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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 04-19-2007MINUTES PLYMOUTH HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY April 19, 2007 PRESENT: Chairman Steve Ludovissie, Commissioners Jim Kovach, Jeff Kulaszewicz and Bob Stein ABSENT: Commissioner Jenny Flansburg STAFF PRESENT: Housing Program Manager Jim Barnes and Housing Specialist Paula Dorn OTHERS PRESENT: None 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Ludovissie called the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting to order at 7:04 P.M. 2. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve February 15, 2007 HRA Meeting Minutes B. Plymouth Towne Square. Accept monthly housing reports. C. Vicksburg Crossing. Accept monthly housing reports. D. Plymouth Crossroads Station TIF District 1-3. Amend legal description. MOTION by Commissioner Kovach and seconded by Commissioner Kulaszewicz to approve the consent agenda. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. 3. NEW BUSINESS A. Habitat for Humanity. Purchase Agreement Housing Program Manager Jim Barnes gave a summary of the staff report. He also stated that a revised purchase agreement and Declaration of Covenants had been placed before the Board for consideration. Commissioner Kulaszewicz asked what the differences are between the revisions received at the Board meeting and the packet report. Housing Program Manager Barnes replied that Habitat for Humanity had requested some revised language in the Covenants, but the changes did not affect the terms and conditions of the sale or future use of the property. Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority April 19, 2007 Page 2 Commissioner Stein asked if Habitat for Humanity controls the sale price when it is sold again. Housing Program Manager Barnes replied that there are controls in place through the mortgage that regulate the future price. The mortgage documents are written using the Land Trust model. Commissioner Kulaszewicz inquired if any consideration was given to an escalation factor. Housing Program Manager Barnes stated that staff considered this, but it was not placed in the documents due to the low income of the families purchasing the homes. Chairman Ludovissie asked what the estimated closing date is. Housing Program Manager Barnes replied that the closing is tentatively scheduled for April 30, 2007. MOTION by Chairman Ludovissie and seconded by Commissioner Kulaszewicz to approve the purchase agreement and related documents for the sale of HRA owned property to Habitat for Humanity. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. B. Vicksburg Crossing. Consider adopting a smoking fee. Housing Program Manager Barnes gave an overview of the memo. Smoking in the units is currently allowed at both Vicksburg Commons and Plymouth Towne Square. Staff has noticed that when turning a unit, it costs more money to replace items in a smoking unit than in a non-smoking unit. The smoking units at Plymouth Towne Square are not as noticeable of a problem because the building has a different ventilation system than Vicksburg Crossing. Grace Management is proposing a smoking fee to cover the costs of redoing the unit, such as repainting and replacement of carpet once the tenant moves out. Requiring a smoking fee is a trend in the industry along with no smoking buildings. Chairman Ludovissie asked how many smoking units are currently in each senior building. Housing Program Manager Barnes replied that there are six to ten residents at both Vicksburg Crossing and Plymouth Towne Square who smoke in their units. Housing Program Manager Barnes explained how the fee would be coordinated when tenants sign a new lease at move -in or at lease renewal. Chairman Ludovissie stated that the proposal is a good idea. Commissioner Kovach asked if the buildings currently have a designated smoking wing. Housing Program Manager Barnes replied no. Commissioner Stein stated he is in favor of the smoking fee but is interested in researching if we should take it to the next level and make the building smoke free. Housing Program Manager Barnes stated staff has consulted with the city attorney and the HRA could institute a policy making the building smoke free. Commissioner Stein asked if other publicly owned senior buildings have gone smoke free. Housing Program Manager Barnes said staff has not looked into this yet because staff was not sure of the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority April 19, 2007 Page 3 Board's position on this issue. HRA Specialist Dorn stated that most Public Housing buildings have gone smoke free in other cities. Commissioner Stein asked if the $1,000 fee is sufficient to cover the damages. Housing Program Manager Barnes stated that he did not think the fee would be sufficient to cover all of the costs associated with turning a unit that is occupied by a heavy smoker. Commissioner Kovach asks how many units are currently occupied at Vicksburg Crossing. Housing Program Manger Barnes indicated that 54 units are occupied. Chairman Ludovissie said staff is most concerned with the heaviest smokers and the damages that they cause to the units. He added that he is concerned about complaints from residents and how staff would monitor the situation. Commissioner Stein asked what would be done if a tenant moved in and they do not currently smoke, but started smoking mid -lease. Housing Program Manager Barnes stated that the lease could be structured to include language to address that issue. He also said that they could "grandfather" in anyone who is currently living in the building. Commissioner Stein asked if the fee could be spread out over time to help residents that could not afford to pay the fee up front. Housing Program Manager Barnes said that the management staff could be flexible on how payment is received. Commissioner Kovach asked if a lesser fee would be charged to the tenants that occupy the affordable units. Housing Program Manager Barnes replied no. Chairman Ludovissie stated he would like to have a draft policy written out and presented at the next meeting. Commissioner Stein asked if a fee of $750 is enough or if $1,000- 1,200 is more appropriate. He stated he would like more detailed information on the replacement costs from the buildings. The Board tabled the item in order for staff to gather more detailed information on the costs for "turning' a unit and to research the possibility of making both HRA buildings entirely smoke free. C. Plymouth HRA. Review and accept the 2006 Annual Report. Housing Program Manager Barnes stated he would not go through the entire report but would answer any questions if that was acceptable to the Board. The Board agreed. Commissioner Kulaszewicz asked if the Habitat project was a goal for 2006 or 2005. Housing Program Manager Barnes explained that the Habitat project will be reflected in the 2007 Annual Report. Chairman Ludovissie inquired about the update of the HRA's Strategic Plan. Housing Program Manager Barnes reviewed the Board's discussion from January and stated it was staffs' understanding that the HRA would continue with the existing Strategic Plan that Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority April 19, 2007 Page 4 was adopted in 2003, and will coordinate the update of the Strategic Plan with the City's update of the Comprehensive Plan. Chairman Ludovissie asked about redevelopment opportunities. Commissioner Stein stated that the Council is still reviewing possible redevelopment sites as part of the Comprehensive Plan process. He indicated that two open houses were held and the Council will evaluate the public input in May. MOTION by Chairman Ludovissie and seconded by Commissioner Kulaszewicz to accept the 2006 HRA Annual Report. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. 5. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:14 PM.