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Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, September 08, 2008 <br />Page 19 <br />Councilmember Ihlan referenced and interpreted specific provisions of the regula- <br />tory agreement, that appeared to allow or require the City as issuer of the bonds to <br />monitor documents (pages 3 and 4); and further referenced State Statute 474A.07, <br />Subd. 3, addressing statutory responsibility for the City to monitor compliance. <br />Councilmember Ihlan opined her interest in obtaining additional information to <br />investigate the situation and determine if monitoring requirements were being <br />met. Councilmember Ihlan noted the net developer fee estimated to be over $1.2 <br />million; and opined that had she known that information when the City authorized <br />the bond issue, she would have certainly questioned that fee. <br />Mr. Cann noted that, under IRS Code, when tax credits were issues in conjunction <br />with issuance of tax exempt bonds, it was up to the issuer not to exceed more tax <br />credits than necessary for long-term viability of the project. Mr. Cann further <br />noted that, on July 15, 2007, City staff had issues a preliminary determination to <br />that effect, based on information provided by the developer that very day, includ- <br />ing the tax credit application, with the developer's attorney confirming that the <br />document had been submitted to the City. However, Mr. Cann noted that when <br />he had repeatedly asked for this information from the City as a public information <br />request, he had been told by the City Manager that the information was not avail- <br />able. Mr. Cann questioned if staff had shared that information with the City <br />Council, noting that the information included proposed rents, percentage of units <br />covered by tax credit low income, the amount of rehabilitation proposed, and the <br />developer fee proposed to betaken from the project. <br />Councilmember Pust questioned how and if other cities were aware of this infor- <br />mation; opining that clearly the City of Roseville had been unaware until tonight. <br />Mr. Cann opined that it was dependent upon the experience and sophistication of <br />the City's Community Development staff; and could be used as a tool to preserve <br />a supply of affordable housing in a city. However, Mr. Cann opined that in this <br />case, it appeared that issuance of debt and tax credits only served to provide the <br />owner with a huge developer fee. <br />Mayor Klausing, from his personal observations and perspective, opined that in- <br />teresting issues had been raised on how the City uses these tools to produce de- <br />sired goals for affordable housing; and noted the need for further broad discus- <br />sions for future applications. However, Mayor Klausing opined that in this case, <br />he was concerned that this was not a regulatory function that the City was em- <br />powered to monitor; nor did the City have the expertise or resources to respond. <br />Mayor Klausing suggested that those issues raised in Mr. Cann's letter seemed <br />better left to the court system; and expressed his discomfort in the City acting in a <br />judicial role to interpret ongoing disputes; noting Mr. Cann's response to Coun- <br />cilmember Pust's question regarding potential litigation. <br />