Agendas and Minutes

Housing Commission (View All)

Minutes

Agenda
Thursday, January 28, 2010

ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION

MINUTES

January 28, 2010

 

CALL TO ORDER – Chair Steve Hauck called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering Services Building, 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR.

 

Commissioners Present:

Council Liaison

Graham Lewis

Eric Navickas

Nick Frost, arrived at 4:55

 

Aaron Benjamin

Staff Present:

Steve Hauck

Linda Reid, Housing Specialist

Richard Billin

Carolyn Schwendener, absent

Regina Ayars

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes from the December 17, 2009 meeting were approved as presented. 

 

PUBLIC FORUM

The Commissioners welcomed Eric Navickas as the new Council Liaison and agreed to send Carol Voisin a letter of appreciation for her years of service on the Commission as well as a Council Liaison.

 

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS     

Sub-committee Reports

Finance – No report

Education – No report

            Land Use - No report 

 

Liaison Reports

            Council – Navickas reported that the Council is working on goal setting, commenting that housing unfortunately isn’t one of the big goals. They did discuss the homeless issue working with a shorter term plan around homelessness; trying to form a coalition to replace the services previously offered by Interfaith Care Community of Ashland (ICCA) and the possibility of working with the College to use one of their unused dormitories for emergency housing. They are also working on continuing the project on Clay Street. 

 

            Parks - Hauck assumed that the Parks Department is going forward with the Clay Street project, due to the passing of the meals tax.

 

            School Board - No report

            Planning Commission - No report

 

            Staff – Reid is currently working on the draft of the Consolidated Plan. The Commission will review the draft at the February 28th meeting and it will go before the Council at the April 20th meeting.  The CDBG RFP is available now on the City website.  Reid has had some inquires but no formal applications at this time.  Applicants have until February 26th at 3:00 p.m. to apply.  If there are no applicants it might be possible to use the money for City projects.

 

                Ashland Community Land Trust (ACLT) is moving forward with their development behind the Bridge Street duplex property.  Access who manages the rental portion of the property, the duplex in the front, is going to be doing the weatherization on the existing duplex. We had prioritized projects that had received CDBG funding and were kept as long term affordable housing for those CDBG R weatherization funds.  This project may be the first to expend some of the City’s CDBG-R.  There is currently another project in the works which could qualify for the CDBG-R weatherization program.  This project will be unique in that the City will partner with several organizations, including ACCESS, Inc., the Housing Authority and Rural Development.

 

                Reid is still working on the planning for Project Homeless Connect which will take place some time in June.  The annual event is part of the ten year plan where agencies and citizens provide resources for and welcome homeless people into the community.  Last year the event was very successful with about 400 attendants.

 

                It was brought to Reid’s attention that a pre-application for an annexation on Normal Street was applied for.  It was suggested to the applicant to meet with the Land Use Sub-committee to talk about the affordable housing requirements of annexations.  The Commission discussed whether they want to review these applications at the regular Housing Commission meetings or have them go before the Land Use Sub-committee.  If they go before the Land Use Sub-committee there will need to be new members added to that committee because Ayars currently is the only member. Hauck suggested that the applicants go before the Land Use Sub-committee, though previously a rotating sub group of Housing Commissioners reviewed and made recommendations in the past.  Reid will supply a handout on guidelines for projects triggering affordable housing requirements. 

 

            Croman - Lewis reported that the advisory committee no longer exists. 

 

APPOINT NEW LAND USE SUB-COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Hauck appointed Billin, Frost and Ayars to the Land Use Sub-committee effective immediately.  It was decided that the meetings will continue to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 11:00 am at the Community Development and Engineering Building located at 51 Winburn Way.  Reminder:  Sub-Committee meetings need to be noticed to the paper.

 

RFQ FOR THE CLAY STREET PROPERTY

           The Commissioners decided to have a study session on February 10th at 4:30 pm in the Community Development and Engineering Building to discuss the RFQ.  The Commissioners will bring any data they have with them. Reid has some updated information.  Commissioners will meet to come up with; numerical values for the number of units, bedroom size, and targeted income groups.  Review what housing types are needed and what has been completed in the past. Some previous ideas suggested regarding housing at that site were Co- housing and incorporate green building.

          

GOAL REVIEW

  The Commissioners discussed their current goals and reprioritized them. It was decided to devote more time to the Homeless Community needs rather then the Student Fair Housing Ordinance as homelessness is on the Council’s agenda.  The Commission will seek direction from the City Council as to what their priority would be for the Housing Commission.  Also decided to focus on ideas for funding the Housing Trust Fund.  The Commission will re-evaluate their goals again the April.

 

La Clinca de Valle would like to come to Ashland to do medical screening for homeless and low income people.  They are asking the Parks Department to use the Community Center or Pioneer Hall for free maybe once a month.  It was suggested to use The Grove on East Main Street but they wanted to be more centrally located.  Report on the homeless liaison: Some candidates were recognized including: Ruth Coulthard and Nancy  Spencer. Keep Workforce housing and Preservation properties as part of our goals. 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS

February 10, 2010 study session at 4:30 on Clay Street RFQ at Community -Development

February 25, 2010 Regular Housing Commission meeting 4:30 p.m. Community-Development

February 26, 2010 CDBG Applications due (quorum check; everyone should be present

 

Update on Clay Street project – The permits are ready but are waiting for some storm water engineering issues to be resolved with the City.  Once those issues are resolved they will pull their permits and start working on the road possibly resulting in the road money being spent by May.  The construction of the buildings should start in March and the first building is scheduled o be completed by fall. 

 

ADJOURNMENT  - The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by

Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk

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