TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, City Manager
FROM: Kristin Retherford, Community Planning and Development Department Director
SUBJECT:
title
Multiple Unit Housing Tax Incentive Program application by Willow Mixed Use SPE, LLC seeking a 10-year property tax exemption for a 49-unit apartment development located at 590 Willow Street NE.
Ward(s): Ward 1
Councilor(s): Tigan
Neighborhood(s): CANDO
Result Area(s): Strong and Diverse Economy; Welcoming and Livable Community
end
SUMMARY:
summary
On April 28, 2026, Willow Mixed Use SPE, LLC (Landon Hatton, Principal/Applicant), submitted an application for participation in the Multiple Unit Housing Tax Incentive Program (Program) for development of a multi-family building tentatively named “Creekside at Willow” (Project) on an existing, privately-owned lot, formerly a single family dwelling. The Project will consist of one 42,518 square foot building containing 49 residential rental units and 1500 square feet of commercial space, located at 590 Willow St, NE, off High Street, NE north of Division Street, NE.
The Applicant has submitted applications and materials asserting compliance with all Program requirements. The Project contains more than two dwelling units, is located within the Core Area, and meets 10 of the 19 public benefit requirements. Adoption of Resolution No. 2026-17 (Attachments 1, 2, 3) would approve the application by Willow Mixed Use SPE, LLC for tax exemption of the multiple family residential portion of the property under the Program.
end
ISSUE:
Shall City Council:
(1) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-17 approving an application by Willow Mixed Use SPE, LLC for tax exemption under the City’s Multiple Unit Housing Tax Incentive Program; and
(2) Direct staff to make a request to boards of other taxing districts to adopt a resolution agreeing with the policy of providing a tax exemption for the project, therefore exempting the multiple family residential portion of the project’s full property tax liability?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
(1) Adopt Resolution No. 2026-17 approving an application by Willow Mixed Use SPE, LLC for tax exemption under the City’s Multiple Unit Housing Tax Incentive Program; and
(2) Direct staff to make a request to boards of other taxing districts to adopt a resolution agreeing with the policy of providing a tax exemption for the project, therefore exempting the multiple family residential portion of the project’s full property tax liability.
body
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The Project involves the development of a new mixed use, multi-family building containing 49 residential living units and 7 onsite parking spaces. SRC 2.790 - 2.835 adopt the provisions of ORS 307.600 - 307.687 to stimulate the construction, or addition of or conversion to multiple-unit housing in the designated core area of the City. Criteria, standards, and other guidelines are further detailed in the Standards and Guidelines for The Multiple Unit Housing Tax Incentive Program, adopted by Council. The applicable statutes, code, and criteria are shown below in bold print. Following each criterion is a finding relative to the application.
ORS 307.606(4): States that prior to accepting applications under ORS 307.600 to 307.637, cities and counties shall promulgate standards and guidelines to be utilized in considering applications and making determinations required by ORS 307.618.
Finding: The City has adopted Standards and Guidelines for the Program, and most recently updated them in 2022, through Resolution No. 2022-52.
ORS 307.612: Provides that the first year of the exemption for an approved project is the assessment year beginning January 1 immediately following the calendar year in which construction, addition or conversion is completed, determined by that stage in the construction process when, pursuant to ORS 307.330, the improvement would have gone on the tax rolls in the absence of the exemption provided for in ORS 307.600 to 307.637.
Finding: The Applicant has asked for exemption starting in tax year 2027. Should the Project not receive a Certificate of Occupancy until 2028, the exemption would not start until then.
ORS 307.618: As applicable to this application, the City may approve an application under a program if the City finds:
(1) The owner has agreed to include one or more design or public benefit elements as specified by the city or the county;
(2) The project is or will be, at the time of completion, in conformance with all local plans and planning regulations, including special or district-wide plans developed and adopted pursuant to ORS chapters 195, 196, 197, 215 and 227 that are applicable at the time the application is approved.
(3) The owner has complied with the City’s adopted Standards and Guidelines.
Finding: Design or Public Benefit Elements:
The Applicant has asserted 10 of the 19 available design or public benefit elements as specified in SRC 2.815 (see below). Staff believes the application meets 10 of the 19 available design or public benefit elements and complies with this requirement.
Local Plans and Land Use Regulations:
Land Use Approval:
The Project has submitted for Site Plan approval and Design Review.
Local Plans:
Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area Plan:
Section 400, Objective 2:
To maintain the central core area as the dominant center for regional retail and office development.
Section 400, Objective 5:
To improve the pedestrian flow and protection for pedestrians between retail activities, offices, public facilities, parking, and related areas, through improvements at street level as well as grade-separated pedestrian ways.
Section 400, Objective 7:
To encourage private restoration, rehabilitation, development, both within and adjacent to project areas, through public improvements in project areas.
Section 400, Objective 11:
To encourage the development of new housing through the use of available measures, such as the tax abatement provisions of HB 2343.
Section 400, Objective 12:
To increase the total housing supply adjoining the retail core.
ORS 307.621: A city or county shall approve or deny an application filed under ORS 307.618 within 180 days after receipt of the application and that an application not acted upon within 180 days shall be deemed approved.
Finding: The application was received on April 28, 2026. Council has until October 28, 2026, to issue a final decision on the application; however, the applicant has asked for expedited action before June 1, 2026 to secure funding for the project.
ORS 307.637(2): An exemption for multiple-unit housing may not be granted under ORS 307.600 to 307.637 unless:
(2) In the case of multiple-unit housing described in ORS 307.603 (5)(b), the construction, addition or conversion is completed on or before December 31, 2031.
Finding: The application proposes multi-family housing, and therefore 307.637(2) is applicable, and must be completed on or before December 31, 2031. The Applicant has noted the Project’s planned completion date is August 2027.
SRC 2.800: To be eligible for the property tax exemption provided by SRC 2.790-2.835 a structure must:
(a) Be dwelling units, not designed or used as transient accommodations and not including hotels and motels but including such design elements benefitting the public as described in SRC 2.790-2.835 and approved by the City Council;
(b) Be housing which is constructed on or after January 1, 2022, and completed on or before December 31, 2031.
(c) Be located within the designated core area.
Finding: The Project is located within the Core Area and includes 49 rental apartment units. As noted above, planned completion date of the Project is August 2027. As discussed below, the Applicant has asserted 10 of the 19 public benefit elements.
Staff believes the Project meets 10 of the 19 public benefit elements and complies with the requirements in SRC 2.800 and is eligible.
SRC 2.810: Application Procedure Requirements.
Finding: The Applicant submitted a complete application.
SRC 2.815: Design Elements Benefitting the Public. To qualify under the Program, an applicant must propose and agree to include in the proposed project one or more design elements benefitting the general public; however, public benefits provided by this section are not necessarily required to be available to the public at large if the City Council finds the design elements proposed by the applicant provide sufficient public benefit.
Finding: The Applicant has submitted material (Exhibit A of Resolution 2026-17) asserting 10 of the 19 public benefits outlined in SRC 2.815 will be met by the Project.
Public Benefits Asserted:
1. Unit sales prices or rental rates are accessible to a broad range of mixed incomes.
a. Rental rates will range from $1,219-$2,797 per month.
b. The applicant has committed to providing 3 units rent constrained at 80% AMI, though not required to do so as there are fewer than 50 units.
2. Open Space.
a. The development must provide green stormwater infrastructure to comply with City land use requirements.
b. The exterior courtyard, while restricted to resident use, could be considered open space.
3. Development or redevelopment of underutilized or blighted property.
a. The single-family dwelling on the lot was once declared derelict and has since been razed.
b. The project will develop the underutilized lot into needed housing.
4. Recreation Facilities
a. The project offers an exterior courtyard, dog washing and bike storage facilities to the residents.
5. Facilities for the Handicapped
a. The project is required to provide one (1) Type A unit and, absent an elevator, nine (9) Type B units. The applicant’s choice to include an elevator raises the requirement to all others being Type B units.
6. Special Architectural Features
a. The project utilizes a variety of sidings, glazing, canopies and exterior lighting to offer visual variety.
b. The trash enclosure is not exposed to public view.
7. Dedication of Land or Facilities for Public use.
a. The land use approval requires expanded ROW and reconstruction of the adjacent bus stop.
8. Provision of pedestrian-oriented design.
a. The project will provide overhanging canopies at street level to shade the adjacent sidewalk.
9. Extra costs associated with Infill or Redevelopment
a. The applicant asserts extra costs associated to securing and demoing the site, pre-approval.
b. The applicant must upgrade the existing electrical and comms service in the area that does not exist today, but is necessary to realize the area’s zoning potential.
10. Provision of amenities and/or programs supportive of the use of mass transit.
a. The project will reconstruct the existing bus stop with a bulb-out design.
b. The project will provide an electronic transit board with schedules for tenant use.
Public Benefits Not Asserted:
1. Common meeting rooms;
2. Day care facilities.
3. Facilities supportive of the arts;
4. Parking Spaces within the structure;
5. Development on sites with existing single-story commercial structures;
6. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification by the Green Building Council of the project;
7. Development in structures that include ground level commercial space;
8. Service or Commercial uses needed but not available for economic reasons; and,
9. Development on existing surface parking lots.
SRC 2.825: City Council Review. The City Council may approve the application if it finds, in accordance with adopted Standards and Guidelines, that:
(1) The property is eligible as provided in SRC 2.800;
(2) The applicant has agreed to include in the construction as a part of the multiple-unit housing one or more design elements benefitting the general public which are deemed sufficient by the City Council;
(3) The project is in conformance with the comprehensive plan and zoning regulations; and
(4) The public benefit the property will receive pursuant to the Program will be reasonable when considered in combination with other public benefits it is receiving or for which the owner plans to apply.
Finding:
1. As set forth above, staff corroborates the Project is eligible.
2. As set forth above, staff corroborates the Project includes adequate design elements benefiting the public to satisfy SRC 2.815. The staff does not find the assertion of “Facilities for the Handicapped” is supported due to only meeting minimum code requirements. The staff does find the benefit of “Service or Commercial uses needed but not available for economic reasons” is supported as evidenced by the recent closure of Salem Cinema .3 miles away.
3. The Project has submitted for Site Plan approval and Design Review.
4. Application materials support a finding that the public benefit the property will receive pursuant to this program will be reasonable when considered in combination with other public benefits it is receiving or for which the owner plans to apply.
The deadline for Council to make a decision on the application is October 28, 2026. If Council does not issue a final decision by then, the application will be deemed approved. If approved, Resolution No. 2026-17 will become effective upon adoption.
BACKGROUND:
In June 1976, Council enacted Salem’s Multiple Unit Housing Tax Incentive Program (Program), Salem Revised Code (SRC) 2.790-2.835. The Program is authorized by Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 307.600-307.691, which allows local governments to establish a program for property tax exemptions to stimulate the construction of transit-supportive multiple unit housing in the core areas of Oregon’s urban centers. The Program provides a property tax exemption for up to 10 years for new or converted, transit supportive, non-transient multiple family housing units constructed within the defined core area (Attachment 4) that provide one or more public benefits as defined in the ordinance. The basic tenets of the Program are:
• The project must include at least two dwelling units per Standards and Guidelines adopted by Resolution No. 2022-52;
• The project must be located within the “Core Area” as defined in SRC 2.800(c);
• The project must include at least one public benefit as outlined in SRC 2.815; and
• Council shall, by resolution, make a decision within 180 days of receipt of the application or the application is automatically deemed approved.
The Program provides for a tax exemption only for the City’s tax levy. Current tax revenue from the lot is $2,250. Pursuant to ORS 307.606(1), for a project to be exempt from property taxes from other taxing districts, such as counties or the school district, the governing bodies of the taxing districts, representing 51% or more of the total combined rate of taxation levied on the property under consideration must consent to the exemption. The City and the Salem-Keizer School District collectively represent about 60% of the combined rate of taxation within the Core Area. As set forth in ORS 307.606(1), if the District’s Board consents to the tax exemption for a project under the Program, the project will be exempt from all local property taxes for the period authorized. A resolution approving the Project’s participation in the Program by another taxing district, such as the School District, will have no effect on their tax revenue.
On October 11, 2021, City Council amended SRC 2.830(a) extending the Program to January 1, 2032. Each application requesting approval is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the City Council. Since 1976, 12 properties have been approved by Council for this Program:
High Street Apartments (105 units)-277 High St NE
Tax exemption period estimated to end in 2037.
890 Commercial St. NE Apartments (7 units) - 890 Commercial Street NE
Tax exemption period expires in 2036.
Rivinwood (157 units) - 420 Center Street NE
Tax exemption period expires in 2035.
SAMAX, LLC (2 units) - 227-229 Commercial Street NE
Tax exemption revoked by County in 2026.
990 Broadway Building (23 units) - 990 Broadway Street NE
Tax exemption period expires in 2032.
Parke 325 Building (30 units) - 325 13th Street NE
Tax exemption period expires in 2031.
Koz on State Street/Nishioka Building (142 units) - 260 State Street
Tax exemption period expires in 2031.
The Court Yard Apartments (40 units) - 211 Court Street NE)
Tax exemption period expires in 2030.
South Block Apartments (178 units, Phases I & II) - 315 Commercial Street SE
Tax exemption period expires in 2028.
The Residences at Riverfront Park (118 units) - 230 Front Street SE
Project cancelled prior to construction.
Willamette Landing Apartments (89 units) - 1601-1675 Water Street NE
Tax exemption period expired in 2000.
Forum Apartments (62 units) - 350 13th Street SE
Tax exemption period expired 1990.
Mill Bridge Terrace Apartments (24 units) - 728 Church Street NE
Tax exemption period expired in 1987.
Michael Brown
Manager, Housing Production Programs and Incentives
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2026-17
2. Exhibit A to Resolution No. 2026-17
3. Exhibit B to Resolution No. 2026-17
4. Core Area Map