March 7, 2018 <br />Virginia Gustafson-Lucker, Eugene Hearing Official <br />c/o Nick Gioello, Associate Planner <br />Planning Division Eugene Area <br />Chamberof <br />City of Eugene Commerce <br />99 West 10th Avenue <br />Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br />RE: Capital Hill PUD (PDT 17-1) <br />Dear Ms. Gustafson-Lucker: <br />The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce believes that a healthy business environment is essential to the <br />livability of Eugene residents and businesses. The City of Eugene is home to several large employers, including <br />PeaceHealth and the University of Oregon, and has a vibrant small business community. With a fast-growing <br />technology sector and the addition of the University of Oregon Knight Science Campus, these employers are <br />recruiting individuals and their families to move to our community, as well as providing greaterjob <br />opportunities for community members who already live here. <br />However, our housing market makes it difficult for these businesses to retain talented employees. We have one <br />of the most constrained markets in the country - only Seattle is worse. Those interested in working here often <br />struggle to find housing priced at levels that they can afford. As a result, they are forced to choose between <br />housing that may be too expensive, living far from where they work, or simply accepting a job elsewhere <br />because they are unable to find a place to live. <br />We need more housing. Not somewhere else or tomorrow. We need it today, here and now. We need single <br />family housing provided through projects like the Capital Hill PUD. We also need missing middle housing, <br />secondary dwelling units, riverfront and downtown development, and.apartments. We do not have enough <br />housing, let alone enough types of housing, to sustain our diverse workforce. Providing a greater supply of <br />housing will relieve our tight housing market and lower overall prices, as well as provide more opportunities for <br />employees at different stages of their careers. This includes employees starting families and in need of a single- <br />family home or emerging professionals who are looking to live in a secondary dwelling unit or apartment. <br />The proposed Capital Hill PUD provides more opportunities for single family housing and will positively <br />contribute to our community. It will also provide over thirty new places for people to live, which will help relieve <br />our tight housing market. We urge you to approve this application and support housing in our community. <br />Thank you for your consideration. <br />Sincerely, <br />Brittany Quick-Warner <br />President and CEO, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce <br />1401 Willamette Street P.O. Box 1107 Eugene, OR 97440-1107 Tel: 541.484.1314 Fax: 541.484.4942 eugenechamber.com <br />