FLOCK Gabriel <br />From: John VanLandingham <johnvl@lclac.org> <br />Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2016 1:21 PM <br />To: FLOCK Gabriel <br />Cc: 'Micheal Reeder'; Al Johnson <br />Subject: Cathedral Park Controlled Income and Rent Project (CU 02-04) <br />Gabe: Please share the following comments with the Planning Commission regarding the <br />Cathedral Park proposal. <br />I have been an advocate for affordable housing - in Eugene, Lane County, and Oregon - for <br />more than 35 years. I applied for the Eugene Planning Commission, at the urging of Planning <br />Department staff, so that I could advocate from the inside, and I was fortunate to be appointed <br />and happily served 12 years (1987 to 1999) on the Eugene PC. It was during that period that I <br />also worked on making Eugene's Controlled Income and Rent ordinance work better, leading to <br />successful developments at Willakenzie Townhouses off of Coburg Road and Woodleaf Village <br />in far South Eugene. <br />I then served on the state's planning commission, the Land Conservation and Development <br />Commission, for the next 12 years, the last 7 as chair. I have also served for about 25 years on <br />the Intergovernmental Housing Policy Board (and still do). As a result of these experiences I <br />am acutely aware of the need for more affordable housing in Oregon's cities, and the important <br />role that land use planning plays in helping to address Oregon's current affordable housing <br />crisis. <br />I hope the PC will continue Eugene's long tradition of supporting affordable housing <br />development, with this application. <br />Two things to keep in mind. <br />First, while much of my own advocacy is focused on housing for people with incomes below 50 <br />or 60 percent of adjusted median income, there is also a great need in Oregon cities for housing <br />for what is being called the "missing middle," housing serving people at 80 to 120 percent of <br />AMT. See this piece from Portland: https:Hww-w.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/577850. <br />Eugene's CIR ordinance applies to housing at or below 80 percent of AMT. Cathedral Park <br />would be a great addition to our supply of affordable housing. <br />Second, Eugene and our nonprofit housing providers and advocates like me have worked very <br />diligently for decades to spread affordable housing around the city. It is important to be able to <br />tell the people of North Eugene or Willakenzie that every neighborhood will share this <br />responsibility. It is also very important to put affordable housing in neighborhoods with good <br />schools and parks and other amenities. As you are probably more aware than I, there is not <br />