Legislative Policies for the 2005 Legislative Session

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4. USE OF SURCHARGE DOLLARS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION in administering and enforcing building codes to establish local standards that protect the health and safety of homeless persons while meeting their needs for shelter. Under current law, a one percent (1%) surcharge is levied on building permit fees to fund training and education administered by the Building Codes Division (BCD). OBOA B. HOUSING (Figures in this section are based on 2000 census data.) continues to work with BCD to ensure that the funds are used for their intended purpose and that there is adequate training provided for local building department staff. Despite the construction of more than 3,000 new rental units since 1990 in Recommendations: the Eugene- Springfield metropolitan Housing Crisis area, there remains a growing 1. Support efforts of OBOA to work with BCD to clearly dedicate revenue from the housing crisis for those who need ¦25.7 percent of Eugene's 58,000 households are very current one percent surcharge oti building permit fees to fund education and low-cost housing or emergency low-income. When combined with Springfield, over training programs, particularly for local building department staff. shelter. The need for emergency 20,000 households have incomes at or below 50% of shelter is documented in the adopted the area median. 2. Since the State Building Codes Division has established a new layer of Eugene-Springfield Consolidated administration in the Portland-Metro area, monitor to ensure that no Plan, the United Way's State of ¦Fewer than 3,500 of the 20,000 eligible households disproportionate amount is directed to the tri-county area. Caring study and Community receive housing subsidies, due to a shortage of Solutions Plan, and the one-night resources. 5. MINIMUM REVIEW TIME LINES homeless counts conducted every six months. Despite a variety of shelter ¦Local counts of homeless people indicate that at In 1999, mandatary time lines were imposed for simple, new residential construction. • and homeless assistance programs least 1,600 and perhaps as many as 3,500 homeless ..The manner in which the administrative rules were written and the complexity of the (including Family Shelter House, people can be found in Eugene on any given night. building code system will minimize any measurable results of these regulations. Asa Interfaith Emergency Shelter One third are children. result, there maybe additional legislation introduced attempting to force reduced permit Program, Station 7 Youth Shelter, issuance time. Lindholm Service Station, and New Roads) and an ordinance that allows Legislated time lines have not successfully reduced permitting times in Oregon or other churches, businesses, government entities and residents to invite homeless people to camp on states. Attitudes, plan quality, and work volume cannot be legislated and that is where their property, people are still turned away from overcrowded emergency shelters. much of the challenge exists. The legislation does however, add process, time and administrative cost which is ultimately counter productive. Eugene has met or exceeded This area's most pressing need remains the creation of new low-cost housing for very-low-income target processing timelines and anticipates continuing to meet this standard. households. Evidence of this housing crisis includes: 6. BUILDING CODES DNISION OVERSIGHT Out of nearly 37,500 renter households in Eugene and Springfield, 15600 (42%) have incomes below 50% of median income. In 1995, legislation required an operating plan for each jurisdiction and expanded state oversight of local programs. Additional rules continue to increase the State's oversight Over seventy percent ofvery-low-income families pay more than 30 percent of their and the complexity of the operating plan requirements. Legislation may be introduced income for housing. Thirty-seven percent pay more than half of their income for housing. which would restrict local programs or affect local authority. There is concern that the administration and oversight of the codes is becoming encumbered by regulations to A majority ofvery-low-income families are headed by single women. Eighty percent of support special interests and trade groups. Additional reforms are: needed to reduce the these families pay more than 40 percent of their income for housing expenses. "bureaucratic" nature of the system. • The Lane County Housing Authority reports a waiting list of more than 6,300 in The 7. SHELTER FOR HOMELESS PERSONS Section 8 program alone. While nearly 3,500 households receive subsidized housing, approximately 20,000 households in Eugene and Springfield are now financially eligible for Building codes can create barriers to providing temporary shelter to homeless people in housing if it was available. our community. The City supports legislation to give communities increased fiexibility City of Eugene Legislative Policies, 2005 Session 25 City of Eugene Legislative Policies, 2005 Session 26