03-24-75 Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING MARCH 24, 1975 REGULAR MEETING - RECONVENED (CONTINUED) RESOLUTION (CONTINUED) DEVELOPMENT, AN APPLICATION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND UNDER TITLE I OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1974. A public hearing was held at this time on the resolution. Mr. William Hojnacki, Director of the Department of Human Resources and Economic Development, made the presentation for the ordinance. He explained that the resolution authorized an application for $3,547,000 which was the city's entitlement under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The budget represented a fairly -wide range of expenditures that the city hoped to make as the first part of the total three - year $9 million program. The sense of the program was neighborhood conservation. The point of the program was to deal essentially with those neighborhood concerns that were eligible under the enabling legislation. The basic part of the program was to divide the funds into three or four different kinds of programs. One of the most important was the Housing Conservation Revolving Fund, which fund would be on- going. Under this section, a revolving fund was the only method by which the city could accrue interest on the funds. Five different housing programs were included in the fund. The largest was the Project Area Rehabilitation Program. The city would designate the top priority neighborhood with the most blighted conditions and attempt to rehabilitate housin< within that area. The two project areas currently underway are the Model Cities and Southeast Side Neighborhood, which areas would continue to be the two priority neighborhoods. Also, pilot prograi would be allowed in other areas of the city where some rehabilitation was needed. The Emergency Repair Program had been employed successfully, whereby individuals are eligible to receive a one- time grant of funds for repairs in a relatively small amount. It was hoped this program could be expanded city -wide. The Guaranteed Loan Program involved the city putting funds into private financial institutions. These institutions would then make loans to persons who would otherwise not be eligible. This would be directed to transitional neighborhoods. The Elderly Housing Allowance Office Referral Program would involve referrals from the Housing Allowance Office and would allow for these persons to be eligible for the program where they otherwise would not be. The Non - Profit Group Rehabilitation Program would make money available to neighborhood groups or other non - profit groups who wanted to rehabilitate homes in a certain area. The Historical Preservation Revolving Fund would develop the West Washington Street area. This money would be matched with other funds. The Substandard Demolition money would be programmed into the Environmental Protection Bureau for the demolition of substandard buildings. The Park and Open Space Development Program would look at neighborhoods where the need was there for park and open space. The same logic would apply in the area of public works. The Department of Redevelopment would be receiving a large amount of this money. Part of the money would be used to complete the city's obligation on the Downtown Urban Renewal Project. The Future Planning segment in the amoun- of $450,000 would be used for completion of the downtown area. Mr. Hojnacki concluded by stating that the remainder of the program would be administered through the Department of Community Development. Mr. James Russell, Voice of the Peace newsletter, wondered how many housing programs the city presently had underway, and Mr. Hojnacki indicated that there was the southeast side project, the Model Cities project and the programs undertaken by the Housing Authority. Mr. Russell wondered i any of these programs were used in 1970. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that the Housing Authority pro- grams were in existence in 1970. Mr. Russell wondered if the city was deteriorating because of al the federal programs. He felt federal funds were fine if administered correctly. He could not understand how all this money could be available if the city had to cut so many employees. He felt the black community needed something to be proud of, and he stated that, in his opinion, the city was going backwards. Mrs. Glenda Ray Hernandez, 702 East South Street, treasurer of the Southeast Side Neighborhood Project Action Committee, spoke on behalf of the advisory board for the southeast side. She stated that the board felt it was unfortunate that a large amount of money must be needed to complete the downtown area. She stated that the important parts of the program concerning the southeast side dealt with the park land and rehabilitation of the homes in the area. Mrs. Irene Mutzl, a member of the Fair Tax Association, residing at 320 Parkovash, felt that, if all this money was kept in the people's pockets in the first place, the homes could be rehabilitated. She indicated that the southeast neighborhood was told about 10 years ago to only do what they had to do to their homes to keep them standard. She wondered about progress to date on the southeast project. Mr. Keith Crighton; Manager of the Bureau of Housing, indicated that, as of March 31, the city had obligations in the amount of $313,095, and the total $438,000 budget would be allocated by June 30th. Mrs. Mutzl wondered about the landlords who make no improvements but merely collect rents on their properties. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that the only thing that the landlord must do is maintain his property at a reasonably safe and sound level. The ability to enforce this was indeed a difficult thing, particularly for housing units that were occupied. He stated that part of the program would give increased enforcement in this area. Mrs. Mutzl won- dered how long,a'- person must own his home before he could come under the Housing Allowance Referra Program. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that no limit had been set Any contract of $5,000 would have to come before the Council, and major repairs averaged $6,000 for rehabilitation. Mrs. Jane Cobb, Executive Director of the YWCA, 802 South Lafayette Boulevard, made a request for funds to rehabil tate the YWCA building. She felt that, in order to continue service to the women of the community the building would have to be brought up to standard. It had been recommended that auxilliary lighting be installed at a cost of $3,000. Re- plastering must also be accomplished, bathrooms nee to be remodeled, and some work must be done on the furnace. Also, there was a leak in the roof. She wondered if the request of the YWCA for funds, which had been submitted to the Mayor, had been given consideration when the proposal had been prepared. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that the request of the YWCA was being considered. He stated that.it was not included in the proposed program as a line item because the YWCA was an organization that had access to many sources of funding, and secondly, there might be other alternatives to deal with the problem. He stated that the YWCA "could" qualify under the program because it was a residential unit in need of rehabilitation. Mrs. Cobb stated that one source of income was from the housing aspect, and the building must be kept up to standards so that women would utilize the facilities. Councilman Nemeth asked Mrs. Cobb how much the YWCA had requested, and Mr. Hojnacki indicated that the request had been in the amount of $20,000. He stated that a breakdown had not been received with the request in terms of how the money would be spent. Mrs. Cobb indicated that a proposal had been sent to Mr. Hojnacki; however, no breakdown had been requested at that time. Council President Parent asked that Mrs. Cobb send a copy of her proposal to the City Clerk who, in turn, could make copies and forward the information on to the councilmen for consideration. Mrs. Cobb indicated that costs, at this time, were not available because it was not known if the funds would be available. She agreed to provid whatever information she could.. Councilman Horvath asked for a financial statement on the income and expenditures for the YWCA, and Mrs. Cobb also agreed to supply the financial information. Mr. is i i