North Bend council adopts urban renewal amendment to fund workforce housing

The North Bend City Council on Sept. 23 adopted Ordinance No. 2083, approving amendments to the North Bend Urban Renewal Plan that increase the plan's maximum indebtedness and fund a workforce housing project and downtown revitalization programs.

City staff told the council the primary change in the amended plan is a housing project that will demolish and reconstruct properties purchased by the Urban Renewal Agency in 2021. Staff said the agency purchased the properties for $125,000 and later acquired two additional lots on the south side of Virginia Street. Council heard that the federal delegation helped secure $4,000,000 toward that housing project. “This is not a tax increase,” a staff member said during the staff report, describing the amendment as continuing existing shared tax-increment financing rather than raising property tax rates.

The council opened a public hearing on the amendment, received written testimony into the record and closed the hearing before moving to ordinance readings and adoption. Staff said construction for the housing project is anticipated to begin within about 18 months if the program moves forward as planned. The staff presentation also said the amended plan keeps existing downtown programs — including façade grants and urban…