Support affordable west side housing in Bend

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Support affordable west side housing in Bend

Deschutes County Commission

We have a housing crisis in Bend and this is a rare and important opportunity to build some affordable (subsidized / below market rate) housing on the west side. We are urging the Deschutes County Commissioners to act quickly because the funds for this may not be available if they delay.

Sponsored by

Central Oregon YIMBY

To: Deschutes County Commission
From: [Your Name]

Dear Deschutes County Commissioners,

Oregon is in a housing crisis, and Bend YIMBY supports the construction of desperately needed housing of all shapes and sizes, both market-rate, and subsidized. We believe it is fair to distribute this housing throughout the city of Bend as much as possible, and this is a unique opportunity on the west side of town.

We are writing to express appreciation for the County’s effort to develop affordable housing on the County-owned parcel on Simpson Avenue and to respectfully request that the Commissioners:

1. Move quickly in this narrow window of time available.

2. Strongly consider the proposal put forward by local nonprofit developers Housing Works and Kôr Community Land Trust.

Any delay to this decision may result in the project being terminated. If your decision is delayed, even by a few weeks, Deschutes County will likely lose access to crucial state and federal housing financing available this year. Because of the Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) funding timeline, even a small delay at this point will almost certainly result in abandoning the goal of affordability and public investment in the process. If developers are ready to build affordable units now, we should support them by moving as quickly as possible.

The proposal put forth by Housing Works and Kôr is a thoughtful, well-designed, and realistic project that will benefit a wide range of Deschutes County residents and businesses by providing a variety of housing types. Housing Works and Kôr are experienced local developers who are deeply committed to building for the future of our community and being responsive to local needs. The mix of multifamily units and homeownership opportunities included in their proposal is the best use of public resources.

Central Oregon is in desperate need of homes for households at every income level. We applaud Deschutes County for prioritizing affordable housing on this specific parcel, and hope to see more development opportunities on County-owned land in the future.

Thank you,
Bend YIMBY
Bend YIMBY is a chapter of YIMBY Action (EIN 81-514-0915), a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization.