08/11/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

action necessary at this time would be to authorize staff to work with School District 4J to'determLnestandai:ds under which it would be willing to give its . approval. 'When agreement is reached, he said, then the program would come back to the Council for consideration of adoption. e John Porter, planning'director.,said these two bills were initiated by the city of Portland. They were meant ~o encourage the upgrading of 25~yearor older structures and the rebuilding of multiple~family housing in central city areas. The HCDC felt both were important tools to have available and proposed staff preparation ofguideliriesfor Counci.l consideration if concept of the programs was approved at this time.. Mr. Murray moved second by Mr ~ Williams to approve .in concept pro- visions of H.B.2342 and 2343 and ask preparation of guidelines to be brought back to the Council. >. Councilwoman Beal felt the programs would result in higher rents for occupants of both the older housing and multiple-family housing units. She noted the exemption would apply only to the value of improvements, saying that a tax exemption for a $5000 improvement on a $40,000 structure wouldn't amount to much. But the cost of the improvement itself would have to be charged back to tenants in the form of higher rents. Councilman Williams said the intent of the legislation was to do the opposite, that a requirement of the exemption would be to pass the saving through to the renter. Mr. Porter added that just one pait of the legislation probably wouldn't help much, but it was the idea that a series of programs Ivould. Costs involved in bringing older structures to code requirements usually are quite high and rsult in increased property taxes because the value of the property may be increased up to 50%. He recognized that the programs wouldn't solve all the problems, but it was intended to encourage the rehabilitation of the older type structures. -- Councilman Murray said the HCDC was really trying a "multidimension attack" on the problem of deteriorating housing and it needs as many .~ools as there may be available. He noted the frustration of lacking the ability to increase the amount of low-~ost housing and at the same time gaining nothing by letting exist- ing housing deteriorate. He felt the problem should be tackled in whatever ~ay I"CI:-; possi.ble an:! this J.egislatioT) p::ovidec7 one appr:oacn. Coun.cilman iJ2W3 a~k,.:Jd if D.gree/Ti"tr. t !vas needed only with SchooL District <lJ, or also with Bethel District 52. Councilman Williams had the impression that agree- ment would have to be reached with the school district in whichever area the pro- gram would be pursued. However, he said, the programs were slanted more toward housing rehabilitation in central city areas. Manager suggested that the motion include authorization for talks with both 4J and Bethel districts, and Councilman Murray with consent of Councilman Williams changed the motion to include that authorization. Vote was taken on the motion to approve concept of the programs as Comm presented and authorize staff to commence talks with School District 7/30/75 4J and Bethel District 52 to gain their approval. Motion carried Approve unanimously. E. Official Greeters for City, a proposal submitted by a group formed within the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and now functioning as "greeters" for commercial interests in town and the University. . Don Turner, president of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, introduced Jim Hartman, spokesman for the greeters group (White Coats Brigade), with the comment that it was a nonpartisan effort to promote the best interests of the city and Lane County area. 8/11/75 - 18 ~~$