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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW A question of intent ... New police chief named in Talent ... New wine festival planned for Ashland in October ... A question of intent ... New police chief named in Talent ... New wine festival planned for Ashland in October ... OUR VIEW Our View: Urban renewal district worth another look Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News It's not a plan at this point, and it may not even be possible. But the Medford City Council has little to lose by finding out if it can extend the Medford Urban Renewal District or create a new one. The original Urban Renewal District still exists, but is scheduled to fade away in 2025, and maybe as early as 2018, when its bonds are paid off. Most of the money raised by selling the bonds has been spent, starting with street and building improvements in downtown and including parking structures and The Commons development. Hawthorne Park improvements are among the most recent expenditures. Urban renewal districts use a funding method known as tax increment financing. The district sells bonds to raise cash, which is spent on public improvements such as sidewalks, streetlights, facade improvements to downtown buildings and parks. Those improvements increase property values, which generates more tax revenue, which pays off the bonds, and the city is left with those improvements plus an enhanced tax base. One of the requirements for creating an urban renewal district is that money must be spent to eliminate blight. Medford's district was drawn to include the low-income Beatty/Manzanita neighborhood north of downtown, which was supposed to benefit from the revenue generated by the renewal district. City leaders acknowledge that relatively little was done for Beatty/Manzanita beyond some sidewalks and streetlights and a small park. One of the goals of the renewal district was to create housing in or close to downtown, but those plans fell victim to the recession. Beatty/Manzanita is well situated for what planners call workforce housing, where residents can walk to jobs downtown or at the north end of town. And it has the potential for affordable multi-family housing as well. The council has directed staff to find out if the urban renewal district can legally be extended, or if a new district can be created. There are obstacles to both options, and neither may be feasible. But if the possibility exists to improve a downtrodden neighborhood and improve the city's housing options, it's worth at least exploring the effort. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501