| City Council Waivers on Providing 7 or 6 Development Fee Waivers for Habitat Homes in 2007 |
Staff prepared a resolution for the Council to waive development fees for 6 Habitat for Humanity Homes in
2007.
The City Council passed development fee waivers for 7 Habitat for Humanity Homes to be built in 2007. The
staff recommended 6 fee waivers for a total cost of $136,000. Habitat for Humanity Director, Sara Mathews,
requested an additional residence be subsidized in 2007 since each year Habitat has the goal to increase the
homes they build for the needy by one additional home per year. In 2006 the number was 6 so they are now
requesting 7 for 2007.
Dave Clark pointed out that each family "gets approximately $22,000 of benefit" and it only goes to one
family. He was concerned that other programs where block grants are used actually go to a much larger
number of people in need thus spreading the benefit to many more people.
Councilman Klassen questioned the growth in cost for the same number of homes from $89,000 to $136,000
between 2006 and 2007. Darcy McClure from Humane Services responded by explaining the fees had grown
in the city and that the projects for 2006 are in the Boise Village development while the 2007 Habitat homes
will be built in another subdivision. Klassen again asked why the difference in fees to better understand the
answer.
Boise Village was a heavily government subsidized development by Loveland Commercial owned former
Councilmember Don Marostica. Among the subsidies provided to the development was to only charge 1999
development fees for every home being built even if the home is being built in 2006. Darcy explained to the
Council that they froze the development fees at 1999 rates because the developer promised to keep the homes
affordable to what people earning less than 80% of the median income of the community could afford. Boise
Village has also earned a reputation for having a highly concentrated number of bank foreclosed properties
since it was built.
Gene Pielin stated that Boise Village was a “gift� and that “we all knew who built that� referring
to former Councilmember Marostica who is now in the State House.
“My vote against the 7 is highly symbolic since I think it will pass. With all the complications were facing
this evening…I am particularly concerned since this man went out to Reno and pounded nails for Habitat, I
am glad we are doing this but they had 6 last year and didn’t get them built.� Was the comment by
Councilman Klassen.
Don Williams, City manager, when asked why staff proposed 6 when Habitat requested 7, responded, “We
held the number at six and recommended that number so the budget was status quo and what we did in â
€™06. I don’t think habitat ever told us they wanted 7 anyway.â€�
The Council finally voted unanimously to fund all 7 development fee waivers for Habitat for Humanity
provided the projects are initiated in 2007. The estimated cost was approximately $170,000.
2007.
The City Council passed development fee waivers for 7 Habitat for Humanity Homes to be built in 2007. The
staff recommended 6 fee waivers for a total cost of $136,000. Habitat for Humanity Director, Sara Mathews,
requested an additional residence be subsidized in 2007 since each year Habitat has the goal to increase the
homes they build for the needy by one additional home per year. In 2006 the number was 6 so they are now
requesting 7 for 2007.
Dave Clark pointed out that each family "gets approximately $22,000 of benefit" and it only goes to one
family. He was concerned that other programs where block grants are used actually go to a much larger
number of people in need thus spreading the benefit to many more people.
Councilman Klassen questioned the growth in cost for the same number of homes from $89,000 to $136,000
between 2006 and 2007. Darcy McClure from Humane Services responded by explaining the fees had grown
in the city and that the projects for 2006 are in the Boise Village development while the 2007 Habitat homes
will be built in another subdivision. Klassen again asked why the difference in fees to better understand the
answer.
Boise Village was a heavily government subsidized development by Loveland Commercial owned former
Councilmember Don Marostica. Among the subsidies provided to the development was to only charge 1999
development fees for every home being built even if the home is being built in 2006. Darcy explained to the
Council that they froze the development fees at 1999 rates because the developer promised to keep the homes
affordable to what people earning less than 80% of the median income of the community could afford. Boise
Village has also earned a reputation for having a highly concentrated number of bank foreclosed properties
since it was built.
Gene Pielin stated that Boise Village was a “gift� and that “we all knew who built that� referring
to former Councilmember Marostica who is now in the State House.
“My vote against the 7 is highly symbolic since I think it will pass. With all the complications were facing
this evening…I am particularly concerned since this man went out to Reno and pounded nails for Habitat, I
am glad we are doing this but they had 6 last year and didn’t get them built.� Was the comment by
Councilman Klassen.
Don Williams, City manager, when asked why staff proposed 6 when Habitat requested 7, responded, “We
held the number at six and recommended that number so the budget was status quo and what we did in â
€™06. I don’t think habitat ever told us they wanted 7 anyway.â€�
The Council finally voted unanimously to fund all 7 development fee waivers for Habitat for Humanity
provided the projects are initiated in 2007. The estimated cost was approximately $170,000.
| "Elections are coming-up next year and a lot of the Council is up for re-election." Councilman Gene Pielin expressing concern for the Council in how they handle the request from the popular organization Habitat for Humanity |
| LovelandPolitics.com |