Correction/Update: Lake Oswego City Council Gets Comp Plan Housing Policies Next, Following Planning Commission Changes and Approval.

Correction/Update: 
My sincere apologies, I overlooked support letter from REACH and have added them in listing below: 
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I attended Lake Oswego Planning Commission meeting on Monday night. With a couple of other agenda items, and then the public hearing and vote on housing Comp plan policies, the meeting had lasted for four hours, and was continuing, when I left.

The seven housing affordability policies were approved by 5-1 vote with some modifications from the CAC recommendations. Policies now move on to City Council for consideration, then will be returned to CAC and Planning Commission and back again to City Council for inclusion in April 2013 submission to the state. (I'm seeing a Portlandia episode here, but it will have to be a multi part show).

Thanks to the 4 non profits who took the time to write letters of support for the housing affordability policies:

• Enterprise
• Oregon Housing Preservation Project
• Oregon ON
• Northwest Housing Alternatives
• REACH

Policy C.1 language on goals was changed from "setting and achieve measurable goals" [with 5 year interim targets] to planning staff idea for 10 year goals with 5 year targets. Revised language will read something like 

"Set broad ten and twenty‐year goals for the production of affordable housing units in Lake Oswego, along with specific five‐year targets based on near‐term conditions and resource availability".

Policy C.4 Setting of minimum percentage of affordable housing in urban renewal zones had NO substantive  changes. Policy reads: 

Work with the Lake Oswego Redevelopment Agency to establish strategies and minimum target percentages of affordable housing units as part of Lake Oswego urban renewal plans. Tailor customized strategies for each plan to reflect the citywide targets required to accomplish affordable housing goals.

Policy C. 5 (No Net loss of affordable housing) was narrowed to focus on government assisted housing [My recommendation].

Policy C. 6 (Partnering with other agencies) was changed from "Partner" to "Participate"

Testimony at the hearing by others included lack of notice and limited time to reply, opposition to "density" and a belief that LO was trying to establish a city level Housing Authority. During my testimony I responded to Commissioner question to say that was not the intent, and pointed out the Housing Authority of Clackamas County was Oregon's oldest housing authority. 

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.