Lane County’s Housing Policy Board had its chance to hear from the University firsthand Monday about its plans to sell the Westmoreland Apartments in West Eugene.
The board was not required to hear the University’s plans and could not formally rule on anything, but a member requested that University officials discuss the possible sale with the board.
The 404-unit apartment complex is considered affordable housing by many, and board members questioned what selling the complex could do to the low-income housing market in the city.
Board member John Wagner said one of his main concerns hinges on the effect the sale could have on Eugene’s need for low-income housing.
“If the University is not providing for that need, that need will fall on the community,” Wagner said.
It’s very possible that the buyer of the property could continue to operate the apartments as low-income housing, University Vice President for Finance and Administration Frances Dyke said, and the University hopes to give priority to such buyers.
“We do not need to take the highest financial offer,” Dyke said.
An intent to continue operating the apartments would add value to a potential buyer’s offer, she said.
Board member Dave Ralston, a Springfield city councilor, said the projected $15 million to $18 million value of the property is a sign that no organization interested in low-income housing would be able to purchase it, but Dyke said the inquiries the University has gotten about the property say otherwise.
Ralston asked why the University will not open the units to non-students and students at Lane Community College and Northwest Christian College if the University is concerned with Westmoreland’s roughly 84 percent occupancy rate.
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of University Housing Mike Eyster said the colleges have different missions, which has created problems in the past. He did not detail the problems.
Board chair John Van Landingham said it’s understandable that the University may not want to compete with the private sector for housing.
“I think there are some people at the University who would be happy if there was no housing,” Van Landingham said.
Dyke and Eyster outlined the reasons for the sale, emphasizing the need to improve on-campus housing and the need to purchase land closer to campus.
Richie Weinman, Eugene housing and neighborhoods manager, asked if the money from the sale would be used to build more housing.
Dyke mentioned the state-owned property east of the Romania car lot as one of the properties the University may have a chance of acquiring soon. The University is also hoping to purchase the car lot from the UO Foundation, Dyke said. Those sites as well as the Baker Center downtown are all being considered potential sites for a new residence hall, Dyke said.
“What I think I heard you say is you don’t know if you’re going to build housing with it or not,” Weinman said.
The sale money will ultimately benefit housing, Dyke said, but because the needed renovation and addition of residence halls are still in the preliminary planning stages, the money will be put to other immediate uses.
“We can’t let the money just sit there,” Dyke said.

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