Voters in Corvallis approved the city’s first ever Urban Renewal District during a special election this month. The district includes a section of the city known as South Corvallis.
The vote will make it possible for the city to dedicate more property tax revenue towards improvement within the district’s boundaries.
Rebecka Weinsteiger is the community engagement manager at Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services in Corvallis. She said one of the goals of the project is to help address the city’s housing crunch. “A big part is getting more housing in our community. We’re in a housing crisis in Corvallis and statewide, and so bringing more resources to our community (would help) to build more affordable housing,” she said.
The City of Corvallis said the money could also be used to improve the district’s transportation and utility infrastructure. Nearly 85 percent of Corvallis voters who cast a ballot were in favor of the plan.