PAVE AND RUN

What good are the “pillars” of Envision Eugene, if pave-and-run, out-of-state for-maximum-profit developers can get away with most everything short of battery and assault on our community.

Proposed developments abutting our sacred Willamette River Greenway need to be compatible with existing neighborhood values and context sensitive design.

We don’t need another out-of-state cookie-cutter design foisted on our cherished greenway, like the pave-and-run strategy foisted upon our neighbors at the ECCO development. Recently, HACSA (Housing Authority & Community Services Agency of Lane County) morphed into Homes for Good.

Does the makeover give cover for them in ditching their long-time mission to create affordable housing? Instead, selling a public asset for chump change to the developer to reap market-rate rents to be sold off after the pave-and-run strategy has been implemented.

HACSA/Homes for Good looks to build their own palatial palace for the administrators from proceeds from this potential sale. The strategy that HACSA/HFG has embedded itself with includes ignoring the obvious concerns.

Of course, HACSA/HFG is at the mercy of the Lane County commissioners, think organizational chart. When I was serving as a county commissioner, some of our discussions centered on how to put the
“community services” back into HACSA. How silly of me. They not only ditched the CS in HACSA; they also carved the heart out of affordable housing.

Any chance, Mr. Fox can yet salvage his own career legacy, or that of HACSA/HFG? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, move along, folks — nothing to see here.

Rob Handy

Eugene