2005-02-22 - Laserfiche WebLink

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mortgages will be established. Mr. McGee said that some of the neighbors prefer that the City sell the lots on the open market. The public hearing was opened. Mr. Adam Peters, 1008 Glendale Road, said he is a Habitat volunteer and lives in the Holmes neighborhood. Responding to concerns expressed by neighbors, he said that the quality of the homes to be built by Habitat will be in line with what is there, and will be quality work. Regarding issues about long-term maintenance, he said that Habitat owners keep impeccable care of their homes and put a lot of work into them. He said they are high quality people. Mr. Thomas Norford, 1229 Holmes Avenue, said he lives across the street from the lots. He said that in the past 26 years he has contacted the City several times about buying the lots and was originally told they were not buildable, then he was told they may be used as access. He said he is now told they will be donated. He presented a petition with 64 signatures opposing the proposal as not being the best use of the land. He noted that in Northern Virginia the property taxes had to be abated on Habitat houses so that their owners could afford to stay in their homes. Ms. Sharon Bishop, 1228 Holmes Avenue, said she lives adjacent to the lots. She said she chose to live in this neighborhood because it is established and well respected. She said that the actual average size of homes in the neighborhood is 2,000 square feet which means that taxes will be at least $1,200 a year. She asked how the working poor can afford to live there and are they being set up to fail. She said there is a cliff in the backyard of these lots which means there will be no backyard so any socialization will occur in the front yard which is not consistent with the neighborhood. She asked that the neighborhood be allowed to purchase the lots on the open market. Ms. Princess Long, Michie Drive, the prospective owner of one of the houses, said she is a single mother with two children and she wants to raise her children in a decent neighborhood. She asked that she be given the chance to be a homeowner. Mr. Richard Price, 321 Parkway, an architect involved in a development which includes affordable housing in the Woolen Mills, said that Habitat has indicated that it is interested in making the housing compatible in that and other neighborhoods. He said he has experienced very little impact based on different income levels as long as the housing is compatible. He said this is a good affordable housing initiative and he hopes Council will support it. Mr. Kenneth Jackson, 1437 Rugby Avenue, said this proposal is a perfect example of what the City says it is about. He said that the working poor cannot afford housing in Charlottesville. He expressed concern about the institutional discrimination he has heard tonight. He said low income people are people too and we need to respect each other. As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. Mr. Lynch asked if the payment of taxes has been factored into the cost of maintaining the house. Mr. McGee said that is done with every house after it is built. He said payments for the principle, taxes and insurance are not to exceed 25% of the family income and the mortgage time is extended in order to accomplish this. He said the hope is that as taxes increase, the family's income will increase. He said that unlike rents, the mortgage amount does not increase. Responding to a question from Mr. Caravati, Mr. McGee said that nationwide less than 2% of Habitat houses are foreclosed on, and classes and counseling sessions are offered to prospective owners. He said that Habitat also looks at the credit of prospective owners.