The Astorian, “Guest Editorial,” published on December 29, 2022

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH COPELAND COMMONS?

To my disappointment, it has been some time since there has been anything published about efforts by the First Presbyterian Church members to imagine creation of additional, affordable housing in Astoria. Truth be told… there has just been very little to report. The prospect of developing affordable housing – anywhere – is very difficult and depends upon soliciting partners with expertise in design, construction, and permitting and on obtaining foundation monies, tax credits, and federal funds enough to complete.

By way of review, in 2018, our dear departed friend, Richard Garner, led a search to identify a vacant or underutilized commercial building which would be suitable for such a project. The ideal structure would be available for sale, close to employment opportunities, and on a bus line. The 4-story, 1920s ‘boarding house’ at 1169 Marine Drive (where The Mallternative, once, leased space) fit the bill perfectly. In 2019, above and beyond their pledges, church members purchased the property and adjacent east parking lot.

Then, we established a non-profit (separate from church), received an IRS identification number (so that donors will enjoy tax advantage), and recruited a volunteer board of community influencers to fine tune the vision, find a housing developer, apply for financing, raise City awareness, and solicit public support.  And because the Copeland Lumber Co., originally, owned the property (and the Copelands were Astoria pioneers), we chose to name our non-profit AND our affordable housing project “Copeland Commons.”

And yet, despite our seeming “mission” momentum and unmistakable board enthusiasm – if we thought negotiating for the property was difficult – that is not nearly the biggest hurdle to be jumped! The most significant challenges which inhibit any rapid realization of our building rehab and housing creation goals are: 1) identifying the right developer and 2) garnering sufficient monies to complete the reconstruction.

First, we asked Julie Garver and Innovative Housing, Inc. of Portland (successful non-profit developer of The Merwyn) to consider Copeland. However, at the time, The Merwyn was winding down and funding approval for an IHI Lincoln City project was looking up. We agreed we were naïve, idealistic, “didn’t know what we didn’t know” yet, and IHI didn’t have “bandwidth” to take on another coastal project yet.

After a long THREE YEARS’ affordable housing development education, as well as several ‘trial and error’ attempts to discover a preferred development partner who, like the THREE BEARS, is not too small (and lacks capacity) OR too large (and, simply, unwilling), we have, now, come ‘full circle.’ Today, Lincoln City is approved, funded, and under construction and, with greater board appreciation for what all we are up against and assurance of our commitment, Julie Garver and Innovative Housing, Inc. have now agreed to see if, together, we can get workforce housing downtown and get Copeland Commons to the finish line.

Second, though protracted COVID and inflation concerns have threatened to delay/derail plans to build many Oregon housing projects and introduced greater uncertainty into likely amounts (or frequency) of public funding opportunities, with IHI experience and assistance, we remain undeterred in pursuit of our vision and dedicated to ‘looking under every rock’ to repurpose, reclaim, and reopen the old State Hotel.

I’m honored to share that, to date, a number of individuals, as well as faith communities – in Astoria and beyond – have given to our Copeland account… enabling rental of a post office box, applications for non-profit corporation registration and IRS 501(c)3 permission, mandatory fees for Justice Department non-profit oversight, and preliminary environmental assessment and structural engineering review expenses.

However, imagining 63 new workforce units – one donor at a time, and just $100 at a time – would take forever, and achieving our dream – at that pace – would be impossible. But we trust the City will ‘catch’ our vision, federal HUD monies (brokered in Salem by Oregon Housing and Community Services) will still ultimately provide the lion’s share of the development funds we require, and we are confident there are foundations which will partner with us and other agencies that will grant financial support to us, as well.

Unfortunately, there’s also a possibility – between preliminary budgets and final closing – interest rates, as well as lumber, glass, and appliance costs may increase which can cause us to come up ‘short.’ If such things happen in Portland, projects can ask urban, Big City councils to make up the difference. But here, on the rural North Coast, cities likely don’t have the luxury of municipal housing reserves to share.

Innovative Housing has estimated our Copeland Commons project may fall ‘short’ by about $1.5 million. Consequently, our volunteer Board of optimistic Directors has taken on the challenge to raise that much. To that end… The Copeland Board has identified a number of local and national grantors who specifically target affordable housing projects like ours, and we have begun writing them applications for assistance.

And (drum roll, please) just weeks before Christmas, we got word Copeland has been awarded $500,000 from the Columbia / Pacific Coordinated Care Organization‘s Housing Stock Grant Program! Our region’s Care Oregon affiliate appropriately recognizes: ‘Housing is a basic determinant of health.’ Not only a huge first step – and one-third our goal, but this early commitment makes decision making easier for private foundations and other agency funders who won’t have to feel they’re first to take this leap or that they’re taking it alone.

Would you like to be a sponsor of this worthy, community housing venture? Would you consider helping us to reclaim and restore one of Astoria’s historical treasures in the downtown corridor? Would you also recognize, with us, that supply of available and affordable lodging, in Astoria, is so low that 63 new units will only scratch the surface of our local concern – but it’s a start? Would you be willing to participate in enabling some entry-level workers invited to restaurant, hotel, government, hospital, and service jobs in town find a place to live? Would you contribute something to assist us in creating housing opportunities for workers, young families, and retirees or meeting opportunities in the Dick Garner Community Room?

If your answer – to any one of the questions above – is “YES,” please press the DONATE button at our webpage (copelandcommons.org) or make your tax-deductible donation check payable to Copeland Commons, and mail it to: Copeland Commons, POB 1352, Astoria, OR 97103.

Pastor Bill Van Nostran                                                                                                                                     Copeland Commons Board Secretary