HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-05-24 Housing MIN
ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION
MINUTES
MAY 24, 2007
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Bill Street called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering Services Building,
51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR. Other Commissioners present were:
Commissioners Present: SOU Liaison: Sunny Lindley, Absent
Bill Street, Chair
Richard Billin Council Liaison: Alice Hardesty, Present
Aaron Benjamin
Regina Ayars Staff Present:
Carol Voisin Brandon Goldman, Housing Specialist
Liz Peck Sue Yates, Executive Secretary
Bill Smith
Absent Members: Steve Hauck
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – The minutes of the April 26, 2007 Housing Commission meeting were approved.
PUBLIC FORUM – No one came forward to speak.
MULTI-FAMILY LANDS HOUSING INVENTORY
The Housing Commission requested a housing inventory within multi-family zoning districts to determine a unit count. The
work was begun by the SOU Planning Issues Class beginning in 2005 and was completed by this year’s class. The maps
provided show multi-family units and commercial buildings. Goldman thanked Pat Acklin and her class for doing this work.
Pat Acklin introduced her students. The students explained the work they did. They provided maps and explained their
methodology. They used the maps from the 2005 survey to identify and locate vacant parcels or parcels missing data and
checked the accuracy of the 2005 data. Most of the data was accurate. They ground checked the data. They found a lot of
apartments converted to condominiums as well as new condominium development. They thought it would be useful to have
aerial photographs for the next survey to match up what is on the ground. They made the following suggestions: 1) Regulate
the number of units reserved for rent within condominium conversions, and 2) Provide incentives for condo owners to provide
rental units, and 3) Provide incentives for apartment owners to maintain as apartments instead of converting to condos.
It was suggested that this survey be updated every five to ten years and in advance of a buildable lands inventory.
RENTAL NEEDS ANALYSIS
Steve Ferrarini, Ferrarini & Associates, Inc. presented his report and findings. The findings are outlined in his memo dated May
5, 2007 and assess the current rental market in the city, forecast future rental housing needs, recommend public policy solutions
to the city’s housing needs, and establish a methodology for updating the needs analysis on a regular basis in the future. The
forecast suggests the type of units needed in Ashland is studios. There should be 74 new rental units being developed in the
city annually. Two significant barriers: 1) It is much more financially attractive to build multi-family units and sell them
rather then renting them, and 2) the City does not have enough buildable land to accommodate efficient multi-family
development. There is going to be a pressure to increase rental rates.
The City of Ashland’s rent problems break down to these three items:
1. There is a production problem. (There is a need to build rental units and the rental units are not being built.)
2. There is an affordability problem. We need affordable units that do not exist. To solve the production problem,
developers need to make more money on rent for development of rental units. However, if that happens, that can
harm the affordability problem.
3. The City does not have enough vacant land to meet the need for rental units. Most of the inventory of vacant land is
on very small parcels. A larger parcel can aid in development efficiencies (cost). Secondly, the most effective
program for building affordable housing is the tax credit program. To use the program, the projects need to be about
25 to 30 units.
Consequently, Ferrarini suggested the City needs to do the following:
1. Create strong policies and follow-up with action and leadership.
2. Allow staff to develop the expertise in affordable housing.
3. Develop programs that make development of affordable housing more financially attractive.
4. Reduce SDC and permit fees.
5. Be proactive about directing state and federal funding.
6. Be proactive about dedicating staff time to grant writing and contacting the state about funding – what’s available,
acquiring funds and directing funds.
7. Increase the land supply.
8. Have current information so programs and policies can be revised accordingly.
Bill Smith said SOU is trying to identify vacant land. Smith said there is currently a waiting list for SOU housing.
Hartzell is concerned the survey is skewed because so many young people have cell phones and those are not listed number
and therefore could not be contacted to be surveyed. Ferrarini said that is a problem and if they were included in the survey the
rent burdened number would be greater.
Hardesty said the Commission has discussed the need for two and three bedroom units because that would draw in children, yet
the population trends show that studios are the units we need. Ferrarini said he talked to about six property management
companies and they indicated studios, one bedroom and three bedrooms are the most difficult for renters to find available.
Three bedroom units are not as economically viable.
The final rental needs analysis report will be coming out on May 30, 2007.
Voisin left the meeting at 6:45 p.m.
CONDOMINIUM ORDINANCE UPDATE
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The City Council reviewed the proposed ordinance on April 17. At that time, the Council instructed staff to continue the
public hearing and bring back a revised ordinance. They asked staff to remove the development agreement section as well as
addressing a goal of providing rental housing as primary and affordable housing additionally. There is a memo from Goldman
dated April 24, 2007 in the packet covering those changes. An ad hoc committee was formed consisting of: the Land Use
subcommittee of the Housing Commission (Bill Smith, Regina Ayars, Alice Hardesty and Bill Street) and two members of the
Planning Commission (Michael Dawkins and Tom Dimitre). They looked at this briefly last week in terms of the options for
conversions that would be allowed. Instead of having 75 percent ownership/25 percent affordable, staff has now come up with
a set of sliding scales (the matrix is included in packet). The Planning Commission is scheduled to review this at their June
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12, 2007 regular Planning Commission meeting. It will go before the Council on June 19, 2007.
The Housing Commission reviewed the conversion table options and asked Goldman to bump up the number of market rentals
and affordable rentals by capturing a lower cutoff point (number of units). Leave the numbers but change the percentages
required to increase the number of affordable units. Goldman wants to present just one table to the Council. The Housing
Commission endorsed the concept of the matrix and sliding scale, but asked Goldman to look at ways to increase the number of
affordable rental units. Billin noted that his concern with using Option 3 might end up reducing the overall inventory of market
rentals. Hardesty heartily endorsed the concept. Street suggested inviting a small focus group of apartment owners before it
goes before the Planning Commission or the Council to see if there are any concerns that come up for them.
REPORTS AND UPDATES
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
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Education – An RVTV show is scheduled for June 21from 6 to 7 pm on Channel 9 to discuss employee housing.
Guests will include: Carolyn Johnson, Ashland Community Hospital, Bill Smith, SOU, and Kyle Hopkins, Sky
Research.
Finance – They looked at the Housing Commissions’ response to the mission statement and at priority uses for the
Housing Trust Fund.
Land Use – They discussed the condo conversion ordinance (noted above).
Liaison Reports
Council – Hardesty said it was suggested at a Council/Budget meeting that because the City’s economic
needs are so great that the proceeds from the sale of the Strawberry property might be better spent on
something other than affordable housing, however, for the time being that idea has been dropped.
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Schools – Street said he thought the Board of Directors would be meeting the afternoon of May 25 in a
study session to discuss affordable housing.
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MINUTES
MAY 24, 2007
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Planning – At their meeting on May 8, they discussed the Economic Opportunities Analysis data. They
talked about goals, the relationship between transportation and affordable housing, planning and public
process, sustainability and the environment and housing. They also talked about land supply and possible
expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary as a component that should be seriously considered. They
discussed mixed use, higher density, and careful consideration of condos as well as the use of public lands.
They said the Croman site and the Railroad property should be dedicated to industrial use. The City received
a grant to work on a master plan for the Croman site.
Parks – no report
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Tripartite – They did not meet in May. The next meeting will be June 20.
Pre-App Review Board – no report
Goldman announced there was a Fair Housing presentation last night. It was web cast throughout the state.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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The August Housing Commission meeting was changed from the 23 of August to the 30 of August at 5:30 p.m.
Hardesty will be absent.
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May 31, 5:30 p.m. - RVCDC Groundbreaking at Siskiyou near Park Street
st,
June 21, 6 to 7:00 p.m. (Channel 9) Housing and Employers RVTV Show
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Next Housing Commission Meeting – Community Development and Engineering Services Building, June 28, 2007,
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
Sue Yates, Executive Secretary
ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION
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MAY 24, 2007