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Ashland council signals interest in property-tax exemption for nonprofit affordable housing
Summary
Councilors expressed general support for studying a property-tax exemption for nonprofit affordable housing and directed staff to consult the Ashland School District, estimate fiscal impacts and market effects over three to five years, compare nonprofit versus private development, and return with qualifying criteria.
At its May 5, 2025 study session, the Ashland City Council heard a proposal from Community Development Director Brandon Goldman and Housing Program Manager Linda Reid to explore a property-tax exemption for affordable housing owned or operated by nonprofit organizations.
Goldman and Reid said the exemption is intended to help keep rents low and support the city's Housing Production Strategy. Council expressed general interest in moving forward and directed staff to contact the Ashland School District to gauge interest; estimate the potential fiscal impact to the city and the projected increase in nonprofit affordable housing over the next three to five years; provide a comparison between nonprofit and private development within the affordable-housing market; and bring back specific qualification criteria for any ordinance.
Council did not vote on an ordinance or adopt any specific exemption at the session. Staff offered to return with the requested information for council consideration in a future meeting. The timeline for staff return was not specified in the discussion.
