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Hood River forum outlines proposed housing bond as tool to shore up dwindling local housing supply
Summary
City hosts panel discussion as officials and developers lay out a housing bond as a potential source to fund land acquisition and construction for affordable and workforce housing, with cost scenarios and next steps for a council decision.
A public forum hosted by Hood River City on prospects for a local housing bond focused on the scale of the local shortfall, how bonds might be structured, and how they could leverage state and federal funding to finance new affordable units.
The moderator said the city has seen annual housing permits fall from roughly 40–60 units in the 2010s to about 5–15 per year in recent years and described two illustrative bond-rate scenarios: a Metro-style rate (~$0.24 per $1,000 assessed value) that could generate about $4.8 million locally, and a Portland-style rate (~$0.42 per $1,000) that could generate about $8.5 million. "If we did what the metro in Portland have passed, ... that would generate about 8.5 million dollars," the moderator said during the presentation.
Panelists and attendees discussed what the bond could and could not fund. The moderator clarified that bond proceeds are intended for capital costs—land acquisition and construction—adding, "bonds are for capital costs only... bricks, sticks and land." The city council will decide whether to forward a ballot measure; if so, the ballot title must specify an affordability threshold (for example, a share of area median income) before voters decide.
Why it matters: panelists stressed that a one-time local bond could provide flexible local funding to attract larger state and federal investments, bridge predevelopment gaps and support projects tailored to Hood River’s mix of workforce, senior and family housing needs. The city is collecting community input and plans to present recommendations to city council before a possible November ballot.
