05-03-17 Community Relations - Laserfiche WebLink

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homes have been taken away. It's important to understand that once you take away people's housing, they can't live there anymore. The Trail of Tears one-hundred and eighty(180) years ago started right here and ended up in Oklahoma. The consequence is that people are hurt. Those people tend to be people with lower incomes,people of color and those with fewer resources. If we are rebuilding a city together, it's not just about condos downtown. It's not about new houses in Granger. It's about reinvesting city tax money into housing that helps more people. If we take certain houses, a lot can happen with$40,000 and can be reasonable housing for people that are responsible and that keep up their home. Linda Wolfson, 809 Park Avenue, stated, I want to thank Regina and the Council for listening to all of the things that have been said. I agree with a lot but I disagree with some of what's been said. There are many different perspectives. At the beginning of Anne's talk, she said we need new housing,rehab housing, and owner-occupied rehab. I think it is a really big mistake to take a problem as important as housing and call one (1)plan affordable. Affordable means many different things to a lot of different people because we all make different amounts of money. I appreciate a city that is looking more like Ann Arbor, but it doesn't fit my needs. Everyone has different needs. To maintain areas of our city where only a certain type of person lives is a mistake. Housing is the big problem. We need several solutions,not just one (1) solution. There is a hearing coming up about the budget. I think we need to say we need good housing for all. Some people need good rental housing. Some people need good small houses. I run into students all the time that are through college, they've got jobs,they have a need to stay in this community and live as a family. I don't think it's smart to cut off one (1)type of housing. Penny Hughes, 1918 Southern View, stated, I've been a realtor for forty(40) years and an investor for forty-two (42) years in this community. I've rehabbed close to eighty(80)homes in my time. It's wonderful to be able to provide decent and nice housing for people, whether they are going to rent it or turn around and buy it. We have a real estate investors group called Real Estate Investors Association in central Indiana. These are professional people that every year, they do one (1) or two (2) homes and fix them up, rehab them, sell them or rent them out if they can. It would be nice, since banks don't like to make loans under$40,000, if the City could direct some of the funding they have to being a Direct-Entitlement City for some of these projects. Joe Taylor III, 217 Parkwood Lane, stated, I was born and raised on the southeast side of the City. I must say it is a neighborhood that does not resemble the way it was when I grew up. I have a couple questions. Mr. Taylor asked if he could be provided with a copy of the presentation,to which he was reminded it was available in the City Clerk's Office. He then continued, I want to thank Regina and the other Council members that have showed up. I appreciate and applaud the idea. I understand there are some obstacles and concerns for everybody that will be affected. The reason I say that is because in my elected position of State Representative of District 7, 1 was appointed to the Family and Children Services Committee. And there is only so much the State can do, especially in a budget year like this. But hearing so many testimonies from people trying to get out of the cycle of poverty, I understand what is trying to happen. I also echo the concern about minority work. When it comes to work my question is: Can it be mandated that there be some sort of percentage put in place for the work being done by minority contractors? I also like the idea that there are already houses that are affordable, but may just need a little work. 6