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Housing - Agenda 06-27-00AGENDA REGULAR MEETING ROSEMEAD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM ROSEMEAD, CALIFORNIA NNE 27, 2000, 7:00 P.M. CALL MEETING TO ORDER: 7:00 P.M. OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG: DIRECTOR BRUESCH INVOCATION: PRESIDENT CLARK ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS: DIRECTORS BRUESCH, TAYLOR, VASQUEZ, VICE- PRESIDENT IMPERIAL, PRESIDENT CLARK APPROVAL OF MINUTES: FEBRUARY 8, 2000 - REGULAR MEETING 1. RESOLUTION NO. 00-03 - CLAIMS AND DEMANDS Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 00-03, for payment of Housing expenditures. 2. RESOLUTION NO. 00-02 - ADOPTING 2000-01 ROSEMEAD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BUDGET Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 00-02. 3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON HOUSING DEVELOPMENT MATTERS 4. ADJOURNMENT Posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting at City Hall, 8838 E. Valley Boulevard, Rosemead; the L.A. County Library, Rosemead Branch, 8800 E. Valley Boulevard, Rosemead; and other locations pursuant to RMC Sec. 1.08.020. NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVED BY THE ROSEMEAD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ROSEMEAD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FEBRUARY 8, 2000 The Regular Meeting of the Rosemead Housing Development Corporation was called to order by President Vasquez at 7:05 p.m. in the Conference Room of City Hall, 8838 E. Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, California. The Pledge to the Flag and Invocation were waived as having been completed during the meeting just adjourned. ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS: Present: Directors Bruesch, Imperial, Taylor, Vice-President Clark, and President Vasquez Absent: None APPROVAL OF MINUTES: JUNE 22, 1999 - REGULAR MEETING MOTION BY DIRECTOR TAYLOR, SECOND BY DIRECTOR IMPERIAL that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 22, 1999, be approved as submitted. Vote resulted: Aye: Bruesch, Vasquez, Clark, Imperial, Taylor No: None Absent: None Abstain: None The President declared said motion duly carried and so ordered. 1. RESOLUTION NO. 00-01 CLAIMS AND DEMANDS The following Resolution was presented to the Rosemead Housing Development Corporation for adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 00-01 A RESOLUTION OF THE ROSEMEAD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND DEMANDS IN THE SUM OF $50,081.00 AND DEMANDS NO. 1210 THROUGH NO. 1217 MOTION BY DIRECTOR BRUESCH, SECOND BY DIRECTOR IMPERIAL that the Corporation adopt Resolution No. 00-01. Vote resulted: Aye: Bruesch, Vasquez, Clark, Imperial, Taylor No: None Absent: None Abstain: None The President declared said motion duly carried and so ordered. 2. AUTHORIZATION TO FILE BID FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4623 N. EARLE AVENUE (APN: 5372-013-040) NOTE: DIRECTOR IMPERIAL VOTED NOT TO HAVE HIS COMMENTS VERBATIM. HOWEVER, THE CORPORATION VOTED 4-1 TO HAVE ALL COMMENTS ON THE FOLLOWING ITEM VERBATIM. RHDCMIN:2-80-00 PACE #I VERBATIM DIALOGUE BEGINS: FRANK TRIPEPI, CITY MANAGER: This is the acquisition of land, tax defaulted land. This is the Lawin property, 4623. The Agency discussed this at the last meeting. If the City is interested in purchasing it for the amount of taxes on there, we would suggest that you do so under the Housing Authority, because we're not really sure at this time what the majority feels on the use of the property. That is something we can discuss this evening. But, if you purchase the property and you wish to have a house constructed there, and basically, open it to just market sale of bid process, the housing authority would do that on behalf of the City. COUNCILMAN GARY TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman. I would like to know what would be the difference as far as letting it go on the private market and I see no reason why a developer, or a purchaser could not build 2 homes on that lot without us being involved. COUNCILMAN' ROBERT BRUESCH: Mr. Chairman. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Chairman, is that a piece of property like that are not being developed into small single homes. A piece of property like that in Rosemead, in general times, in the last three to four years, large lots that like, if you go through... probably 90% of them become large homes in the price range of 5300,000 to $400,000. If our purpose would be using the Rosemead Housing Authority to purchase... to help people purchase affordable housing. Letting it go on the market and letting a piece of property go where we can get two smaller affordable homes on there, becomes part of the, what I call "mansionization" of some of these areas in our City. I think we'd be cutting our nose off to spite our faces. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman. I totally disagree with Mr. Bruesch's comments about 90% of the homes. I'd like a comment from our Planning Department... what's been going in, the size of the homes, and the developments that we've had. TRIPEPI: Brad, what's going on in... TAYLOR: I mean larger lots. BRAD JOHNSON, PLANNING DIRECTOR: On a large lot like that, it is the most popular housing decision to put 2400 square foot homes -just under 2500 so that don't have to go through the C.U.P. process. TAYLOR: How many have we done and how many smaller ones have we had subdivisions on. JOHNSON: I would say that 90% just as a "guesstimate" is pretty close to the 2400 square foot range. BRUESCH: What are the prices ranges of those houses? JOHNSON': $300,000. JAY IMPERIAL: Mr. Mayor. One of the problems that I have with this is...I'm going to be very honest with you and I don't know a better way to say it. I think that neighborhood has been raped, ok. They have suffered through years of agony with this guy that owned that home, he kept dirt all over the place. I can remember putting two construction dumpsters out there, filling them both up and never doing inside that house. It was all from the yard and all from the roof tops of the house and the garage. So, I think they had enough problems. Now, based on what Mr. Bruesch says, and that's always a possibility, you've people that want to go in there, build a big house, and the next thing you know, they've got enough parking for maybe 2 cars, but they've got 10 out there. That's what they're doing. They're renting these rooms out. I think we have to be very careful with stuff like that, ok. We can offer it to government and let them help, what's it called, this organization, Bob, you talked to me about. BRUESCH: The Habitat for Humanity. RHDCMIN:2-80-00 PAGE a2 IMPERIAL: We can do that, but as far as I'm concerned, the people ought to earn what they buy, and I'm not for it. TRIPEPI: Mr. Taylor, to give you just a different avenue as to an answer to what Mr. Bruesch was talking about. The shorter answer is... I can't give you any...I can't tell you that it's more advantageous to the City to develop those two houses as opposed to letting a private developer do it. All I can tell you is that if the Housing Authority owns the property, this Council sitting as the Housing Authority will approve the architectural plans and design, you'll get the houses that you want out there. You can then, if you wish to do so, you could run these through the first- time home buyer program. You could pretty much control who is in there. So, I guess the short of what I'm saying, it just gives you more control of what goes in that neighborhood. And, that's the only advantage I can give you. TAYLOR: Well, I disagree with that much control also. TRIPEPI: I can't argue with that. TAYLOR: The arguments already been made as an example, how much we need redevelopment and you remember the meeting at the Community Center, where we've been boasting as a City, $51 million worth of development had gone in down there in the project area. And I asked at three different Redevelopment Agency meetings to verify how many agreements we've had with developers down there, and there's only two that I know of. So, it's been developing under the free enterprise system beautifully and that's where I believe this belongs also, rather than us as, another government agency having more control... control of the property, control of the residents, control of what goes on. We've already got a Planning Department that does that. We've got zoning regulations. This is just another way of an agency stepping in because we want control. And, things have been going pretty good as far as our development goes and homes being built, whether they're large homes, whether they're subdivided, I just believe that it's been going pretty good as far as lots and homes. TRIPEPI: I can't argue with you, I was trying to.... TAYLOR: I understand, I understand. BRUESCH: The fact of the matter is, and Brad, I'll kind of defer to you. We are under the aegis of the State and that State is telling us we have to develop 725 affordable units between now and 2004 2005. We have five years to build 725 or come up with a plan of 725 affordable units. Even though a lot of people are saying... "It's just a smoke screen, they're just trying to force us to do something"... The housing advocates, the people who are dealing with the numbers of the growth that is coming into our communities, are telling us we better do something now. Pretty soon that carrot is going to turn into a stick. We'll be under just like 939, $10,000 a day fines if we don't meet the quotas. Again, I think this is a great opportunity to come up with two affordable units. If doesn't sound like much, but it does give the impression that we a doing something about making more housing affordable to the common everyday resident. MAYOR PRO TEM CLARK: Mr. Chairman. I agree with Bob on that and I think I would like to look into the Habitat for Humanity because it has the people do the work, right Bob. They're not anything free, they are buying, am I correct? TRIPEIP: Sweat equity. CLARK: Yes. Sweat equity. So, I think it's a better plan than I've seen anywhere else as far as, we don't want it to give people ...If we could do the first-time homebuyer, I think it would be...I think it's an opportunity we won't see again. IMPERIAL: There's a difference between a first-home buyer and this program that you're talking about, Maggie. They're not the same, ok. That's what I'm saying. CLARK: OK. Bob, explain the Habitat for Humanity. RHDCMIN:2-80-00 PAGE n3 BRUESCH: First of all, we have to bifurcate the thing. The idea of Habitat for Humanity is that they come into the community and get everyone involved, the high schools, junior colleges, the service organizations, and they screen the possible buyers just as stringently as we do for our first-time buyers. In other words, they're not going to get some people into a new affordable house that cannot afford it, and will never be able to afford it. The second thing they do, they are very stringent on the building codes. One image is burned in my head from a picture from Habitant, where they went down to South Carolina and showed one of those communities that was leveled by a hurricane last year, actually a year and a half in 1998. There were only five structures in that community that was left standing. All of them were Habitant for Humanity houses. What it does is, what was said, Equity in Sweat. The people who buy into these houses, not only pay a mortgage, they also have to help build their own house. It gets the whole community thinking about affordable housing and getting people into decent affordable housing. ROBERT KRESS, CITY ATTORNEY: They have to help build others houses until they've built up enough service hours. IMPERIAL: Bob, you know that's nice, it's beautiful and I can really appreciate it and I hope the world goes round like that all the time. I can show you two teachers right now that are working very hard. They can't afford to buy a house, ok. And you know what teachers are, you been there and done that. Let's talk about how beautiful the world is and that's what they thought when they put that project area over on La Brea and you've seen what happened to Baldwin Hills. Come on, give me a break. CLARK: Jay, can I ask you what you mean by the teachers can't... INVERIAL: You've got to have so much money coming, and you've got to pay for the mortgage, ok. And, I know a couple of teachers that can't even afford to do that, man and wife. CLARK: Are they first-time homebuyers? IMPERIAL: They're not on our first-time buyers because they don't want to buy in Rosemead. They've got another place. CLARK: Voila. IMPERIAL: Well, voila... Let's just buy where we're going to get the best deal, voila CLARK: You're saying... just said they can't afford to buy, Jay... that's not true. If they want to buy in Beverly Hills and they can't... IMPERIAL: That's not what I'm saying. They don't want to buy in Beverly Hills. These teachers want to buy in Glendale, ok. They can't do it there. BRUESCH: Do they realize that if they are teaching in Rosemead, the government budget has money for teachers to buy houses within their school attendance area? MPERIAL: No, because first of all, they don't live in Rosemead. Secondly, they haven't been told that when they've asked questions, so somebody is not passing the word. But, if you have all this information, Bob, I'll be glad to get it to these people. BRUESCH: It's in the government budget. IMPERIAL: Would you get it for me please so I can mail it to them. BRUESCH: I know that the school districts are very interested in managing that program with our first-time home buyers. I make the Motion that we buy the property. CLARK: Second. VASQUEZ: All those in favor please say Aye. Those opposed No. R1113CAffi4:2-80-00 PACE N4 x - Yes: Bruesch, Vasquez, Clark, Imperial No: Taylor Absent: None Abstain: None TAYLOR: No, and I'd like my comments verbatim. BRUESCH: The second thing I'd like to do when I said bifurcate. I'd like staff to go and get some information about Habitat for Humanity and find out the process we go though into getting them in there. TRIPEPI: Bob, the first issue is the purchase of the property. BRUESCH: That's right. TRIPEPI: We can't go and do anything if we don't get the property. BRUESCH: Again, I'll predicate that with the idea if we buy the property, I'd like staff to find out about it. TRIPEPI: I'm sure we'll have to come back here with lots of information. CLARK: Mr. Mayor. What was our policy on verbatim minutes? I thought we were supposed to vote on that. IMPERIAL: It had to be three members of the Council to vote on any verbatim minutes. TAYLOR: I have no objections if you want to make that motion. I made it distinctive. It was my comments verbatim. I don't care what the rest of you do, 4-1. My comments. I don't care what you want in the minutes. You can put yours in for continuity, or take it out. If you want to vote on this issue of my comments, be my guest. Do you understand the difference? I'm not asking for everything to be verbatim. But, if you want to put a limit on what any Councilmember... any Councilmember can say, "put it on the record". CLARK: Ok, whatever. TAYLOR: I don't want to make trouble. But, I believe that each one of us is entitled to make a statement, and I'll always respect that. BRUESCH: Mr. Mayor. I just want to put an addendum on this. That is, I just totally disagree with the method and I've said in SCAG meetings and COG meetings that I disagree with the method of coming up with the quotas for affordable housing. Saying that, I'm not opposed to any community, including Rosemead, going out and seeking ways to increase affordable housing because of just what Councilman Imperial was saying. We don't want to lose our young people to other communities because the only affordable housing they see in our Rosemead area are not decent housing. Affordable housing means that it's not only affordable, it's less than 1/3 of the income of the household. But, also, it means decent housing. It means the type of housing that a young family would like to move into, in a neighborhood that a young family would like to move into. And, I think that should... the whole purpose of our Housing Authority is to increase that type of housing. You really need to understand that one of the things that we wanted to do when we set up this Housing Authority is to make Rosemead the type of community a young couple would like to purchase in. So, they don't want to go to over the Westside, or out to the Inland Empire. Anything that this Housing Authority, our body can do to increase support of our housing and decent neighborhoods in Rosemead, I'm totally in favor of it. VASQUEZ: Thank you, Bob. CLARK: Mr. Mayor. I would like to make the Motion that all of our comments are verbatim because they'll look odd from Gary's statements. I think the whole conversation needs to be in it if it's going to be in at all. attocntm:2-80-00 PAGE#S TAYLOR: I agree with the concept of not I'll second the Motion. VASQUEZ: All those in favor please say Aye. Oppose. IMPERIAL: Aye. I oppose. The reason that I oppose, maybe I don't... Maggie just said that all of our comments are made verbatim. Maybe I don't want mine verbatim, ok. So, if you want to make it another vote for four people, that's right. Or, I don't want my minutes verbatim. I have nothing to hide or be afraid of. On the other hand I don't think it's necessary for mine. I won't speak for anybody else. Yes: Bruesch, Taylor, Vasquez, Clark No: Imperial Absent: None Abstain: None TAYLOR: And, the Council policy was if we're going to have a section verbatim, for all the Council, I think it's to Mr. Imperial's disadvantage not to have it in that sense, because you're part of the continuity of it. And that's the only reason you're welcome to... IMPERIAL: Well, I'll take that disadvantage and lick my wounds. But, I don't think it's necessary in this case. TRIPEPI: If it's agreeable with the majority of the Council that just voted to leave out Mr. Imperial's comments... TAYLOR & CLARK: No. CLARK: The whole issue is the.... TAYLOR: The continuity of what this Council said... and the Motion was to have it verbatim. ROBERT KRESS, CITY ATTORNEY: Once the words are spoken, then they're part of the official record. The Council as a whole can decide whether or not you're going to make the minutes a verbatim transcript, which is everything that occurred verbatim, or action minutes or something in between. I have to agree that if you're going to document the details of everyone's words, then we have to have everyone because you have interaction. You have one Councilmember asking a question that may be a rhetorical question, but the next comment that follows, that you really need that. There's been a lot of discussion as to whether these kinds of minutes are useful. That's for the Council to decide. There was a request and a vote on making this particular item verbatim. I think it really needs to be verbatim for all the Councilmembers. TAYLOR: I have to agree only because of the continuity and the policy of the verbatim subject. But, I want to be sure that in the future, an individual Councilmember can make a statement. KRESS: I think that that's a matter of courtesy. And, I think you can make a statement and ask that it be in verbatim. I don't think it's ever going to work, it's not going to work tonight, it's never going to work if you say I want all of my statements in verbatim, because it's the same thing, it's scattered. You're going to be responding to things that if you say, "This is how I feel, this paragraph, these few sentences..." I've sat here for a number of years with this group and I don't think anyone is going to deny you that, and it's appropriate. IMPERIAL: What we've wound up doing then, is that Gary wanted his minutes verbatim... TAYLOR: My comments. IMPERIAL: His comments verbatim, and so we had a vote and I didn't want mine verbatim. So, what we're saying in reality is here we are again. We're back to point A, ok. Are we or are we not back to point A. What are we doing now? RHncnanN:z-so-oo PAGE#6 4 TAILOR: No, I believe that the Council took a vote as a body on the whole subject and that's the way that we've decided everything in general. IMPERIAL: Ok. Then what the Council voted on then, with the exception of one member, is that we will have the minutes verbatim from this meeting. And you will also say in those verbatim minutes that I suggested and it was not recognized that I did not want mine verbatim. TAILOR: That's fine, because the whole meeting will be verbatim on this subject. VASQUEZ: Ok, moving on to matters from officials. VERBATIM DIALOGUE ENDS. 2. MATTERS FROM OFFICIALS - None 3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON HOUSING DEVELOPMENT MATTERS - None 4. ADJOURNMENT There being no further action at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 7:22 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 14, 2000, at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted: APPROVED: Corporation Secretary PRESIDENT RHDCMIN2-80-00 PAGE 47