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NEWS Staying the Course
The golf course is dead. Long live the golf course!
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By Jack Harvel
In April, Wayne Purcell announced the sale of River’s Edge Golf Course to Pahlisch Homes to develop the land as housing. Severe and immediate backlash followed. The River’s Edge community spoke out through yard signs, online and in person at a tense town hall where Dan Pahlisch futilely attempted to assuage the opposition to the 370+ home development. In their opposition, homeowners cited potentially increased traffic, decreased real estate values and the loss of golf course views as advertised.
In August, 10 adjacent homeowners sued both Pahlisch Homes and River’s Edge LLC to block the housing development. “Now they want to change the rules. They want to pave over the golf course and pack it with streets and homes,” Jeff Kramer, a former lawyer and one of the homeowners suing Pahlisch Homes, told KTVZ in August. “And that’s not what we were promised, and that’s not what we relied on when we bought our homes.”
The lawsuit alleges homeowners have a right to enforce the advertising promises in home sales. Pahlisch Homes advertised River’s Edge houses as having “golf course views.”
“In connection to real property, when you make promises to people, and you know they’re going to rely on it, and they do rely on it, you’re then obligated to fulfill those promises,” Kramer added.
On Oct. 23 the homeowner’s association announced via email that it had reached a settlement with River’s Edge and that it would buy the course for $500,000. The sale includes the course’s 141 acres, facilities and equipment. The settlement term sheet says the course will be preserved as an 18-hole golf course in perpetuity. Homeowners will assess the course’s potential over the next four months, then have 30 days to make the purchase.
The Source contacted Kramer, but he’s not speaking with media per the defendants’ request. Representatives from the homeowners’ association said it would be seeking a qualified company to manage the golf course, rather than the homeowners’ association itself. The sale is welcome news to residents on the course, but for many affordable housing advocates it’s a lost opportunity.
David Welton, creator of the Bend YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) website, said there’s no single solution to Bend’s housing problems, but more abundant housing and housing options are need-
ed to reduce costs. Pahlisch committed to building missing-middle homes; most often these are multi-family attached units like duplexes, triplexes and townhomes. The proposed River’s Edge development would still likely cost more than a median-earning Bendite could afford, but it could relieve pressure on the rest of the housing market, he said.
“We are seeing the price of used cars go up during the pandemic because of supply chain issues preventing new cars from being built and delivered. Housing isn’t that different: restrict supply in the face of demand that continues to rise, and prices are bound to go up for all housing,” Welton said. “If I have $30,000 to spend on a new Toyota, but there are none available and I really need something to drive, I’ll go looking for a used one, and will, if needs be, spend a bit more to make sure I get it.”
Welton contends that so long as Bend grows as fast as it is, the city will need to create housing for all income levels to meet demand and stabilize prices.
“We all know there are people with money moving to Bend, so if we build some homes that interest them, it’ll keep them from competing for, and bidding up prices of existing housing stock,” Welton said. “So, it’s certainly disappointing to see a large number of homes off the table, all for a golf course that isn’t a great use of water and isn’t open to the public like a park. It’s not like wealthy people won’t move to Bend if there aren’t brand new houses—they’ll buy up older ones and spend some money to have them fixed up.”
The 18-hole River's Edge Golf Course covers more than 1,100 acres in Northwest Bend.
Ella Taft
Noticias en Español La Asociación de la Comunidad Latina abre el Centro de Fortalecimiento
Por Nicole Vulcan Traducido / Translated by Jéssica Sánchez-Millar
La Asociación de la Comunidad Latina (LCA por sus siglas en inglés) marcó este año el Día de los Muertos con la inauguración de sus nuevas instalaciones, en donde sus dirigentes sueñan con expandir el programa más allá de lo que la organización ha visto hasta ahora. El 2 de noviembre, LCA marcó el día, también conocido como Día de los Muertos -el festejo a principios de noviembre que honra a los seres queridos difuntos –con una ceremonia comunitaria y con la inauguración de su nuevo centro de fortalecimiento de 5,700 pies cuadrados en el este de la ciudad de Bend. Calaveras de azúcar, altares y banderas de colores brillantes decoraban su nuevo edificio, el cual consta de espacios comunitarios, oficinas, salas de juntas y una cocina –algo que faltaba en el edifico previo de LCA.
LCA toma lugar, en NE Twin Knolls Drive, donde su colega Abilitree, una organización sin fines de lucro, seguirá ocupando un espacio en el edificio, comento Oscar González, gerente de programas de fortalecimiento de LCA. Es “cien veces más grande” que el espacio más reciente del LCA localizado en la calle de NE Division, dijo Gonzáles a the Source.
Para González, inaugurar el nuevo edificio junto con un festejo como el Dia de los Muertos es un capítulo nuevo e interesante – en el cual LCA puede ampliar sus propuestas como su colaboración con los Servicios de Asesoría de Inmigración (ICS por sus siglas en inglés), un bufete de abogados sin fines de lucro del área de Portland que ofrece servicios de inmigración de bajo costo. En diciembre pasado, LCA obtuvo acreditación de parte del Departamento de Justicia de Oregon, permitiéndole a LCA trabajar con ICS y ofrecer vías de expansión hacia la ciudadanía para los Latinos en el Centro de Oregon, dijo González. También percibe que el nuevo edificio podrá integrar aún más clases de inglés impartidas por LCA, apoyo para la salud y clases de computación –todas las actividades que han visto cambios durante la pandemia.
“Tener que pasar de clases presenciales, clases de computación, preparación hacia la ciudadanía – todo paso a llevarse a cabo en contexto virtual,” durante la pandemia, dijo González. Eso fue un reto, pero también tuvo su lado positivo.
“Anteriormente, la gente se sentía cómoda con la tecnología –ahora están usando Zoom. Así que ese es un aspecto.”
Aún así, dijo González, “Pasaron muchas cosas malas. Muchas familias
–trabajadores indispensables de primera fila – tenían todo tipo de problemas con sus hijos. Hubo estudiantes de preparatoria (high school) que tuvieron que dejar los estudios para apoyar con los ingresos familiares. Los niños más pequeños sin supervisión, por lo que el descenso fue mayor.” La promoción y la reanudación de la participación de los estudiantes que todavía no regresan a la escuela es una preocupación constante, indico González.
A futuro, González está seguro que el nuevo espacio es muy prometedor. “Vamos a poder ofrecer mucho más y brindar un mejor servicio, y ampliar nuestra programación,” dijo González.
Otros planes a futuro incluyen colaboraciones o clases de colegios de la zona, murales y obras de arte plasmadas en las paredes –y lo ideal, algún día, hasta un festejo más grande del Día de los Muertos el cual incluya a otros socios comunitarios, comento González.
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NEWS Latino Community Association Opens Empowerment Center
By Nicole Vulcan
The Latino Community Association marked Día de los Muertos this year by breaking in a new facility, where its leaders dream of expanding programming far beyond what the organization has seen so far. On Nov. 2, LCA marked the day, also known as Day of the Dead—the early-November celebration that honors peoples’ dearly departed—with a community celebration and ribbon cutting at its new 5,700-squarefoot empowerment center on Bend’s east side. Sugar skulls, altars and brightly colored flags decorated the new facility, which houses a community room, offices, meeting rooms and a kitchen—something lacking in LCA’s former homes. LCA takes over the space on NE Twin Knolls Drive from fellow nonprofit Abilitree, which will continue to occupy some space in the building, said Oscar Gonzalez, empowerment programs manager for LCA. It’s “a hundred times bigger” than LCA’s most recent space on NE Division Street, he told the Source.
For Gonzalez, opening the new building with a celebration like Día de los Muertos is an exciting new chapter—one in which LCA can expand offerings such as its partnership with Immigration Counseling Service, a Portland area nonprofit law firm offering low-cost immigration legal services. Last December, LCA obtained accreditation from the Oregon Department of Justice, allowing LCA to work with ICS and offer expanded pathways to citizenship for Latinos in Central Oregon, Gonzalez said. He also sees the new building being able to house even more LCA English classes, health supports and computer literacy classes—all activities that have seen changes during the pandemic.
“Having to go from live classes, computer literacy, citizenship prep—it all went virtual,” during the pandemic, Gonzalez said. That was a challenge, but it also had its silver lining.
“Before, some people were not comfy with tech—now they’re Zooming. So that’s one thing.”
Still, he said, “There were so many more bad things that happened. Many families—frontline essential workers— had all kinds of issues with the kids. There were high schoolers quitting to
Courtesy Latino Community Association
Sugar skulls added to the Día de los Muertos celebration in the Latino Community Association's new home.
support the family income. Younger kids going unsupervised, so ‘the slide’ was even more so.” Outreach and re-engagement of students not yet back in school is an ongoing concern, Gonzalez said.
Moving forward, Gonzalez is certain the new space holds plenty of promise.
“We’re going to be able to provide that much more and better service and expand our programming,” Gonzalez said.
Other future plans include partnerships or classes from area colleges, murals and artwork on the walls—and ideally, someday, an even bigger Día de los Muertos event that includes other community partners, he said.
Downstairs Doctors
New clinic will also house nearly 50 apartments for low-income seniors
By Jack Harvel
Courtesy of Mosaic Medical
Mosaic Medical opened Conners Medical Center, its newest clinic, on Tuesday on Tuscon Way on Bend’s east side. The clinic will replace Mosaic’s former clinic across the street, and will be open to patients on Monday, Nov. 8. The facility will also be a retail pharmacy offering discounted medication in participation with the federal 340B medication assistance program. those apartments are reserved for qualifying Mosaic Medical patients with chronic medical conditions. The apartments are provided in partnership with Housing Works, the local housing authority for Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. “We are very excited to be partnering with Mosaic Medical on this development,” said Geoff Wall, chief financial officer of Housing Works, in a press
—Geoff Wall
“We are very proud and excited to be able to continue to provide excellent primary care to our Bend patients at our new location,” said Megan Haase, FNP and CEO of Mosaic Medical, in a press release. “And to now offer a Mosaic Pharmacy site open to the community in Bend as well.” The health center and pharmacy will be on the ground floor, and 47 apartment units for low-income seniors are available on the upper three floors. Six of release. “By integrating Mosaic’s clinic on-site and providing a link to their proactive, team-based approach to coordinated care, we can greatly improve the health of the residents and the surrounding community.”
The site will employ an average of 85 people and see up to 150 patients a day. The project was greenlit in 2019 amid rising housing costs with funding from Oregon Housing and Community Services.
