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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Top Galleries: December 4, 2006 Working toward an affordable Ashland By John Darling For the Tidings Talk about it! Fearing this town will lose its middle and working class and slide into a retirement community, city leaders are exploring ways to step up affordable housing development, helping essential workers such as police, firefighters and teachers find ways to live here. Among ideas being floated by City Council members is using the city's nine-hole Oak Knoll Golf Course for affordable housing and a park — and selling off part for market-rate housing to pay for the project. Other suggestions are to build affordable housing, especially for teachers, in large schoolyards owned by the school district, or to use city land or sell some off to raise funds for centrally located affordable housing. The city in the next few months will sell a high-end, 2.5-acre parcel at the top of Strawberry Lane to raise money for building affordable housing, said city housing program specialist Brandon Goldman. With a budget of more than $1 million, the city has put out requests for proposals from nonprofit agencies in the field and private developers, and has a real estate agent looking for land, he said. The city has sold "air rights" to a small parking lot on Lithia Way, on condition the builder put in 15 affordable studio and one-bedroom units atop a commercial first floor. It also is requiring substantial portions of developments in newly annexed or rezoned land to be affordable, including 10 acres recently annexed on lower Clay Street (which will have 17 affordable homes out of 113) and a green energy housing project at Oak and Nevada streets, which will have three, said Councilman David Chapman. Anticipating an outcry over the potential loss of the city's only golf course, Chapman is suggesting the city could help enable annexation and development of the 130-acre John Billings ranch into an 18-hole golf course — a project stymied for years. The city could also bring in water and sewer service, he said. In return for helping make the course a reality, the city would want course fees for local residents to be in the same reasonable range as Oak Knoll, Chapman said, and the city would like to trade water rights with Billings so the city's wastewater treatment plant could put some of its treated effluent on the golf course as a solution to costly treatment to release the wastewater into Bear Creek. Neither the city nor the Billings family have the funds to build the course, said operations manager Mary James, Billings' daughter. So the project, estimated at $15 million to $20 million, would require additional private investment. James said her family, which has owned the land since 1856, "doesn't have anything specific in mind" for it at this time and such proposals are "always a possibility." She said it would "defeat the purpose" of a golf course to have "resort rates" for golfing and "that was never our intent." Council member Alice Hardesty said she would like to see Oak Knoll golf course put into mixed use — affordable and market rate housing with a big park, perhaps called "Lithia Park East," as a buffer between the present Oak Knoll subdivision and new housing, all built with sustainable energy. "It just makes so much sense. The park would be a great place for picnics, putting green and community garden," Hardesty said, adding that the city could keep the land or deed it to a nonprofit affordable housing agency, that would oversee construction and management of apartments, condos and single-family homes. The Billings proposal is "worth exploring," Hardesty said, but added that with so many courses in the north part of the Rogue Valley, losing Oak Knoll is "a trade-off that's worth the price to give up golf." Hardesty stressed the Oak Knoll project is not going to happen in the next couple years — "affordable housing is achieved with little stuff, here and there." Chapman added that, "mostly, we don't know what we can do about it. The city is not out to start a big program." However, the city must realize that affordable housing is critical for first-time buyers and young families — and for keeping young people and viable schools, said Diana Shavey, former member of the Ashland Housing Commission and ex-director of housing for the federal Housing and Urban Development Department in the Pacific Northwest. "You don't want to have a town without children. You want interesting schools, high school football, a continuity of generations," said Shavey. "When they're older, people like to go back to where they grew up. That won't happen. It will be a transient town of senior citizens and tourists, very different from what it is now. Ashland's vitality is because of its history, and it will lose that." Ashland is "not alone" in facing these issues, but is behind a lot of cities that have been working on it for a decade, Shavey said. Ashland is "getting gentrified and we're losing families," Hardesty noted. "It's not many years before we become a sterile community. It's not good for the university to have a community of rich, old folks — and a consultant told us we've got 20 years to prevent it. A lot of institutions will be hurt, including the hospital, which can't survive on Medicare payments. And we've got a retirement bubble coming with school and city employees." Federal Community Development Block Grants, given out by the city, have helped make some progress, creating homes in the low $100,000s recently at Faith and Siskiyou, with another six homes coming next year at Park and Siskiyou, said Ron Demele, executive director of Rogue Valley Community Development — a nonprofit builder of affordable housing. Prompted by the real estate lobby, the state Legislature in the 1990s blocked cities from imposing a real estate transfer tax — a favored funding source for affordable housing and legal in 38 states, said Hardesty. "Communities should be free to make up their minds on this," said Hardesty. "We need a stream of income and the Legislature tied our hands. With a Democratic legislature now, maybe that could be reversed." One way the city is trying to hold on to what it's got is to consider restrictions on converting apartments to condos, a recent trend in town. The council will hear a proposal this month already OK'd by the city's housing and planning commissions. The new rules would require a percent of condos to be affordable — or kept as apartments, said Goldman. Chapman said the city has spoken with the school district about converting its land, but no movement has yet been made on the idea. To get a leg up on affordable housing, the city in the near term needs to inventory all its lands and prioritize which can be sold, with an eye to those closest to shopping and main roads. Then the city needs to do the difficult part: develop a funding mechanism, said Demele. "The city has to find a source of money to fund it independently or with the state," Demele said, noting that the city could look at issuing bonds for construction. "I do think the political will is there, because it's not going to get any easier for people who work here to find homes here," said Demele. "The city has taken steps and needs to take more." Said Shavey, "It's daunting, but anything worthwhile is. It's a matter of educating people and getting them to understand the consequences for them personally if the community is not balanced. Ashland people are very intelligent and thoughtful. They supported the school levies. Once they understand it, they will support it." Current Comments: I wonder if Councilor Hardesty would be such an advocate on creating affordable housing in her neighborhood instead of desiring to put apartments and tiny condos in the Oak Knoll area. I imagine the residents of Oak Knoll will not be happy to lose the golf course they currently have as a back yard and can envision the councils plan tied up in lawsuits for years. The traffic on Dead Indian is already busy and Bellview school is at capacity. The city must address these issues before proceeding. Jackie Hassell - Ashland - December 4th, 2:40 PM Given that the baby boomers are here NOW, the issue of gentrification and conversion into a retirement community is a moot point. In order to have the level of affordable housing called for by everyone with a pulpit, Ashland will have to embrace heavy industry, not a low-impact, environmentally friendly base, which I for one, would rather have. It's also time to stop slamming the retirees for moving here with money, education, political savvy, and general knowledge of how to get things done. Thomas - Ashland - December 4th, 2:44 PM High paying jobs are desperately needed. I'm not talking about doctors, lawyers, and such, but industry leading jobs. Too many minimum wage jobs here. No incentive for low income families to live here. You have to supply the jobs that balance the cost of living. Ashland has very little of that. That's my two pennies tossed in. :) Jim - Ashland - December 4th, 8:19 PM Hardesty is clueless on most every sujects and out of touch with reality. Jed - Ashland - December 4th, 8:42 PM You can't blame me. I didn't elect these-head in-the-clouds liberal council members. On the upside I'm sure the value of my home will increase when I can say that "It is situated on a professionally landscaped half acre over 3 miles from the crime ridden, city owned, "Oak Knoll Projects" Dave - Ashland, OR - December 5th, 12:40 AM 1031 exchange the Elks building downtown for the Oak Knoll golf course... Turn the Elks building into condominiums. The golf course remains, the city gets a large downtown space including parking for low income housing. That's where folks want to live. Ashland then buys the Mark (Ashland Springs hotel) when it goes belly up and change it to low income condominiums by selling Mt. Ashland. That would give you the center of downtown with 100 - 200 new low income housing units. Ok fixed next... John Dennis - Ashland since '75 - December 5th, 7:48 AM Excuse me! I mean Excuse me!Build affordable housing for teachers? How many schools have closed in the past few years? OH YEAH a studio for me the wife and our 2 kids. That is so cool. Is NUTCRACK Hardesty suggesting our community go golf in the UPPER Rogue Valley. Where do you think our TOURIST golf dollars have gone?? Psycho! As THE MANOR proved. If you build it they will come. Build the city a good 18 hole course anywhere and they will come. OR HEY let's let STARBUCKS fund our new course. jt - ashland - December 5th, 8:02 PM I am amazed by the liberal elitists whining about the apparent demise of "affordable housing" in this town. I wonder how many of those people who are voicing their concern for the disappearing diversity also voted for the school bond measure. I'll bet all of them. What they did is effectively raise the rent for the 40% of the city residents who pay rent, the service workers, middle-class families, teachers, students, firemen, and other poor folk who are believed to make the city interesting. AR - Ashland, OR - December 5th, 8:09 PM Affordable housing didn't mean projects.It means we raised our families here and our children planned to raise their children here but even with good jobs that will be impossible.Soon there will be no schools to teach here but the college. ann - ashland or - December 7th, 12:03 AM I teach, have 2 kids, and hope Ashland is home next summer. 2 roadblocks: job/housing. As schools close & house prices rise, I expand my search. If Ashland REALLY wants to do something about what seems to be a problem, powers that be need to get off their booty's and find solutions. 2 suggestions: get off your NIMBY wagons (teachers are rarely scum-o-the-earth neighbors), expand Ashland's UGB. Maybe teachers are riff-raff who should live elsewhere? Teach here, but don't live here? Whaddayawant? E.Michael - Southern, AZ - December 7th, 11:31 AM This'll sound silly, but how about this solution: pay teachers a living wage so they don't need affordable housing... Yes, I know, how silly, we should continue paying high wages to sports and movie stars, THAT's where our childrens' futures lie! Why pay living wage to those (like teachers, firemen, policemen/women) in such WORTHLESS professions?!? E.Michael - Southern, AZ - December 7th, 6:26 PM I'm really taken-aback (again) by this whole ordeal. Supply and Demand Economics will not be bent by "Do Gooders". By creating disparity in housing costs,further unrest will ensue. IF you MAKE housing less costly than unfettered economics will allow, only disparity will ensue. Is it FAIR that I pay more for my house than a SUBSIDIZED person? I work my you-know-what off to keep this place. I am counting on appreciation to facilitate my own retirement. I don't expect any Council to help me. DITTO? I still don't get it - Ashland Oregon - December 9th, 7:10 AM I want to live in Beverly Hills and I expect those people to pay for it! Get over it.It's too late. Ashland is the Santa Barbara of the state. You cannot afford to live in Ashland if you don't already have equity. The whiners are the same people trying to stop apartments from becoming condos. Ever think that those teachers and firefighters might want to buy there? Bring in high paying jobs Also-stay in Southern Arizona EM. Teachers make pretty good cash for only working 8 months of the year.. Mike - Talent - December 9th, 10:47 AM It is the finger in the dike method. What happens if you provide 100 or 200 low cost homes? What about the next wave of folks that want to buy into Ashland at a low cost? Ashland is destined to be a rich retirement home with dying schools. Good news is that Doctors pull in a fat rebate for living in the sticks, so no worries on health care. Shazam - Shazamazamazamabad - December 9th, 4:40 PM I should "build a bridge and get over it". Despite the obvious,and the good intentions, this affordable housing (via transfer tax, etc) will have unintended consequences: prices will rise to absorb over-head. It's free market, after all. This effort reminds me of "scientific" whaling. 'Killing the very animal you seek to "protect". 'CONTRA-indicated. Let the markets dictate the price of housing. I beg the council to create JOBS, to ecourage living wage business to locate here. It WORKS. Still Don't Get it - Ashland OR - December 9th, 6:06 PM I don't know if you all have been following the housing news, but the problem is resolving itself. Talent house prices are down 12% yoy. Ashland new house prices down 21% yoy. This is a temporary problem. Housing will be quite affordable around 2009. Let's hope we still have a golf course by then. Ray - Talent - December 13th, 4:25 PM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.