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<br />Housing Tools and Strategies Action Inventory 22 Recommended Actions <br />D. Additional Options <br />Action Explanation Level of Support Impact <br />Does this action increase housing <br />affordability, availability, and/or diversity <br />Other- <br />8 <br />Develop a homeless <br />shelter <br />The City and County are currently examining <br />the development of a homeless shelter. <br />HTS working group <br />supported this option <br />(86%). No one in the <br />WG opposed it. <br />No - While an important part of the housing issue <br />in Eugene, any shelter beds would not be <br />considered “housing” by HUD and would not help <br />to meet housing unit needs outlined in Envision <br />Eugene Urban Growth Boundary analysis. <br />Other- <br />9 <br />Create promotional <br />materials for assistance <br />programs/make <br />information on process <br />more readily available. <br />Invest in communication and education of the <br />programs the City and partners currently offer. <br />Make sure that using the services the City offers <br />is as accessible and easy as possible for our <br />community members and builders alike. <br />HTS working group <br />supported this option <br />(70%). No one in the <br />WG opposed it. <br />No – Improving communication could help <br />reduce misunderstandings between the <br />regulatory agency (the City) and builders. It may <br />not reduce costs, but could help each party <br />understand the reasons for different regulations. <br />Other- <br />10 <br />Encourage employer- <br />assisted housing <br />programs. <br />Public and private employers have the ability to <br />provide down payment assistance, develop new <br />housing, or provide land for new housing. The <br />City could promote and educate local <br />employers, create match funding programs, or <br />offer tax credits to employers. <br />HTS working group <br />weakly supported this <br />option (59%) in the <br />preliminary voting. <br />Unknown – Understanding the impact requires <br />further research. <br />Other- <br />11 <br />Protect renters and <br />availability of rental <br />properties-Support and <br />expand landlord/ tenant <br />arbitration/mediation. <br />Provides support to tenants in the event that a <br />dispute with the landlord arises. The 2019 <br />Oregon Legislature passed a tenant protections <br />bill. <br />HTS working group <br />weakly supported this <br />option (52%) in the <br />preliminary voting. <br />No – This action protects renters, but does not <br />increase the supply of housing. <br />Other- <br />12 <br />Regulate short-term <br />rentals, such as Airbnb’s. <br />While short-term rentals help property owners <br />earn income, they also take units off the market <br />that might otherwise be rented to residents. <br />More strictly regulating short-term rentals <br />could make more units available for long term <br />rental. <br />HTS working group <br />weakly supported this <br />option (44%) in the <br />preliminary voting. <br />Unknown – Understanding the impact requires <br />further research. <br />Other- <br />13 <br />Advocate for an increase <br />to the minimum wage <br />with closing the housing <br />affordability gap as a <br />key rationale. <br />Regardless of housing costs, if wages stay low, <br />people will continue to be priced out of housing. <br />In addition to focusing on the supply of housing, <br />the City could advocate that the state and/or <br />federal government increase the minimum <br />wage. <br />HTS working group <br />weakly supported this <br />option (42%) in the <br />preliminary voting. <br />Maybe – Higher incomes increase what is <br />affordable to households, but if the number of <br />units does not keep pace with demand, the lowest <br />income households will continue to be priced out <br />of housing. <br /> <br />March 13, 2019, Work Session - Item 2