We had a great panel discussion with updates on Economic Recovery this week.
We also discussed our Land Availability Project.
Our economic recovery panelists included:
Colleen/Terrill, SOREDI
Marshall Doak, SBDC
Jon Legarza, TURA
Tucker Teutsch, Remake Talent, Business Zone Captains
Marta Tarantsey, Business Oregon
Some questions we are asking our community leaders are:
What progress are we making in terms of economic recovery since 2020?
What’s coming next?
What have we learned about economic growth and recovery this last year?
What could we do as a community to spread and accelerate recovery?
What challenges and opportunities do you see around long-term prosperity in the Rogue Valley?
Some of the key takeaways for us were:
Overall recovery from the fires and Covid-19 has been slow. 17 of 104 companies affected by the fires have firm plans to reopen. Despite what feels to us like a slow pace, Jackson County is seen as an example of what an engaged, creative community can do to support economic recovery.
Affordable and attainable housing for workers remains an issue in bringing new talent and employers to the valley
Number one issue is finding skilled workers to hire for tradable sector companies (those who sell outside the local market) according to SOREDI
Childcare is an ongoing challenge for many working families. We lost providers in the fire and retaining staff is a challenge
Capture our learnings as a community into a Recovery Playbook – Legarza
Ways to support business recovery – Legarza
Expedite planning processes for companies rebuilding or expanding
Fund market studies to identify new opportunities for businesses
Continue to support high school and RCC vocational education in their efforts to skill up a new generation of workers
Shop locally, especially with fire-affected businesses this holiday
SOREDI focus on cataloging “employer ready” land in the county and promote the valley as a place to expand operations
To work as a community to connect with land owners who might be interested in making To support mission-driven landowners (faith-based organizations, governments, educational institutions, business, etc.) in thoughtfully pursuing affordable and attainable housing development on their properties.
Context
As we know, the fires of 2020 destroyed nearly 1,700 affordable and attainable homes in Phoenix and Talent. Private developers are meeting market demand for nice, new homes, but are not building enough housing for our essential workers and those in lower earning periods of their lives. Front line and middle managers, seniors, young couples, and those who cannot work.
The Opportunity
Reimagine & Rebuild Rogue Valley and the Long Term Recovery Group can help support landowners’ planning for the use of surplus lands and facilitate conversations between landowners and mission driven developers willing to create more housing. We can also convene Community conversations and support of opportunities to develop more housing built into the greenway and traffic growth management projects as well
Our Approach
Our goal now is to begin conversations with people who own land and want to make a difference in their community, whether by selling, leasing, or donating the land into a mission-driven development opportunity. Here is a presentation of an approach we have developed based on best practices developed by MHCH’s congregational lands program in Pasadena, CA. Here’s a video explaining their program (starts at the substantive part)
To Get Started
We need to build two teams to support our land availability work. First, we need a team of local leaders who can connect with landowners and teach them about the need for housing and their potential role in solutions. Second, we need a team of technical experts to support landowners in thinking through their values and how housing development might further their goals.
Pro Housing Leaders – Build a group of pro housing community leaders who can connect with landowners – congregations, businesses, government entities, schools, and private citizens.
Technical Experts – Engage a team of volunteer local real estate and building experts to support landowners in thinking about how they might develop their land in service of their enlightened self interest.
Once the team is assembled, they will support the
Development Process
Support development of a clear vision for landowners and how a request for proposals can further their goals
Facilitate the collaboration of landowners and developers through a process that meets everyone’s needs with win/win/win solutions for landowners, developers, and the community
Here’s an illustration of how this process unfolds. Our teams will work as coordinators across the entire development process.
Click on this image or the link below for full explanation of how this program works.
Click here or on the image above to view the slide presentation
Types of development envisioned
The goal is permanent, owner-occupied housing wherever possible, not transitional housing.
Starter homes for sale
Cottage clusters
Duplexes to Quads
Multifamily apartments
Cooperatively owned mobile home parks
Ideal land characteristics
Inside urban growth boundary
1 acre and larger
Zoned multifamily residential, commercial, religious, or single family residential
Near transit
Land owners of particular interest
We believe that mainline denomination faith-based organizations could align with both shared values and ownership of available land.
Long time landowners who have not sold out of a sense of stewardship for the land and our community could also be interested.
How you can help
Reach out and join our team as a Pro Housing Leader or a Technical Expert
Think of anyone in your circles who may own land and has a heart for this community and begin the conversation. We are happy to join the discussion as early as you feel comfortable.
We partnered with Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN) and had a great discussion with Ashland city leaders Mayor Julie Akins and Interim City Manager GaryMilliman it was moderated by Stephen Bárczay Sloan of the Humane Leadership Institute and Local Innovation Works. We explored ideas on how the community can work with city staff and local elected officials to help identify and drive forward with solutions.
Here’s a great video from The Mail Tribune on some of our work in the community. Zone captains work to connect neighbors in the fire affected areas to each other, to important information, and to resources to help speed recovery.
Zone Captains (espanol) are hiring part and full time positions. So, if you know anyone who is a fire survivor and a community weaver, please reach out via the contact form on their website!
