December 11, 2007
By SUE RYAN
News staff writer

While several recent changes have taken place at HOPE (HOusing for PEople) in Hood River; the organization is still handling business as usual.

Executive Director Richard Sassara, who has led the agency for eight years, left in late November for a project manager position with Electronic Assemblers. A “for sale” sign is displayed in HOPE’s office window on 12th Street on the Heights.

“The building was bought with the intention of selling it; part of the decision (to sell) was just keeping costs in line,” said Gary Young. “The HOPE office has moved several times over the years.”

He serves as president of the HOPE board. Young said Sassara’s departure was not unexpected; simply that he was moving on to another field.

But the board won’t be looking for another executive director anytime soon. Part of that is because the board has contracted with the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority to oversee day to day functions. It is a regional housing authority in Wasco, Hood River and Sherman counties.

“The management agreement with Mid Columbia Housing is in place until such a time as we need to move in another direction,” said Young.

But part of the reason is also a monthly discussion taking place between the boards of the authority’s development arm, Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation and the HOPE board.

The two have just begun working on details for how they can work more collaboratively together, possibly becoming one organization. They held another meeting Tuesday evening in the common room at Wy’east Vista. The meeting took place after the News’ press deadline.

Young said the two boards are examining a number of different options but made no final determination. He said while the boards want to move as quickly as possible, the monthly meetings will continue until the issues are resolved.

The boards are working with Leon Laptook, director of the Community Development Law Center in Portland. His specialty involves working with land use issues and providing strategic planning assistance to tax-exempt corporations.

Young said during his involvement with HOPE since 1986 that the housing needs of the Gorge have evolved from individual communities to regional.

“I’ve come to believe that if there is going to be a solution to solve affordable housing from Rufus to Cascade Locks that we need to ask ourselves ‘What are the ways we can work together more collaboratively?’” he said.

CCHC serves six counties in Washington and Oregon while HOPE has served primarily Hood River County and one project in White Salmon, Wash.

Ruby Mason is the director for CCHC and the housing authority. She said that the two boards are working toward a strategic restructuring.

“I think it will involve some changes eventually,” she said.

Hood River County Commissioner Les Perkins, who also serves as the Mid Columbia Housing Authority board president, said part of talking out the details involves discussing what is legally possible.

“The Housing Authority is separate from CCHC and we’ll provide leadership until we can figure out what we want from both perspectives,” Perkins said.

Part of the legal issue involves figuring out how ownership could be transferred on the 18-home Tyler Terrace project on May Street, which includes a mix of lots for sale for affordable housing and lots available at market rates.

Work on the project continues to move forward. HOPE also still has for sale the McCan cabin and land to help in financing the project.

HOPE also manages several housing projects including the 26-unit Riverside Apartments, 24-unit Wy’east Vista, 28-unit Bella Vista and 48-unit Columbia View.