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About Columbia Gorge news. (The Dalles, OR) 2020-current | View Entire Issue (May 12, 2021)
8 Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Columbia Gorge News Lone Pine Motel damaged in fire Trisha Walker ■ By Columbia Gorge News HOOD RIVER — Fire Chief Leonard Damian, Hood River Fire & EMS, reported firefighters were dispatched to an active fire at Lone Pine Motel, located at 2429 Cascade Ave., at 8:57 a.m. on Wednesday, May 5. The damage was contained to one unit. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Hood River Police Lt. Don Cheli said it seems to be accidental. A lone subject in Unit 3 appears to have been burning incense, which ig- nited a pillow and sheets. No one was hurt, but the room was damaged, he said. Capt. Dave Smith arrived on the scene first, and he and Cheli knocked on doors to ensure no one else was inside the motel rooms. West Side Fire, Wy’East Fire and Hood River City Police also responded; Cascade Locks Fire provided coverage for Hood River Fire & EMS during the blaze. Hood River’s Lone Pine Motel was the scene of fire May 5. The cause is under investigation, but appears to be accidental. Jody Thompson codes. “From the perspective of an elected official on the mu- White Salmon to nicipal side of things I think a greater awareness reevaluate codes there’s and realization that regu- Continued from page 1 lations can complicate and prohibit housing develop- Rather than looking to ment and that does reduce incentivize development, supply,” Keethler said. “You he said, cities should ease see reports and analysis that regulations and streamline supports it that if demand permitting processes to “grab is rising, housing prices the low hanging fruit” in de- increase the most in cities velopment. He said allowing where supply is the most developers to build smaller constrained by regulations. units and homeowners to “We need to acknowledge build accessory dwelling and take ownership of how units are examples of easy our codes, over time, have ways to help. perhaps helped exacerbate He said the apartments this strained market. I think he’s building on Main Street we can present ourselves and in White Salmon had to be engage with developers and at least 600 square feet and people on the private side provide a spot-and-a-half of of this issue to try to express parking per unit. our desires or the vision that “Why not let the market we hear from our residents decide?” Berman said. “If that they want to see in White people won’t rent a 400 Salmon and try to find ways square foot apartment at a for partnership,” she said. given price, the landlord has Madsen works specifi- to knock down walls and cally in affordable housing, adjust to the market.” which is attainable for people Berman said a friend in making 60-80% of the area’s Portland recently finished a median income or less and is 100-unit development with guaranteed to remain afford- six off-street parking spots. able for a specified period of His new building will have time. more than 40 spots. “When we acquire capital Joel Madsen, director of for these developments, Mid-Columbia Housing we’re making a 40-50 year Authority, said his organi- commitment,” Madsen said. zation has tried to locate Madsen would like to see their affordable housing cities work towards afford- developments on Columbia able developments. He said Area Transit’s routes. He said his clients face a feedback parking “drives” the design loop of negative effects when and execution of housing they are “rent-burdened.” development in the region. “Affordable housing “It’s unfortunate, in my means not having to choose mind, that we design com- between prioritizing housing munities for cars,” Madsen and other basic needs,” said. “Across the country, we Madsen said. have an affordable housing Madsen said studies have problem. We don’t have a found that children have bet- parking problem.” ter academic outcomes when White Salmon Mayor they have secure housing Marla Keethler said reeval- and access to healthy food, uating housing codes and one of the basic needs he ordinances is a top priority referenced. of the city in the near future. The majority of the people She said the city will revis- living at Madsen’s Hood it codes and plans to sift River Crossing apartments through the city’s goals and – developed in partnership the “good or bad” of current with a private developer – are working households, he said. Many work at “anchor insti- tutions” like Duckwall Fruit and Tofurky. “These are people that are part of the fabric of our com- munities,” Madsen said. Keethler said “long-time, long-term residents” have made communities in the re- gion “vibrant and unique in personality.” She said the city much of the city’s desire to address housing affordability “is to try to prevent what we see as a kind of economic segregation.” She said those who have been here for generations and many who have moved and started small businesses are feeling “priced out” as their income doesn’t support fair market rent. “If you start pricing out a lot of your working class and the people who live and truly work in the Gorge to farther outlying communities in the eastern stretches of our county, you’re not solving the problem, you’re continuing to move it further and further and at some point there’s a breaking point,” she said. Berman said development at all price levels would help the market overall. “A rising tide lifts all ships,” he said, but “the ship has sailed” on affordable housing within White Salmon city limits. He said discussions about locals being priced out often ignore that many locals have done well as property values and local contractors’ rates have risen. Berman, who lived with his family in a 200-square-foot, dirt-floored barn for part of his childhood, said he has empathy for those with less wealth. He said some resi- dents of the region talk about affordable action but don’t act – politically, physically or financially – to support it, and in some cases even op- pose it when development is proposed near their homes. “How many people talking about affordable housing or opposing development are actually doing anything?” HOUSING Events return to waterfront Oberst ■ By For Gail Columbia Gorge News Despite pandemic chal- lenges, many of Hood River’s waterfront activities and river sports are resuming this summer, and in some cases, expanding. For example, the Port of Hood River Board of Commissioners last month approved a use agreement with a new sailboat charter company that will begin operations from the North Jetty Cruise Ship dock begin- ning in May and continuing through October. Gorge Sail Ventures is owned by Joe Thomas and family, current residents of the marina. The board’s ap- proval allows clients to board the Northern Exposure for day sailing charters. There’s plenty on tap for residents and visitors, according to a recent county preview. Although most events begin in June, some are already underway. Visitors will find many of the permanent restrooms closed due COVID concerns, but the Port has contract- ed for port-a potties until restroom cleaning services are available. Following is a list of Hood Berman said. Madsen said there is no “magic bullet” to solve the affordable housing shortage in the region, but there is action that can be taken at all levels. “We all have a role in bringing forward solutions,” Madsen said. He said funding from the federal government is neces- sary to ensure that afford- ability can be guaranteed in developments like his. Local governments can help with funding and can provide a favorable regulatory climate while setting the rhetorical tone around the issue, he said. Landlords with short- term rentals are “choosing not to be part of the solu- tion,” Madsen said. Even if the units are offered at fair market rents, subsidies like the federal Housing Choice Voucher (commonly known as “Section 8”) can render them affordable. People concerned about affordability can make them- selves aware of challenges and solutions in the area and keep the issue on the minds of their elected represen- tatives, he said. In the past, public comment periods have been most engaged by people “who are not always inclusive,” he said. Madsen said all of his developments have been met with concern, and none have generat- ed complaints after being completed. Madsen said a study found that Hood River will need to add 100 units of housing a year to meet demands for the next 20 years, with half those units being affordable to peo- ple making at-or-below 80% of area median income. Up to now a busy year has added 70 units, based on per- mitting data, Madsen said. “We’re underproducing. Unless we’re taking inten- tional steps, we’re leaving part of the market behind,” he said. Hiring Hiring Wilkins, Kaiser, Compeve wages Olsen Inc. Paid Time Off Compensaon and benets include: Medical/Dental/Vision/Prescripon Insurance Offered Compeve wages Life Insurance Paid Time Off 401K Tradional/Roth Medical/Dental/Vision/Prescripon Up to 4% 401K company Insurance Offered contribuon match Life Insurance 401K Tradional/Roth Up to 4% 401K company contribuon match Wilkins, Kaiser, Olsen Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer www.columbiagorgenews.com Youth sailing, above, is one of the activities planned for this sum- mer at the Hood River Waterfront. Kirby Neumann-Rea photo/file River waterfront activities to join or watch during the 2021 season: ■ Through June 1 — Sailing team, Marina South Basin dock, gorgesail- ingteam.org ■ Through June 7 — Hood River Lacrosse, Marina Green ■ Sundays through June 13 — Soccer camps for kids, Marina Green ■ July 1 through Aug. 30 — Junior Sailing Program, Marina South Basin dock ■ July 12-17 — Downwind Paddle Champs, Stevenson and Home Valley, www. gorgedownwindchamps. com ■ July 24 — Hood to Coast, Marina Green, hoodtocoast. com ■ Aug. 13-15 — Gorge Paddle Challenge, Waterfront Park, www.facebook.com/ PaddleChallenge ■ Aug. 28-29 – Kiteboard for Cancer (KB4C) amateur event, Event Site, kiteboard- ing4cancer.org ■ Sept. 7-11 — Wind and water sports exposition (AWSI), Event Site, windkite- sup.org ■ Sundays, TBA — Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association (CGWA) Swaps, Lot 1, cgw2. org ■ Oct. 24 — Gorge Marathon, Event Site, colum- biagorgemarathon.com HR task force to continue affordable housing work The same night Hood River City Council gave its final ap- proval to new middle-income housing codes, it revitalized plans aimed at expanding affordable housing in the city. The need for affordable housing in Hood River re- mains and needs community participation, said Jennifer Kaden, associate planner for the city, who asked for feedback on the scope of future plans. By 2028, trends indicate that only 10 per- cent of those in the median income range will be able to afford Hood River homes and rentals. In 2019, the median family income in Hood River was $70,700. The State of Oregon has recently released strategies for addressing housing short- falls, which Kaden brought for the council’s consider- ation. In response April 26, the council made plans to search for a consultant and create a task force aimed at expanding low-income and affordable housing. “Affordable” refers to house- holds that earn 120 percent or less of the median family income for Hood River. The council appointed Councilor Megan Saunders to a task force that would work with a consultant begin- ning this summer to develop a plan to increase affordable housing in Hood River. 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