Community Will Build Affordable Housing in Blue River

RARE member Braden Ravenscraft stands smiling alongside MCLT staff and others
RARE member Braden Ravenscraft stands alongside MCLT staff and other partners

By Rachael McDonald

A community land trust is breaking ground on six affordable homes in Blue River on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 for people who survived the Holiday Farm Fire.

The fire swept through the McKenzie River Valley on Labor Day 2020. 517 homes were lost in the blaze, which burned more than 173,000 acres.

Brandi Crawford Ferguson is interim Executive Director for McKenzie Community Land Trust. She said, after the fire, property values actually increased.

Locals and community members decided to establish the trust to help with rebuilding so that people who had been there for years could afford to stay. Ferguson said the MRLT project runs the entire McKenzie River corridor.

“We are starting in Blue River, in downtown Blue River, because that was the highest impact,” she said. “Blue River lost everything including the library, the fire station, the clinic, and main street. The only thing left was a red picnic table.”

Ferguson said the project, called Rose Street Homes, will be six 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes. Income qualified applicants must be full-time Blue River residents.

The groundbreaking is on Friday at 2 p.m. in downtown Blue River.

Meanwhile, Ferguson told KLCC, more of Blue River is coming back. The Fire Station and Health Clinic have been rebuilt.

And on Saturday, the O’Brien Memorial Library will hold its ribbon-cutting.

“And then Melanie Stanley is very close to breaking ground on the first business, the Meyer General Store, as well,” Ferguson said. “So, it’ll be a nice opportunity not only to celebrate these first six community land trust homes but also just to celebrate with the community that has worked so hard to rebuild.”

Ferguson said the homes are built to be fire safe. The land is part of Pure Water Partners, which works to keep properties cleared of debris and invasive plants which helps with fire safety.

To make it more affordable, the MCLT will sell each home to a qualified buyer, and not the land. The homebuyer then signs a 99-year lease on the land. The Rose Street homes will be complete by winter of 2025.

MCLT purchased its second parcel in Blue River earlier this year. Funding for the Rose Street neighborhood was provided by Oregon Housing and Community Services LIFT funding, Lane County, PacficSource and Eugene Water and Electric. DevNW is the developer for the project.

MCLT operating costs are funded by foundations and private donations.

This article first appeared on KLCC and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Estacada’s Civics Academy Offers an Insider’s View of Local Government

A group stands smiling with Estacada Mayor Sean Drinkwine and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek
Estacada Mayor Sean Drinkwine (in tie) welcomed Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to Estacada in April 2024. Courtesy photo: City of Estacada

By Steve Brown

Why do city councils need a quorum in order to make formal decisions?

Does the city manager have more or less authority than the mayor?

What are the city’s major departments?

Who creates the annual city budget?

If these questions leave you scratching your head, the City of Estacada’s inaugural Civics Academy may be for you.

The program is designed to give members of the community an inside look at the local government’s structure, projects and processes. The first cohort will meet from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays for six weeks beginning Jan. 13.

Each meeting will have a different topic and an opportunity to meet different members of local government. Topics will include: local government operations, budget, decision making, and overviews from departments. The culmination of this series will be a greater understanding of government operations and opportunities to get involved.

The city hopes this series helps residents feel more connected and involved in their community.

Program participation is free, but spots are limited so if you are interested in being a part of the city’s first Civics Academy fill out the form on the website — https://www.cityofestacada.org/civics-academy/ — or pick up an application at City Hall to apply for a spot. The city asks that all applicants be able to dedicate the time to attend a minimum of five of the six meetings. The deadline to apply is Dec. 16.

“The Civics Academy is a project which was identified from the council’s goal ‘Community Engagement and Education – Stronger Together Connections and Knowledge.’ This program educates community members on how their local government functions, what each department handles, and ways that they can get involved. We expect that residents who participate will complete the series with the ability to understand how their city runs,” said Melanie Wagner, city manager.

This article first appeared in Estacada News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.