By Kyra Young
It’s no secret to residents of Corvallis that we have a housing problem. Students, families, low-income residents, and homeless citizens are all looking for a place in our quaint little town. The City did a survey of “affordable” housing recently; we have many land-use regulations, and we aren’t even sure how much buildable land we have left.
Upcoming on Monday, April 13, Corvallisites may see some of their housing questions answered, as City Club of Corvallis has scheduled a panel of local insiders and experts. At the meeting, held appropriately at the Gerding Builders Gym at the Boys & Girls Club, three speakers will address questions in the first of a series of discussions about housing. Brigetta Olson, Mike Beilstein, and Brian Stroup will discuss recent events on the housing front and how those events shape Corvallis’ future.
Olson is the deputy director of Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services. It’s her job to manage and develop programs that help low-income families build assets, in order to lead productive and healthy lives, as well as develop into involved citizens.
Beilstein represents Ward 5 on the Corvallis City Council, and has served in that position from 1999 to 2000 and from 2007 to the present. He has also served on the steering committee for the recent City Council-initiated Housing Study.
Stroup is the associate director for University Housing and Dining Services at OSU, and will discuss the needs of students for housing in Corvallis.
The Monday, April 13 meeting is open to the public, and is held at the Boys & Girls Club at 1112 NW Circle Boulevard. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the meeting begins at noon. Attendance is free; lunch is provided by Pastini Pasteria at a cost of $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Registration is necessary only if you are having lunch. To register, send an email to info@cityclubofcorvallis.org with “City Club April 13” in the subject line by Friday, April 10.
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