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Grant is earmarked to purchase trailer park Ashland awards federal money for affordable housing at Lower Pines site By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune ASHLAND - A $168,750 grant will pave the way to build 32 affordable housing units and relocate a handful of trailer park residents who now occupy the site. Tuesday night, the Ashland City Council awarded a federal Community Development Block Grant designated for land acquisition to the nonprofit group Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation (RVCDC). Although Community Land Trust had also applied for the grant for its planned six-unit, affordable residential development at 740 Tolman Creek Road, Executive Director Carlus Harris withdrew the request Tuesday. "It may be for the greater good of the community," Harris said of RVCDC's project, and added that his organization would seek funds elsewhere. According to RVCDC Executive Director Ron Demele, the organization will attempt to use grant funds to purchase the Lower Pines trailer park property at 1651 Ashland St. "It opens an opportunity for the different nonprofit developments," Demele added. If successful, Demele said, the park's eight trailer owners, who face eviction, will be moved to alternate housing, although the details have not been worked out. Lower Pines is owned by Web Title LLC. The company announced plans to convert the site to other uses when it purchased the trailer park in October, but no options have been specified. Residents were given more than one year to relocate, freeing Web Title LLC from financially compensating them under Oregon law. During the meeting, Elaine Keffer pleaded with the council to award the grant to RVCDC. Keffer's mother, Barbara Williams, owns a trailer in Lower Pines and works as a school crosswalk monitor in front of the park. "This way, she can hopefully keep the home she does own," she said. "She won't be living in the street." City planners expressed concerns over the amount of unsecured funding needed and other issues surrounding RVCDC's proposed project. "We have some concerns in regards to the timeline," said city planner Maria Harris. "The more complex the project is, the more federal regulations apply." However, Demele said restrictions surrounding the grant prohibited the organization from detailed planning of the project, raising funds or negotiating with Web Title to buy the property. Demele estimates the project will cost $5 million and will be paid for through grants, foundations, fund-raising and tax credits. Members of the Ashland Housing Commission voiced support of RVCDC's proposal during the meeting. Rich Rohde of Oregon Action came to lend his support. "This is a project that's critical for Ashland," he added. The housing will be available to residents who earn approximately $15,000 annually - slightly higher than minimum wage. City councilors were also slated to vote on an ordinance that would amend Ashland's municipal code for mobile home park sales. However, the council tabled this issue for up to three months at Rohde's request. Rohde, along with local trailer park owners, is attempting to draft an ordinance that would be enacted statewide. "Southern Oregon could be setting a precedent for the whole state," he said. "I'm really proud of our city for really standing up for mobile home residents and looking for solutions," Rohde said. "We need to come up with a potential statewide solution to the issue." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.