Local News

The City of Grants Pass is still soliciting applications for new construction of residential housing developments that will serve qualified low- and moderate-income households -- but time is running out.

The City has more than $479,000 from the Housing Opportunity Fund to distribute to qualified projects. The deadline to apply for these funds is this Friday 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 for rental housing or 100% of the Area Median Income 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 submitted under this Notice of Funding Availability.

In 2021, the City of Grants Pass adopted the Affordable Housing Construction Excise Tax, which is the funding source of the Housing Opportunity Fund. The overall purpose of the tax -- per Senate Bill 1533 in 2016 -- 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.

More details are available at "grantspassoregon.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3266."