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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-01-03 Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes COMMUNITY&ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday,January 3, 2001, @5:00 PM � MINUTES COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilor Baldacci, Chair Councilor Vardamis Councilor Crowley Councilor Farnham STAFF PRESENT: Edward A. Barrett, City Manager Rodney G. McKay,Director of Community& Economic Development Stan Moses,Asst. C.D. Director T.J. Martzial, Housing Programs Manager Dan Wellington, Code Enforcement Officer Norm Heitmann, City Solicitor The meeting was called to order by Committee Chair Councilor Baldacci at 5:00 PM. ;. 1. Randolph Drive Sale: 47 Randolph Drive Action Taken: A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of this item as presented. So voted. 2. Residential Rehab Loan: 34 Parkview Ave., 2 units, investor owned Action Taken: A motion was made and seconded to approve this loan as presented. So voted. 3. Lead Based Paint update T.J. Martzial, Housing Programs Manager, updated the Committee on new HUD regulations with regard to elimination of lead based paint in all properties that are accepted for rehabilitation under the C.D. Rehabilitation Program. These new regulations go into effect on March 15. This will have a major impact on the C.D. Housing Rehabilitation Program. One of the stipulations of this new program is that if the property is occupied at the time of rehabilitation, occupants are required to be temporarily relocated while the rehab work is being done. The City will have to absorb this additional cost. The rules will also require that every contractor that works on a project funded with federal funds will have to be trained in lead safe practices. The state of Maine is going to offer training courses through the Department of Environmental Protection. With respect to public housing in the Bangor area, about 5 years ago the Housing Authority spent approximately $400,000 and eliminated all lead based paint in public housing. The City has to submit to HUD a Transitional Implementation Plan to . get this program up and running with staffing by March 15. As part of this, the C.D. staff will do some public relations along with Penquis C.A.P. Penquis has received a grant . through Maine State Housing Authority to conduct public relations on lead based paint issues. They do not have money for rehab but they do have money to train their people to be lead inspectors and lead technicians. The new lead based paint regulations will make rehabilitation funded under the CDBG program about 20%more expensive than when federal funds are not involved. The Residential Rehab Program guidelines will have to be changed for this program to continue to be attractive to borrowers. The Rental Rehabilitation Program has rehabilitated 579 units using over$4.5 million in the last 10 years. 4. Proposed Housing Study T.J. Martzial presented to the Committee a proposal to conduct a housing study for the Bangor area. It is intended to bring together current housing data as well as Census 2000 data on housing statistics on Bangor's neighborhoods in order to come up with a comprehensive housing action plan. It is suggested to break out housing according to where the City may want to locate low and moderate-income housing; locate market rate housing, and what types of property we have available for housing development. The grant that was recently submitted to the Maine State Housing Authority was turned down. At this point staff suggests that this housing plan can be done in-house. The cost to do this over two years is estimated to be around$30,000. The money to cover the costs would come from the C.D. Block Grant funds. The Housing Study will help the City focus their resources and to assist with applying for future federal grants. Staff recommends that an RFP be sent out to seek a qualified person with the expertise to . handle this project. This project will take 11/z to 2 years to complete. Action Taken: A motion was made and seconded to direct staff to proceed with developing an RFP and to bring it back to Committee for final approval. So voted. A motion was made to go into Executive Session. So voted. 5. Executive Session—Property Acquisition—Union Place NCP A motion was made to go out of Executive Session. So voted. 6. Executive Session—Property Acquisition Postponed. Meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM. •