02-25-19 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING February 25, 2019 pieces are also needed. This is one(1)very important piece,but it's only one(1)piece, as we work toward safe and affordable housing. I think we are going to need to continue to work with partnerships between neighborhood groups, renters, landlords, the City, and non-profits to keep working together to provide safe and affordable housing. I think the collaboration,consolation,the adjustments that have been made by the City staff and others in this process reflect that kind of collaboration and consultation. I anticipate and hope that we can continue that as we implement this and work at other ways of providing safe and affordable housing for all our neighbors. Thank you. Amanda Govaert-Konrath, 1015 College Street, South Bend, IN, stated, As a renter, I do see the value of this ordinance. RSVP is a small step in the right direction. However, it does not go far enough. This ordinance makes provisions for a review process but nowhere in that process are tenants included. South Bend is making decisions regarding the treatment of renters without actually including renters in that conversation. Many people feel talked around. We all know that renters tend to fear reporting Code violations as they fear retaliation and eviction from landlords who hold all the power. Renters are not protected from arbitrary evictions. This ordinance does not protect against that. RSVP does not address the very real issue that tenants face. There is a provision for short-term assistance should a family be impacted negatively, however, that assistance is not well-spelled out. How much assistance is going to be available? Will it cover moving costs? Possible storage fees? The deposit? First (1st) month's rent? As a renter, these are all things we must consider when we are making a move. Many people who live in this town that rent live paycheck to paycheck. Without that assistance, they are going to be homeless. While I support this ordinance, I urge the Council to continue pushing for greater renter protections. I urge the City to embrace the forty percent (40%) of its residents who do rent and make South Bend a city that views housing as a human right. Thank you. Donald Weiss, 532 t/2 Kosciuszko Street, South Bend, IN, stated, She hit it right on the head about the landlord and tenant problems we have here in St. Joseph County. I moved into my home on November 1st, 2013, I'm a veteran. Again, I served three (3) years in the US Army. I came from the Miller Veterans Center here in South Bend. I was homeless at one(1)time. I qualified for what is called the Section Eight (8) housing which was issued by the South Bend Housing Authority. My rent was being paid to my landlord because I could not afford to pay my rent. I was financially indigent. Zero (0) income. I also got assistance to help pay my gas and electric bills because I had zero (0) income. I built myself up and stuff like that. When I first (1st) moved into my house, I noticed I had some high utility bills. Cold drafts were coming out of my floors. Cold drafts were coming through my windows. Pipes froze up in my house through the winter months and I would wallow two (2) weeks without running water in my house. Mice were crawling everywhere in my house. Cockroaches, termite damage. I have photos in my possession here with me tonight. I have a letter here dated on August 25th, 2015. I contacted my landlord to ask if I could get my house winterized through the Real Services program. It would be no cost to him or me because I was low-income.They would come out and fix everything.He refused to cooperate.My roof is leaking, the foundation is crumbling, there is teiinite damage throughout the house and my furnace was installed improperly in my home. My furnace is in my living room and not in my basement. I have pictures of this. Again, the lady before me said they were scared to report it to Code Enforcement in fear of retaliation,to get evicted with no place to go and I had no money to move,no money for storage, no money for moving expenses, ok? So, I just kept my mouth shut. I had to live that way because I had no other recourse. That is not fair for veterans. That is not fair for St.Joseph County. Because, landlords need to be held accountable to fix and repair these units to make them safe for everyone. My repairs have still not been done as of today. I received an eviction notice this morning from small claims court. I have to be out in eleven (11) days. I have no place to go and I'm a veteran. And people say we appreciate you for what you do. God forbid, I'm losing my home and I don't have a place to go. I have letters from Real Services,they postponed the insulation job. I have a letter from the South Bend Housing Authority,my vouchers stopped last August. My rent stopped going to my landlord and he did not do the repairs. That is not my fault but I'm getting evicted. He'd got sued $2,700 in damages. Well, my house is full damages already. No one (1) should have to live like this. The other thing is I had a Code Enforcement officer come out and inspect my home today to see my furnace and take pictures of my mice feces. I don't know what I'm going to do. I believe in God and I'm just leaving everything in God's hands right now. I called 33