetings and welcome his involvement. Cole specifically will focus on
developing a survey to send out to the rental property owners for the purpose of getting information on bedroom
size, unit costs and rates. Hopefully he will be able to develop a spreadsheet including a call list to get a better
handle on the unit size and bedroom configuration within the city and how the demand is changing. Adam Hanks,
Economic Developer with the City, has created a list of property management companies as well as property
owners. Landlords who have six units or more register in the community but it will be difficult to track the smaller
ones. In 2000 SOU Professor Pat Acklin’s class went door to door creating list and map showing the units.
Dills reported that he along with several other people have tried to get in touch with Jordan Espinoza with no
success. Dills is working on ideas on how to recruit a new person for the SOU Liaison position. Amanda Stuck
ASSOU Vice President will include information about the Liaison position with her list of student involvement
activities.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
Homeless Task Force Meeting-November 15, 2011: 10:30-12:00 Housing Authority Conference Room 2231, Table
Rock Road, Medford
Next Housing Commission Regular Meeting
January 25, 2012
ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Carolyn Schwendener
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