From: Nathaniel Teich \[mailto:nateich2@yahoo.com\] <br />Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2017 4:06 PM <br />To: Eugene Envision Eugene <EnvisionEugene@ci.eugene.or.us> <br />Subject: Emphasize Affordable Housing: Clarify definition and use of "needed housing" <br /> <br />The need for increasing housing units that are affordable to those at low, average, and <br />middle income levels is not questioned. However, it has been documented that there is <br />a large affordability gap between the average costs for such units and people's ability to <br />pay. \[City Club of Eugene, June 9, 2017, "missing middle housing"\] <br /> <br />Current definition and use of the term "needed housing" does not provide adequate <br />guidance and focus on affordability goals. If any and all types and prices of housing can <br />be considered "needed," then the concept of "need" is not a meaningful definition, but a <br />generalization without distinctions. \[See, 215 ORS 197.307\] <br /> <br />Policy and development decisions rightly should be based on "clear and objective <br />approval criteria"; however, the concept of "need" itself is not defined clearly. <br />Commercial developers, subdivisions, and PUDs, for example, should not be able to <br />invoke "needed housing" to justify building units that will cost multiples of two, three, or <br />more times the average price of Eugene housing. In addition, there seems to be no <br />more "need" for high rent high-rise student apartments around the University of Oregon, <br />as student enrollment is declining and apartment vacancy rates are evident. <br /> <br />Thank you for your attention to this important issue for the livability of the city. <br /> <br />I have been a resident for 48 years, in two different locations in the University area. I am <br />not involved in real estate, property development, or construction. But I am a <br />professional in the areas of education and communications. Thus, I believe I can <br />recognize the need for a workable definition of what's "needed" to provide strong <br />emphasis on the policy and implementation of affordable housing. <br /> <br />Nathaniel Teich <br />2350 Spring Blvd. <br />Eugene, OR 97403 <br /> <br />