11-24-08 Residential Neighborhood Committee

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RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE The November 24, 2008 meeting of the Residential Neighborhood Committee of the South Bend Common Council was called to order by its Chairperson, President Timothy A. Rouse at 4:10 p.m. in the Council's Informal Meeting Room. Committee Members present: Karen L. White; Derek D. Dieter Other's Present: Councilmember's Puzzello; Henry Davis, Oliver Davis, David Varner, Tom LaFountain; Mayor Stephen Luecke; Catherine Fannello; Rita Kopala, Martha Lewis, Mikki Dobski-Shidler; Catherine Toppel; Jeff Gibney; Tim Hudak; Ann-Carol Nash; WNDU; WSBT; Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand; John Voorde AGENDA: PROMOTING SOUTH BEND NEIGHBORHOODS -SUE SOLOMOS MAYOR'S PLAN TO REDUCE HOUSES ABANDONED BY 72% President Rouse, Chairperson of the Residential Neighborhood Committee introduced Sue Solmos to the Council. She is a recent hire of Jeff Gibney who heads the city's Community and Economic Development Department. Sue's charge is to promote South Bend's neighborhoods specifically those ringing the Central Business District. Solmos outlined her work so far including meetings with neighborhood groups and the Board of Realtors. All sectors, she reported were enthusiastically engaging in the process of assessing their strengths in an effort to improve partnerships with the city and the Board of Realtors. She reported Notre Dame was also enthusiastic about partnering to market city neighborhoods. Councilmember Derek Dieter applauded Sue Solmos; hiring and her efforts to date. Tom LaFountain asked what the Board of Realtors was actually doing toward these ends. Solmos said they were creating classes for all realtors to better educate them as to South Bend's assets. Councilmember Henry Davis asked how long it would take to see results in actual neighborhood investment. Solmos said it was a 3 year working plan. The Mayor then took the floor to introduce Catherine Toppel, Director, Code Enforcement and Jeff Gibney of Community 8~ Economic Development to update the Council on the Mayor's pledge to reduce abandoned housing by 72% Jeff Gibney began by explaining the city's new emphasis on market rate housing. He also said money would be provided for demolishing abandoned houses. Catherine Toppel said efforts to demolish homes began in '07 with 52 houses demolished. To date 138 have been demolished in '08 with 12 more expected before the end of the year. She added that 150 more were targeted for'09. Council President Rouse asked about the future of the $1.00 house program. Jeff Gibney said - the program was still in an ongoing search for funds. Councilmember Varner asked if liens to cover the cost of demolition could be attached to the property. Gibney said they can and were. Councilmember White praised the demolition of neighborhood eyesores; but noted that there also needs to be an awareness of the need for affordable housing in the city.