Sean C. Morgan
Building is booming in Sweet Home.
The city has about eight developments in the permitting process that total roughly 250 new housing units.
That includes a variety of single-family residences as well as a couple of apartment projects, one off Long Street near its intersection with Mountain View Road, behind 7-Eleven, and another east of Hawthorne Elementary School, said city engineer Joe Graybill.
The city has preliminary information about another planned apartment complex that would be located north of Main Street at 45th Avenue.
Some developments remain under construction, especially the single-family homes as well as a triplex at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Juniper Street, across from Husky Field, and the remodel of a duplex located at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Juniper Street (see accompanying story).
Others, including the apartment complex behind 7-Eleven, are on hold for now as part of the response to the COVID-19 coronavirus.
“You don’t even know how excited we are,” said Associate Planner Angela Clegg, noting that her enthusiasm is both professional and personal. She is interested in a smaller apartment.
“We need housing. We have a severe housing shortage.”
Rents are running $1,100 to $1,200 right now, Graybill said. “We have not had apartments being built in Sweet Home for many, many years.”
By contrast, he said, the city has had “many, many requests” for apartments over the years.
The planned developments include one-, two- and three-bedroom units, he said.
“That’s what we need. We need a full spectrum of housing choices.”
It’s been slow getting here, but he figured the city would eventually see some development, Graybill said.
Despite the shutdowns imposed by the coronavirus, Towry remains optimistic that Sweet Home will see some relief in housing, he said. Oregon offers a way of life that is particularly attractive.
“The reality is we have seen a huge increase in demand in our region for housing – and in Oregon in general. This is just a response to that.”
“Workforce housing is an issue,” Graybill said. While business have been growing out in the Willamette Valley, their workers need to have a place to live, but there isn’t a lot of housing for the 20-somethings.
Oregon’s planning laws have forced people out of their larger communities as some of them run out of room dealing with things like wetlands, Towry said. Both Lebanon and Albany are running into those issues.
That pushes people to look outside their urban growth areas for a place to live, Towry said. “People are being forced to look outside the box, and Sweet Home is not a bad place to be.
“We just hope it continues. It’s safe to assume there will be a major slowdown, but planning laws are going to still be in effect as we come out of this.”