HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-28 Housing MIN
ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION
MINUTES
February 28, 2008
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Carol Voisin called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering Services
Building, 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR 97520.
Commissioners Present: SOU Liaison: Alexandra Armarotico
Carol Voisin, Chair
Richard Billin Council Liaison: Alice Hardesty
Regina Ayars
Aaron Benjamin Staff Present::
Absent Members: Brandon Goldman, Housing Specialist
Steve Hauck Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk
Bill Smith
Graham Lewis
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Ayars/Hardesty m/s to approve the minutes of the January 24, 2008 meeting. Voice Vote: Approved.
PUBLIC FORUM
No one came forth to speak.
REPORTS AND UPDATES
Subcommittee Report
Education – No meeting/no report.
Land Use – Will discuss under Agenda item #5, Annexation and Zone Change Ordinances.
Finance – Hardesty attended a meeting regarding the Transient Occupancy Tax and reported that there was some
discussion about people being reluctant to have any increase in the TOT. Ashland’s occupancy tax is at 7% and most
Communities throughout Oregon are at 9%. A question raised at the meeting was “What will the increase in money be
spent for?” State law says that 70% of the additional amount must go to tourism and only 30% can go to the general fund.
Hardesty stated that a lot of the discussion centered around more events in the shoulder season as well as the winter
season. Hardesty noted she didn’t see any place in the discussion for bringing up the Housing Trust Fund and if the TOT
is raised only 30% of it can go into the General Fund which is where the Trust Fund money would come from.
Benjamin would like to see the Chamber of Commerce find a way to get the empty downtown stores filled. Benjamin
recently read a letter written by Doug Mitchell suggesting that the major problem that causes the vacancies in the shops is
that downtown landlords are greedy. Benjamin suggested that the extra money from the TOT could go to the Chamber
and they might be able to put pressure on the landlords to help the situation. Hardesty mentioned that the discussion of the
stimulation of businesses was brought up at the meeting. Ultimately the Council decides how that money will be spent.
Staff Update – CDBG Program – The CDBG request for proposals went out in January and only one application was
received which Goldman handed out so the Commissioners could review before next months meeting in order to make
award recommendations to the City Council. The application is only for a $10,000 request to do Fair Housing activities,
leaving $335,000 on the table. Goldman stated that he is working on a communication that he will present at next months
meeting outlining some alternative uses for those remaining funds as well as an evaluation of the Fair Housing Council of
Oregon’s application. In talking with local Housing providers as to why applications weren’t received Goldman found
that RVCDC is currently working on existing projects and ACLT is looking at other activities including building two units
behind their Bridge Street property. The Housing Authority provided a letter explaining why they did not request funds.
Essentially they would be looking at the potential of using those CDBG funds but are not far enough along with their pre
development plans for their acquisitions of the 52 Unit Stratford Apartments on Clay Street. They may ask for CDBG
funds to rehabilitate those units. Goldman stated that they have until June of 2009 to spend the funds. Goldman suggested
that perhaps instead of the Fair Housing Council of Oregon having to come down to attend the March 27, 2008 meeting he
might be able to arrange a conference call with the Commissioners.
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February 28, 2008
Liaison Reports
Council – Hardesty thought that the Housing Commissioners gave a very nice presentation to the Council. The Council did
make the selection of RVCDC for the Clay Creek Development. The Land Use Ordinance did not get heard and has been
continued.
Parks – No report.
Schools – No report.
Planning – Benjamin was unable to attend the Planning Commission meeting but asked Goldman to share about the
presentation he did at the recent Study Session. Goldman noted that the presentation was similar to one he presented to the
Housing Commission on January 24, 2008 where he reviewed the Regulatory Barrier and Housing incentives list.
Hardesty found it interesting that the Planning Commission thought it was a good idea to meet with developers and find
out from them what the barriers are and why they aren’t building apartments. Benjamin stated that John Fields has
answered that question on various occasions stating that land isn’t cheap enough. Goldman said that the joint meeting may
in fact include both non profit and for profit developers.
Facilities Plan – Voisin reported they had a meeting and were given a handout of all the facilities that the City has and
what the current use of those facilities is and what is needed. The next step is to look at them individually and have further
discussions with department heads to see what they want. They will take a tour after next meeting on March 6, 2008 to see
all the sites and then make their recommendations. Voisin noted they decided to invite Julie Di Chiro, School
Superintendent, to be on the committee. They will also be looking at what the school district has.
Croman Plan – Ayars attended one of the meetings that was held. The presentation was delivered by three of the Land
Use Consultants. Ayars said each table came up with what they felt was the most important issues along with what they
would like to see on the site. The Consultants are looking at 72 acres which encompasses the Croman Site and the
surrounding area. Voisin recalled that at least four of the tables mentioned Housing and Workforce Housing as something
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they would like to see there. Another issue was the need for safe routes for the children to go to school. On March 19 and
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20 there will be two more public forums where the consultants come back with their first attempt at a master plan and to
get feedback again from the community.
Homeless Forum – Benjamin commended Graham for his participation in the panel and the presentation he made. Ayars
said that she was there representing the League of Woman Voters. Goldman noted that Arnie Green spoke about the
decrease in federal funding for homelessness and the difficulty that as an organization Community Works had responding
to an environment where costs were increasing and funding was decreasing. Sharon Schreiber from ICC \[Interfaith Care
Community\] spoke saying that she has a lot of Ashland funders that specifically want to put their funds to help people in
Ashland only, though the rest of the funders around the County are looking at a County wide use. The facility in Ashland
is not supported entirely by Ashland but funding from outside of Ashland and the county so Schreiber questions why it’s
location in the valley isn’t more centralized. The homeless people in the audience voiced that they wanted it more
centrally located in Ashland. Goldman explained that the City of Ashland CDBG program funded an ICC transitional
housing position in which they were giving people guidance into getting into permanent housing and into transitional
housing. Goldman noted that in past conversations with Schreiber she has explained that its their experience that Ashland
homeless were unwilling to go through the steps in the transitional housing because they would have to move to Medford
to the transitional housing facility. They were surprised in terms of the unwillingness of people to complete the program.
Update regarding Senate Bill 1073
Goldman reviewed the City Council letter sent to the Senate that was signed by the mayor indicating that the City Council had
passed a resolution in support of Senate Bill 1073. This was a Senate bill intended to allocate two million dollars towards the
creation of a fund through the Oregon Housing Community Services to pay for the rehabilitation of units such as the Stratford
Apartments. The Stratford is moving out of their term of affordability and need to be rehabilitated in order to stay in the
program.
Tour of the Housing Authority of Jackson County Units in Medford
Goldman called the Housing Authority and they indicated they had just had their Open House and all the units are now filled.
They did offer to meet with the Housing Commission on site they just wouldn’t be able to have an internal view of the units
since they are occupied. Goldman will schedule a field trip and take whoever is interested in attending.
Subcommittee Chairs
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February 28, 2008
Hardesty reminded the Commissioners that the subcommittees need Chairs. Goldman said given the scope of work he has to
do it will be difficult for him to put together the agendas for each of the subcommittee meetings. He will be reliant on the
Chairs to put together their agendas and schedule their meeting times. They can then invite Goldman to the meeting if they
specifically need his help. When the new Housing Specialists starts Goldman is confident that they will be looking at the staff
as a resource to attend the meetings rather then a convener of them. The Commissioners discussed whether they could be as
effective without Goldman. Benjamin felt that the Education Committee could fade away for awhile and he would be willing
to join another Committee that might need him. Benjamin will join the finance Committee.
Annexation and Zone Change Ordinance
In 2006 the Housing Commission looked at the ordinance to see what was working with it and what wasn’t. Goldman
reviewed the Commission Communication dated March 27, 2007. The Housing Commission in March of 2007 had
recommended in favor of these ordinance changes going forward. Given the lapse of time Bill Molnar felt that instead of
taking a draft ordinance to the Planning Commission they should have an Ad Hoc meeting structure where some Housing
Commissioners and Planning Commissioners get together in April and go over what was being presented. Then they would
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come back to the Housing Meeting at the April 24 meeting with draft language that has already had legal review. With the
Commissions recommendations they would either modify the ordinance or send out a notice to the affected parties in advance
of having the draft ordinance sent to a Planning Commission study session in June. It would then go to a hearing before the
Housing Commission in July and to the Planning Commission and City Council in August for first reading of it in September.
Assuming that the City Council at first reading wanted to go forward with the ordinance the second reading would be in
October and 30 days after that it would be approved as the new law of the land. All future annexations after that would be
subject to it.
Goldman explained that Measure 49 was a response to Measure 37 and explained how it could affect the City and Housing
densities.
After discussing these previously identified changes to the Annexation and Zone Change Ordinances, and specifically the
matrix describing affordable housing mixes, Hardesty made the following motion “We recommend to the joint Ad Hoc
Housing Commission /Planning Commission members that the words or rental be deleted from items C on the subject of
percentage of affordability.” Billin seconded it. Voice vote: approved.
It was decided that the members on the Land Use Committee will be on the Ad Hoc committee.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
Housing Commission Regular meeting
5:30-7:30 pm; Thursday March 27, 2008
Community Development Building
No Land Use or Education meeting scheduled at this time
Ayars will not be here for the March meeting.
ADJOURNMENT – The meeting was adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
Carolyn Schwendener
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February 28, 2008