Lack of rental housing rehab participants troubles councilwoman

May 14, 2003
Santa Paula City Council

A councilwoman has found the number of high number of code enforcement cases compared to the number of rental property owners taking advantage of a city rehabilitation program troubling.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesA councilwoman has found the number of high number of code enforcement cases compared to the number of rental property owners taking advantage of a city rehabilitation program troubling.The council was discussing housing issues at the April 21st meeting, including some of the 22 programs offered by the city related to same.Councilwoman Mary Ann Krause noted that the city Rental Housing Rehabilitation Program processed only three loans in 2000 and 2001; three more projects are pending.“Comparing that to the housing code enforcement,” closed caseload of 344 from 2000 to 2002, “but only three rental housing rehabilitation’s is troubling to me. I assumed most of the code enforcement would be rental housing.”The low number of rental housing rehabilitation projects “makes me suspect things are not getting repaired or people are being displaced,” she added.
Tom Bartlett, planning director, said that Building & Safety Director Stephen Stuart “made it clear that because of a transition in staff,” involving Ken Cott, the city’s former redevelopment agency-economic development director and housing specialist, caused a “loss of continuity that had a rather significant impact” to the program.In addition, the council requested audit of the Community Development Block Grant program - which funds upgrades of rental properties - also delayed the program, Bartlett noted.The program was not effective in attracting rental property owners and Cott had “extended absences,” said City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz. “I will recommend to the council [in the upcoming budget] that the city hire a half-time housing specialist and a full-time economic development director,” to better focus on the former.The Rental Housing Rehabilitation Program is intended to improve the quality of rental housing stock by providing low-interest improvement loans for rental property owners to address substandard conditions. The program is limited to rental properties consisting of four or fewer units with a minimum occupancy of 51 percent lower-income - considered those who make 80 percent of the county’s median family income - renters.The city’s five-year objective between 2000 and 2005 is to provide loans to five rental housing developments containing 15 housing units, seven for very-low, seven for low- and one for moderate-income tenants.



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