More affordable housing coming to C. Oregon
Housing Works held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday in Redmond for a new affordable housing complex.
The Red Canyon Redmond development at 2445 SW Canal Boulevard will have 67 units in three buildings. The project includes one-, two- and three bedroom units for residents with household incomes restricted to those earning 30% to 60% or less of the area’s median income.
A waiting list will be created a year from now for those interested to apply for housing in the unit.
David Brandt, executive director of Housing Works, said the apartments are for people earning well below the median income, thus affordable even for those with low-paying jobs.
” If you’re working downtown in retail, you know that is the income to be able to afford one of these places, ” Brandt said. ” So the rent is relatively cheap for Redmond. Market rate in Redmond is about $1,200 to $1,400 (a month) for maybe a two- to three-bedroom. It’ll be about half of that here. ”
Meanwhile, in Bend, Brandt said 47 units will be completed near St. Charles and 24 units near the police headquarters by next spring.
About one- third of the population in Central Oregon is classified as ” rent-impoverished, ” meaning they make enough money to pay their rent but not other bills.
State Rep. Jack Zika, R-Redmond, told NewsChannel 21 that on average, 40% of your income should be used for rent, so that you can afford health care, transportation, food and utilities.
” We are trying to push forward with these programs, making it a little easier for cities to grow, ” Zika said. ” Our growth is kind of inhibited by our land use laws. We are looking at a state level to try to ease up and make the boundary expansion easier. If you bring in more land, you can add more houses, and it becomes cheaper. ”
He said Bend and Redmond are two of the fastest-growing cities in Oregon, so they are constantly working on ways to make better use of land.
Oregon Housing and Community Services provided $24 million for the development of the new housing in Redmond.
The agency has funded 700 housing units in Central Oregon in the last five years.
Margaret Salazar, executive director of OHCS , said the lack of housing has been a statewide issue for many years.
” We work statewide. Across the state, we know that Oregon has under-produced by about 150,000 units over the last 15 years, ” Salazar said. ” So we have a severe shortage of housing at all income levels, but particularly challenging is the affordability crisis. ”
Salazar said there are currently 19 other developments underway in Central Oregon.
