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EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Action: Approval of HOME Investment Partnerships Program Funding for West 8th Avenue Housing Project Meeting Date: March 7, 2005 Agenda Item Number: 7 Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: LindaDawson www. ci. eugene, or. us Contact Telephone Number: 682-5071 ISSUE STATEMENT The City Council is being asked to approve grant funding for the "WestTown on 8th" housing development at the 265 West 8th Avenue landbank site in downtown Eugene, including selling a portion of the landbank site to Community Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA)/WOW Hall. BACKGROUND The City Council approved the HUD Consolidated Plan 2000 which sets priorities for use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds over a five-year period. Each spring, the council approves a One-Year Action Plan for annual use of Federal CDBG and HOME funds. The plan allocates Federal funding generically to several housing development activities: affordable rental units, homeownership, and site acquisition for future low-income housing developments. Other local resources, including Eugene and EWEB systems development charge (SDC) waivers, Lane County Road Funds, and low-income housing property tax exemptions, are also available to decrease the cost of the housing. Projects are solicited through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process conducted by the intergovernmental Housing Policy Board (HPB) and forwarded to the City Council for action. Federal HOME funds, along with other local housing resources, were offered through the RFP process for development of the West 8th Avenue landbank site. The site was purchased last spring using Federal CDBG funds. West 8th Avenue Housing Landbank Site The West 8th Avenue landbank site is located adjacent to WOW Hall between Lincoln and Charnelton Streets. This landbank site was purchased in 2003 with Federal CDBG funds following a public hearing and recommendation from the HPB and action by the City Council in February 2003. The site, zoned C-2, includes four adjacent tax lots. One of the tax lots includes a vacant building that once housed a Goodwill store. The building has been vacant for over 15 years. When the council took action to purchase the site, it was informed that the empty building was not likely to be in a condition that was practical to be reused, though there was community sentiment to explore that option. The smallest of the four tax lots is directly behind the WOW Hall. The two remaining lots are currently used for surface parking. L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050307\S0503077.doc