Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES <br />Eugene City Council <br />Harris Hall, 125 East 8�h Avenue <br />Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br />November 13, 2019 <br />12:00 p.m. <br />Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yeh, Alan Zelenka, Mike Clark. Chris Pryor, Betty <br />Taylor. Greg Evans, Claire Syrett <br />Mayor Vinis opened the November 13, 2019, Work Session of the Eugene City Council. <br />1. WORK SESSION: Eugene -Springfield 2020 Consolidated Plan <br />Grants Manager Stephanie Jennings provided an overview of the HOME and Community <br />Development Block Grant programs, reviewed progress achieved under the 2015 Consolidated <br />Plan, and discussed the process for development of the 2020 Consolidated Plan. <br />Council Discussion <br />o Councilor Clark- Shared thoughts about how CDBG funds could be used to fight poverty; asked <br />what was meant by claim that housing funds are best suited for rental housing; asked if donated <br />land could be used for a housing development; asked about eligible uses of CDBG funds; <br />discussed down payment assistance programming; expressed interest in expanding down <br />payment assistance program again as well as expanding smaller housing on donated land. <br />o Councilor Taylor - Asked if it is possible to make loans for down payments; discussed challenge <br />of saving for a down payment; inquired about and discussed using these funds for sidewalk <br />improvements; asked if funds could be used for Single Residence Occupancy and if they have to <br />be used for a specific group of people; asked if recommendations brought in February could be <br />changed at that time. <br />o Councilor Syrett - Expressed appreciation for work of staff; inquired about combination of <br />previous funds; asked how much money in the previous fiscal year went towards job creation <br />program; asked if Habitat for Humanity could assist with a few home projects to promote <br />homeownership; asked if the City could replicate a Habitat for Humanity project to avoid <br />certain regulatory requirements; discussed assessments; inquired about affordable housing <br />trust funds and construction excise tax (CET); discussed recommendations from advisory <br />committee to help inform council leveraging dollars. <br />o Councilor Zelenka - Expressed appreciation for staff work; inquired about the drop in funding <br />for CDBG and HOME funds; discussed drop in housing units in Springfield and asked how the <br />consolidation plan proposes making up that loss; inquired about gap strategies in upcoming <br />recommendations and if there would be new dollars to include CET dollars; asked if numbers <br />would change in the upcoming plan update; discussed funding from CET; inquired about and <br />discussed how metrics are gathered related to affordable housing in the consolidation plan, <br />specifically related to affordable housing units; inquired about total affordable housing units <br />being built through these funds. <br />o Councilor Pryor - Discussed program needs for low-income housing as opposed to workforce <br />housing and getting the most units with the funds available; discussed mixing development of <br />units with promotion of home ownership to get the most out of the funds; expressed support <br />for the current plan. <br />o Councilor Evans- Inquired where two land bank sites are located; asked how many homes that <br />have been completed are emergency or transitional in nature; inquired about upcoming home <br />projects and if there are other sources of funds that could be combined with federal monies. <br />MINUTES — Eugene City Council November 13, 2019 Page 1 <br />Work Session <br />