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Ashland housing efforts gain funding By TONY BOOM ASHLAND - Two groups working on affordable housing got a boost last week when the City Council approved spending $45,000 for staff assistance. Neither group had assistance previously. The money could help bring in grants to build houses and put together a workable affordable housing program for the city. The council approved $30,000 for the city's housing commission to hire a consultant for a housing opportunity study. The Ashland Community Land Trust received $15,000 to fund a Resource Assistance for Rural Environment (RARE) graduate intern from the University of Oregon for support work. "We just don't have the time to research ... all the available funding sources that might pay for construction," said Bill Molnar, a member of the land trust board. He is also a senior planner with the city and serves as staff liaison from the planning department to the housing commission. "Historically the planning department dealt with affordable housing through the regulation mode," said Molnar. "But now there's more interest in terms of the city being an active partner with developers to put housing on the ground." The land trust is more like a contractor, while the commission lays out a road map, said Molnar. Members of the two groups said they want to see the funds go directly into homes, but the lack of paid staff was a barrier to accomplishing their goals. "This is a large project that we are undertaking with a needs assessment," said Housing Commissioner Nancy Richardson. "On a volunteer basis nobody had the time to do that. It's basically a full-time, six-month job." One goal for the consultant would be to find a viable source of long-term funding for housing. Submission of a funding proposal with a developer is another goal. "It could be a combination of a developer and a nonprofit agency that work with affordable housing," said Richardson. The commission will finalize the qualifications and scope of work at its meeting today. Molnar will supervise the consultant, who should start work by the end of summer. Among other duties, the RARE intern will serve as a liaison with the planning department and other groups. Other tasks include grant writing, community development, marketing and communications. "You just can't let a volunteer board administer the issues when you have land. We are trying to put together grants for the next funding cycle to construct those units on Garfield," said Molnar, referring to land purchased by the trust. A RARE student was approved for trust work subject to the $15,000 match. The intern will work full-time for one year. RARE interns receive living and housing allowances, medical insurance and an educational award of $4,725 from AmeriCorps. Land trust President Carlus Harris will supervise the intern. The City Council also has approved help for land trust purchases. The group will receive $7,000 for debt service on a loan for 41 Garfield St. Council approval of the 2001-02 federal Community Development Block Grant action plan included $120,000 for additional land acquisition by the trust. CDBG money cannot be spent for construction. The action plan says the trust will build nine low-income rental units on land it purchases. Ashland's current low-income purchase program is not used because such houses would sell below market price. Under the program a three-bedroom house could no sell for more than $121,000. In its home sales program, the trust leases the land while the purchaser buys the house. Agreements in the land lease limit the increase in home value to 1 percent per year at the time of resale. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.