Thanks to Craig Patterson (EW Letters 7-2) for again hitting the nail on the head about issues important to the community. Among his many good points was mention of Homes for Good (HFG executive director is Jacob Fox).

During my service as a Lane County commissioner, I was hosted by Patterson at his property in McKenzie Bridge. This was part of a day when many were on a field trip with Oregon State University scientists and foresters to see and understand better the ravages on our watersheds and forests of industrial logging. He showed me his portable sawmill and how lumber can be professionally milled for market. Impressive. Good for relocalizing our economy.

As Patterson suggests, Homes for Good — formerly HACSA (Housing and Community Services Agency of Lane County) — is off track. Executive Director Fox treats HFG as his own fiefdom. Fox badly botched his “disposal” of the Greenway property, known as Potter’s Field (also referred to as the Lombard site, and the River Road property), disdainfully ignoring the community’s longtime support for building affordable housing on the site alongside respect for the Willamette River Greenway. Even the usually missing-in-action Pat Farr commented that the community was YIMBY — yes in my back yard.

Fox seems to be employing the playbook of Trump, who is rolling back important environmental and social safeguards under cover of COVID. One Greenway Guardian mentioned that Fox’s scheme ought to land him some time in Lane County Jail. I wouldn’t go that far, as Fox has not done anything illegal. However, there is a glaring lack of accountability, for sure. Learn more at GreenwayGuardians.org.

Rob Handy

Eugene

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