Clover Court Update No. 6

Update for Proposed Clover Court

HUD Completes Public Comment Period on Environmental Review
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has notified Washington County that the environmental review process for the proposed Clover Court site is complete and HUD has now issued the subsequent notice for the Authority to Use Grant Funds.

This environmental review process, including two separate opportunities for public comment, was required by the HUD prior to committing Continuum of Care grant program funding for the proposed Clover Court project. The purpose of the review is to document that HUD-funded projects do not harm the environment and that the environment does not negatively impact projects designed to provide decent, safe, and affordable housing.

Board Action Scheduled to Consider Transferring Land for Clover Court Proposal
On Tuesday, July 25, 2017, the Board of County Commissioners will consider the transfer of surplus county property at SW 170th/Bany Road to Luke-Dorf, Inc. , for the Clover Court project. The meeting will convene at 6:30 p.m. at the Hillsboro Civic Center, 150 E. Main Street, in the Shirley Huffman Auditorium. At the appointed time in the agenda, the Board will invite testimony from members of the public regarding the proposed transfer of surplus County land for the Clover Court project. Public comments will be time-limited at the Board's discretion.

Following their usual practice, the Board will ask anyone wishing to speak on any agenda item at a regular business meeting to observe these guidelines:

• Please follow sign-in procedures located on the table by the entrance to the auditorium.
• When your name is announced, please be seated at the witness table in front of the Board and state your name and address (optional) for the record. If not stating your address, please write it down for the record.
• Groups or organizations wishing to make a presentation are asked to designate one spokesperson in the interest of time and to avoid repetition.
• Please pay careful attention to the previous speakers' remarks to avoid repetition in your comments.

Any person who is unable to attend the meeting may also submit written testimony by mail at 254 N. First Avenue, MS 21, Hillsboro, OR 97124; or by email at [email protected] . Written testimony must be received by 2 p.m. on July 25, 2017, to be included in the meeting record.

Background
Washington County has a long-standing policy through which the Board of Commissioners may transfer ownership of surplus property to the County Housing Authority and to non-profit organizations that create and manage affordable homes. This is one way the county tries to address the critical shortage of affordable housing and to leverage additional resources to prevent homelessness.

Washington County's approach has been to work together with community partners to address this crisis following the "Housing First" model for ending homelessness. Housing First is a nation-wide strategy that prioritizes providing people experiencing homelessness with permanent housing as quickly as possible, and then providing voluntary supportive services as needed, to ensure that families and individuals do not cycle back into homelessness.

Washington County, along with the rest of the Portland area, is suffering from an affordable housing crisis that disproportionately impacts those with low incomes and mental illness. The County is currently working through "Year 9" of a "10-Year Plan to End Homelessness." Although great strides have been made, Washington County still lacks over 14,000 housing units for low and extremely low income residents to accommodate this great need.

More information can be found at the Clover Court Proposal webpage .

Media Contact:

Julie McCloud, Public & Govt. Affairs Assistant
503-846-8685
[email protected]