Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (July 11, 2020)
8A | SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2020 | SIUSLAW NEWS DevNW from page 1A Johnston Motor Company of Florence RS 2020 A look back at 130 years INSIDE EACH EDITION S IUSLAW N EWS THROUGH O CTOBER OF E EA CEL SN BR We are open and ready to assist you! T HE W EST ❖ T HE S IUSLAW N EWS ❖ F LORENCE T IMES ❖ T HE S IUSLAW O AR ❖ T HE S IUSLAW N EWS ❖ S IUSLAW N EWS AW NE S 1890 SL W SIU The housing project in Florence was funded by the first round of the grants that were available from the LIFT Program. “Because we’re using pub- lic funding, we have to guar- antee that the housing will be affordable for 40 years, and that is what led us to use the Community Land Trust (CLT) model,” Reiman said. “In this model, you legally separate the ground from the house, and we [DevNW] maintain ownership of the ground, which is where the public subsidy sits. We then sell only the physical home to low- and moderate-in- come families.” Part of the CLT model also requires the homeown- ers to agree that when they get ready to sell the home, they will sell it to another low- to moderate-income family at an affordable price. “So, it means that Flor- ence now will have 12 units that are permanently af- fordable for low- and mod- erate-income homebuyers — and that is a wonderful community asset,” Reiman said. Qualified homebuyers must make less than 80 per- cent of the area median in- come (AMI). The Florence AMI was $40,833 in 2018, according to the U.S. Cen- sus Bureau, meaning that income limits range from $36,350 per year for one person to $56,100 for a fam- ily of five. Another reason these houses will be more afford- able is because DevNW is using the “cottage clus- ter” model to design them. Under this model, several smaller single-family hous- es all clustered together around a common green space, which is shared by all the residents of the cottage cluster. “To a certain extent, the green space can develop a in the next 20 years, where which has also been the site Funding program, the price can.” more community feel be- they would need to go and of the community garden, of constructing the cot- Reiman said Florence cause folks can use it as a what sort of amendments to build the cottage cluster. tage cluster isn’t as big of did a great job supporting community garden togeth- would need to be made to “The city partnered with a hurdle. However, Weese DevNW’s efforts towards er, or kids can have room to the city zoning codes to ac- them in the sense that we acknowledges that this is making the project a reality. actually play,” Reiman said. commodate the increase in sold the land to them for just one small step toward a “I just want to give a shout In general, homeowner- housing free because otherwise it much larger goal. out to the city because the ship builds a strong com- “We’re just vastly behind really wouldn’t have hap- “We know that it’s just 12 whole reason that this proj- munity because fam- units, and we need ect ended up happening on ilies “buy into the thousands, but it’s this timeline is the city had “The whole reason that this project ended up happening a start,” Weese said. approached us and said, ‘We neighborhood and the town,” according on this timeline is the city approached us and said, ‘We re- “It’s a really great really want affordable hous- to Raiman. In the ally want affordable housing in Florence. What do we need thing that we hope ing in Florence. What do we financial sense, the to do? How can we be a good partner?’ And so this really can be replicated in need to do? How can we be homeowners are con- all started because of the city’s commitment to enabling the other areas of town, a good partner?’” Reiman tributing to the local too.” said. “And so this really all economy through development of affordable housing in Florence.” Weese added that started because of the city’s — Emily Reiman, CEO of DevNW the priority right now commitment to enabling things like proper- ty taxes while also is making sure this the development of afford- building assets and equity the curve from what we pened,” Weese said. “Af- project gets done smooth- able housing in Florence.” in their house. need for housing,” Weese fordable housing projects ly so that families can start If the construction time- “We also know that said. “That study had us just don’t pencil out without moving in. line stays on track, the homeownership tends to needing 1,624 new homes some sort of subsidy.” “But after that, we would homes will be ready for increase participation in over the course of 20 years. The median price of love to partner again with families to move in some- civic activities and in clubs And at the current rate, we houses sold in Florence in DevNW or others as well,” time in late spring of 2020. and organizations related will be 944 homes short.” June 2020 was $313,500 ac- Weese said. “We’ve been Home ownership applica- to that town or that neigh- After the study came out, cording to Realtor.com. It’s talking with Habitat for Hu- tions were due in April. borhood,” Reiman said. “It the city decided to start ac- a price most families can’t manity, for instance, in town For more information tends to help kids do better tively looking for nonprofits afford. — because frankly, we are a about the Florence cottage in school because they’re to partner with to provide Weese said part of the city. We don’t build homes, cluster project and others staying in the same schools affordable homeownership reason housing costs are so but we do our best to make like it, go to DenNW.org consistently through their opportunities. Meanwhile, high in Florence and along sure that we’re getting out of under Affordable Housing whole education career. DevNW was also looking the coast is because there the way in terms of making or visit the Florence Cham- So, the kind of social and for a housing development is a large market for sec- our codes as simple as pos- ber of Commerce website community benefits of en- in Florence. ond homes. Another rea- sible and making our fees at https://www.ci.florence. couraging homeownership, “It was really fortuitous son is because the cost of as low as possible, and then or.us/economicde velop I think, are really important that they were looking ac- construction on the coast doing our best to subsidize ment/airport-road-afford too.” tively to find a project and is higher than in the valley and support as much as we able-housing-project. Florence City Recorder we were looking actively to due to a lack of construction and Economic Develop- help support something like workers from the area. ment Coordinator Kelli that,” Weese said. “What “A lot of times, people Weese said she is excited they were looking for was who are building homes are about the benefits that the really land more than mon- coming from the valley and cottage cluster project and ey, which was good for us that means that they’re stay- others like it can bring to because we don’t have a lot ing in hotels or in RV parks the community. She also of disposable income at the or whatever,” Weese said. recognizes that Florence is city.” “And workers’ costs increas- in high need of affordable The City of Florence es the cost of construction housing. gifted DevNW the site of out here.” “This is a very innovative the previous senior center, With the help of the LIFT project and I’m really proud of it as a model,” Weese said. Getting rid of 'Huh?' “We have housing efforts for over 20 years and initiatives as our No. 1 priority in the city’s work Call today to schedule plans because it is just a dire an appointment. need.” 541.991.4475 Scott C. Anderson, Au.D. In late 2017, the City of Steven G. Anderson, Au.D. Since 1939 Florence conducted a hous- HEARING ing needs analysis that de- ASSOCIATES termined how many new 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence dwellings need to be built (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 HearingAssociatesofFlorence.com FLORENCE • 1901 Hwy 101, Ste A AT I N G 1 30 Y 1906 1907 W.H. Weatherson, editor & proprietor’s editorial — The West Vol. 15, No. 34 January 12, 1906 Auto stage line from Florence to Coos Bay — The West Vol. 17, No. 19 September 27, 1907 Lane is a large county and the Siuslaw is its only seaport. A 20 foot channel would not be diffi- cult to obtain a n d would a d d more to the wealth to the state than the same amount of money expended in deepening some of the harbors on either side of us, which already have re- ceived appropriations sufficient to en- able them to develop their adjacent ter- ritory, though perhaps not to the fullest extent or as fast as they would like. Our representatives and senators should use their influence to equalize the situation even if it should prevent some of the greedy neighbors from getting every mouthful from the next meal. It is well enough for Coos Bay to talk of fighting but if she had been no better fed than the Siuslaw, she would not have strength enough to make her blows felt. Thomas Wolfe, of Florence, left here Monday for Portland to purchase an au- tomobile for an auto stage line, which he and his associates, D.M. Kemp and Warren Andrews, will establish be- tween Florence and Coos Bay. If it is prov- en that the venture is a success they will purchase a second auto for the route. The distance between Florence and Coos Bay is 40 miles and the run can be made between the two places in an hour, but it is not probable that an at- tempt will be made to make such fast time. It will have a carrying capacity of seven passengers. The autos will make the run up and down the beach, which is the finest road in the country, the wet sand mak- ing it just right for automobiles. 1908 1909 The first Rhododendron Festival — 1908 “Flowers, flowers everywhere!” City of Flor- ence first held a flower festival in honor of the rhododendrons which later led to the name “City of Rhododendrons.” The very first Queen Rhodo- dendra was Laura Johnson, who later made appearances at future Rhododendron Festivals. The first Rhododendron Court includ- ed Ella Willson, Hazel Weatherson, Leah Tanner, Ethel Monroe, Flossie Chapman and Dena Schreuders. Additionally, the “Poet of the Sierras” Joaquin Miller was the festival grand marshal. “Imagine, if you can: the broad waters of the Siuslaw, the hills across the way in all the count- less shadings of their Spring dress, accentuated by the little church steeple and pretty residences; the barge with loads of beautiful maidens in front of the throne. “That little town of Florence should plan such a carnival is highly commend- able. That it should create such an entertainment, on such a scale, is praiseworthy, but that its first effort should be so entirely successful is almost beyond understanding. “That each year will see a repetition of the event; that Florence will gradually be- come famous for its annual carnival and its millions of wild rhododendrons, is the reward which will rest upon those whose efforts made the first Florence Rhodo- dendron Carnival the splendid success it was. “All Lane County is proud of Florence. All of Oregon may well be also.” “Th e greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals.” ~ Siddharth Katragadda www.ci.fl orence.or.us We can’t wait to see you again May 2021 114th Rhododendron Festival fl orencechamber.com