[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6529028,"mediaKeyId","3847706-16e9d6a8e8275e449c4264a3836f7916","parentId",3847706,"title","Grants Pass council sets 150‑bed minimum, narrows grant language and sets $1.2M ceiling for homelessness program","audioSeconds",6594,"startMs",5389000,"endMs",11983000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847706-16e9d6a8e8275e449c4264a3836f7916&start=5389&end=11983","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847706-16e9d6a8e8275e449c4264a3836f7916/thumbnail_5389000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6529028/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Grants-Pass-council-sets-150bed-minimum-narrows-grant-language-and-sets-12M-ceiling-for-homelessness-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529028-433e1ba52ffcf5d70aed0efd94bb6567/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183039&Signature=SYG0kJ7TSFCXxKUsjyt1iqvkqs6ZzLqzklS7LUcDn1f1c2nJpQbpcgLr7-hqd5ffV6bgI88UVSzbDB3vDXkQ7~7UYH6m4f~vDl6qydvlsg9CfOeLcnUykmAl~4qktdugenC8RQuBH7iqmNRZUgEL769XuGQPXDiq0n1d6qw-AABtNWU1NaQDS3waosxBJO9Ogzd6VxsxyKebgLulxkQl89YziPdINLv7QPgiVioba0Lh3Ktir2KhUECZU~LX7Kns-CtXscGxOqYxQcz9qyrHRUq02PeCnrZ6OTkSSgpWMym1DY0mRwLn4Wx6OMkGDsjNZxQjISoC5Hez3h1cF~gltA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Grants Pass, OR","date","2025-06-16T22:19:29.187Z","article","Grants Pass City on Monday refined a draft homelessness grant program, setting program requirements and evaluation criteria designed to help replace unsanctioned “resting sites” with a managed, low‑barrier shelter capacity.

What the council decided: Councilors landed on a minimum operational shelter capacity of 150 people, to be managed 24/7 with ADA accessibility requirements met at the point the shelter is “fully operational.” Council removed a hard maximum capacity from the grant language but asked applicants to explain any higher capacity requests. The council also directed staff to keep low‑barrier language in the documents but to avoid an overly prescriptive definition; applicants who provide optional on‑site programming or concrete referral partnerships (housing assistance, addiction recovery, mental‑health services, employment services) will score higher in the selection rubric.

Why it matters: The program is intended to create an organized, monitored alternative to informal camps and sleeping sites in the city and to provide a pathway into services. Council emphasized minimizing city operational involvement while requiring reporting, accountability and contract provisions that allow the city to recoup funds or take property interest if award conditions are not met.

Key program details and council direction
- Minimum capacity: Council set 150 as the minimum capacity the city expects the funded project to serve. That number was tied in the discussion to a judicial requirement referenced by staff as part of closure planning for existing sites.
- ADA compliance: Applicants must demonstrate ADA accessibility at the time the site is fully operational (staff recommended verification upon full operation rather than as an early milestone).
- Low‑barrier site: The grant will expect “low‑barrier” entry (no requirement for ID, credit checks or sobriety to enter) but the program will not prescribe detailed operational rules; shelters may adopt conduct or sanitation rules and will be scored higher if they provide on‑site services or formal referral partnerships.
- Location/zoning: Council removed a strict limitation to specific city zoning districts and agreed not to preclude sites that meet state statutory criteria. Applicants must disclose site zoning and explain how the location takes into account reasonable separation from sensitive uses (schools, day‑cares, playgrounds, residential neighborhoods and the Central Business District), access to supportive services (transit, food, medical) and avoidance/protection plans for environmentally sensitive areas.
- Timeline and procurement: Key dates in the draft program include a final posted responses date for questions (July 14), an “intent to award” and protest period (7 days), and execution of the final grant agreement targeted for Aug. 15. Council confirmed a maximum of six months to become fully operational is the cap in the documents but that faster startup should receive higher scores.
- Planning horizon: Applicants should provide a five‑year operational plan (council reduced the earlier 10‑year request to five).
- Scoring and evaluation: Staff presented a scoring rubric where narrative responses form 60 points of the review, budget and financial information 15 points, memoranda of understanding 10 points and letters of experience 15 points. Location‑related questions were given additional weight in the revised draft.
- Funding ceiling: Council chose a hybrid approach: staff will include an illustrative ceiling in the RFP to guide applicants and set approximately $1.2 million as a practical ceiling for initial awards, with language that council may consider larger requests under exceptional and well‑justified circumstances. Staff said the figure was informed by recent operating costs the city had incurred for temporary resting sites and the desire to provide a realistic procurement target.

Legal/authority note: Staff read ORS 197.783 aloud and advised council that state law provides for a statutory pathway allowing emergency shelters to operate in additional zones if certain operator qualifications (experience, partnerships, public/nonprofit status) are met. Council instructed staff that the grant should be framed to require applicants to demonstrate compliance with local and state requirements.

Next steps: Council scheduled formal action on the grant program for the council meeting on June 18 and directed staff to post the revised draft grant documents, publish a question/answer appendix (with answers posted by July 14) and return with final contract language that includes monitoring, reporting and recoupment provisions.

Ending: Staff will incorporate council edits, publish the revised RFP and return with the final contract and scoring materials for council consideration on the June 18 agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Grants Pass City Council Workshop June 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Grants Pass council on Monday set core parameters for a homelessness grant program intended to support a managed, low‑barrier shelter: a 150‑person minimum capacity (managed 24/7), ADA compliance at full operation, a five‑year plan horizon and a practical funding ceiling of roughly $1.2 million, with council reserving discretion to consider larger awards in exceptional cases.","taxTitle","Grants Pass City, Josephine County, Oregon","taxId",48732,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6529033,"Grants Pass council delays decision on reallocating $5 million URA pool funds",2346,2990000,5336000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847706-16e9d6a8e8275e449c4264a3836f7916&start=2990&end=5336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847706-16e9d6a8e8275e449c4264a3836f7916/thumbnail_2990000.jpg","/articles/6529033/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Grants-Pass-council-delays-decision-on-reallocating-5-million-URA-pool-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529033-77cf70fe50386c5d0953c92cc6533a4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183039&Signature=YZBvMNPtlCJyU7QfilKe-PjkP39joq19p3IJ11x2Ho8J5dgnUv5cmqk9qhUwO7u5mosHmerDkuzpSatWmSbbc9x9QhPpbvYNCA0R5f7gcU8K18EWK63z5O7sVy838tk8W4p0nVLIU0GvMINFjNa497zg1q--qnBrAVFEAH1SdaTT5JmOerY5DCzxe7o~rhHjMK~Q1KjO5MuUCE8Kj~ZzM1t8RAH0lYI5gN-1xeNY8LKLhYnCRHlnDisz0sLi34wrqlToJ0Dmw-xKQ9uE9Bp-vT9HLE4OedHmuDYtrVT-dqi156t4hfvbdqt~aOWpyJZNIhLn4ZVjikKYnjdndMwBjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Grants Pass City staff on Monday reopened discussion about reallocating $5 million in Urban Renewal Agency (URA) funds that had previously been designated for a public swimming pool project. Staff presented several alternative priorities and sought direction on whether to move funding to other URA projects or retain the pool as a future URA priority.

Why it matters: The $5 million represented a planned URA investment in the agency’s five‑year implementation strategy. Reallocating those funds changes the URA’s short‑term priorities and could influence projects ranging from industrial infrastructure to downtown redevelopment and housing incentives.

Background and options presented
Staff summarized the URA plan history and the legal distinction between minor and substantial plan amendments. The agency’s five‑year implementation strategy — adopted by resolution in late 2024 — lists multiple projects; the public swimming pool was allocated $2 million in FY25 and $3 million over FY26–27.

City staff and the economic development manager presented options for the $5 million if the pool allocation were reduced or removed. Those options included:
- Spalding (Southeast Industrial) infrastructure: partial funding of sewer and water extensions to support industrial development (staff estimated the sewer main extension at about $4.2 million and water main work in the $10–15 million range; staff said an EDA grant could provide partial support).
- A housing development program and system development charge (SDC) buy‑down to reduce developer costs (staff recommended developing a program and suggested a potential allocation around $1 million to seed incentives).
- Cave Man/Town Center Plaza (Caveman Plaza) downtown redevelopment or riverfront mixed‑use projects, both described as requiring longer term private‑public partnerships and higher levels of URA support.
- Retaining the pool project in the plan but zeroing out the current budget or keeping the narrative in the plan for future use.

Financial and budget context
Staff reminded council that URA allocations in the five‑year strategy are planning targets over the life of the 30‑year plan; the agency’s maximum indebtedness and allocations to other major items (housing, downtown improvements, water treatment plant payments) shape flexibility for reallocations. The city’s water treatment plant annual payment had previously been discussed as a long‑term obligation and staff said additional URA payments could reduce some pressure on rate increases.

Council response and direction
Council members raised questions about the pool’s current condition and near‑term repair needs. Staff reported that the pool is operational but aging and may require frequent, small repairs; staff noted the pool opened later than planned because of a failed valve discovered after filling.

Several councilors expressed preference for delaying reallocation until council receives a fuller assessment of pool repair costs and a separate presentation on the Riverside caretaker’s cottage project. Councilor Kathleen and others supported directing some funds toward Spalding infrastructure but favored allowing more information from the pool workshop to inform a final decision. Multiple councilors asked staff to return with more detailed cost estimates and earlier presentations on the pool and the Riverside cottage before moving funds.

Outcome: Council deferred any permanent reallocation and directed staff to schedule follow‑up workshops on the Caveman Pool and the Riverside caretaker’s cottage; staff confirmed they would delay reallocation and return with the requested information. No formal vote was recorded; direction to staff was given by council consensus.

Ending: Staff said it will prepare the requested pool and cottage information and will not move funds until council reviews the additional materials.
","Grants Pass City staff asked council on Monday whether $5 million now allocated in the Urban Renewal Agency plan for a public swimming pool should be reallocated to other URA priorities; councilors deferred a final decision and requested additional workshops on the pool and a proposed caretaker’s cottage at Riverside Park.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6529037,"Grants Pass council directs staff to seek consultant for Washington \"North Star\" opportunity plan",2323,613000,2936000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847706-16e9d6a8e8275e449c4264a3836f7916&start=613&end=2936","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847706-16e9d6a8e8275e449c4264a3836f7916/thumbnail_613000.jpg","/articles/6529037/Grants-Pass-City/Josephine-County/Oregon/Grants-Pass-council-directs-staff-to-seek-consultant-for-Washington-North-Star-opportunity-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529037-8b650bb2398b5cd1c5f986c84aebf3dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183039&Signature=EqMqHHkzyHUSGIWRVJ8xdTfAO3EapsaOsvf1usiRKHsisQDvOhkTARVZ2mU7aeuK~A8P8lVIXYpsnx5dvuNRbJ4sszLYw5p-6AoPUjxv2ViDbKY2Sqo0RgOQrriNhmiwEFqXQo7oSbYVFSX7WBCgB-t56UtNhri2JEowzJDh7R0MBIZ9yQ9j9nm2JGPTfrDTxq33slo-egxz1JwfDTcT5q2QVjZO8CXPIhHtJvrzyGwV9zd7gOSMXou~j6qfIs2xlGryGhtIJ2LbvD1AIPz~pFT8L5pZmKz~5riD-h0wsDcIKwWt88zUOWZkkWVKto-o78Uk12nED-BgUVirFWp1-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Grants Pass City staff on Monday asked the council to authorize hiring a consultant to prepare an “opportunity plan” for roughly eight acres the city owns on the north end of town, a site staff and council discussed as a possible catalyst for housing and commercial investment.

The plan would evaluate zoning, infrastructure and market demand for three blocks of city-owned land — described in the presentation as the Washington, Midland and Franklin parcels — and would produce concept scenarios, a phasing strategy and developer criteria intended to attract private investment. City staff received direction to draft a request for proposals for a consultant and to return with a procurement package.

Why it matters: The site is large, relatively flat and has existing water and sewer infrastructure, making it a candidate for an urban renewal “catalyst” that could expand the city’s tax base and produce housing and jobs. Staff emphasized the work would aim to reduce development risk, align investment with community goals and position the city to solicit experienced developers.

City staff briefed council on the parcels’ size and zoning. The Washington property was described as about 4.81 acres (a mix of R‑4 residential and PUD common area), Midland as roughly 0.5–0.6 acres (general commercial and R‑4 parking), and Franklin as about 2.36 acres divided across 16 parcels (about 1 acre R‑4 and 1.35 acres general commercial). Staff said the properties were acquired for a combined $2,000,000.

Staff recommended an opportunity plan that would:
- produce a shared community vision and guiding principles;
- include a commercial market study and concept scenarios;
- create an implementation toolkit and developer criteria; and
- culminate in an RFQ/RFP to solicit developers who match the community vision.

Presenters and staff described a typical consultant timeline of about nine months and gave a broad cost range: hourly consultant rates were estimated at roughly $125–$200 per hour, with total project fees “well over $30,000” in typical local engagements and higher for larger teams. Staff cited other Oregon examples (Redmond, Tigard, Bend) where opportunity planning supported mixed‑use redevelopment, brownfield remediation and housing production.

Council discussion emphasized the scale of the project and the value of outside expertise. “There’s no doubt that this is a way bigger project than Grants Pass could handle without a consultant,” Councilor Rob said, urging staff to issue an RFP and start the process. Multiple council members said the consultant should lead community engagement and offer recommendations about whether to form a task force; councilors also suggested the consultant advise on which parcels, if any, the city should acquire additionally to make a coordinated project viable.

Staff recommendations to the council included issuing an RFP for consultant services, launching a community and council visioning process, and returning with a project scope and schedule. Council consensus was to direct staff to prepare the RFP; staff said they would proceed and return with a consultant recommendation. The council did not adopt a formal ordinance or commit URA funding amounts at the meeting.

Ending: Staff said the RFP draft will be prepared for council review; if the city selects a consultant the work would proceed next year with public engagement and a market analysis to frame future development and any potential changes to zoning or transfers of property ownership.","City staff outlined an opportunity-plan process for about 8 acres on the north end of Grants Pass, and council directed staff to issue an RFP for a consultant to lead market study, community visioning and implementation planning.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Grants Pass council sets 150‑bed minimum, narrows grant language and sets $1.2M ceiling for homelessness program

Grants Pass council delays decision on reallocating $5 million URA pool funds

Grants Pass council directs staff to seek consultant for Washington "North Star" opportunity plan