Too often neighborhood associations are labeled reactionary obstructive NIMBYs. As someone once explained to me: “Neighbors are too self-interested to make the right decisions on land use.”
Setting aside that everyone is self-interested, neighborhood associations represent residents, property owners and businesses. All are deeply invested not only in their physical assets, but their emotional connection to a place and their neighbors. As generalists, neighborhood associations often run up against advocates who narrowly focus on one issue. Neighborhood associations look to our small part of the big picture and how challenges and potential solutions balance out. Often, you can achieve desired social benefits while meeting the legitimate concerns of neighbors. This includes building affordable housing.
On a sunny, breezy April day, city and county leaders, staff, residents and neighbors gathered at Ollie Court for its grand opening. Ollie Court, on 14th Avenue near Chambers Street, includes 80 units of affordable housing with 163 bedrooms and an early learning center. Ollie Court is perfectly situated in a walkable neighborhood near schools, churches, parks, mass transit and shopping.
Bringing this innovative project to fruition has been a long process. In 2012, Paul Conte, then chair of the Jefferson Westside Neighbors, collaborated with Richard Herman, who at the time was executive director of Metropolitan Affordable Housing (now Cornerstone Community Housing), to engage the community in support of a multi-generational, family-friendly subsidized housing project at what was known as the old Navy Reserve site. Later, Jefferson Westside Chair Stephen Heider fought to keep the city of Eugene from selling that property…