Ashland Attainable Housing Project

Question 1

What is the Ashland Attainable Housing Project?

Accepted Answer

The Ashland Attainable Housing Project, or AAHP, is a proposed mixed-income housing community on approximately 10 acres owned by the Ashland School District near Ashland Middle School. The current concept proposes approximately 93–96 homes, including affordable rental housing and attainable homeownership opportunities.

Question 2

How many homes are proposed?

Accepted Answer

The current development concept calls for approximately 93–96 homes: 81–84 rental homes and 12 ownership homes. These figures remain subject to design, financing, land-use review and the final agreement between the Ashland School District and Edlen & Co.

Question 3

What is the proposed affordability mix?

Accepted Answer

The current concept calls for 81–84 rental homes with an overall project average of approximately 60% of area median income, and 12 ownership homes targeted at approximately 80% of area median income. Individual rental income bands have not been finalized. The project-wide average does not mean every rental home will be restricted at exactly 60% AMI; individual income bands may vary while satisfying the required project average.

Question 4

Is the project design final?

Accepted Answer

No. The current site plan, unit count, affordability mix, amenities and childcare concept are still subject to change through design development, financing, land-use review and negotiation of the Disposition and Development Agreement.

Question 5

What is the project's current status?

Accepted Answer

The Ashland School District selected Edlen & Co. as the development partner in 2025. The School District and Edlen are now leading development work, including project design, feasibility, financing and negotiation of a Disposition and Development Agreement. That agreement is the next major public milestone.

Question 6

What is Sunstone's current role?

Accepted Answer

Sunstone organized and managed the project's early phase, including partnership development, preliminary planning, master-planning support, public funding applications and the developer-selection process. Sunstone's principal project-management role largely ended when Edlen & Co. was selected. Sunstone now provides limited technical assistance to project partners, particularly for grant applications and eligible predevelopment work.

Question 7

Is Sunstone the project's developer or property manager?

Accepted Answer

No. Sunstone is not the developer, general contractor, property manager or owner of the AAHP property. Edlen & Co. is the selected developer, and the Ashland School District currently owns the site.

Question 8

Who owns the land?

Accepted Answer

The Ashland School District owns the site. The eventual land transaction, development obligations and long-term ownership structure will be established through the Disposition and Development Agreement and related project documents.

Question 9

Will the project include both rental and ownership housing?

Accepted Answer

That is the current proposal. It includes 81–84 rental homes and approximately 12 ownership homes. The ownership component is expected to involve Trusted Homes Community Land Trust, but its final structure depends on project agreements and financing.

Question 10

Who will qualify to live there?

Accepted Answer

Eligibility will depend on the final funding sources, applicable income limits, fair-housing requirements and property-management criteria. The proposed affordability levels are project targets, not a guarantee that every home will use the same income limit.

Question 11

Will Ashland School District employees receive preference?

Accepted Answer

The project is intended in part to respond to workforce-housing needs identified by the School District. Any formal preference must comply with fair-housing law and the requirements of the project's funding sources. No employee preference should be promised until it has been legally and contractually established.

Question 12

Can people apply for housing now?

Accepted Answer

No. There is currently no housing application, reservation list or tenant-selection process. Application information will be published by the future property manager or ownership administrator when the project is funded, approved and closer to completion.

Question 13

Is childcare guaranteed to be part of the project?

Accepted Answer

No. Childcare or early-learning space remains a possible co-located use, contingent on feasibility, financing and mutual agreement among the School District, developer and participating partners. Older materials describing childcare as a confirmed project component should be understood as historical.

Question 14

How is the project expected to be financed?

Accepted Answer

Potential financing may include affordable-housing tax credits, state housing programs, conventional debt, grants, partner contributions and other public or private sources. A financing concept is not the same as a funding commitment; confirmed awards should be identified separately from anticipated sources.

Question 15

What City of Ashland funding has supported the project?

Accepted Answer

The City awarded $55,000 from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 2024, subsequently approved for master planning, architectural work, the developer RFP and related predevelopment activities. In 2026, the City awarded Sunstone an additional $25,000 for AAHP facilitation and technical assistance. The 2024 provisional CDBG allocation should not be counted as received project funding — the City later reallocated that provisional award to improvements at the emergency shelter.

Question 16

What does the proposed Opportunity Zone 2.0 designation mean for AAHP?

Accepted Answer

The City of Ashland submitted Census Tract 19 for consideration as an Opportunity Zone 2.0 tract, working with SOREDI and local stakeholders. AAHP is located within the proposed tract. If the tract is ultimately designated, qualified investments made through appropriately structured Opportunity Funds may be eligible for federal tax incentives. The application does not guarantee designation, investment or project financing. New designations are expected to take effect January 1, 2027.

Question 17

Where can the public follow official project decisions?

Accepted Answer

Major School District decisions are documented in Ashland School Board agendas and meeting packets. City grants and public presentations are documented in City Council and Housing and Human Services Advisory Committee records.

Question 18

How is Sunstone funded?

Accepted Answer

Sunstone's work is supported principally by grants associated with organizational capacity, housing planning, technical assistance and specific initiatives. Restricted project grants are attributed to their intended purpose rather than presented as interchangeable organizational or construction funding.

Question 19

Is Sunstone's board compensated?

Accepted Answer

Sunstone's directors serve as volunteers. Any professional relationships between directors, staff and project participants are disclosed and managed through the organization's conflict-of-interest and recusal procedures.

Question 20

Did SOREDI fund Sunstone?

Accepted Answer

There is no public evidence that Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI) directly funded Sunstone. The likely source of confusion is Sunstone's $30,000 Oregon Community Foundation grant made in honor of the late Bill Thorndike, who was closely associated with SOREDI. That was an Oregon Community Foundation award — not a SOREDI grant. SOREDI did participate in Ashland's Opportunity Zone 2.0 nomination process; that involvement should not be characterized as funding Sunstone.

Question 21

Is Sunstone a housing developer?

Accepted Answer

No. Sunstone works closely with mission-driven landowners to steward housing projects through early-stage planning and developer selection, but is not a developer, property owner or landlord. It is not within Sunstone's scope to own or manage property.

Project Overview

Key Facts

Affordability Mix

What is attainable housing?

Project Timeline

Enrollment Committee Proposal

Site Designation

City Reviews Initial Funding Proposal

City Funding Awards

AllCare Health Grant

Master Services Agreement

Housing Oregon Conference

Master Plan Partnership & MOU with OCDC

HHSAC Recommends Revised Use of City Grant

RFP Released

Pre-Proposal Meeting

School Board Development Update

City Redirects $55,000 to Predevelopment

Developer Selected

Developer Proposal Published

Community Engagement Events

Pre-Application Review

Community Listening Session

Oregon Community Foundation Grant

OHCS/BuildUp Oregon ECE Funding

Affordable Housing and Childcare Coverage

Sunstone Provides City Committee Update

Edlen & Co. Presents Public Project Update

City Awards $25,000 for AAHP Technical Assistance

Ashland Submits Census Tract 19 for Opportunity Zone 2.0

ENA Amendment

DDA Negotiation

Project Partners

Current project partners

Early-stage facilitator and technical-assistance provider

Funders and supporting organizations

Frequently Asked Questions