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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/04/1999 Adjourned Meeting 459 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON MAY 4, 1999 ADJOURNED MEETING The City Council met in session on this date at 7:30 a.m., in the 2nd Floor Training Room, at the Police Station /Legal Center, 200 South 3r1 Street, Yakima, Washington. Mayor John Puccinelli, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett, Henry Beauchamp, Lynn Buchanan, John Klingele, Mary Place, and Bernard Sims present. City Manager Zais; Assistant City Manager Rice; Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works; Bill Cook, Director of Community & Economic Development; Nancy Gaudette, Refuse Manager; Bob Shampine, Acting Code Administration Manager; Bill Cobabe, Neighborhood Development Services Manager; Marketa George Oliver, Administrative Assistant to the City Manager; and Deputy City Clerk Skovald were also present. DISCUSSION OF REAL ESTATE /RENTAL ASSOCIATION LOW - INCOME HOUSING Mayor Puccinelli opened the meeting and introductions were made. He invited members of the Yakima Valley Rental Association (YVRA) to discuss their concerns about housing in the City of Yakima. Freya Burgstaller, representing Yakima Valley Rental Association, provided a brief historical perspective about the YVRA, which was established many years ago and has grown to over 500 members. She recognized several members of the organization and thanked the Council for an opportunity to discuss housing issues. Jerry Heyer noted that the current housing policy was developed in the mid 1970s, an era of abnormally high interest rates when moderate income people could not afford to buy a house. He questioned the applicability today of those twenty - plus - year -old public housing strategies and suggested changing the programs to focus on helping the poorest of the poor. He explained that the first housing projects were built to replace horrible existing housing. There have been many housing projects developed since then, but he asked if that approach has accomplished what it had set out to do. He noted that not only is it expensive to build homes today, but there is a very high vacancy rate right now within the City of Yakima. He feels overbuilding is occurring with federal tax credits funding the construction, instead of allowing the market to self - correct by allowing rental property improvements to increase property values and the taxbase at the same 1/ time. Extensive discussion ensued about the need to identify some options to address YVRA's concerns. In addition to the high vacancy rate, the Rental Association would like to see more irrigation and utility infrastructure improvements. Other concerns include the need to gather and utilize current census data to perform a housing inventory within the city limits. The YVRA also endorses changing the focus of the Welfare to Work Program to getting more people off welfare. 4 6 0 MAY 4, 1999 - ADJOURNED MEETING Larry Ratts, 902 North 6 Street, is a landlord from Yakima who has lived in the neighborhood where his investment property is located. He has helped rehabilitate the neighborhood, but over the last three years he has lost money on his rentals because the vacancy rate is high making it hard to rent units. He described what could happen if such a situation were to continue. The banks would no longer consider loans for renovation, and then there would be deferred maintenance, more lienient tenant screening and less enforcement of rental rules, lower deposits, increased property damage and vandalism, and then decreased property values because of deterioration, which would eventually result in lost tax revenue and an increased demand on City services. In other times the market has corrected itself, but over building public housing projects creates more vacancies and places an unnecessary tax burden on taxpayers. Don Hinman also supports the idea of a housing inventory to determine whether the public housing projects are fulfilling its purpose. Council Member Sims noted several economic elements affecting the rental market in Yakima, including the failure of the school levy in 1997; implementation of the Welfare to Work Program, and the potential closing of Boise Cascade. Mr. Hinman also added that the failure of the apple crop has resulted in creating a huge vacancy rate for farmworker's housing. He feels there is a population decrease also affecting the sales tax revenue. Council Member Beauchamp provided a brief historical perspective about the establishment of the Housing Authority. It was created because housing was not available at the time. It was a needs driven issue, and there is still a need to provide housing to the poorest of the poor. He also feels more flexible screening guidelines are needed for those who do not have good credit or have other problems making them unhousable. Council Member Beauchamp also noted that not any one strategy will solve the housing dilemma, but new ideas are needed beyond the traditional approach. Dan Arnett pointed out that current census data needs to be determined and a housing inventory needs to be done to illustrate an accurate picture on housing availability in Yakima. Currently, 1990 figures are being used to determine the vacancy rate, and that is not reliable. He also feels that rental applications should be screened more realistically. There needs to be a balance so underlying issues are dealt with, such as the need for more Section 8 vouchers. There was a considerable amount of discussion about how the Section 8 program works and whether the rental industry would be in favor of trying to expand the number of Section 8 certificates that occurs in Yakima. Alice Sells, Director of the Housing Authority, addressed a couple of issues, including what does and doesn't affect eligibility for low - income housing projects. Even though there is still a waiting list, 2 461 MAY 4, 1999 - ADJOURNED MEETING • the vacancy rate for public housing is six percent and four percent in farmworker's housing. Bill Cook, Director of Community and Economic Development, noted that a mix of housing programs are needed and should be changed from time to time. There was further discussion about improving property values by making improvements to the rental units, which would increase the tax base at the same time. Alice Sells also reported that limitations included in the Welfare to Work Program are time consuming to screen and follow -up on applications. Mayor Puccinelli requested that a committee be established to deal with the concerns expressed by the YVRA and to pursue improvement strategies to better serve the community. After continued discussion about the high vacancy rate and other related issues, it was the • consensus of the Council to establish a Council Committee to participate in discussions with landlords and the Yakima Housing Authority. Mayor and Council Members Place and Beauchamp volunteered, with .Council Members Sims and Buchanan willing to serve as alternates. The Office of Neighborhood Development Services, managed by Bill Cobabe, will facilitate the discussions. Lynne Kittelson requested that neighborhood groups be included in those discussions. REVIEW OF PILOT SEMI - AUTOMATED REFUSE SERVICE IN EAST YAKIMA Nancy Gaudette, Refuse and Recycling Manager, provided copies of additional information, and Chris Waarvick, Public Works Director, noted that a pilot program was designed to address the excessive trash and stockpiles in alleys within some of the neighborhoods. Directing attention to a map of the specific area, Nancy Gaudette reported that the pilot project for refuse services includes an agreement with Toter, Inc. to provide 900 individual residential service containers for.the eastside. The 96- gallon container is outlined in the brochure and will cost $3.00 per month during the pilot program which would go toward the purchase price. Ms. Gaudette also entertained questions from the Council about the semiautomated service that will be included in the pilot project, the basic refuse charge, the current refuse service, as well as the probability of automated service in the future. Chris Waarvick also explained a draft report will be provided and will include service statistics, customer satisfaction information, and rate development information to accommodate the waste generation in the pilot project area. Smaller containers could be used after completion of the pilot program and an analysis will be 1/ done on the outcome of the program. Ms. Gaudette noted the importance of analyzing how future refuse needs will be handled for future policy consideration, and there was a brief discussion about the questionnaire that will be created. Council Member Sims pointed out that a lot of citizens cannot carry out their garbage, and they will pay for carry -out service. Nancy 3 462 MAY 4, 1999 - ADJOURNED MEETING Gaudette pointed out that carry -out service would still be available. There was discussion about basic service and the occasional need most people have for additional service. After continued discussion about the type of cans and the service that will be provided, the meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: .44' / "` 7 9' COUNCI MEM; DATE COUNC . EMBER DATE ATTEST: CITY CLERK JOHN PUCCINELLI, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Deputy City Clerk Skovald. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office 1 4