7/21/20 Minutes

Members: Barbara McReal, Kourtney Linebaugh

Organizations: Emily Reiman and Erin Dey, DevNW

City, County and State Representatives: none

Guests: none

The regular meeting of the CANDO Board of Directors was called to order at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday, July 21, 2020.  The meeting was conducted by video-conference.  The Chair and Secretary-Treasurer were present.  

The agenda and minutes of the February meeting were approved unanimously.  

The board heard a presentation by DevNW CEO Erin Dey and Emily Reiman, Director of Real Estate Development, on the revised plan to develop the Evergreen Presbyterian Church property at the corner of D and Cottage Streets, border of CANDO and Grant, inside Grant. The property is on the market because of the prohibitive cost of making the church building ADA-accessible and other needed upgrades.  The basic plan is to provide ~20 smallish (studio/1BR) units of affordable housing while maintaining the building exteriors as conditions of approval of any rezone, except as needed to comply with ADA/safety standards (a rezone of the property is needed).  Funding sources require affordable rents be maintained for a minimum of 20 years.  DevNW currently rents an office in CANDO at 437 Union Street NE.  DevNW is recognized by the City of Salem as a Community Housing Development Organization.  A 3d-party traffic study concluded the development will not increase traffic.  The original plan was to convert the manse/parsonage into an office for DevNW.  The plan was revised in response to objections from the Grant neighborhood association board (GNA) and the City Council.  GNA indicated at its July 9 meeting that it will oppose the revised plan as well.              

All board members present reside within a few blocks of the proposed development.  Comments included concerns that GNA still opposes the project, and that the GNA isn’t representative of the neighborhood feeling on the project.  Rebekah Engle stated that all the people she knows in the area directly around her apartment building are very supportive of the project.  The board recognized the acute need in the neighborhood for smaller (studio/1BR) residential units.  

Michael’s motion to spend $500 of communications funds to renew CANDO’s sponsorship of Mid Valley Resources at the silver level passed unanimously.  His motion to submit letters of support for DevNW’s plan to develop affordable housing on the Evergreen Presbyterian Church property passed four to one, with Woody Dukes voting against.

There being no further business before the board, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 7:00  p.m.

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