03-28-77 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 28, 1977 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED Council President Parent gave the following report from the Residential Neighborhood Committee: "Council Member Dombrowski made a motion; seconded by Council Member Adams, to recommend the Council keep the proposed rezoning in committee. The motion passed by a vote of five to two. Mr. Kent Wilcox, Director of Public Housing Authority of South Bend met with the Committee to give information about the ownership status and other information about Harber Homes. 1. It is recommended by the Committee that the Public Housing Authority attempt to sell the Harber Homes, preferably, on an individual basis. If the homes revert to HUD, the City should attempt to secure the units through the homesteading program which has been very successful to date. After the rehabilitation of the Harber Homes is complete, then many Council Members would take a more favorable look on the requested rezoning. 2. If older adult units are built and not occupied, there is a strong feeling amont some com- mittee members that these units would be rented to younger lower income families with a resultant increased concentration of such families in that area. 3. Committee members have talked to many older adults, and residents of the area and there is a strong feeling that older adults would not move into units located in the area petitioned for rezoning. In earlier public hearing on this matter, persons and organizations working with older adults testified against locating older adults' housing in that area. Nothing has changed which would make older adult housing in that location more favorable. 4. A legal opinion from both the City Attorney, HUD and the General Counsel of the Housing Authority should be requested as to the legal responsibility of Civil City in regard to Harber Homes. 5. The City should wait until the General Counsel of the Public Housing Authority has completed its work on determining the legal ownership of the Harber Homes before taking further action. The following Council Members attended this meeting: Council Member Parent, Adams, Kopczynski, Dombrowski, Szymkowiak, Horvath and Taylor." Roger O. Parent Chairman Council Member Kopczynski made a motion that the public hearing be continued and this remain in committee, seconded by Council Member Dombrowski. Council Member Adams indicated she felt it should be opened up to public hearing. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Thomas Brademas, the petitioner, made a general re- view of the situation. He indicated that the Council had rezoned this property over a year ago, but because of the condition of Harber Homes, the Housing Authority would not let them proceed, therefore, the rezoning reverted back. He indicated he objected to the fact that he was not invited to the committee meeting. He said it was clear the committee did not understand HUD, or housing in general. He indicated that the overriding concern of the Council was the crime problem, and the Council leadership should not keep talking about the fact that this is not a safe place to live. He said the Housing Authority wants out of the Harber Homes project. He indicated that the sale of Harber Homes on an individual basis was unrealistic. He indicated that the housing units he was building were all one bedroom and therefore the largest family you could have would be two. He indicated he was willing to withdraw if the Council had an alternative answer. He said that six months from now the only thing that is going to happen is that Harber homes will be further down the drain. At this point Mr. Brademas seemed to lose his temper, and was asked by the Council to refrain from using abusive language. Council Member Kopczynski made a motion to recess for five minutes, seconded by Council Member Szymkowiak. The meeting was recessed at 8:35 and reconvened at 8:39 p.m. ` Mrs. Jane Swan, 2022 Swygart, indicated that this issue was before the Council two years ago and she was against it for several reasons. She indicated she received a telephone call from an older adult indicating that they do not like to live in areas where there are children. Mrs. Irene Mutzl, 320 Pafkovash, indicated she agreed with the report given by the Council committee. Council Member Kopczynski indicated he was disappointed in Mr. Brademas' presentation. He cited the crime problem in Mr. Brademas' Western Manor, which is housing for older adults. Council Member Dombrowski indicated that crime was not the major issue in his opinion. He said it was the location. He said if you put the housing in the right area it would be a justice to the City, but this location would be an injustice. Council Member Szymkowiak 'said that he- vis -ted quite a few senior citizens and they would.prefer to live in apartments in downtown South Bend because of the convenience. Council Member Adams indicated that the Residential Neighborhood Committee did not feel this was the right neighborhood for elderly housing. She said they were not against the building of a project, but that neighborhood was not the right place. Council Member Miller indicated that the committee should have met in a public hearing. He said he felt that the Council owes it to a developer to either vote for something or against it, and that continuation was a bad precedent to establish. Council Member Adams indicated that a Council committee meeting could be called at any time, and only at a formal hearing is a five day notice required. Council Member Serge indicated he had received calls regarding the fact that this was a bad location. He asked about the apartment complex for the elderly in Block Six. Mayor Nemeth indicated that thirty days from April 3 they should be ready to start construction. He indicated that they were not sure yet, because there are many problems with this type housing, due to the funding. Council President Parent indicated that he called Mr. Brademas and told him that he would not have a meeting of the committee, however, he received calls from committee members sayii they wanted a meeting. He indicated he followed correct procedure and the meeting was open to the public. He indicated he would vote - against keeping this in committee. A roll call vote was taker on the motion to send this bill back to committee. The motion passed by a vote of six ayes (Council Members Serge, Szymkowiak, Kopdzynski, Adams, Dombrowski and Horvath) and three nays (Council Members Miller, Taylor and Parent).