Ashland goal: ‘To clear the way for quality services to happen as soon as possible’

By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news

After months of continuous work, members of the 2200 Ashland Street Ad Hoc Master Plan Committee presented a plan to Ashland City Council for the first time Monday, leaving the council to begin the difficult conversation of how to fund the plan’s recommendations. 

Committee members realized soon in their meetings that they needed to start at the ground level to plan for this property’s future, said Jan Calvin, facilitator of the committee. 

“This is more (than) a brick and mortar site plan — it’s not about designs of where this building goes. … This plan needed to be about management, how things are done, as much as what things should be done,” she said. 

To fulfill the ideal compromise of providing services with dignity for people in need while protecting the appearance and relative livability of south Ashland, the seven-page master plan should be viewed as a puzzle piece fitting a carefully defined role within a wider network of services, Calvin said. 

The committee recommended the building offer a safe and secure severe weather shelter for the city of Ashland as its first priority, said Trina Sanford, a member of the committee and a resident of south Ashland. The committee requested council invest in a sprinkler system and other upgrades as necessary to ensure the building can adequately shelter people and possessions as weather dictates. 

The property could also provide office space to service providers and additional services by appointment, such as laundry and shower service, storage facilities and some form of transitional housing that could last around 24 months and should include case management, Sanford said. These services would also likely require upgrades to the building, such as expansion of its kitchen and additional bathrooms.

The committee also determined the building should be used for training sessions and classes relevant to housing and homelessness and a community hub for emergencies. The committee came to a consensus that the property should not be used for any form of camping, drop-in services or be furnished with portable toilets without adequate screening. Low barrier or congregate shelter and pallet houses were also determined to be inappropriate for the property, she said. 

The committee envisioned the property as having appropriate fencing, firewise landscaping and other provisions to ensure the south side of Ashland is aesthetically sound, Sanford said. The property would need to be appropriately managed by a committee of some kind, including those with lived experience of homelessness and those living or working in the area to ensure it is a “win-win” for everyone, Calvin said. 

“If we can’t get that building up to code or can’t identify the funding, then we’re having a fruitless conversation tonight about what we want in a building we may not even be able to use,” said Councilor Dylan Bloom. 

Graham, a non-voting member of the ad hoc committee, stated the conversation surrounding the shelter and funding would occur during the Tuesday business meeting and this meeting was to discuss the committee’s recommendations. 

Councilor Paula Hyatt paused to thank the committee for its work, but said the entire plan is pinned on “fixing” the building, and she believed it would likely take more than $500,000 to do so. She asked if the city had any money left in its contingency fund and, if not, if investment revenue could be used, or Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. 

City Manager Sabrina Cotta responded the city’s investment revenue was largely spent on recent logging operations. By the rapidly approaching end of the fiscal year, it is anticipated the city’s contingency fund will be consumed by overtime in the fire department. CDBG grants are a possibility, along with seeking larger funding sources, such as from the federal government, she said. 

Hyatt asked if selling the building would also mean a payment of over $500,000 to the state. Due to the building’s purchase with state funds for homelessness services, it has been anticipated any use of the building other than these services would necessitate some repayment, as previously reported by Ashland.news. Cotta stated any repayment or sale of the building would likely be negotiated between the city and the state. 

Graham intervened again, reminding council the purpose of the evening’s discussion was to listen with respect to the presentation from the committee. 

“This committee has been working for six months to do what council asked them to do,” she said. 

Hyatt responded that, without understanding the cost implications, council could not be expected to accept the plan. 

Cotta stated she hadn’t had that conversation with the state preemptively. 

“Let me be clear, I’m not really interested in that option. What I’m really interested in is what do we have internally in this municipality as levers to pull to actually execute what’s being presented here tonight,” Hyatt said. 

Without that information, Hyatt said she felt council had wasted the committee’s time. Cotta responded it would take funds from the CDBG or the Capital Improvements Fund — which would impact work on the Community Center — or the city could hold off until the next biennial budget, “which is not ideal.” 

“As we said in the third meeting, ‘Why do a plan if you don’t have the money?’ The conundrum can also be looked at as, what can be leveraged? Appreciate your urgency,” Calvin said. 

Whatever happens at the property will be taxpayer-funded in some form, be that state or federal or local dollars, and the committee wanted to put forth the best suggestions to ensure the plan had the appropriate impact, Calvin said. Strong management of the property and its services was determined to be the way to ensure success, she said. What form of group or committee would be best should be considered further. 

Sanford said the committee members hoped to see an extension of their own ad hoc committee in some form to ensure the plan is expedited. 

“The main purpose of this final recommendation is to clear the way for quality services to happen as soon as possible without overlooking important steps to support success because well-planned and well-managed efforts can create positive outcomes for everybody,” Sanford said. 

Calvin said it was important to the committee to ensure the plan moves ahead through the strong support of an advisory committee of some kind and support from city staff, potentially a staff person partially or entirely dedicated to homelessness services. 

Councilor Bob Kaplan, a non-voting member of the committee, read from prepared remarks. 

Homelessness is a national crisis, he said. He was proud of Ashland’s legacy of “stepping forward with compassion and generosity.” Volunteers have prepared meals and donated supplies for years. Opportunities for Housing, Resources & Assistance (OHRA) began as a grassroots organization before rapidly growing into the large shelter and resources hub it now is. 

He was hopeful the work begun under the governor’s emergency order at the 2200 Ashland St. property last year would continue, but the city chose to pause to allow for public input out of respect for concerns from those living and working in south Ashland. Residents from all sides of the issue worked together on the ad hoc committee presenting its report. 

“People who stuck with it didn’t come together easily, there were many heated discussions. … I personally hoped for more. But I respect the people, I respect the process, I respect the work that has gone into the site plan,” he said. 

Councilor Jeff Dahle said he had the opportunity to sit in on one of the committee’s meetings and it was the hardest work of any committee he’s seen. 

“It was a tough, tough task and you handled it with grace and you handled it with clarity and respect for all. And now it comes back to us. … I just hope this council will do right by this committee and this community,” he said. 

Graham said she witnessed many moments of “magic” on the committee where members from vastly different backgrounds and perspectives worked together despite their differences. While this gave her great hope, another reality remains unavoidable. 

“It’s cold out there tonight. This crisis is right now, for the people that are experiencing it. Anything we can do to move to providing services on that property we need to do it as soon as possible,” she said. 

The plan will return for further consideration by council at its Dec. 3 business meeting, Graham said. 

Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected].