City of Grants Pass Soliciting Applications for New Construction of Residential Housing

The City of Grants Pass is soliciting applications for new construction of residential housing developments that will serve qualified low- and moderate-income households. The city has $479,379 from the Oregon Housing Opportunity Fund to distribute to qualified projects. The deadline to apply for the funds through this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is June 21st at 3 p.m.. To be eligible for this funding, the resulting units must serve households whose income is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for rental housing or 100% AMI for homeownership units. The city's current housing incentives such as the Affordable Housing System Development Charge Waiver, Urban Renewal Funding and Community Development Block Grants are expected to be available and may supplement projects under this NOFA. In 2021, the City of Grants Pass adopted the Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax (CET), which is the funding source of the Housing Opportunity Fund. The overall purpose of the CET, per Senate Bill 1533 and its accompanying rules, is to help local jurisdictions address their communities' housing needs. The Grants Pass City Council elaborated on those rules by stating the fund should be specifically used to support the creation of new housing units. ...Read more

Applications Open for Four Positions on Collaborative Economic Development Panel

Applications are being accepted for four positions on the Collaborative Economic Development Committee (CEDC). One position expires on June 30, 2025, and three positions expire on June 30, 2027. The CEDC is an advisory committee to the City of Grants Pass and Josephine County. The panel is responsible for the implementation of the Joint Economic Development Strategic Plan adopted by the Grants Pass City Council and Josephine County Board of Commissioners. The plan can be found on the City website at "grantspassoregon.gov." Target areas include Services, Infrastructure and Workforce Development. All members of the CEDC must be at least 18 years of age and reside within the boundaries of Josephine County. Special qualifications and experience for these positions includes Business Retail, Manufacturing/Industrial, Finance/Commercial Lending/Real Estate, and one Member-at-Large. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, June 21st. ...Read more

Preserving Oregon Grants Now Available for Historic Properties and Other Projects

The Oregon State Historic Preservation Office is offering grants for work on historic properties and for archaeology projects. The annual grants fund up to $20,000 in matching funds for preservation projects. Both grant programs support the goals of the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan. The Preserving Oregon Grants fund preservation of historic properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Work may include non-maintenance preservation like window repairs, foundation projects, plumbing and electrical needs. One recently funded project was Celia's House in Medford. Preserving Oregon Grants can also fund archaeology projects for significant work contributing toward identifying, preserving and/or interpreting archaeological sites. An archaeology project by the Southern Oregon Laboratory of Anthropology was funded last year. To learn more about the grants and workshops, visit "oregonheritage.org." ...Read more