Item 3A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Roll call vote: The motion to approve the Consent Calendar without Item B passed unanimously, 8:0 Responding to a question from Councilor Poling about the timing of a work session on the City’s gas tax, City Manager Jon Ruiz indicated he would provide a date soon. Roll call vote: The motion to approve Item B passed unanimously, 8:0 3. PUBLIC HEARING: An Ordinance Concerning Low-Income Property Tax Exemptions and Amending Sections 2.916, 2.920, 2.938, 2.939, and 2.940 of the Eugene Code City Manager Ruiz introduced the item, saying that the proposed ordinance would extend both of Eugene’s low-income housing property tax exemption programs by ten years. He recalled that the council adopted both programs in 1990 to facilitate development of affordable housing for low-income residents. The proposed ordinance included a provision that allowed recipients to reapply for the 20-year low-income rental housing property exemption after the initial 20-year period had expired; as in the past, a separate council action would be required for the actual exemption. Becky Wheeler, Community Development Division, was also present for the item. Mayor Piercy opened the public hearing. th Richard Herman , 275 West 8 Avenue, Executive Director of Metropolitan Affordable Housing (Metro), thanked the City Council for its support for affordable housing and emphasized the importance of low-income housing, particularly to residents with special needs. He reported that Metro would soon break ground on Willakenzie Crossing, an affordable housing development with 40 units of low-income family housing and 16 units dedicated to those with developmental disabilities that was constructed on a property landbanked by the City. Mr. Herman supported the proposed ordinance and said that such property tax exemptions were critical in the construction of such developments and in keeping rents affordable. Mayor Piercy closed the public hearing. Councilor Pryor, a member of the Housing Policy Board, emphasized the importance of local community support for affordable housing projects to help secure funding. Councilor Ortiz commended the programs involved and the foresight of earlier councils that adopted policies that ensured such housing was dispersed around the community rather than concentrated in a single area. Councilor Poling asked Ms. Wheeler to provide the council with written information about the number of properties coming to the end of their exemption periods, the number of properties exempted, and the total amount of property taxes exempted. MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 11, 2011 Page 3 Regular Meeting