BEND, OR -- A Seattle development company plans a large apartment complex in southwest Bend, but the proposal is worrying some neighbors.
Evergreen Housing Development Group, LLC plans to build more than 150-units, offered at market rate. The company already has two luxury apartment complexes near Pilot Butte. Valerie Pharr, Chair of the Southern Crossing Neighborhood Association, is concerned the new development fails to address the city’s need for affordable housing, "There’s a lot of vacancies on the market. You know, things are just sitting there not selling, because most people that live in Bend can’t afford it. The thing is, most of the housing is targeted towards California retirees. I hate to be so generalized, but it’s a lot of money to buy a home and live here in Bend."
Pharr also tells KBND News she's worried the proposal is coming in under the radar for many who it will impact, because Evergreen Housing is only required to notify owners within 500' of the property near Shevlin Hixon Drive and Bradbury Way. "When you think about it, everybody is impacted because, what it’s doing is, it’s putting huge demands on our infrastructure: on our water and our sewer, our electricity. It’s putting more cars on the road; there’s a probability that they may not have enough parking for the number of people and the families that are going to be drawn to living in that area."
Evergreen housing did not return our request for comment. Pharr hopes area residents will attend a neighborhood meeting scheduled for Thursday, to meet with the developer and learn about the project. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at The Pavilion, inside the party room.
Photo: Apartment at Outlook At Pilot Butte
