affordable housing
Posted inLocal News

State Clears Hurdle for 450-Home Mixed-Income Community in Northeast Redmond

Oregon lawmakers continue to test whether bending urban growth boundary rules can spur affordable housing construction
Avatar photo by Clayton Franke

A state land use policy board agreed to tweak the rules of a 10-year-old affordable housing experiment that should help lift a 450-home development in northeast Redmond off the ground.   Utilities are set and new streets will be paved this spring at a 40-acre site in northwest Redmond, slated to become a new community called Northpoint Vista. But much of the home building […]

Posted inLocal News

New Digs for Housing Works

The region’s housing authority is building a new Redmond office, with plans for a childcare center and more affordable housing onsite
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Housing Works, Central Oregon’s regional housing authority, has operated out of a downtown Redmond building for years, building affordable housing and helping people obtain housing assistance, get homeownership training and more. It recently sold its historic building, making way for the Dry Canyon Arts Association and other businesses, and has a new facility underway. Plans […]

Posted inOpinion

Portland is Finalizing a Deal to Use Tourism Dollars to Battle Homelessness.

It’s a Precedent Central Oregon Should Follow.
The Source Staff

Just about one year ago, this editorial page highlighted the efforts underway in Portland to direct some of the money collected through tourism-related taxes to a fund supporting people on the verge of homelessness. It was a novel idea that caught our attention then—and now that the arrangement, as reported by the Portland Tribune last […]

Posted inNews

The Land Trust Model for Bend

Affordable + zero energy housing options
Abbie and Rick Sams

The increased cost of living has infiltrated every aspect of people’s lives—at the gas pump, the grocery store, heating or cooling houses… the list goes on. It’s gotten very expensive to provide just the basics. It’s no secret that affordable and attainable housing is a major obstacle for many Central Oregonians, too. In July, the […]

Posted inNews

Central Oregon’s Housing Crisis

Innovative solutions on the rise
Abbie and Rick Sams

It’s no secret that housing prices continue to rise. In April we saw record highs set for a single-family home in Bend and Redmond, with the rest of the high desert following closely behind. This is great for current homeowners and isn’t deterring the crowds from seeking out Central Oregon as their permanent destination. Most […]

Posted inNews

A Smaller Footprint

Affordable housing options in Bend?
Abbie and Rick Sams

Currently in Bend, there’s a broad spectrum of housing development underway, varying from upscale projects in the northwest to more economical options on the east side. Just to the west of Northwest Crossing is a new development called Discovery West, which will have a centralized park streaked through it and will be comparable to Northwest […]

Posted inOpinion

City leaders are cultural bellwethers, in addition to being public servants

The Source Staff

Last month, the Bend City Council convened away from City Hall for its biannual goal-setting process. The goals-in-process differ slightly from the goals set two years prior—at least in how they’re categorized. The 2017-2019 goals fell under five headings, including growth, transportation, affordable housing, public safety and modernization. The current goal-setting process—not yet formally adopted—has […]

Posted inNews

A Statewide Rent Control Bill

Does it make sense?
Christin Hunter

A rent control bill, SB 608, is currently being considered by the Oregon Legislature, after being approved by the Senate Housing committee Feb. 4. It’s aimed at making Oregon the first state to legislate statewide rent control. A recent effort in California failed when voters voted the issue down. Should it pass, SB 608 would put […]

Posted inNews

Microsoft Pledges $500 Million For Seattle Affordable Housing

Avatar photo Nick Nayne, Principal Broker

Microsoft recently revealed it’s pledging $500 million for affordable housing in the Seattle, Wash. area. The company will commit $25 million in grants and subsidies to address homelessness, $250 million to low-income housing developers, and $225 million in below-market rates to workforce housing developers. Microsoft will continue making more loans as the money is repaid. […]

Posted inNews

Co-Living Development

Dormitory style housing coming to larger cities
Avatar photo Nick Nayne, Principal Broker

The affordable housing crunch is bringing out innovators trying to come up with solutions. In many larger U.S. cities, our local problems are magnified—so I like to look at what they’re doing. Unfortunately, not much is coming up, but this week an article about co-living developments caught my attention. Many millennials and others in Bend […]

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