The Far West Neighborhood Association discussed the possible sale of Westmoreland Apartments at the association’s meeting last night but ended the evening with more questions than answers.
The association set out to vote on a position regarding the sale but was unable to complete the discussion, and it put off voting until its December meeting.
The University is hoping to sell the apartments, which many students say are the most affordable housing available. Two non-profit organizations, the Metropolitan Affordable Housing Corp. and the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, Inc., have expressed interest in buying the property.
Anne Williams, housing programs director for St. Vincent, spoke at the meeting about what her organization has to do to acquire the site and what its goals would be.
“What’s difficult is getting the money together,” Williams said. “Unless you’re a private developer with a whole lot of money, that’s the bind you’re in.”
If St. Vincent purchases the site, officials want it to remain affordable housing, as there is a lack in Eugene, Williams said.
Of the approximately 800 units of affordable housing St. Vincent has, there are no vacancies, Williams said.
“We cannot lose 400 units,” Williams said.
Westmoreland has 404 units.
Williams said Internal Revenue Service tax credit rules would prevent St. Vincent from keeping the entire site student housing. IRS rules prevent full-time students from using tax credit housing.
“Tax credits are the number one problem in keeping this student housing,” Williams said. “I can’t finance this as 100 percent student housing.”
But Williams said keeping at least a portion of the site for students is important.
“The student housing element needs to be saved,” she said. “The reality of that is the economics.”
Williams said it will be difficult for St. Vincent to come up with the required money, which may affect the final structure of the apartments.
“We may have to work with a developer so a portion of the site is market-rate housing,” she said.
Some Westmoreland residents attended the meeting, and all made it clear they wanted the property to remain affordable student housing.
Williams’ presence shifted the conversation to what would happen if St. Vincent acquired the property, but some students are still fighting the sale itself.
“As students, we’re looking for support from homeowners and the community to fight against the sale,” Westmoreland resident and University student Phyllis Haynes said.
John Dobbin, a neighborhood home owner, said he was afraid of what would happen to his property value if “shabby housing” was put in.
“We don’t want to move,” Dobbin said. “We’ve lived here for 47 years.”
Williams told Dobbin that in her experience, St. Vincent projects have improved property values, and she invited him to tour St. Vincent’s buildings.
Shane Kavanaugh, chairman of the association, said the association needs to take action on the sale at its December meeting if members want their voices to be heard.
“If we want to be effective as a neighborhood association, we have to say where we sit on this,” Kavanaugh said after the meeting.
“Nobody’s going to want to see private development,” Kavanaugh said, “but we have to decide if we outright oppose the sale. Or do we see it as inevitable and (focus on) who we want to see as stewards?”
Kavanaugh said he thought some people would be concerned that the association brought Williams, a representative one of the organizations trying to acquire the property, to speak at the meeting.
But Kavanaugh was confident students would be able to hold their own during the discussion.
“Outraged students know how to sell their point, too,” Kavanaugh said. “We need to hear everyone’s opinions before we make our decision.”

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