Hood River Community Connections Summer 2022

Safety during Wildfire Season

Living in a beautiful community like Hood River comes with a responsibility to take care of what we cherish the most, our great outdoors and our vibrant town. Wildfire, while part of the landscape, can threaten life and property. It’s up to all of us to help reduce this threat to our community. While we’ve enjoyed a wet spring, it doesn’t take much for the conditions to change. The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal suggests these simple steps to better protect your home and community from wildfire.

Check and follow local machine (saw & mower) restrictions during the day.
Avoid burning debris; chip, compost or recycle it instead.
Keep roofs, gutters, decks and patios clear and clear of dry debris that could catch fire.
Maintain a several foot radius around your home free of mulch, fallen pine needles and leaves, and combustible vegetation.
Trim and limb any tree or shrub branches that hang over your roof or chimney.
Keep it “Lean and Green” – mow lawns and water plants.
Trim tree limbs above the ground to minimize ladder fuels.
Install 1/8-inch metal mesh screens over vents and under decks to prevent ember intrusion.

For more information on prevention at home, work or play, visit: https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/pages/FirePrevention.aspx

Friday City office closures

*Signs at the entrance to City Hall announce Friday closures at least through the summer due to staffing shortages.*

The City of Hood River announces temporary reduced hours this summer season for City Hall, Public Works, and the Fire Station. These offices will be closed to the public on Fridays effective from June 10th until at least September 2nd due to staffing shortages. Open hours for the Police Station will not change.

Assistant City Manager Will Norris said the City intends to return to five-day per week availability for all offices after Labor Day, but it depends on hiring and training of new staff.

“Staffing shortages have stretched our current employees. We’ve dedicated Fridays for training new hires, catching up on assignments, or focusing on time-sensitive projects.” says Norris. “Our goal is to return to Monday through Friday office hours as soon as possible. We understand this change will be inconvenient for people with City business and appreciate everyone’s patience.”

The City has several current and upcoming employment openings, including:

Parking & Lodging Tax Clerk
Municipal Court Clerk
Public Works Worker
Police Officer
Senior or Associate Planner
Development Administrator

All open City of Hood River jobs, application packets and details can be found at cityofhoodriver.gov/employment-opportunities/. The City of Hood River is an equal opportunity employer.

780 Rand Rd update

*The City and its partners on the 780 Rand Rd. have taken several significant steps in the funding process for development of 129 affordable housing units.*

The City’s partners on the 780 Rand Rd. affordable housing project, Community Development Partners (CDP) and Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation (CCHC), have taken several significant steps in the funding process for development of 129 affordable housing units.

The project’s income mix has changed to 39 units (up from 20) for households earning up to 30% of Area Median Income (AMI), and 90 units for households earning up to 60% AMI. This results in a greater diversity of incomes and increases chances of receiving LIFT (Local Innovation and Fast Track) rental funding. An application was submitted to Oregon Housing and Community Services (OCHS) in April for LIFT Rental funds, an important source of funding needed for the project. Award notification is expected this August. If awarded, the project will be considered fully funded and CDP/CCHC will proceed with full design and permitting processes. If the project is not awarded in the current round, CDP/CCHC anticipate applying for OHCS LIFT funding again next year. Other financing efforts are underway.

While CDP/CCHC remain optimistic about the outlook of this project, affordable housing developers in Oregon are experiencing a variety of challenges. Four of the primary challenges include: construction cost escalation, rising interest rates, new limits on private activity bonds, and a very high level of competition for LIFT funds. CDP/CCHC will continue to track these closely to understand how heavily they will impact this project.

Next steps include community engagement efforts later this summer which will move the development proposal into greater design detail. For more details visit cityofhoodriver.gov/planning.

Back-flow protection program

*Click image for a PDF explains backflow prevention*

The City reminds residents of the importance of “backflow” protection to protect water customers from foreign substances in the system caused by water flowing opposite of its intended direction. Oregon law requires a backflow prevention assembly installed on underground irrigation systems including submerged hoses, sprinklers, and other water uses onsite. To find out more about backflow prevention and protecting your drinking water, visit cityofhoodriver.gov/public-works/water-system/.

Questions regarding cross connection requirements, backflow prevention device installation and testing requirements, may be directed to the Public Works Department at 541-386-2383.

City Water/Sewer project status

Sherman Ave paving in Early June — *Paving crew lays down new asphalt on Sherman in early June*

Two City water/sewer line projects are nearing completion on Sherman and Prospect avenues. Paving and final project completion is planned for the Sherman project this month. This project began last October by contractor Beam Excavating, and affected Sherman Ave. from Front to 6th, 9th to 12th, and a small section west of 13th.

Prospect Ave. sewer work continues with sewer lateral installations through mid-June. Crestline Construction will then focus on waterline replacement between 1st and 7th streets. Both projects are part of a multi-year capital plan to replace aging water and sewer pipes. The City thanks community members for their patience during these projects.

Car-Sharing program news

*Reserve an all-electric Nissan Leaf for a few hours to get around town.*

Ever find yourself with no car or lack of transportation? You can get around with a local car-sharing pilot program, CRuSE, by simply downloading the EnvoyThere app. Reserve an all-electric Nissan Leaf for a few hours to get around town or go to nearby destinations. Vehicles are located around town at: Columbia Parking Lot, Hood River Fire Station, Rio Bella Heights and Wy’east Vista apartments, and the Hood River Waterfront.

By downloading the app and following the directions, you will be ready to go after 24 hours. That gives the system time to process the information, so plan accordingly if you plan to use this service for the first time. If you have any questions, call the number on the Envoy sign. You can also watch a how-to video at envoythere.com. For more information about the CRuSE program and Forth Mobility visit: cityofhoodriver.gov.

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