News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 22 of 22
Not in my backyard To the Editor: I’m not usually a NIMBY-person but in the question of moving the Community Garden to Clemens Park, I definitely am because I live in Tamarack Village Apartments. The four-foot fence along the park edge allows residents of 24 of these apartments about eight feet of grass beyond our patios so we have a view of the open space and easy access. We all use the park, whether kids at the playground; parents teaching their kids to play baseball, football, soccer; throwing a toy for our dogs to fetch;... Full story
Common sense immigration To the Editor: Mass deportation as a solution for illegal or unauthorized immigration is wedging itself into our politics. That’s an impossibility and a distraction. We need a functional immigration plan. The Migration Policy Institute reports data for 11,047,000 unauthorized immigrants. Most were born in Mexico, Central or South America, or the Caribbean, some in Africa, Asia, Canada, or Europe. Of that total, 63 percent (6,933,000) have resided in the U.S. ten years or more; 33 percent (... Full story
I would like to convey a response to Bill Bartlett’s article in last week’s issue of The Nugget, regarding the affordable-housing crisis in Sisters, Central Oregon, and arguably the U.S. (and world) as a whole. I have read his article and I fully agree with his statements. And there are certainly plenty of well-paying jobs in Sisters, and around Central Oregon as a whole. However, we cannot deny that, at least in Central Oregon, people in very skilled professions, like a teacher or a doctor, will take a significant pay cut... Full story
It's an increasingly common story in Sisters - and across North America: Urban deer populations that have become accustomed to human presence can sometimes turn aggressive. Last week, a local resident contacted The Nugget to report that a small dog was attacked by a big doe near the Tamarack Apartments at the north end of town. There are a great many deer in town, and they think nothing of hanging out in the yards of homes and businesses. Also last week, a woman posted on... Full story
The number of affordable apartment units available in Sisters is receiving a boost this month with the acceptance of applications for Ponderosa Heights Apartments, the new affordable apartment complex on Brooks Camp Road. To encourage local participation, applications will be accepted only in person at the Tamarack Apartment complex at 555 N. Larch St. in Sisters. Applicants may apply Monday, October 22 through Thursday, October 25 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Applicants may apply... Full story
If everything goes according to plan, a new 48-unit affordable-housing apartment complex will be providing housing by spring 2018 for renters who earn no more than 60 percent of the median income for Deschutes County. At an open house last Thursday at Sisters City Hall, Sisters residents were able to view preliminary drawings and elevations for the units. Tom Kemper and Keith Wooden of HousingWorks were on hand to answer questions and provide information to interested... Full story
During last week's Sisters City Council meeting, Tom Kemper, executive director of HousingWorks, announced he had received word that they will be awarded the LIFT funds that were applied for in October in order to build an affordable 48-unit townhouse project in Sisters. That means that there is some relief in sight for the ongoing shortage of affordable rental housing in Sisters for local service employees and those making $12 an hour or less. The Land Innovation and Fast... Full story
Sisters City Council approved $300,000 in funding support for an affordable-housing project in Sisters in a 3-1 vote last Thursday. There was strong disagreement in the Council chambers as to whether the financial commitment is either affordable for the City or the right allocation of funds. Tom Kemper, executive director of HousingWorks, has been working with City Council and City staff this year to bring an affordable townhouse rental project similar to Tamarack Village to... Full story
To the Editor: When I was a little girl, every time a plane went over our Southern California home, we all ran out to see it. How could that thing stay up there? To this day, I still get a thrill every time I hear a plane or helicopter go over. I live about five blocks from the airport, at Tamarack Village Apartments. The lawnmowers in the park and nearby neighbors are much more annoying than the planes, but I don't mind because they keep everything looking great. Right now, at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 1, I have not seen or... Full story
In some cultures, those who reach a certain age quietly walk way from their villages and go off to die so they won't be a burden to their family. I'd like to think we've risen above that in this day and age, but here I find myself approaching that certain age living in Sisters, where it seems, though unspoken, that's pretty much what's expected. We have developers here who only think on the large scale and argue over pittances instead of asking people what they want and making it happen. When I talk to my senior friends and... Full story
According to a news report last week, Deschutes County is again in the top 10 fastest growing counties in the country. It is no secret that housing, especially that priced under $300,000, is difficult to find. Rentals are also hard to come by. A look at the Central Oregon Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and the Beacon Report tells the story of single-family home inventory and sales. Currently in Sisters, the MLS shows 17 houses for sale in Sisters/Black Butte Ranch (BBR) for... Full story
In some cultures, those who reach a certain age quietly walk way from their villages and go off to die so they won't be a burden to their family. I'd like to think we've risen above that in this day and age, but here I find myself approaching that certain age living in Sisters, where it seems, though unspoken, that's pretty much what's expected. We have developers here who only think on the large scale and argue over pittances instead of asking people what they want and making it happen. When I talk to my senior friends and... Full story
The issue of affordable housing is nothing new in Sisters. In early 2008 the Sisters City Council provided direction to have the Sisters Housing Plan developed by an outside contractor. The City's concerns back in 2008 were identical to the ones still being discussed in 2015. The Sisters Housing Plan, adopted in January 2010, contained a needs analysis, inventory of existing affordable housing, and six specific housing strategies to be implemented. It was a complete action... Full story
The sense of urgency to explore development of more affordable housing in Sisters was palpable at the Sisters City Council workshop on June 4. After hearing from residents at the recent economic vitality summit about the pressing need for affordable housing in Sisters, the City Council has moved the issue to the front of the line. Tom Kemper, executive director of Housing Works, gave a detailed presentation to Council on the state of affordable housing in all of Central Oregon... Full story
The nation watched awed as a massive fire consumed a large portion of the New Jersey boardwalk last month. The wind-driven blaze destroyed business after business as dozens of fire companies struggled to contain its spread. For the history-minded, the conflagration called to mind the destruction of much of downtown Sisters twice during the 1920s. Could such a destructive fire ravage Sisters again today? Sisters Fire Chief Roger Johnson and Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Ast say... Full story
Wages have not kept pace with housing costs in the Sisters area, and that is having an impact on the workforce. That is the conclusion of a housing assessment provided by Housing Works (formerly Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority) to the Sisters City Council in a workshop on Thursday, December 7. "We are a lifestyle community," said Housing Works Director Cyndy Cook. "Jobs are not driving the housing market." According to Housing Works, the median housing price in Siste... Full story
Low-income housing programs in Sisters are in full swing. Cyndy Cook, executive director of the Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority (COHRA), updated the Sisters City Council in a workshop Thursday, March 25, on three financial assistance efforts: low-income housing, a family self-sufficiency program, and a housing choice voucher program. Cook said Tamarack Village Apartments on Larch Street -- the first housing in Sisters with income-based rent -- has all 33 of its units filled. Tamarack Village opened in September... Full story
The City of Sisters is exploring new mail options. photo by Torri Barco The Sisters City Council is taking steps to provide free mail delivery to residents. Many are fed up with post office box fees or with long waits for counter-top general delivery. The council met with city staff and the branch postmaster in a workshop on Thursday, September 25, to discuss the option of providing home mail delivery. The issue was initially brought before the city council in May 2000 when it was determined that all 1,860 Sisters branch... Full story
Work is well underway at Park Place. photo by Jim Cornelius New roads are being paved this week as part of a $6.9-million project that will add 40 homes in a new Sisters subdivision called Park Place. The developer, Steve McGhehey of Redstone Construction Services in Sisters, owns the 7.4 acres of property near the Tamarack Village apartments on Larch Avenue on the north end of town. McGhehey is paving two new streets -- Black Butte Avenue and Song Bird Loop. He is also building an extension of North Fir Street. Ranging in... Full story
The first housing in Sisters with income-based rent will open its doors to residents in mid-September. The people behind the creation of Tamarack Village Apartments, 555 N. Larch Ave., celebrated an open house including neighbors, members of the Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority (CORHA) and city and state officials on Wednesday, August 20. Amidst many accolades and sighs of relief, the theme at Wednesday's gathering was warm appreciation for the opportunity to help neighbors who might have it a little rough. "The... Full story
Cyndy Cook of Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority announced the ground breaking at Tamarack Village. A group of Sisters area residents and local dignitaries braved a biting wind on Monday, April 15, to dedicate the ground for a 33-unit affordable housing complex in Sisters. Tamarack Village will offer 17 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom flats and townhouses on Larch Street, for families at or below 60 percent of the median income. Several speakers at the dedication noted... Full story
Coming soon... 33 housing units. A 33-unit affordable housing apartment complex will be built in Sisters. A tax credit grant was awarded October 11 by the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department. Funding of over $4 million will come from the OHCSD Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program and a private loan through the Bank of the Cascades. Rents at "Tamarack Village," located on a 2.1 acre site on Larch Street in Sisters, will range from $235 to $612 per month, based on income and family size. According to a market... Full story
