Scholars' Bank :: Browsing by Author "Lewis, Rebecca"

Browsing by Author "Lewis, Rebecca"

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Open Access
Assessment of MovingAhead’s Potential Funding Options
(University of Oregon, 2020) Burdette, Eric; Lewis, Rebecca
As part of Rebecca Lewis’ Public Budget Administration class, LTD tasked student groups to come up with innovative sources to fund a service expansion named MovingAhead. The MovingAhead package is estimated to have $274 million in capital costs, as well as $4.3 million in increased annual operations costs. In response to this challenge, two groups were tasked with developing funding options for capital costs and two student groups were tasked with finding funding options for operations costs. Each group was expected to have at least three funding packages and have a top recommendation based on evaluative criteria. The capital funding groups both had recommendations based on Urban Renewal Districts, among others. Both operations funding groups mentioned Transportation Utility Fees among their recommendations. The four groups recognize that their recommendations should be researched further by LTD or other entities to ensure that they would be able to implement these funding options. This will also ensure stable and resilient long-term funding.
Open Access
Autonomous Vehicle Revenue Implications For Portland, Tigard, and Tualatin
(University of Oregon, 2017) Peterson, Justin; Lewis, Rebecca
TriMet is known for maintaining a robust transportation network in the Portland, Oregon region. Beyond the transportation services, TriMet works with municipalities in the region to make the area a better place to live. The Portland region is expected to grow by 400,000 people in the next 20 years. As the community grows, so will the cost of providing efficient transportation services. In order to continue providing the level of service transit riders expect, TriMet and cities served by TriMet need additional and new revenue. The City of Portland is known for innovative transportation strategies and sustainable living. The City of Tigard has the long-term vision of becoming the most walkable city in the nation. The City of Tualatin has the vision of a transportation system that supports mobility, connectivity, and accessibility for all modes. The city goals indicate a shared interest in creating an equitable transportation system. Of particular interest for this report is the rapidly expanding recognition and legislation of the use of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and shared vehicles. As researchers look to the near future of the use of AVs and shared vehicles, policy makers in Portland, Tigard, and Tualatin need to better understand the impact of such technology on not only the environment, but on their respective budgets as well. Interested in all of the possible innovative funding options at the city’s disposal, TriMet partnered with Dr. Rebecca Lewis’ Public Budget Administration class. Graduate students in the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management collaborated with TriMet and city staff in researching and evaluating several possible funding strategies. Dedicating over 4,000 hours collectively, students worked both individually and as groups. Students were assigned teams based on interests, background, and experience. Ultimately, there were three Portland groups, two Tigard groups, and two Tualatin groups. First, students in each group analyzed what transportation revenue would be impacted by shifts in technology. The transportation revenue impact assumptions were primarily based on an Eno Center for Transportation report (Fagnant and Kockelman, 2015). The revenue impacts helped students understand the municipalities’ transportation funding structure and develop a baseline need as a result of the shifting technology. Next, students worked to develop innovative revenue options to meet the anticipated revenue gap due to shifting technology. Each group created at least three revenue packages, evaluated those packages based on industry criteria, and recommended one of those funding packages. Finally, TriMet was presented with seven different funding packages, three focused on Portland, two on Tigard, and two on Tualatin. This report summarizes the seven funding packages into common recommendation themes. Appendicies A, B, and C contain detailed summaries of current transportation revenue sources, potential new revenue sources, as well as the calculations used to inform each recommendation. The report also includes a compilation of each group’s original full report. The funding packages utilized new funding solutions and traditional sources. The most common new funding solution was a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) tax and the most common traditional revenue source was restructuring or increasing vehicle registration fees. In the future, each city and TriMet will have to address the desires and needs of their citizens, and hopefully these recommendations will provide a useful starting point.
Open Access
AVs in the Pacific Northwest: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Time of Automation, Baseline Report
(University of Oregon, 2018-08) Larco, Nico; Howell, Amanda; Lewis, Rebecca; Steckler, Becky; Clark, Joanna; Corey, Evan; Hurley, Peter
The University of Oregon conducted research for the cities of Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver to understand how the deployment of autonomous vehicles may impact greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Based on the range of possible outcomes, the cities hope to better understand the policies and programmatic choices available to mitigate negative impacts of AVs and ensure that they can accomplish the goals stated in their climate action, land use, and transportation plans. By working together, each city hopes to learn from each other—as well as cities from across North America—to achieve their climate-related goals. This report is the first of a two-phase project, both funded by the Bullitt Foundation. The Bullitt Foundation provided a grant to CNCA/USDN and subsequently to the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon to fund research related to the impact of AVs on the Cities of Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver and their ability to successfully implement their climate action plans to reduce GHG emissions. Phase II is supported by a grant directly to the Urbanism Next Center and builds on Phase I to examine in greater detail a limited number of strategies and actions that the Cities could incorporate into their new mobility1 strategies.
Open Access
A Budgeting Analysis of a Proposed Special District
(2015) Austin, Ellie R.; Lewis, Rebecca
Students in the graduate level Public Budget Administration course within the department of Planning, Public Policy, and Management at the University of Oregon examined the viability of an Economic Improvement or Business Improvement District (EID or BID) in Redmond, Oregon’s downtown. The City of Redmond provided three elements it wanted included in any proposed EID or BID, including a full time staff person, beautification efforts, and promotions and marketing.
Open Access
Business Medical District Economic Improvement District, Redmond
(2015) Zlevor, Kelsey; Lewis, Rebecca
Students in the graduate level Public Budget Administration course within the department of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) at the University of Oregon (UO) were tasked with examining the viability of an Economic Improvement District (EID) or Business Improvement District (BID) in Redmond, Oregon’s Medical District. The City of Redmond provided three (3) elements it wanted included in any proposed EID or BID, including maintenance, business recruitment, and administration and management. One student group worked on this project. The group considered case studies of similar EIDs in Bend, Corvallis, Hillsboro, and Salem, and incorporated elements and/or budgetary items into their recommendation to the City of Redmond as appropriate. (See Appendix C for full case study analyses). The group proposed two funding strategies: The first assessed properties based on square footage, and the second assessed properties based on assessed value.
Open Access
Capital Improvement Planning Recommendations
(University of Oregon, 2021) Hays-Alsin, Bethany; Lewis, Rebecca
A team of students at the University of Oregon has provided research and recommendations to aid the City of Troutdale in the improvement of their Capital Improvement Planning (CIP) system. This collaboration occurred through a partnership between the City of Troutdale and the Sustainable City Year Program. In this report, potential funding opportunities for the City of Troutdale are explored, including fees, grants, cost sharing, and debt financing. Three prioritization systems for project selection will also be discussed and the best system for Troutdale will be recommended. The first system blends the surrounding jurisdiction’s goals and values. The second model is based on relevant grant funding. The third model is based on best practices and the City of Troutdale’s City Council goals. After exploring these topics, final recommendations will be offered to the City of Troutdale.
Open Access
City of Salem's Commercial and Residential Operations Fee: Recommendations to Augment Fee Equity
(University of Oregon, 2023) Betros, Rosemary; Lewis, Rebecca
The City of Salem implemented a City Operations Fee in 2019 to supplement revenue for its General Fund. The City was concerned, however, that the current fee structure does not adequately account for equity across commercial and residential classes. As one part of its effort to improve the equity of the fee's administration, the City sought input from Fall 2023 University of Oregon (UO) PPPM 629, Public Budget Administration students.
Open Access
Coworking: The Impact of Changing Work Environments on Urban Planning
(Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon, 2019) Bradley, Molly; Lewis, Rebecca
Freelancers, remote workers, and contract employees are becoming increasingly common in today's work force. Coworking spaces are emerging to meet the needs of individual workers by providing spaces to work individually, but together. Coworking is a self-directed, collaborative and voluntary work style, in which participants typically share equipment, ideas, knowledge, and common values (Deskmag, 2018). Mixed methods are used for this exploratory research, including interviews, survey questionnaires, and descriptive analysis of land uses in Portland, Oregon. This research focuses on the unique characteristics of coworking spaces and examines the land use code they operate within. A typology was developed to classify coworking spaces based on their characteristics, amenities and design. Recommendations were developed for both public sector economic development professionals and private business owners to strategize ways to harness the benefits of coworking spaces for the broader community.
Open Access
CULTIVATING HOSPITALITY AGRITOURISM: Exploring Farm-Stays in Rural Oregon
(Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon, 2019) Shinners, Dana; Lewis, Rebecca
Oregon's Statewide Planning Program, first established in 1973, protects farmland from urban development through Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB) and Exclusive Farm Use zoning (EFU). These stringent land use laws also erect barriers for farmers trying to make a living in the low-margin, high-risk field. Oregon agricultural land and small farmers are vulnerable to commercial farms and non-farm uses. The average age of farmers is increasing, and young people face challenges to entering the field, like limited access to land, capital, and training. Agritourism offers an opportunity to counteract downward trends for entrepreneurial land owners. A small subsect of the agritourism industry is farm-stays – or overnight accommodations on a working farm. This report takes into account the interrelated context described above and asks three questions around farm-stays as a component of agritourism in Oregon: How are farm-stays currently allowed under state regulations? What are the potential benefits and negative impacts of farm-stays? How might policy makers harness the positive opportunities around hospitality-agritourism while maintaining the Statewide Planning Program? Results of this research highlight the potential positive economic benefits for rural communities and farmers as a result of hosting farm-stays. Social benefits, such as education and increased appreciation for farming, also arose as an outcome of farm-stays. Additional research is needed in order to inform an agritourism policy-framework that reflects Oregon's unique context. Policy should both support farmland preservation and farm succession.
Open Access
Decreasing Barriers to Missing Middle Housing in Hood River, Oregon
(University of Oregon, 2020) Schechtman, Claire; Lewis, Rebecca
Located in the Columbia River Gorge, Hood River attracts visitors and permanent residents alike. Over time, the area’s desirability has contributed to increased living costs and homogenous housing stock that has made it increasingly challenging for existing residents to live and work in the City. Hood River wants to develop mixed-income, diverse housing types, as the City struggles to accommodate continued growth. Currently, multi-family housing is restricted to limited zones, there are barriers to auxiliary dwelling unit development, and nearly 10% of the housing stock is occupied by short-term rentals or secondary homes. The city of Hood River is advancing a long-term strategy to develop more diverse housing types, including “missing middle” housing. This strategy builds upon a 2016 Housing Needs Analysis and subsequent planning for the West Side Concept Area. This report seeks to help Hood River address and mitigate potential opposition to changes that may arise with housing developments. Guided by input from Hood River’s planning commission and community, this report focuses on recommendations to the development code and messaging tools that the city of Hood River can incorporate when addressing and reducing barriers to missing middle housing types. These recommendations include zoning changes to allow a greater diversity of housing types, such as the adoption of form-based code to better align zoning with community needs and priorities. To reduce barriers to developing diverse housing, students recommend allowing multi-family housing “by-right,” implementing procedures to streamline the permitting process, and reducing the development review costs. To address barriers to local support, we recommend that the city of Hood River establish a public engagement process and a housing task force, update its code language, emphasize missing middle housing, and shift the narrative of development towards existing Hood River residents. Utilizing one or a combination of recommendations will ideally bring Hood River closer to achieving their housing targets and providing for the needs of the community.
Open Access
Downtown Improvements: Special District Recommendations
(University of Oregon, 2021) Connor, Emily; Lewis, Rebecca
As an element of its recently adopted 20-year Town Center Plan, the City of Troutdale identified improvements and and revitalization of their downtown district and surrounding areas as a priority. Public Budget Administration graduate students were tasked with investigating funding options to improve and maintain their downtown commercial streetscape via a special district tax. This report examines the feasibility of two district types: Business Improvement Districts (BID) and Economic Improvement Districts (EID). Included in this report are recommendations for the size of the district, an examination of the creation of a Main Street Organization, and information on best practices gleaned from case studies conducted on the use of special tax districts in 10 different locations, including: * McMinnville, OR * Newport, OR * Durham, NC * Cottage Grove, OR * Hillsboro, OR * Bend, OR * Miami, FL * Oregon City, OR * Salem, OR * Corvallis, OR Using Troutdale's goals for an EID/BID program, as well as insights from the case studies, this report provides an estimated expenditure for the first five years of Troutdale’s EID/BID program, as well as funding options to help meet that goal. Five funding options are considered and analyzed for Troutdale’s EID/BID funding: • Option 1: EID based on the assessed value • Option 2: EID based on square footage of the lot • Option 3: EID based on square footage of the business • Option 4: EID based on square footage of the frontage • Option 5: BID- Business license surcharge • Option Overlay: Tiered systems based on proximity to downtown core (either EID or BID) Out of these options, the only one that reaches estimated expenditure goals is Option 2: EID based on square footage of the lot. However, Troutdale staff may also want to take into consideration the most politically sound options when it comes to combining EID and BID options and the possibility of tieredtax rates. This report includes tax rate options that could be further analyzed to determine which option or options best suit the goals and the needs of the Troutdale community.
Open Access
Emerging Technologies and Cities: Assessing the Impacts of New Mobility on Cities
(National Institute for Transportation and Communities, 2020-01) Steckler, Becky; Lewis, Rebecca
The purpose of this report is to analyze potential impacts and offer recommendations for the cities of Gresham and Eugene, OR, to understand the potential impacts of new mobility technologies—with an emphasis on autonomous vehicles (AVs)—and prepare a policy and programmatic response. While Gresham and Eugene are case studies, it provides mid-sized communities information on how new mobility services could impact their communities and what they can do about it, from broad strategies to specific policy responses. While this work focuses on the various new mobility and goods delivery services that currently exist, the framework that is discussed here is also applicable to emerging technologies that haven’t yet been introduced, such as autonomous vehicles (AVs).
Open Access
Financing Affordable Housing Subsidies in Sisters, Oregon: Creative Options and Evaluation of Potential Municipal Revenue-Generating Activities
(University of Oregon, 2022) Skawski, Chris; Lewis, Rebecca; College of Design, University of Oregon
This report contains the collected work of graduate student groups in PPPM 629: Public Budget Administration over the course of fall term 2022. These student groups conducted research to evaluate and forecast productivity of revenue generating activities for consideration by the city of Sisters to augment their Affordable Housing Reserve Fund. The revenue sources presented in this report were selected for their productivity, or other factors related to the tax or revenue generating activity that make them particularly attractive options. Revenue sources are presented and described, forecasts for expected revenue are presented, and analysis offered for City staff. Major highlights of this work include: Each revenue source has tradeoffs. Some that are particularly productive may have negative impacts on economic activity within the City. Sources that may be particularly well-aligned with the end goal of raising affordable housing funds may not be especially productive. Student recommendations include adopting the Construction Excise Tax because of its low administrative burden and generally strong productivity estimates. Several of the revenue recommendations raise questions that the City may not be able to answer alone. It may be that exploring these options fully involves engaging nearby jurisdictions. No single strategy will solve the issue of housing affordability. City staff and leaders may need to mix and match revenue-generating activities to create a comprehensive strategy for long-term revenue.
Open Access
Financing an Aquatic Center: Health and Wellness in Hermiston
(University of Oregon, 2021) Kataoka, Natalie; Lewis, Rebecca
This report evaluates alternatives to fund a new area Health, Wellness, and Aquatic Center located in the city of Hermiston. Funding options that students evaluated included: • Create a special park and recreation district • Create anintergovernmental entity • Place construction and management of facility under the Hermiston Parks and Recreation Department To evaluate these alternatives and make a recommendation, students researched financing strategies and assessed the feasibility of their proposals. Students also reviewed relevant statutes and analyzed GIS-based maps of Hermiston’s existing city limits to determine the boundaries of a potential parks and recreation special district. Relevant facility funding case studies from comparator communities informed student proposals. Additional financial and political considerations relevant to the preferred alternative included: capitalizing on revenue from neighboring cities, working within the City’s existing framework or creating a new district, and factoring in current resident opinions on increasing taxes. Proposals leveraged mechanisms such as taxes, bonds, user fees, and system development charges as funding sources for the construction and operations of Hermiston’s Health, Wellness, and Aquatic Center. The selection and integration of mechanisms can be guided by teams assessment regarding how Oregon Revised Statutes allow municipalities to finance capital projects. Following the summary of proposal packages and the alternative recommendations of Group A and Group B, each proposal was evaluated based on equity, neutrality, efficiency, and productivity. Students ranked the of proposal packages from most to least recommended at the conclusion of this report.
Restricted
Four Visions for the Jackson County Health Site Redevelopment Plan
(University of Oregon, 2013) Dobrinich, Stephen; Drlik-Muehleck, Aniko; Margerum, Richard; Parker, Robert; Lewis, Rebecca;
In the fall term of 2013, graduate students in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) at the University of Oregon developed concept plans for the Jackson County Health Site in Medford, Oregon. This document will refer to the Jackson County property as the “Catalyst Site” because redevelopment of the Site was intended to spark redevelopment and revitalization throughout the East Main Neighborhood. The students were asked to create a long-term plan for the Catalyst Site, taking into account the context of the surrounding neighborhood and the City of Medford as a whole. These plans were to address land use, transportation, economic development, and other factors by considering site layout, building uses, and circulation as urban design concepts. Students were divided into four teams. Each team developed a final report detailing their recommendations. This report summarizes those recommendations.
Open Access
Future-Proofing Comprehensive Plans in Eugene and Gresham
(University of Oregon, 2019) Kohnke, Jennifer; Lewis, Rebecca
As part of the Sustainable City Year Program, students in Rebecca Lewis’s Growth Management course were asked to assess the comprehensive plans of the cities of Eugene and Gresham, Oregon. Students sought to determine each city’s readiness for the deployment of new mobility services and autonomous vehicle and the continued growth of e-commerce deliveries, along with accompanied changes to warehousing and brick-and-mortar retail. Students analyzed city comprehensive plans, focusing on the cities’ commercial and residential land use patterns. Each group compiled written reports detailing their research, analysis, and findings. In the reports, students noted positive steps that the cities are taking to create pathways for these new technologies and provided recommendations for areas of improvement. In addition to the reports, the teams presented their findings to representatives from both cities. Students were divided into four different teams to analyze the comprehensive plans. Two teams each assessed the comprehensive plans of the cities of Eugene and Gresham. For each city, one group focused on the topic of new mobility and the other analyzed e-commerce. The class evaluated the two cities’ comprehensive plans through initial independent research on e-commerce and new mobility. Students also looked at case studies of other cities and steps they are taking to address the issues. Then, students reviewed Envision Eugene Comprehensive Plan and Gresham Comprehensive Plan for policies and regulations that were conducive to allowing new mobility technologies within their city limits.
Open Access
Multilevel Impacts of Emerging Technologies on City Form and Development
(Urbanism Next, 2020-01) Howell, Amanda; Tan, Huijun; Brown, Anne; Schlossberg, Marc; Karlin-Resnick, Josh; Lewis, Rebecca; Anderson, Marco; Larco, Nico; Tierney, Gerry; Carlton, Ian; Kim, James; Steckler, Becky
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are a near future reality and the implications of AVs on city development and urban form, while potentially widespread and dramatic, are not well understood. In addition, there are other fundamentally disruptive technological forces undergoing simultaneous rapid development and deployment, including the introduction of new mobility technologies and the associated paradigm shift to thinking of mobility as a service, as well as the continued growth of e-commerce and the related rise in goods delivery. The purpose of this report is to examine how these forces of change are impacting, or will likely impact transportation, land use, urban design, and real estate, and what the implications may be for equity, health, the economy,the environment, and governance. Our aim was to identify key research areas that will assist in evidence-based decision making for planners, urban designers, and developers to address this critical paradigm shift. We identified key research questions in land use, urban design, transportation, and real estate that will rely on the expertise of these disciplines and lay the foundation for a research agenda examining how AVsand new mobility may impact the built environment. This report describes the first order impacts, or the broad ways that the form and function of cities are already being impacted by the forces of change identified above.
Open Access
New Mobility in the Right-of-Way
(University of Oregon, 2019-03) Howell, Amanda; Larco, Nico; Lewis, Rebecca; Steckler, Becky
This report categorizes and summarizes efforts that are already underway in cities across the world to rethink curb management, to outline the key takeaways from the one-day workshop that involved city staff from Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, and to identify major research gaps.
Open Access
Operating and Capital Funding Proposal
(University of Oregon, 2016) Deiters, MaryBeth; Lewis, Rebecca
There are a total of 36 city parks in Albany and the city aims to build a community where everyone within the city limits lives within two miles of a park. Albany’s Parks and Recrea on (P&R) Department is responsible for the maintenance of these parks as well as maintaining a pool, senior center, veteran’s memorial, eight trails, and an urban forestry program (Hodney, 2016). The P&R Department further coordinates sports and recrea on programs, and promotes several fes vals and a concert series drawing signi cant tourism into the city (City of Albany, 2016). Through these parks, programs, and center, Albany’s P&R Department increases the quality of life for its residents, as well as the city’s recrea onal opportuni es. In collabora on with Ed Hodney, P&R Director, and P&R sta , graduate students in the Public Budget Administra on class were tasked with researching, evalua ng, and recommending new funding strategies. Opera ng and capital budget needs were considered separately by student groups. Three groups focused on opera ng needs and four focused on capital needs. While addressing the deferred maintenance de cit was not a part of the project, several funding strategies include ways to cover these expenses as well.
Open Access
Perceptions & Associations: A Statewide Analysis of Renter Affordability in Oregon Communities
(Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon, 2019) Hall, Roderick; Lewis, Rebecca
National reports from the Urban Institute, Harvard’s Joint Center on Housing Studies, and Up For Growth point to a housing crisis – cost burden is rising while housing supply is not keeping up with demand. (Urban Institute, 2017; Harvard Joint The lack of housing affordability is an issue facing urban and rural areas alike. While some studies focus on the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, data on Oregon shows that cities of all sizes are facing an increase in the number of households that are cost-burdened. According to Lewis, Parker, Hall (2018), 60 percent or more of the following area median incomes — extremely low income , very low income , low income , and moderate income need housing that is affordable to their AMI within Oregon. Additionally, data shows that within Oregon 48.6 percent (or 288,660) of renter households were cost-burdened, meaning they allocate more than 30 percent of their income towards housing. This is slightly above the national average of 45.8 percent. Knowing this, this research aims to understand the condition of renter affordability using Oregon communities to shed light on the perceptions of housing, the types of housing needed, and why needed housing is not being produced in Oregon communities. Furthermore, this research seeks to understand the associations between community characteristics, demographics, and the share of renters that are cost-burdened.