October 2021: Patti Adair Directed $1 Million To Expanding The Courthouse Instead Of Additional Local Affordable Housing Projects

Adair Voted Against Using The Proceeds Of A $1 Million Land Sale To Pay For Additional Affordable Housing Projects, Instead Finding The Money Would Be Better Spent Towards Expanding The County Courthouse

October 2021: Deschutes County Earned $1 Million In A Sale Of Land To An Affordable Housing Organization

October 2021: The County Sold Property To Housing Works To Build 30 To 40 Affordable Housing Units As Well As Space For A Medical Center To Provide Clinical Service To Vulnerable Populations. “A split Deschutes County Commission decided against putting $1 million toward affordable housing projects, instead finding the money would be better spent toward expanding the courthouse. On Wednesday, the Deschutes County Commission discussed whether the county's property manager should move forward with handling the documents associated with the sale of county-owned property at the corner of NE 27th Street and NE Conners Avenue. The county is selling the land to the affordable housing organization Housing Works, which will provide roughly 30 to 40 additional affordable housing units and will have space for Mosaic Medical to provide clinical service to vulnerable populations, according to county documents. Construction is estimated to be done by 2024.” [Bend Bulletin, 10/14/21]

• Bend Bulletin: The Property Was At The Corner Of NE 27th Street And NE Conners Avenue. “A split Deschutes County Commission decided against putting $1 million toward affordable housing projects, instead finding the money would be better spent toward expanding the courthouse. On Wednesday, the Deschutes County Commission discussed whether the county's property manager should move forward with handling the documents associated with the sale of county-owned property at the corner of NE 27th Street and NE Conners Avenue. The county is selling the land to the affordable housing organization Housing Works, which will provide roughly 30 to 40 additional affordable housing units and will have space for Mosaic Medical to provide clinical service to vulnerable populations, according to county documents. Construction is estimated to be done by 2024.” [Bend Bulletin, 10/14/21]

$900,000 Of The Funds Came From The Bend City Council’s Affordable Housing Reserves, While Housing Works Paid The Other $100,000. “Another reason Chang advocated for using the money for affordable housing is because $900,000 of the $1 million the county will be receiving will be coming from the city of Bend's affordable housing funding. Housing Works is paying the remaining $100,000 from its own reserves. Bend city Councilor Barb Campbell has publicly criticized the county for pulling resources from the city's affordable housing program during a City Council meeting last week, and in an email said the money could have gone toward more housing projects. ‘The City of Bend's Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and the Affordable Housing Fund are recognized Statewide as powerful forces for good,’ Campbell wrote in an email sent to county commissioners last week. ‘The Deschutes County Commission is undermining that good work, pulling funds away from the problems.’” [Bend Bulletin, 10/13/21]

October 2021: Adair Voted Against Using The $1 Million Proceeds Of The Land Sale To Pay For More Affordable Housing, Instead Finding The Money Would Be Better Spent Towards Expanding The County Courthouse

Deschutes County Commissioner Chang Argued That The Proceeds Of The Sale Should Go Towards Additional Affordable Housing Initiatives. “During that discussion, Commissioner Phil Chang proposed the commission use $1 million it would be receiving from the sale of 1.14 acres of county land in Bend to leverage affordable housing projects. Chang has advocated that the county donate the land instead of selling it, which the county has done in the past for other affordable housing-related projects. But if it has to be sold, Chang said the county should dedicate the proceeds to other affordable housing projects. ‘It's an urgent need in our community, and this is a critical time where we could be catching up a little bit with affordable housing rather than fall further and further behind,’ Chang said Wednesday.” [Bend Bulletin, 10/13/21]

Adair Said The Proceeds From The Sale Would Be Best Spent Toward The Costs Of A Long-Term Plan To Expand The Courthouse, Which She Said Could Not Be Held Off In Order To Keep Construction Costs Down. “But if it has to be sold, Chang said the county should dedicate the proceeds to other affordable housing projects. ‘It's an urgent need in our community, and this is a critical time where we could be catching up a little bit with affordable housing rather than fall further and further behind,’ Chang said Wednesday. But Commission Chair Tony DeBone and Commissioner Patti Adair disagreed and argued that the proceeds would be better spent going toward the costs of a long -term plan to expand the courthouse. Because of this disagreement, Chang voted against moving forward with executing documents related to the sale. Adair said paying for the courthouse expansion is a direct responsibility of the county, and doing it sooner rather than later is important in order to keep construction costs down. ‘That project can't be held off,’ Adair said.” [Bend Bulletin, 10/13/21]

October 2021: The Bulletin: “A Split Deschutes County Commission Decided Against Putting $1 Million Toward Affordable Housing Projects, Instead Finding The Money Would Be Better Spent Toward Expanding The Courthouse.” “A split Deschutes County Commission decided against putting $1 million toward affordable housing projects, instead finding the money would be better spent toward expanding the courthouse. On Wednesday, the Deschutes County Commission discussed whether the county's property manager should move forward with handling the documents associated with the sale of county-owned property at the corner of NE 27th Street and NE Conners Avenue. The county is selling the land to the affordable housing organization Housing Works, which will provide roughly 30 to 40 additional affordable housing units and will have space for Mosaic Medical to provide clinical service to vulnerable populations, according to county documents. Construction is estimated to be done by 2024.” [Bend Bulletin, 10/13/21]