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301 <br /> <br />RESOLUTION: APPROVING CONSOLIDATED PLAN (FY 97-98 CDBG AND HOME <br />FUNDS) <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter noted that the Consolidated Plan includes language indicating that the <br />priorities in the Plan may be reconsidered by Council. <br /> <br /> On motion by Ms. Daugherty, seconded by Ms. Richards, Council unanimously <br />approved the Consolidated Plan. <br /> <br />HOUSING WORK SESSION WITH PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> <br /> Mr. William Harris, Chairman of the Planning Commission, presented some personal <br />thoughts about housing futures and housing myths in Charlottesville, including: <br />homeownership is better than rental; homeowners maintain their property better than renters, <br />insufficient vacant land is available for development; and low density housing is the most <br />desirable. <br /> <br /> Mr. Harris offered the following as Rems for discussion: creation of a R-4 zone to <br />permit apartment units up to 70 feet in height, limited to four unrelated persons, with no <br />more than two bedrooms; incentive zoning measures to ensure mixed income housing, both <br />sales and rental; aggressively advertise housing for singles and families with no children; <br />assessments of housing in the city; resettlement policy for those displaced by new <br />development, including relocating them in the newly developed units; U. Va. students <br />housing and wages for working poor employed by U. Va. which limits their housing options; <br />and limiting parking to a minimum in new zones. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter said that Council has been concerned about housing trends and the need <br />for the region as a whole to share in offering affordable housing opportunities. Ms. Slaughter <br />cited two circumstances within the City recently that contributed to this concern: conversion <br />of private apartments to Section 8 housing, and a proposal by an out-of-town developer to <br />develop low income housing on property that would qualify for tax credits for such a <br />development. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox asked if it is possible to track the number of single family homes that have <br />been converted to multi-family, and asked if the R-lA zone has had an impact. <br /> <br /> Mr. Satyendra Huja, Director of Community Development, replied that there have been <br />very few conversions to multi-family and said he feels the R-lA designation has had an <br />impact. <br /> <br /> Ms. Susan Cabell, Planning Commission member, asked if income data for City <br />residents are available, and asked if property could be identified that could be torn down and <br />rebuilt. <br /> <br /> Mr. Huja said that little property remains that need to be tom down due to efforts by <br />the City to improve the housing stock. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty said that one option would be for the City to buy available property and <br />develop it. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano suggested that thecity could buy property and downzone it to address <br />the conversion concern. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said he is committed to have a diversity of housing in the City and to have <br />some high density housing. <br /> <br /> Mr. Blak~e Caravati noted that a high density subcommittee had recommended <br />increasing density of housing in certain areas, but the recommendation was not well received <br />by the community or the Council at the time. <br /> <br /> <br />