Redmond Affordable Housing Project Raised From The Ashes

In November of last year, Bend beat out Redmond for the state’s pilot program under House Bill 4079 that allows cities to use non-traditional urban growth boundary expansion to increase the supply of affordable housing.

On April 16, Gov. Kate Brown in effect reversed Redmond’s defeat by signing House Bill 2336—crafted to reverse an unforeseen consequence of HB 4079, which only allowed for one pilot program be awarded to cities with population over 25,000 and one for cities under 25,000. The problem was, only Bend and Redmond—population of about 30,000—applied.

“The city doesn’t see affordable housing as a city specific issue, we see it as a regional issue,” John Roberts, City of Redmond deputy city manager told the Source. “This project is intended to serve a regional need and there is a crisis (for affordable housing) and the crisis is going to continue to grow, but the real value in this project is when we undertake it and get it going, is that it could serve as a great example and model to the region and what can be accomplished.”

With the stroke of Brown’s pen, Redmond is now on track to build its proposed 40-acre Skyline Village development—485 units with a 50-50 mix of affordable and market-priced homes. Coupled with Bend’s project, 35 acres between U.S. Highway 20 and Bear Creek Road that’s planned to have 394 units with a mix of affordable and market rate units, Central Oregon is getting some of the affordable housing it desperately needs.

Read more: https://www.bendsource.com/bend/redmond-affordable-housing-project-raised-from-the-ashes/Content?oid=10175256