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AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, 1965, BY ADDING IN CHAPTER 25 THEREOF AN ARTICLE I ENTITLED “RENTAL RELIEF FOR THE ELDERLY” CONTAINING SECTIONS NUMBERED 25-15 THROUGH 25-21 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A SYSTEM OF GENERAL RELIEF GRANTS TO CERTAIN ELDERLY TENANTS IN LIEU OF REAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, THAT THE CODE OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, 1965 BE AMENDED BY ADDING AN ARTICLE I IN CHAPTER 25 THEREOF CONTAINING SECTIONS NUMBERED 25-15 THROUGH 25-21 AS FOLLOWS: ARTICLE I RENTAL RELIEF FOR THE ELDERLY SECTION 25-15. DEFINITIONS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS RESPECTIVELY ASCRIBED TO THEM BY THIS SECTION UNLESS ANOTHER MEANING SHALL CLEARLY APPEAR FROM THE CONTEXT: (A) “AFFIDAVIT” SHALL MEAN THE RENTAL RELIEF GRANT AFFIDAVIT. (B) “DWELLING” SHALL MEAN THE FULL-TIME RESIDENCE OF THE PERSON OR PERSONS APPLYING FOR A GRANT. (C) “GRANT” SHALL MEAN THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENT ALLOWABLE TO A QUALIFYING ELDERLY PERSON PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ARTICLE. (D) “GRANT YEAR” SHALL MEAN THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR WHICH A GRANT IS SOUGHT. (E) “RENT” SHALL MEAN THE MONETARY CONSIDERATION PAID FOR THE RIGHT TO OCCUPY THE DWELLING UNIT. (F) “TENANT” SHALL MEAN ONE RESIDING IN A DWELLING BY VIRTUE OF A LEASEHOLD INTEREST, FOR WHICH RENT IS PAID. SECTION 25-16. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE; EFFECTIVE DATE IT IS HEREBY DECLARED TO BE THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OF GRANTS TO QUALIFIED TENANTS RESIDING IN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE WHO ARE NOT LESS THAN SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE AND WHO ARE OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE. THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS AND DECLARES THAT PERSONS QUALIFYING FOR SUCH GRANTS ARE DEEMED TO BEAR AN EXTRAORDINARY BURDEN IN RENT COSTS, AND THEREBY INDIRECTLY AN EXTRAORDINARY REAL ESTATE TAX BURDEN, IN RELATION TO THEIR INCOME AND FINANCIAL WORTH. SUCH PERSONS ARE DEEMED THUS TO QUALIFY FOR GENERAL RELIEF AS PROVIDED IN § 63.1-106 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA (1950), AS AMENDED, WHICH GENERAL RELIEF SHALL BE IN THE FORM OF THE GRANTS PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE. THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE EFFECTIVE, AS OF THE DATE OF ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE, TO PROVIDE FOR SUCH GRANTS FOR THE GRANT YEAR 1972 AND SUBSEQUENT GRANT YEARS. THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANT TO BE PAID IN 1973 SHALL BE DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF RENTS PAID AND INCOME EARNED DURING THE GRANT YEAR 1972. SECTION 25-17. REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS GRANTS PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE MADE TO PERSONS COMPLYING WITH THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS: (A) THE APPLICANT HAS PAID RENT FOR HIS DWELLING WITHIN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE DURING THE GRANT YEAR AND WAS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY ON DECEMBER 31ST OF THE GRANT YEAR. (B) THE APPLICANT, OR HIS OR HER SPOUSE IF THEY RESIDE TOGETHER, IS SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AS OF DECEMBER 31ST OF THE GRANT YEAR. (C) THE DWELLING FOR WHICH THE RENTAL RELIEF GRANT IS SOUGHT WAS OCCUPIED AS OF DECEMBER 31ST OF THE GRANT YEAR AS THE SOLE DWELLING PLACE OF THE APPLICANT. (D) THE GROSS COMBINED INCOME DURING THE GRANT YEAR FROM ALL SOURCES OF SUCH APPLICANT AND OF ALL RELATIVES OF THE APPLICANT LIVING IN SUCH DWELLING DOES NOT EXCEED THE SUM OF SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE FIRST $1,500 OF INCOME OF EACH RELATIVE OTHER THAN SPOUSE OF SUCH APPLICANT WHO IS LIVING IN SUCH DWELLING SHALL BE EXCLUDED FROM SUCH TOTAL. IF THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE CITY FOR LESS THAN THE FULL GRANT YEAR, THE GROSS COMBINED INCOME FOR SUCH YEAR AND THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE INCOME SHALL BE PRORATED FOR THE PERIOD OF ACTUAL RESIDENCY. (E) THE NET COMBINED FINANCIAL WORTH OF SUCH APPLICANT AND RELATIVES OF SUCH APPLICANT LIVING IN SUCH DWELLING AS OF DECEMBER 31ST OF THE GRANT YEAR DOES NOT EXCEED TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. NET COMBINED FINANCIAL WORTH SHALL INCLUDE ALL ASSETS, INCLUDING EQUITABLE INTERESTS. SECTION 25-18. APPLYING FOR GRANT (A) ANNUALLY, AND NOT LATER THAN MAY 1ST OF THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE GRANT YEAR, THE PERSON CLAIMING A GRANT SHALL FILE WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE REVENUE OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, A RENTAL RELIEF GRANT AFFIDAVIT. (B) THE AFFIDAVIT SHALL SET FORTH THE NAMES OF THE RELATED PERSONS OCCUPYING THE DWELLING FOR WHICH RENTAL RELIEF IS CLAIMED AND THE TOTAL COMBINED NET WORTH AND GROSS COMBINED INCOME AS DEFINED IN THIS ARTICLE, TOGETHER WITH THE AMOUNT OF RENT PAID FOR SUCH DWELLING DURING THE GRANT YEAR. THE FORM OF SUCH AFFIDAVIT SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE REVENUE AND APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND SHALL CONTAIN SUCH OTHER INFORMATION AS MAY BE NECESSARY ADEQUATELY TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH § 25-17. IN ADDITION, THE COMMISSIONER MAY MAKE SUCH FURTHER INQUIRY OF APPLICANTS, REQUIRING ANSWERS UNDER OATH AND THE PRODUCTION OF CERTIFIED TAX RETURNS AS MAY BE REASONABLY NECESSARY TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR A GRANT.