Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Affordable Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Astoria council endorses $200,000 letter of intent to support Copeland Commons affordable housing
Summary
Council approved a letter of intent pledging $200,000 to help fill gap funding for Copeland Commons, an affordable workforce housing project; the developer said a BOLI resubmission reduced units to 63 while leaving a funding gap.
The Astoria City Council unanimously endorsed a letter of intent pledging $200,000 in local support for Copeland Commons, a workforce-affordable housing project, to strengthen the project's application for state and federal funding.
Julie Garver, director of housing development for Innovative Housing, told the council the project team resubmitted a BOLI (Bureau of Labor and Industries) request and adjusted the plan from 67 units to 63 to align with the exemption criteria. "We have resubmitted our BOLI request...slightly reducing the number of units to 63 and making it crystal clear that there were only 4 stories in the project," Garver said, adding that gap funding would still be necessary whether or not the BOLI determination favors an exemption.
Councilor Davis disclosed he serves on the nonprofit board for Copeland Commons and said he typically recuses from votes on the project, but the mayor and council encouraged his participation. Pastor Bill Van Nostrand spoke in support, saying municipal backing strengthens applications to state offices that broker federal HUD funds.
Councilors discussed whether System Development Charge (SDC) waivers or urban-renewal funds could be used and asked staff to follow up on options. Councilor Lum moved, and Councilor Adams seconded, the motion to endorse the letter of intent for $200,000; the motion carried by voice vote.
The pledge is intended to cover gap items such as SDC fees and will be allocated from city funds identified during subsequent budget or urban-renewal decisions.
