Advisory committee recommends Bend Urban Renewal Agency back five TIF-aided housing projects

At its March meeting, the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee recommended that the Bend Urban Renewal Agency provide tax-increment financing (TIF) support for five proposed housing projects that together would deliver 893 housing units, 153 of which the city presentation said would be rent restricted for households earning 90% of area median income or less.

Jonathan Taylor, the City of Bend’s urban renewal manager, told the committee the batch of proposals would ‘‘generate 893 residential units with 150 of those being rent restricted for households earning 90% AMI or less’’ and that the portfolio would ‘‘contribute to 12% of the Oregon housing needs assessment 5 year goal for the city of Bend.’’

The projects are a mix of sites on Bend’s west side and one core-area site. Staff presented project-level details: the Century Drive proposals (Century Project 1 and Century Project 2), Bridal Ridge, Viridian (location and address clarified in staff materials), and Project Platform in the core area. Staff said the proposals vary in unit mix and affordability commitments: for example, Century Project 1 was described as a 152‑unit, roughly $60 million development proposing to dedicate 20% of units at 90% AMI for 30 years; Century Project 2 was described as a…