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