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.
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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,
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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
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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
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