It is amply evident that in Bend there are challenges with affordable housing. Decent housing should be part of equitable access to a desirable quality of life, along with decent nutrition, health care, safety, clean air and water, transportation and retirement security. But parks, trails and recreation are also central to our quality of life and what makes our community attractive, healthy and prosperous. The solution to the shortage of affordable housing in Bend is not to decrease funding for parks.
New residential developments are assessed growth impact fees, or system development charges, in order that growth pays its fair share of necessary infrastructure. The Bend Park & Recreation District and the community that supports it have done a good job on the long-term provision for parks and recreational infrastructure. This is in contrast to the job other local entities and governing bodies have historically done in planning for infrastructure needs and keeping pace with growth — thus we suffer potholes, traffic snarls and utility rate hikes.
In the current local environment of surging construction activity and an expanding urban growth boundary, the need to maintain our quality of life and continue to provide critical infrastructure, including quality parks, trails, recreational facilities and programs, is particularly acute.
The BPRD board of directors did not receive sizeable public testimony that it is the will of our constituency to lower our level of service by decreasing funds for parks and trails, nor did it receive convincing assurances that a public subsidy for private development would actually result in a dollar-for-dollar pass through in affordability to those in need.
Judging from the present intensity and scope of local development activity, it does not appear that developers need assistance in helping their projects pencil out. In an economic slump, developers press for SDC abatement to stimulate growth, while in an economic boom they again press for it to supposedly stimulate affordability. Growth boosters just flat out don’t like SDCs and requiring growth to pay for itself.
The Oregon Revised Statutes that authorize special districts explicitly limit BPRD to providing only park and recreation services to district residents. The district is not authorized to provide other services typically provided by municipal governments.
Fortunately, there are a number of zoning and other mechanisms available to the city of Bend to encourage more affordable housing.
So, what can BPRD do to help individuals and families under financially constrained circumstances? Well, we already offer needs-based assistance — a carefully crafted, systematic fee abatement program specifically targeted to assist those in need. This, and other services subsidized for low-income residents, constitute hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct assistance — as opposed to hoping for indirect, trickle-down effects by exempting growth impact fees. If there is demonstrable need, budget capacity and constituent support to expand this Needs-Based Assistance Program, then perhaps BPRD should have further conversation about that. Such responsiveness to the needs of the community is within its mandate and mission of providing exceptional park and recreation services and its obligation to ensure access to them across the community.
The BPRD recognizes both affordable housing as an important community need and the prominence of BPRD in the community. The board also takes its responsibility in stewardship of public parks, trails and recreational facilities very seriously, as well as the fiduciary obligation for oversight of specifically purposed public funds.
Our deliberations on this topic were extensive over several weeks and public meetings, involving detailed consideration of the request and testimony before us, thorough questioning of the implications, research and acquisition of additional information, and analysis of potential impacts. Ultimately, after much challenging discussion, the board did not approve reducing the district’s level of service by exempting SDCs.
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