Civil Municipal - Feb 2024

The Mayor details other housing projects to diversify Coos Bay’s residential landscape.“We’re in the midst of another project that could add 400 workforce homes to our city,” he notes.The fluctuating dynamics of interest rates pose challenges, but the city is exploring ways to mitigate these, such as seeking grants for infrastructure development.“Our goal is to keep housing affordable while meeting the demand,” Mayor Benetti emphasizes. The issue of workforce housing, particularly for essential workers like paramedics and police officers, is also on the city’s agenda. Mayor Benetti reveals, “We’ve been discussing workforce housing extensively. It was a goal two years ago and remains a goal today.” The city is considering innovative solutions, such as partnering with the local hospital which is providing a 16 acre parcel of land. “We aim to make it easier for our workforce to live and work in the area,” he explains. A unique aspect of Coos Bay’s approach to fostering housing development is the absence of system 25 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 02 COOS BAY, OR (CI TY OF)