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Wednesday,May5,2021
Columbia Gorge News
HOUSING
trouble filling affordable
housing developments.
“Housing owners who
Inventory lacking were
renting places had
Continued from page 1 to reduce their rents to get
people to move in, but it’s the
opposite of what we’re seeing
right now,” LaPoint said.
However, LaPoint said it’s
Services Department, before
more complicated than just
that he was the housing and
supply and demand. It’s one
resident services director
for Central Oregon Regional thing to say “add more hous-
ing, but there is some more
Housing Authority from
complex things to overcome
2009-2014.
in order to get to that point
LaPoint said increasing
where you have enough
inventory is a direct route to
development,” he said.
decreasing costs of housing.
He said the cost and avail-
He said rising housing costs
ability of land and a lack of
and lacking inventory are a
market competition among
problem across the state of
contractors also drive up the
Oregon.
“I think people try and get cost of developing which
drives up the cost of buying
over-analytical about it or
or renting.
try to make some political
Madsen said land-use
statement out of it, or they try
to say that if we build more or and cost in the region is
we add more services that re- constrained by regulation,
sults in more people coming topography and infrastruc-
here because we have access ture. He said the regulatory
constraints of the National
to things and I think that is
Scenic Area play a role in
not true,” LaPoint said.
limiting the amount of land
In 2011, when LaPoint
worked in Bend, Ore., around available for development,
but dramatic, difficult-to-
15 percent of housing units
build-on terrain and existing
were vacant and he had
infrastructure are also factors.
“You may find a chunk
of land, but does it have
sewer? Does it have a road
to it? Does it have the critical
adequate water services?”
Madsen said. “If not the cost
of land, it may also be the
cost of infrastructure and im-
provements in order to make
that land able to be utilized
for production of affordable
housing.”
Retired pro-athlete and
“reluctant developer” Tao
Berman owns around 100
rental units in the Gorge and
is building a 19-unit com-
plex on Main Street in White
Salmon.
Berman said rents “aren’t
that high” relative to the
cost of building in the area.
The new building in White
Salmon is his first new
development as he said he
couldn’t “make the math
work” in the past, regarding
the investment potential of
new construction.
“It’s still not a slam dunk,”
Berman said, but he said he
would prefer to move his
money out of stock markets
into his community. He said
NEWS IN BRIEF
Archaeological survey
reveals modern refuse
dates from May through October.
The series will be useful to anyone who
works or volunteers to serve the people of
Klickitat County, including service provid-
ers, elected officials, community leaders
and local volunteers. Participants will learn
about resources available, opportunities to
collaborate, and strategies to equitably serve
the whole community.
The series is offered thanks to sponsor-
ships from the Klickitat County Community-
Clinical Linkages Group, Washington Gorge
Action Programs and the White Salmon
Valley Education Foundation.
For more information and to register,
visit www.wsvef.org/events or contact Todd
Dierker, The Next Door, at toddd@next-
doorinc.org.
HOOD RIVER — Nothing of historical
importance will be disturbed by construc-
tion of the proposed new Hood River/White
Salmon Interstate Bridge, according to an
underwater archaeological survey conduct-
ed last month in the Columbia River. The
survey was required as part of a check list
of preparations to secure financing — up to
$400 million — to remove and replace the
century-old bridge.
The underwater findings were inter-
esting but not unexpected, including old
pilings and former bridge construction
debris, Project Director Kevin Greenwood
reported to the Port of Hood River Board
of Commissioners April 20. The report will
be forwarded to Oregon and Washington
historic preservation agencies, and the tribal
agencies. Information from the findings will
also be used in the geotechnical portion of
the bridge design.
The final report and decision surrounding
the environmental impact of the bridge is
due this fall, moving forward construction by
a few more inches.
The port is still awaiting the results of
recent tests to the current bridge. Test results
would determine whether recent state-im-
posed weight limits could be lifted or would
require further repairs.
Google seeks land division
The Dalles — Google, through Maul,
Foster and Alongi, Inc., has submitted an
application to divide one 96.8 acre parcel
located at 3313 W. Second St., The Dalles,
into three parcels of 90.56 acres, 5.95 acres
and .29 acres. The property is the site of
the former aluminum plant and has been
identified as a potential site for two new
Google data centers in the city. The owner of
the property is Design LLC. The property is
zoned industrial.
Port budget includes same tax rate
Tree pruning planned
May 11-13 in HR
HOOD RIVER — At its first budget com-
mittee meeting set for May 4, the Port of
Hood River Board was expected to review
its proposed fiscal year 2021-22 budget,
which includes a property tax levy of $.0332
(3 cents) per $1,000 of assessed 2021-22
value, unchanged from this year. The May 4
meeting is available on the port’s YouTube
channel. Budget documents are on the port’s
website.
Public testimony is welcome at the June
1 budget hearing. The board will adopt a
budget by June 15.
Among changes to the 2021-22 fiscal year
budget: Wage compensation increases,
increases in slip rates for marina tenants
and airport hangar leases, and bridge toll
increases.
HOOD RIVER — The City of Hood River
has contracted Gorge Tree Surgeon to com-
plete tree pruning in the following areas, be-
ginning Tuesday, May 11 through Thursday,
May 13:
■ Sieverkropp Drive between Fifth and
Eighth streets
■ Fourth Street between Pacific Avenue
and the pedestrian path
■ Pacific Avenue between Fifth and Sixth
streets
■ Sixth Street between Pacific Avenue and
Heights Avenue
■ Sixth Street on the corner of Sixth and
Cameo Drive
■ Seventh Court on the west side of the
street
■ Eighth Street between Heights Avenue
and Sieverkropp Drive
The city asks that residents do not park any
vehicles on the streets where pruning will
take place. Specific streets are listed on the
website at cityofhoodriver.gov.
For more information, contact Rick
Peargin at 541-387-5220.
Next Door launches free workshop
series for Klickitat County
WHITE SALMON — The Next Door, Inc.,
will be offering a free, four-part series of
workshops for those who serve Klickitat
County: “Serving Our Whole Community.”
The workshops will take place on various
www.columbiagorgenews.com
“yield investors” in the area
have been having the same
conversation since he moved
here in 2004.
Madsen, Berman and
LaPoint all said increasing
density allows developers to
get a return on investment
into more expensive land,
whether the return is for busi-
ness reasons like in Berman’s
case or to make meeting sub-
sidy standards sustainable for
Madsen.
More dense developments
also allow cities within the
National Scenic Area to
expand within their urban
growth boundaries and avoid
sprawling across the Gorge,
Madsen said.
“Because of this beautiful
place we live in, we have
these urban centers that need
to look and act much more
urban than what they’ve
historically been,” Madsen
said. “The narrative around
urbanization in this rural
community is one that’s been
challenging and will continue
to be challenging into the
future.”
Hood River Mayor Kate
McBride said she has been
hearing from constituents
about housing as an issue
since she was first appointed
to city council in 2012.
She said the city’s ef-
forts to encourage denser
development — through the
“missing middle” zoning
changes making room for
smaller lots and homes
and the affordable housing
development planned for the
Top, framers work on Tao Berman's new building in White Salmon;
above, Berman and Rafa Ortiz talk outside.
Walker Sacon photos
city’s property on Rand Road
— are part of a “compro-
mising game” as it balances
affordability, natural areas
and resources, diversity and
sprawl.
“We all have to work to-
gether to make a community
that works and functions and
that is healthy, within the de-
mand to live here,” McBride
said.
Madsen said governmental
action like the 1 percent ex-
cise tax on new construction
in Hood River which goes
towards incentivizing afford-
able housing developments
is a step in the right direction,
but he would like to see more
action from local, state and
federal government bodies.
Naramore said legisla-
tion is needed to encourage
affordable developments
“because, if left to their own
devices, people are always
going to want to maximize
their profits.”
White Salmon Mayor
Marla Keethler said hous-
ing action will be a focus of
her city’s council when they
finish revising their compre-
hensive plan next month.
She said the city is “actively”
recruiting a full-time land-
use planner and will try to
implement changes to their
plan quickly after finding
things in the plan’s 2012
revision that still hadn’t seen
movement.
“A plan is nothing if it goes
into a drawer and you don’t
see true changes,” Keethler
said.
This article will be contin-
ued in the May 12 edition of
Columbia Gorge News.
Restaurant GUIDE
EGG RIVER CAFÉ
“Breakfast of champions” – New York Times
Family friendly. Extensive breakfast
& lunch menus. Organic eggs, omelets
HOOD RIVER TAQUERIA
made with love, pancakes, waffles,
MEXICAN
RESTAURANT
skillets, eggs benedict, organic coffee,
Featuring fine authentic Mexican food and
espresso, soups, salads, sandwiches,
cocktails. Spacious outdoor seating.
hamburgers. Full bar available
Closed Tuesdays
Open daily, 6am-2pm
1313 Oak St., Hood River
541-386-1127 | eggrivercafe.com
Only $0.10 a word with a 25 word minimum-
To add your restaurant,
email sales@gorgenews.com
Sun. -Thurs. 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.,
Fri. - Sat. 9:30 am to 10 pm
1210 13th St., on the Heights,
Hood River | 541-387-3300
Advertise your restaurant here!
Celebrate with Us!
To add your restaurant,
email sales@gorgenews.com
We are here for all of your catering needs!
El Mexican
Puerto de Restaurant
Angeles III
AUTHENTIC JALISCO CUISINE
Cinco de Mayo
Specials
May
5-10
The finest mexican
cuisine in the gorge!
Gift Cards Available
www.ixtapadelgorge.com
810 Cherry Heights
The Dalles
2929 Cascade Ave.
Hood River
115 E. Oregon St.
Hermiston
541-298-1265
541-386-1168
541-564-0320
Open for dine in and
take out with all your
dinner favorites
Camarones
El Puerto
$14.95
Carne
Asada
$14.95
Sun-Thurs 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. •Fri & Sat 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
1306 12th St. •Hood River •541-308-0005
Intersection of Hwys 30 & 35 | Open Tues.-Sun. 11am-8pm