Ashland city officials believe Southern Oregon University’s $40 million expansion project will provide as many as 200 jobs for Rogue Valley contractors. (Rendering courtesy of SERA Architects)

The largest construction project in Ashland’s history, $40 million worth of student housing for Southern Oregon University, is expected to provide the city a major economic boost. Ground was broken last week, and city officials say the project will provide as many as 200 jobs for local contractors and draw more students to SOU.

“We get people in Ashland because of the quality of what’s being offered at SOU and because of the experience of living in this community,” Mayor John Stromberg said. “This will bring many benefits to the community.

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BEND, Ore. -- Building Partners for Affordable Housing, a 501(c)(3), is announcing a new affordable housing subdivision project called Southern Pines. BPFAH are asking interested builders to apply to build in the subdivision by participating in the Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) process that opened this week. Any interested builders must apply by the March 9 deadline. Minority contractors and potential homeowners are encouraged to apply.

Building Partners for Affordable Housing Executive Director, Tim Knopp stated, “The homes will not only be affordable to purchase but will be affordable to live in as well. The program is made possible through a partnership with local small businesses, the State of Oregon and the Affordable Housing Fund through the City of Bend. There are currently a total of 10 lots in the subdivision and our goal is to provide quality built affordable homes while creating jobs in Deschutes County.”

“Income guidelines would allow a family of four making under $65,000 a year to qualify for a new home in Southern Pines. The homes also come with up to $20,000 in down payment assistance as well. A family could get into home ownership with a monthly payment well under $1,000 depending on the size of the home,” said Knopp.

Each home will be Earth Advantage certified plus they can be custom designed for potential homeowners with accessibility issues.

In the last two years, BPFAH has developed seven homes that have been sold to deserving families. BPFAH have three more homes in the planning stage or under construction in the Shady Pines subdivision just to the South of the new subdivision. Homes are available right now and those who are interested should contact BPFAH because there’s a 60 day supply on the market today of affordable homes in this price range.“

People are working today in Deschutes County’s private sector workforce because of this program and we’re filling a need for affordable housing which is a win-win. In fact hundreds of people have worked on the current project,” said Knopp.

Those interested in building in the new subdivision or buying a home may email Tim Knopp for details via email. The project has been posted on COBA CX and the SOQ is available online for members and subscribers. Interested parties may also stop by COBA CX and access the project details and plans in COBA’s state of the art plan and bid room located at their new office, 1051 N.E. 4th Street in Bend.

PORTLAND – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced on February 21, 2012 that they awarded $1,863,277 in Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) funds to the housing authority of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla in Oregon to support its efforts to meet the affordable housing needs of the Tribe.

Earlier this month, HUD awarded $14 million in Indian Housing Block Grant funds to 8 other tribes in Oregon. IHBG funds are distributed annually under a formula to eligible tribes or their tribally-designated housing entities for a range of affordable housing activities. IHBG funds are intended to primarily benefit low-income families living on Indian reservations or in other communities. The amount of each grant is based on a formula that considers local needs and housing units under management by the tribe or designated entity.

“These funds are making a real difference in tribal communities each and every day,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “Projects include affordable housing, infrastructure upgrades, community centers and safety programs that every community needs to thrive. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to ensure Native American communities can build their economies in response to their needs and as they see fit.”

“Affordable housing is a critical need in Indian Country,” said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Mary McBride. “These HUD funds will assist tribes in meeting their housing needs through sustainable and innovative practices that reflect their culture, heritage, and environmental stewardship.”

Eligible activities for the funds include housing development, assistance to housing developed under the Indian Housing Program, housing services to eligible families and individuals, crime prevention and safety, and model activities that provide creative approaches to solving affordable housing problems. The block grant approach to housing was enabled by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA).

Karen Kendall, Economic Development Specialist for Greater Eastern Oregon
Development Corporation (GEODC), is now on board to assist the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO) and the Oregon Business Development Department (OBDD) in providing Fair Housing information and education in Eastern Oregon.

Karen is available to offer trainings on the basics of Fair Housing with an introduction and overview of federal, state and local fair housing laws.

“We are very excited about this new partnership with GEODC, which will greatly expand our capacity to raise awareness of fair housing rights and responsibilities in Oregon,” says FHCO’s Education Director, Diane Hess.

In Karen’s current role as the Economic Development Specialist for GEODC,
she has been providing economic development services to communities in
seven counties in eastern Oregon for over eight years. Some of this work has included helping counties and communities understand and comply with federal and state regulations in order to comply with grant funders, such as HUD.

“Adding Fair Housing activities to my current duties will dovetail nicely into my current activities throughout the GEODC region, “ said Kendall.

The region includes Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla and Wheeler counties.

If you live or work in Eastern Oregon and would like to discuss fair housing issues or training needs for your organization or community, contact Karen via email, reach her at 541/276-6745, or stop in and visit at 2016 Airport Road in Pendleton.

A request is in from Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County to keep them in mind if you have any used or surplus building materials, furniture or appliances. Members of the staff will be happy to pick them up and take them off your hands.

They have a lot in the hopper for this year. Currently, volunteers are in the planning stage for the construction of two townhomes in Waldport during the 2012 building cycle, with two more homes planned for construction in 2013.

Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to building simple, decent and affordable housing for low-income families. Habitat homeowners themselves put in 500 hours of “sweat equity” by the time their homes are finished.

Please help them out by donating if you can. Contact them at 541-574-4437.

“HUD SPEAKS ON RURAL HOUSING,” from [hac_news] HAC News – March 7, 2012

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan included rural housing in written testimony on his 2013 budget for a March 1 hearing of the Senate Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee. He wrote that HUD provides rural funding in CDBG, HOME, Indian housing programs, and the Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program for the homeless. He did not point out that HUD’s 2013 budget proposal zeroes out the Rural Innovation Fund and SHOP. The testimony (see p. 16) and a recording of the hearing are available at http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/ht-transportation.cfm.

in related news . .  The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture heard testimony March 1 from USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager and the RD program administrators, including Tammye Treviño of RHS. Her written testimony focused on the importance of the Section 502 guarantee program and multifamily preservation. Responding to a question, she said a regulation allowing nonprofits to help package Section 502 loans is expected by the end of the year. Written testimony is posted at the committee’s website.

From Tim Knopp for Senate Campaign:

Former Oregon House Majority Leader and three-term State Representative, Tim Knopp, announced he is filing to run for State Senator, District 27. Knopp, a lifelong Reagan conservative, has been credited for landmark legislation protecting taxpayers, supporting small businesses and reforming PERS, the Public Employee Retirement System.

Knopp said he felt compelled to run, referring to Ronald Reagan’s quote “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”

Knopp said that he sees the 2012 election as a time for choosing between two paths, one of freedom and limited government or of insurmountable government debt and control over every aspect of our lives. “We need a candidate that can not only articulate the message of freedom and limited government, but provide the leadership to help create jobs, and pass effective legislation that will help create jobs for all Oregonians seeking them. I’m committed to doing all that can be done, and I have a record of success from my legislative service on behalf of Central Oregonians,” said Knopp.

“When I left the legislature in 2005, unemployment was near 6 percent, we had protected the kicker by putting it in the Constitution where in 2007 it returned 1 billion dollars belonging to taxpayer’s. I was confident I had left the State of Oregon better than I had found it.”

Today unemployment has been running near 12 percent or more for the last 4 years and the legislature has stalled on critical jobs legislation, new PERS reforms and efforts to protect seniors and veterans. Knopp said he believes Oregon needs the kind of leadership he’s provided in the past and is committed to for the future.

Knopp is a native Oregonian who has lived in Central Oregon for nearly 35 years. He and his wife, Melissa, have been married for over 25 years and have 4 children; Reagan, Emilie, Daniel and Grace. Knopp is a past Chairman of the Deschutes County Republican Central Committee in 1995 and 2010. Knopp’s background includes nearly 20 years as a small business owner. His community service includes being a little league coach, former board member of the Bend Chamber of Commerce and current board member of affordable housing non-profit, First Story. He is the Executive Vice President of the Central Oregon Builders Association and is the Executive Director of Building Partners for Affordable Housing

from 1110 KBND, Tuesday, March 06th 2012 07:23pm

The Oregon Housing Agency has approved tax credits and a rare off-cycle grant to help a La Pine affordable housing project.  The project provides housing for low income and homeless people ages 55 and older. An article in the Bulletin says the project will cost as much as $5-million and will add another 26 units to the existing little Deschutes Lodge. Pacific Crest Affordable Housing completed the original project in early 2010.  The company’s Rob Roy says the expansion was made necessary by need in South County.

An organization that provided affordable housing in the Rogue Valley for 20 years has closed down, shuttered by troubles with an Ashland project and a real estate crash that left a glut of cheap homes on the market.

Medford-based GroundWorks Community Development, formerly known as the Rogue Valley Community Development Corp., dissolved at the end of 2011 after finishing the Rice Park affordable housing project near the Ashland Dog Park, said John Wheeler, the group’s former executive director.

“Once we finished Rice Park and the families moved in, we took a look at the books and we didn’t have what it took to carry on,” he said. “The board decided to dissolve it.”

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from HAC News, http://tinyurl.com/hacnews, January 25, 2012

HAC RESEARCH NOTE SHOWS POPULATION GROWING FASTEST IN SUBURBS AND EXURBS.

Analyzing 2010 Census data, HAC found rural population growth was fastest in the West and South, while the Midwest and parts of Central Appalachia, the South, and the Northeast lost residents. “Rural Research Note: Rural Population Change” is free at http://www.ruralhome.org or from Dan Stern, HAC, dan@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.