Minutes 08/26/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~. ".'" ~ / () TUESDAY AUGUST 26, 1980 - 101 units for the elderly and handicapped; 186 units under VHDA's subsidized housing program for existing housing; Approximately 40 units under the Housing Rehabilitation Project; Approximately 31 units under the recently approved Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Program through VHDA; and Home ownership programs, such as approximately 51 units in Deerfield Acres, 22 units on Melody Court, and 90 units on Forest Lake. This is a total of close to 600 units. And all of these programs, in my opinion, have served to achieve the City's yearly goals for assisted housing without impacting neighborhoods with a concentration of assisted housing. At the same time, Council did not vote for a 100-unit subsidized housing development on Chatham Heights in 1975, a 100-unit subsidized housing development on Pine Hall Road in 1979, and took no action on a 1979 invitation to apply for a grant to construct a 100-unit public housing project. The citizens were opposed to these projects because they felt the projects would be disruptive to their neighborhoods and I felt the citizens were right. It is significant, I think, that HUD took no further action when Council did not go along with these projects, obviously because of the City's demonstrated progress in meeting the housing needs of the citizens. Furthermore, HUD has obviously been pleased with the housing efforts of the City because we have been awarded with 3 Hun grants. For these reasons, I feel that Council should continue its current course of pursuing housing programs that meet our needs while not disrupting or disturbing neighborhoods by concentrating assisted housing. And, as I've already pointed out, I have serious concerns that this project does not meet the objectives of Council. One final observation -- In March of 1980, Council discussed with Assistant City Manager George Brown and the West Piedmont Planning Commission Director, Larry Burnette, the validity of the number of households that recent West Piedmont figures show need assistance in Martinsville. Mr. Brown feels that because of the way in which the figures are derived, there is no valid differentiation made between new units needed and rehabilitation units needed. Mr. Burnette agrees. For this reason, Council included a $15,000 grant request in the recently approved Housing Rehabilitation Program in order that we may perform a thorough Analysis of Housing Needs in the City, update our Housing Assistance Plan, and identify the condition of our existing housing supply and other areas needing rehabilitation. Until this study is completed, it seems to me that Council should not amend its goals to allow additional units for new construction; instead, we should continue to improve our