07/11/1977 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e applied for the proposed housing although its existence had only been announced by word of mouth. He said the abatement program would bring the project closer to HUD mortgage limits which was essential to the program's existence. Craig Tomlinson, 984 Elizabeth Street, owned property at 11th and Lincoln. He said the property was zoned for 48 one bedroom units which he planned to build for the elderly and handicapped. He had built 250 units in the area in the past five years, and was familiar with special amenities needed by the handicapped and elderly. He said the 11th and Lincoln property was especially well-suited to these two groups because it was adjacent to a grocery store and on a bus line. He said the only problem was that a conventional apartment house would not pencil out in that location without the abatement program for which reason he favored the program. Betty Niven said the program would achieve something long sought in Eugene but never before pOSSible. Bob Suess, 260 E. 38th, said he paid City taxes and also collected them from many of the elderly on a quarterly basis to turn over to the tax assessor. He pointed that according to the Eugene Code, the first floor of any building had to be accessible to wheelchairs. He said this law was being complied with. He had recently built 80 units, and had installed elevators and extra wide doors on all - units. He said because of rent in Eugene today, all builders had to seek subsidies in order to make a project pencil out. He said federal, state. and private enterprise subsidies were available. Most builders had to operate at a loss, at least initially. A moratorium on taxes and other programs for low to moderate priced housing had been attempted in the past but had never succeeded. The tax abatement program being considered was selective in its choice of a certain geographical area, although everyone in Eugene would be asked to finance the program through taxes. He suggested that ten percent of all building costs were due to governmental red tape and suggested the best thing government could do in cutting housing costs was to disentangle itself from the housing process except for common sense codes. He said housing problems would level out quicker without government help than with it. Mary Ducane. 956 W. 4th Street, said she was concerned about guide- lines being followed in the elimination or relocation of any housing on property involved in the program. She said she was concerned that housing not be destroyed in this area. Public hearing was closed, there being no further testimony presented. Assistant Manager responded to'Ms. Ducane's comments saying the preservation of habitable housing, primarily through relocation, e was part of the process of the program. He said the Joint Housing 7/11/77--7 5'+'i