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Oregon Forest Homeowners' Association

Generations of family and friends in Oregon’s forests.
Stewards and conservationists of Oregon’s forests.
Preserving and protecting Oregon’s Forest Service cabins.
Leaving a legacy in Oregon’s forests
for the next generation of cabin users.

Greetings!

Efforts to move the Cabin Fee Act forward in 2011 have been stalled. Several matters have impeded progress. First, a Senatorial request for an annual cap on potential increases necessitated significant language changes. Second, the declining real estate market impacted our revenue projections, necessitating a restructuring of CFA fee tiers which required a second review by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Third, we have been frustrated by the slow response of the CBO due to the relative low importance of our issue compared to larger issues facing Congress.

That said we are optimistic about both House and Senate bills being introduced this fall. Passage of the CFA this fall is possible, but the odds are against us, given such limited time. Passage in the spring is more likely. Furthermore, the prospect for a 2012 Fee Moratorium is also dim because a $5M offset (CBO determined) would be required and the source of such funds is problematic. Without the CFA passing or a Fee Moratorium many cabin owners face daunting fees in January, since the Forest Service could bill full fees according to CUFFA legislation. What options exist for those of us that cannot manage these fees?

NFH and C2 leadership will be preparing our thoughts on how cabin owners may choose to respond to high fee billings in the next few weeks. These will be shared broadly by email and posted on the NFH website, so please stay engaged. In the meantime, we want to understand the extent of the problem and how you, the affected cabin owner, may decide to respond. A brief 10 minute survey, with easy instructions will help us better define the current state of affairs and the best options for response, while helping us better inform our Congressional sponsors of the likely outcomes of inaction. We need your help.
Please click here to take the survey. (11/13/11 deadline for completion).

Updating our website takes some thought and a little bit of planning by a small group of dedicated cabin owners that reside on the OFHA Board. Our website looks great and the desire is to update it on a frequent basis.

The challenge is getting new information and photos together in a meaningful presentation and putting it on our site. There is plenty of good information to share including current political directions in Congress, in Salem and in our specific forests. People want to know about the success with the Wild land-Urban Interface treatments that create a healthy forest and reduce catastrophic fires. We also try to keep everyone updated as to the newest information on the Cabin Fee Act and C2 effort which has been on-going these past couple of years. There are changes in these topics, sometimes on a weekly basis.

We also want more variety for our website. So now, I encourage you to get engaged. Here is my advocacy to you. Please think about interesting stories you can write to share with other cabin owners. How did your tract association's Pancake Breakfast or Roadside Cleanup event go last weekend? What does it mean to see one of your loved ones wander off and take that last walk in the woods? How about that great recipe that someone brought to the Homeowner's Association potluck? Have you read a recent book on the history of the forest in your area that others might enjoy?

So, please give us a helping hand.
    Provide us with cabin stories.
    Provide us with your perspective on a topic.
    Provide us with book recommendations, especially related to cabins,
        forests or nature.
    Provide us with photos or cabin-winning recipes.

Provide us with a little bit so we can share it with everyone!

Our best wishes to you and your families.

Bill Kennedy

Oregon Forest Homeowners' Association

Oregon Forest Homeowners' Association

Generations of family and friends in Oregon’s forests.
Stewards and conservationists of Oregon’s forests.
Preserving and protecting Oregon’s Forest Service cabins.
Leaving a legacy in Oregon’s forests
for the next generation of cabin users.

OFHA Meetings

Contacts

President

Links

Oregon Forest Homeowners' Association

Oregon Forest Homeowners' Association

Generations of family and friends in Oregon’s forests. Stewards and conservationists of Oregon’s forests. Preserving and protecting Oregon’s Forest Service cabins. Leaving a legacy in Oregon’s forests for the next generation of cabin users.

OFHA Meetings

Contacts

President

Links

Generations of family and friends in Oregon’s forests.
Stewards and conservationists of Oregon’s forests.
Preserving and protecting Oregon’s Forest Service cabins.
Leaving a legacy in Oregon’s forests
for the next generation of cabin users.