Item B: 2009 Legislative Policies Document

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City of Eugene Legislative Policies for 2009 Oregon Legislative Session Among our area's most pressing need remains the creation of emergency shelters or new, low-cost housing. Our emergency shelters are overcrowded and despite a variety of shelter and homeless assistance programs and our local ordinance that allows churches, businesses, government entities and residents to invite homeless people to camp on their property, people are still turned away nightly. The need for low-income housing is at crises levels. The U.S. Census American Community Survey for 2006 provides significant evidence. They place the rental vacancy rate at 1.7%. This is very low, despite recent additions to the supply. Out of 30,758 renter households, over half (16,677) pay over 30% of their income for rent and utilities. Of these, nearly all (14,531) pay over 35% of their income for rent and utilities. According to local industry experts, the average monthly cost of a typical 20 year old two-bedroom rental in Eugene was $626 per month in 2005, not including utilities. Recent data isn’t available but it can be assumed that rents are now at least 10% higher. A household relying on minimum wage ($8.40 as of January 1, 2009) can only afford $436.00, including utilities. The Lane County Housing Authority closed its Section 8 waiting list in 2006 when it reached over 7,000 names and a longer than three-year wait. Although it is anticipated to reopen in the near future, it is anticipated that it will be only for a limited time. One of Oregon's more successful programs to increase the supply of affordable housing is the , Housing Trust Fund (HTF) created by statute in 1991. The trust fund supports programs ranging from the development of affordable housing to home ownership assistance and an Emergency Housing Account. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), supported by affordable housing advocates, needs additional funding for affordable housing development through the trust fund, and for emergency housing and rental assistance.This would allow the department to both increase the level of its current services, as well as make additional investments in social service programs to support those who cannot afford unsubsidized housing. D. LAND USE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT D1. Ballot Measure 37 and 49 ?Eugene supports the “Big Look” review. ?Eugene supports the elimination of piecemeal land use rule changes until after the completion of this assessment. ?Eugene supports exempting all Goal 5 protections from Measure 37/49 claims. ?Eugene supports the constitutional requirement that property owners who have been deprived of all reasonable economic use of their property by government action be compensated. ?Eugene opposes a requirement that compensation be paid if a land use decision deprives a property owner of only some, but not all or nearly all, reasonable economic use of the property. 15