Council OKs affordable housing projects

Affordable housing was the hot topic during the Bend City Council meeting on Wednesday.

They first debated whether to raise the affordable housing fee charged to new developments back to its original pre-recession level — 1 percent of the value of building permits — an issue the council is likely to decide early next month.

Later, the council voted unanimously to approve five housing projects. The projects range from housing units built by Habitat for Humanity to a 53-unit affordable townhome project near St. Charles Bend.

The developers will be exempt from paying development fees, totaling about $750,000 of the $1 million earlier allotted by the council to spur more affordable housing development.

Bend Affordable Housing Manager Jim Long said the city is on the right track to address this long-time issue.

“Two of the projects are still in the process in getting their funding, but three of the projects are already in place, so they should be breaking ground fairly soon,” Long said. “Long. We’re talking about 150 units that will hopefully be on the ground by this time next year.”

City Councilor Casey Roats said many people coming to live in the city can’t because there are so few available homes they can afford.

“When people try to work for St. Charles or they work for Deschutes Brewery or they try to work for the city of Bend, we are not finding housing for these people, period,” he said. We’re losing good people who would want to move to Bend.”

The council also backed a clarification of the city’s ban on discharging weapons in the city, making it clear airsoft and paintball guns can be used on private property, under safety precautions.

A late requested change will allow continued use of paint balls for animal control, such as hazing (not by shooting, but splashing the water near) geese that gather at Drake Park.