Four joggers running on Floral Hill Drive, a rustic, narrow country lane.

Is Floral Hill The Right Place?

RIGHT IDEA —
WRONG PLACE!

Report on the TOWN HALL
Over 100 people attended!
See full Power Point Presentation
on Floral Hill Terrace subdivision

Reading list to help you
BE IN THE KNOW!

NEWS: The NIMBY Con (Daily Kos, by All4Truth, June 26, 2026)

The article discusses how the term “NIMBY” (Not In My Backyard) has been weaponized to facilitate the erosion of middle-class homeownership and wealth. The author outlines a coordinated effort by wealthy interests and institutions to manipulate zoning laws, making it easier for corporate entities to acquire residential properties, thereby threatening the primary means of wealth accumulation for the middle class. The text highlights the historical context of wealth transfer, showing how policy decisions have disproportionately favored the rich. Ultimately, it argues that stripping away homeowner protections is part of a larger campaign to transition society into one where renting becomes the norm, disenfranchising ordinary citizens.

SUMMARY of the OPB article “Is Affordable Housing Really Affordable?” (Original source: OPB article by Tony Schick, June 3, 2026)

NEWS: A low-income housing program is pouring big money into housing many Oregonians can’t afford (by Tony Schick July 15, 2026, Courtesy of Oregon Public Broadcasting in partnership with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network.)

Here’s our story…. And why we think Floral Hill Terrace isn’t a good match for Laurel Hill Valley.

We are an independent ad hoc group of friends of Laurel Hill Valley (most of us living on Floral Hill Drive) who recently learned a developer wants to build a 40 unit subdivision called FLORAL HILL TERRACE at 2725 Floral Hill Drive and possibly have that followed by a second similar sized subdivision also on Floral Hill Drive directly adjacent to it.

So often when a new subdivision project is proposed and people raise objections it’s automatically labeled as a NIMBY response — Not In My Backyard.

But actually what we are saying is
“YES in my backyard
but NOT this project.”

Laurel Hill Valley is a welcoming, eclectic and diverse community! We want affordable housing. We want accessible housing. We want safe housing. But this is not the right project for this place.

Right Idea... Wrong Place. Floral Hill Drive is just not safe.
Right Idea… Wrong Place. Floral Hill Drive is just not safe.

Click to access Floral_Hill_Terrace_Town_Hall_Presentation-3.pdf

  • TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation AGENDA page 2
    TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation AGENDA page 2
  • TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation The Why of it page 4
    TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation The Why of it page 4
  • TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation - Middle Housing Leverage page 6
    TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation – Middle Housing Leverage page 6
  • TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation - The Road Never Built for This page 24
    TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation – The Road Never Built for This page 24
  • TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation - Who Actually Benefits page 38
    TOWN HALL Floral Hill Terrace Presentation – Who Actually Benefits page 38


WHY iS THIS THE WRONG PLACE…

Is it Fire Safe as a high density development?
Is it Accessible for the people of all ages and those with handicaps that they are marketing to?
Is it truly Affordable when looking at expenses over time and the limitations of the new Community Land Trust model of ownership?

Fire Safety

Wildfire is a real risk in our valley! We are in a Wildfire Urban Interface PRIORITY FIRE ZONE! Floral Hill Drive is not much more than a country lane that is only 17 feet wide. No shoulders, no street parking, and often can’t accommodate two on-coming vehicles without one having to pull over. In an emergency Floral Hill Drive would be a dangerous bottleneck for incoming emergency vehicles and evacuating residents.

KVAL news broadcast about response times in Laurel Hill Valley. The response time for fire fighters to reach this house fire in 2025 was 20 minutes and the house had fully collapsed before the first firefighters arrived on scene. They spent their time keeping the fire from expanding into the trees.

Accessibility

The crucial building block for affordable living is accessibility, not just within the subdivision but once you leave it too.

Affordability

22 buildings, almost 30% are 3 story tall. 80+ cars. Limited parking,

Affordability – big buzz word in the promotion for this development because people want to be able to buy into the security of home ownership for their family. We get it! We understand! FLORAL HILL TERRACE is relying on something called a Community Land Trust to create this opportunity. It has mixed reviews.

Do you know that when you go to sell your home 75% of any profit goes back to this Community Land Trust and you only get 25% of the appreciation? This is not the type of investment that can build the type of generational wealth people are hoping for.

Do you know that many affordable housing units are priced even slightly higher than regular market value? This is true for both rental units and unit targeting first time home buyers.

Read up on this controversy! Start with ProPublica and OPB’s article, “Is Affordable Housing Really Affordable?“

Latest in The news

What are people Googling about this subdivision? The larger the font, the more searches…

ADU affordable home ownership affordable housing affordable housing movement Affordable Housing SOLUTIONS Affordable Housing Trust Fund AHTF Atlanta DevNW Federal Tax Credits Fire Mitigation Regulations Fire Safety First Time Homebuyers Floral Hill Drive Floral Hill Terrace HB 4037 home demolished Hope Community Homes House Bill 2001 Lack of Essential Services landslide Laurel Hill Valley LIFT HO (Home Ownership) Program LIHTC Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Middle Housing No Neighborhood Appeal No Neighborhood Input No Neighborhood Voice OHCS LIFT funding Oregon Housing and Community Services Oregon Public Broadcasting privately funded ProPublica Raphael Warnock rent vouchers Rosa Village Spokane Wildfire SquareOne St. Vincent De Paul Street safety Subsidized unit vacancies Taxpayer funding for affordable housing Wildfire Building Code Wildfire Urban Interface