OPINION: Palindrome has acted in good faith on Village Center Project

Despite claims to the contrary by the Friends of Los Ranchos, Palindrome has tried on multiple occasions to have productive meetings with the Friends to avoid going to court.

We have held two public meetings within the last month, held countless meetings with Friends members and other village citizens over the years, and have gone to mediation with the Friends and the Village of Los Ranchos, where the Friends walked out.

But the only solution the Friends seem willing to accept is tearing down the over $50 million affordable housing community, which would leave the residents of Los Ranchos potentially liable for tens of millions of dollars.

The Friends are using every opportunity to villainize Palindrome, calling our efforts illegal. This could not be farther from the truth. In 2002, more than 20 years ago, the village adopted a Village Center Zone, which was intended to create a commercial center, provide a place for public gatherings, encourage pedestrian activity, and provide a pleasurable destination for residents to gather and shop.

To support this commercial center, the zone encouraged higher density and a mix of uses, including residential development.

In 2007, the village’s board of trustees passed a resolution declaring the underperforming commercial area a blighted Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) due to its deteriorated buildings and large areas of vacant land. More than 10 years later, in March of 2018, the village adopted the Village Center MRA Plan with the goal of promoting economic activity along Fourth Street, providing a destination for residents and visitors, all while honoring the agricultural heritage of the village.

Immediately after adoption of the MRA Plan, the village issued a request for proposals to select an experienced developer with the adequate finances to consolidate, design, develop, operate, and eventually own the Village Center site. Palindrome’s plan was selected for the site.

At that time, we asked for and were given specific guidance from the village on the site development and approval process. We have followed everything that was laid out to us and have not violated any aspect of the agreement with the village.

Fast forward to today. The village leadership changed after last year’s election. All the newly elected village officials were supported by the Friends and ran their campaigns based on tearing down this affordable housing community.

Now, less than a year later, we find ourselves being challenged by not only the Friends, but in some cases, village officials as well. However, we cannot reverse course after construction is nearly complete on something that has been in the making for more than two decades.

You cannot have an over $50 million housing community torn down because the Friends and the newly elected village officials do not want affordable housing in their community.

The Friends also claim our development disrupts their rural lifestyle. The Fourth and Osuna intersection is already home to a strip mall and numerous small businesses — hardly a rural intersection.

I am proud of what the Palindrome team has designed and built to-date. This is a development that not only offers sorely needed affordable housing options, but also green spaces for people to recreate and micro-retail space for small businesses. Future planned phases will offer more dining and entertainment options as well.

Now is the time for everyone in the village to come together with Palindrome so we can work out viable solutions for the current and future phases of the Village Center.

We are willing to make compromises, but tearing down affordable housing that is so desperately needed in our community is not an option.

Chad Rennaker is chief executive officer of Palindrome Communities of Portland, Oregon.