CC Minutes - 11/27/07 URA Workshop

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Community Development Division Manager, Mike Sullivan, explained that there was financing available for “for-profit” developers who were developing affordable housing. He stated that the Kemper group in some of its iterations had used tax credit financing and possibly state bond financing. He said the four percent tax credit could finance housing for people with 60 percent of the median family income in many communities. He noted that this was being used for the West Town project. Regarding HUD financing, he clarified that the block grant program was not available for the construction of housing under most circumstances. Ms. Bettman asked if that funding could be used to acquire property. Mr. Sullivan replied that this funding could only be used for acquisition of property if it was for the correction of slums and blights. Ms. Jones noted the time and asked Ms. Muir to summarize. Ms. Muir surmised that there was support for having the flexibility to work with the developers on their concepts, possibly including the purchase of some additional properties: the Scan Design building, the Roberts building, the Diva/ShawMed building, and the Diamond property. She said she had clearly heard that there should not be any further delay. She acknowledged the desire to continue the discussion of inclusion of open space in the larger project. Ms. Taylor reiterated her opposition to the inclusion of the Scan Design building and the Roberts building. Ms. Bettman said there was definitely not consensus to support acquisition of the properties north of Broadway. She added that purchasing additional properties was not part of her tabled motion. She averred that the Aster pit had not been defined in terms of the intensity and density of the intended use; therefore there was some flexibility in that location. She stated that the only other flexibility that she had mentioned was in regard to the potential purchase of the Diamond lot and how the “housing project” could be reconfigured to maximize community objectives. Mr. Poling asked staff to return with an amendment to include the acquisition of the Scan Design and Roberts buildings given that Ms. Bettman’s motion did not have consensus support. Mr. Clark noted that the City had been contacted by the people who owned Bradford’s about the cost to them of being vacated from that building. He asked staff to address how the City would ensure that the Bradford’s Home Entertainment business was kept whole through the process. Mayor Piercy reiterated her gratitude to Mr. Kemper, Mr. Malsin, and Mr. Eggspuehler for coming to the meeting and participating in the discussion. The meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Angel Jones City Manager Pro Tem (Recorded by Ruth Atcherson) MINUTES—Eugene Urban Renewal Agency November 27, 2007 Page 6 Workshop