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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us December 12, 2005 Affordable housing process evaluated Housing Commission seeks input on future planning decisions By Robert Plain Ashland Daily Tidings In an effort to improve the affordable living situation, Ashland’s Housing Commission plans to ask the City Council for an oversight role in new developments and other planning actions that contain low-income housing components. “Ashland has made affordable housing a very political issue,” Jennifer Henderson, a member of the housing commission, said. “It’s time for us all to walk our talk.” At the housing commission’s Oct. 17 meeting, the group voted unanimously to ask the council to be included in the review of planning actions much like the tree commission, historic commission and the traffic and safety commission already are. The tree commission, for example, reviews planning actions that include tree protection requirements and makes recommendations to the applicant and the planning commission. The housing commission would like the same kind of oversight on projects that include an affordable housing element. “It’s ironic that affordable housing is so important but it’s the only commission I’ve been a liaison to that isn’t involved in planning actions,” Cate Hartzell, a city councilor who is the liaison to the housing commission, said. “Affordable housing is one of our highest priorities; it makes sense for us to review projects that specifically relate to it.” Brandon Goldman, Ashland’s housing specialist, said the change in the process would have benefits for affordable housing and for developers who are at times required to build it. He said the city would be in a better position to recommend the variety of affordable housing that is most needed — be that one, two or three bedroom units — while developers would benefit from the housing commission’s knowledge of possible grant funding and non-profit partnerships. “Although the city does require affordable housing, it doesn’t require that developers to take a loss on it,” Goldman said. “There are opportunities to work with non-profits and grants. Those are the type of relationships developers don’t necessarily have access to.” However, one concern with this additional layer of bureaucracy is that it would affect an applicants timeline. State law requires that all cities in Oregon process planning actions in 120 days. If applicants are forced to present their project to yet another commission it could affect their ability to meet this deadline. Russ Dale, a local developer, said it is not uncommon for this timeline to be waived, though. Dale is supportive of this new step, but only for projects that are required to produce affordable housing units. In Ashland, affordable units are required on annexations, zone changes, condo conversions and developments with 10 or more units. “Perhaps a developer might not have a lot of experience in doing affordable housing,” he said. “The housing commission might have ideas or tools and mechanisms for making that part of the project better.” But Tom Giordano, another local developer, said it might not be a good idea to require applicants to go before another committee. “It should be voluntary,” he said. “It shouldn’t be part of the process.” In Oregon, only Ashland, Medford, Portland and Eugene have boards or commissions dealing with housing. And, he said, Ashland would be unique if it did take a role in recommending affordable housing. Henderson thought this was all the more reason why Ashland may want to embark on this project. “It’s exciting that Ashland is a forerunner in this process,” she said. “We’ve often been a leader for making positive changes in the state. Let’s make this change.” DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Online Pharmacy Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams