CC_Minutes_2008_0908 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 08, 2008 Page 23 had proven inaccurate. Mr. McGillis advised that those new low income house- holds were happy to be there; and those being asked to move were not qualified as low income renters. Mr. McGillis further noted that, if any violations were found by future purchasers of the tax credits, the developer would be held personally liable to repay any defi- ciencies; and would lose those tax credits. Mr. McGillis assured Councilmembers that there were many regulatory agencies monitoring compliance. Councilmember Pust requested historical rental information from the developer on previous ownership, including average length of time for renters; and ac- knowledged normal market place tensions in property improvements creating dis- ruptions in rental situations versus evicting long-term residents, and finding a bal- ance. Councilmember Roe questioned if residents could be relocated to another part of the building if they did not qualify to live in one part due to their income level. Mr. McGillis advised that regulations did not allow the owner to take such action; and that all had to be treated the same. Mr. McGillis expressed his willingness to provide additional information for staff and/or the City Council if more questions became evident during their review; and left contact information with staff to facilitate making their responses as complete as possible. Mayor Klausing personally clarified that he was completely supportive of obtain- ing and reviewing any information available to fulfill the City Council's role as determined under their authority to ensure regulatory agreement compliance; however, questioned if all of the information would prove relative or necessary to that compliance review; and cautioned the need to be careful about the extent of the City Council's procedures as apolicy-making body, and not in the role of a court of law or arbitrator. Mr. Cann Mr. Cann questioned why 22 households were having their tenancy evicted be- cause they were over income, and questioned how they were chosen. Mr. McGillis advised that 22 notices had been given to lower rent units on one side of the building, the street side, that that was how the decision was made with the four buildings on the west side of the street. Mr. Norm Jones Mr. Jones noted that his firm, Winthrop and Weinstein, had closed 400 such pro- jects over the last few decades; and offered to provide the City Council with writ-