There are lots of questions about the City of Hood River’s Westside Area Concept Plan. Hood River Valley Residents Committee and Livable Hood River hosted two informational forums in the summer of 2017 to get to some answers. Our goal is to help you better understand the options for planning for future growth and how to get involved in the planning process.

If you weren’t able to attend but want to catch up on what happened, you can access videos of each speaker here:

An Overview of the Westside Area Concept Plan – Heather Staten, executive director Hood River Valley Residents Committee. This talk gives a basic overview of the project and answers many FAQ.

Hood River Housing – Joel Madsen, executive director of the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority and Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation

A Builder’s Perspective on Housing in Hood River – Mike Kitts, Since 1992, Mike Kitts and his partner Doug Beveridge have built over 450 homes in Hood River, 12% of the housing stock. The vast majority have been ‘entry level’ houses for the local workforce.

Integrating Nature and the Built Environment: A Vision For Hood River’s Westside – Mike Houck, director of Urban Greenspaces Institute on creating cities where the built and natural environments are interwoven, not set apart.

Elders and the Need for Planning
– Bonnie New, Aging in the Gorge Alliance,a grassroots organization in the Mid-Columbia region whose purpose is to identify, discuss and advocate for the needs and well-being of elders and their caregivers.

Planning for Parks and Trails in Hood River – Mark Hickok, Director Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District

Westside Greenways, Neighborways and Bikeways – Megan Ramey, Chief Traveler, Bikabout.com and Jonathan Graca, avid bicyclist and Thrive board member.

Question/Answer Session with all the presenters