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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (April 26, 2019)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 40, NO. 30 SECTION A APRIL 26, 2019 $1.00 Lockhaven turn lane should ease congestion N RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY 14TH AVE By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Bids were due this week to con- struct a new, dedicated turn lane on Lockhaven Drive Northeast, meant to service drivers turning onto 14th Ave- nue Northeast. Keizer Public Works Director Bill Lawyer said the city will enter into contract talks and establish a timeframe for the improvements in the coming weeks. The new turn lane will begin to take shape just west of the intersec- tion with Kalmia Drive Northeast and extend to 14th Avenue. The plans for the improvements, already approved by the Salem-Keiz- er School District Board of Directors, calls for the addition of a turn lane and placing the bike lane between the new WHITEAKER PROPERTY E BIKE LAN EN DR LOCKHAV NEW TURN LANE KEIZERTIMES/Ancrew Jackson turn lane and the through-lane. While the change is expected to ease congestion during the busiest times of the day, there are no new changes planned for pedestrian controls at the intersection of 14th and Lockhaven, an intersection that sees heavy use from Whiteaker Middle School and Gubser Elementary School students. “I know it’s a problem but there’s County may chart own course on homelessness By ERIC A. HOWALD The number of homeless resicents Of the Keizertimes in the 28 rural Oregon counties Two leaders of the Mid-Willamette Valley inclucing Marion County: Homelessness Initiative en- couraged the Keizer City Council to back a resolution essentially seceding from a larger regional group combat- ting homelessness in Oregon. Marion County is current- ly part of the Rural Oregon Continuum of Care (ROCC), a group that consists of 27 It’s the 9TH LARGEST homeless other Oregon counties and includes enough geographic population in the nation, territory that it would com- prise the 16th largest state in just behind San Francisco the union. Membership in that and just ahead of Phoenix, Ariz. group is likely reducing Mar- ion County’s access to federal support to combat homeless- ness. Since joining ROCC, Areas with Largest Numbers the Marion County has seen its level of fi nancial support of Chronically Homeless * from federal resources drop, from a peak of $1.05 million in 7. San Francisco 1,757 1. LA City/County 1u,275 2012 to just un- 8. Oaklanc/Alameca 1,742 2. NYC 6,uu6 der $700,000 in 2018. 9. Denver Metro 1,596 u. Seattle/King u,552 Unless the 10. Oregon ROCC 1,503 4. San Diego 2,171 Marion County leaves ROCC, its 1 1. Washington 1,49u 5. San Jose/Santa Clara 2,1u9 ability to com- 12. Portlanc Metro 1,u84 6. Washington, DC 1,781 pete for feder- al funding will *• Homeless for 1+ Year, or • Homeless u+ times in last u6 months for at least 12 months only get worse, • Must have a cisabling concition said Jimmy Jones, executive direc- tor of the Com- WHERE WE STAND: munity Action Agency, one of Feceral collars per homeless person the leading groups combatting homelessness locally. “The quality of the services Clackamas Rural we have will deteriorate. As a Co. CoC Oregon CoC result, the time to leave is this $4,956 $549 moment,” Jones said. Jones and Janet Carlson, a former county commissioner and now consultant for the Lane Co. Homelessness Initiative, aren’t CoC suggesting Marion County $2,u98 strike out on its own entire- ly. They would like to form 6,392 Please see HOMELESS, Page A6 KEIZERTIMES/Ancrew Jackson nothing we can do [for pedestrians] with this improvement without mov- ing the driveways at Whiteaker,” Law- yer said. The existing crosswalks, however, will be improved and brought into full alignment with ADA standards. Adding elements like fl ashing pedestrian lights are reserved for stand-alone crosswalks where no other traffi c controls are in place, Lawyer said. While pedestrian controls will re- main unchanged, the westbound lanes will be narrowed by one foot, from 12.5 feet to a little less than 11.5 feet, in the area where the turn lane is in- stalled. Studies worldwide have proven narrowing lanes of travel has a calming Please see LANE, Page A7 Salem mobile home owners fi nd strength through unity places. By ERIC A. HOWALD Despite that odd develop- Of the Keizertimes The homeowners in Ar- ment, the homeowner-renters rowhead Mobile Home Park, in Arrowhead are, for the most off Portland Road in Salem, part, pleased with their com- were some of the last to know munity. “I think when the I speak for land under a lot of peo- their homes MANUFACTURED MANUF NUFACT CTURE ple when I was sold to say that I’m a new own- happy here,” er. The deal said one was done homeowner. a year and However, those good feel- a half before residents got wind that Investment Prop- ings are more a result of band- erty Group (IPG) had taken ing together with other home- ownership of the property in owner-renters through OSTA than satisfaction with the way northeast Salem. That may seem outland- things are run. The tip-off that things had ish, but the residents don’t get changed in the monthly bills park came in that might have the form of a indicated the “ We just make push for long- ownership had term rental changed hands. out checks ag reements. “We just to Arrowheac After years of make out more-or-less checks to Ar- Mobile Park steady relation- rowhead Mo- bile Park and anc carry on.” ships with the previous owner, carry on,” said one resident at a — Resicent, homeowners in the park were monthly meet- Arrowheac Mobile Home Park being encour- ing of the park’s aged to sign chapter of the 25-, 20-, or 15- Oregon State year rental agreements for the Tenants Association (OSTA). IPG is the same investment spaces where their homes sit. fi rm that owns a handful of In exchange for the long-term parks in Keizer, including one contract, IPG was guaran- where residents are feeling the teeing it would raise rents no pinch of rent burdens. The more than a certain percentage principal investor in IPG is each year, e.g. a 25-year agree- Brian Fitterer, a manufactured ment locked in rent increases home park owner with an in- of no more than 4 percent an- famous record of dealings with nually. residents in Keizer and other Please see MOBILE, Page A7 Girls lacrosse PAGE A16 Easter fun for all ages PAGE A3 Settle in for River Road delays PAGE A10 City puts out call for skater bois — anc grrls By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes City offi cials make frequent attempts to get the local youth involved in the conversations that occur inside city hall, but they are going all out on May 1 to attract a specifi c audience: users of Carlson Skate Park. The Keizer Parks Depart- ment will be hosting a public forum on proposed improve- ments at the skate park and those who use it are encour- aged to attend. The general public is also invited. “We’ll start the meeting at the park and then move into the lobby at city hall for more of a discussion,” said Robert Johnson, Keizer parks super- visor. The skate park lacks certain features that might make it more appealing to users in ad- dition to needing considerable maintenance and repair. The project was made possible with to better serve the Keizer community the onset of a parks service fee. During the meeting, city offi cials are seeking input on four proposed improvements: • Rebuilding the two bowls in the park. • Creating transitions that allow users to move from one to another without getting off their wheels. • Rebuilding the half-pipe area. • Additional sanding and Girls tennis pulls out win PAGE A12 Please see SKATE, Page A7 This spring, we’re expanding to a FULL SERVICE CLINIC in Keizer. We’re bringing Orthopedic care, closer to home. Join us MAY 14 TH for our ribbon cutting ceremony. ® 5825 Shoreview Ln, Keizer • 503-540-6471 1600 State St, Salem • 503-540-6300
