City Council   11/20/2017

Ms. Rice, would you read the roll?

Mr. Signer?

Here.

Here.

Can we go to awards and recognitions, which Ms. Galvin will direct this part of the meeting.

At this point in time, I'm going to start from my end this week.

And I'd like to invite Ms. Helen Coffin to the front to speak about the G.O.

program.

Thank you all so much for your time tonight.

Now, therefore, I. Mr. Mayor.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of November 2017, and Joan Fenton, head of the Downtown Business Association, is here to receive us.

We're always there and so we appreciate when the community supports us and we appreciate your support, so thank you.

Okay, Councilor Szakos.

That's all I've got.

Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor.

The parking meter pilot, including meter enforcement, will restart on Tuesday, January 2nd at 8 a.m.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and now Vice Mayor Bellamy.

Let's please keep them in our prayers and ensure that she comes home safe.

The students' artwork will be...

They really are cool too if you get a chance to see them online.

For more information, contact the Office of Human Rights at 9703023 or check the Facebook page at Charlottesville Human Rights Commission.

And that's all.

We have City Manager Responsive Management for the public.

And it is up for consideration by the City Council for next steps this evening.

We have a waiting list if they're not all here.

So, the first name on our list is Madeline Conger.

Great, thank you.

Last week community members wrote to you to express our continued support for the establishment through a public and accountable process of a truly independent civilian review board for the Charlottesville Police Department and a call for the immediate disbanding of the ineffective police citizens advisory panel.

As you prepare to make a decision on those recommendations and the creation of a civilian review board for Charlottesville Police Department, the community demands the following of the process moving forward.

One, dissolve PCAPP to send a strong message that council favors a community-driven discussion of a civilian review board for the Charlottesville Police Department.

Adequate public notice of these discussions must also be provided.

commit to an independent CRB from the outset by immediately and publicly seeking input from residents, including those directly impacted by policing practices that result in the over criminalization of low income communities and people of color in Charlottesville.

Sign, Black Lives Matter, Charlottesville.

Thank you.

Evan Brown.

Hi, I'm Evan Brown, city resident, and I'd like to cede my time to Mr. Don Gathers, if you would like it.

Mr. Gathers, would you like it?

So, again, please have something in place, please be prepared, because if you're not, I promise you the residents of the city are.

Reject the bid.

Hi, my name is Kristin Schroeder, and I'd like to cede my time to Ms. Rosia Parker.

Thank you.

In God we trust, in the star-spangled banner and triumph shall we play, or land of the free, the home of the brave.

Parker, while you're doing that, you might want to bring the mic down.

So don't ever do anything on my behalf.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Richard Lloyd, who I believe is going to share his time as well.

I'd like to cede my time to the city resident, Pat Napoleon.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Good evening, Council.

Emily Dreyfus?

No, I'm sorry.

and also just make a comment for people that might not understand the rise Seville agenda is to keep the statues from what I understand it.

Thank you.

Tracy Riffle

Welcome back.

I am at a loss.

David Caron.

That's all I got.

Mary Keras.

But anyway, comma is outside on the mall, waiting to get into City Hall.

Kathleen Freeh.

Kathleen Free.

Thank you all.

Thank y'all very much.

John Hossack.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I see my time to Gloria Beard.

Rex Linville.

Thank you all.

Participation in Her Son's Murder, and the third is the Nelson County Jaunt Service.

and get back to City Council and the public about that.

Would it also be possible to get back to Ms. Bryant?

in Nelson County about this issue, but we'll bring it up with folks to join.

Thank you.

Sure.

Anybody else have anything?

So that was something we needed to get confirmed and I understood that was going to happen fairly soon, but I haven't heard word.

I'll check with Ms. Robertson to see where she is.

Could you let us know soon?

I'll certainly follow up.

Thank you very much, Mr. Brown.

and you know look I'm not too much concerned about them I just don't want any of our young people to get hurt because when you're young your blood runs hot sometimes you don't think well doesn't make a difference on the age on that but I want to protect our citizens.

Mr. Bellamy do you have anything?

Yes, I have a couple of things that I'd like to request.

It's time for the counselors to respond.

His suggestion about emergency boxes in different portions of the city I think is indeed a valuable one so if we could analyze what that may potentially look like and potentially get some information I'm not only to provide to him but also for the community about safe spaces throughout our city and different locations in which we could place them I know that may require some an extra level of investigation and data analyzing but if we could get some info on that it would be beneficial and thank you all for coming out tonight

He said that nobody is currently doing it, but it might be possible for us, so we could just check that out.

Anyway, so that's coming up after Thanksgiving.

All right.

Ms. Rice, would you mind reading the items?

item H a resolution discontinue drought warning stage restrictions first of one reading item I an ordinance Water Street parking garage parking spaces lease second of two readings item J an ordinance proposed changes to dog license second of two readings

Anybody like to move on?

I plan to vote for the consent agenda, but I'd like it just to be read into the record that I oppose item I, the Water Street parking garage, parking spaces.

Ms. Szakos, while I agree with most of the items on the consent agenda, I also oppose the items, excuse me, item I, the Water Street parking garage for the Dewberry estate.

Well, do you all want to pull it off?

Only if there's a third one.

So I'm asking if you all want to take it off.

I don't mind taking it off the consent agenda.

So a point of clarification then, Mr. Mayor, does that mean we're going to be talking about this later tonight?

So it'll be an item at the very end of the meeting.

I make a motion that we adopt the consent agenda without item I. I second that motion.

Okay, all in favor?

I'll find my buttons.

Ms. Lauren Hildebrand, Director of Public Utilities Department, be presenting.

for the installation of natural gas lines in the Dunlora Park subdivision of Albemarle County on East Rio Road.

The gas division has no objections to this request.

I'm available if you have any questions on this matter.

It's a public hearing.

Okay, closing public hearing, we're ready for the motion.

Okay, can I just say I make a motion to adopt it?

All right, is there a second?

Second.

Ms. Lisa Robertson, Chief Deputy City Attorney, will be presented.

And the second condition is that when the new sewer lateral is constructed, the city requests that the line go all the way from the building to the city manhole.

Otherwise, subject to those two conditions, we recommend approval.

So, Mr. Robertson, so I see the ordinance here, but are those conditions embedded as an attachment to that ordinance?

They are aware of them and so long as they don't interfere with either the city or the university's ability to take their positions in working on the larger issues, I believe that they are okay with those conditions.

And I have found it, so thank you.

Anybody wish to speak?

Moving stuff.

Are we going to the motion?

Second.

All in favor?

Ms. Brenda Kelly, Redevelopment Manager, will be presenting.

related to community development corporations and other alternatives that may be available to the city to undertake redevelopment activities for construction of affordable housing.

That's just kind of a brief overview of what we're proposing in front of you.

Thank you.

What would that be spent on?

The intent is that eventually a land bank corporation could be self-sufficient and up and running, but it most likely will need support from the city at its early stages.

Thank you.

So one of the uses of this would be for abandoned properties, correct?

Correct.

How are those being handled now?

And also if there's code enforcement actions on properties, we could work with those agencies to try to acquire properties before they get to that stage.

Okay, I mean for private businesses, do you publish a list of abandoned properties that businesses can come in and say, I want to make a bid on this or that?

acquire properties through purchase or donation.

Is there a list they can get from the city of abandoned properties?

I don't know if the code enforcement folks keep a list of those or not.

That's kind of a statement.

Is the question, is that priority set in stone?

Comment?

what happens with those properties.

And that prioritization I'm certain could change though.

I would imagine at some point a community could change that but typically once a corporation is set up it's a little bit harder for a community to go back and change the priorities of a corporation that was previously set up.

Just a ballpark.

It's just rough numbers.

recommending that we do this because the city itself can't buy and use land for housing or for any other purposes.

process to acquire and convey properties.

What could we not do as a city that would be beneficial, especially in the area of affordable housing?

I think I would leave that to the city attorney to talk about what the city code says as to property.

What does this do that the city can't already do?

It just provides a mechanism and a funding mechanism because of the property that is sold 50% of the taxes go back into this fund which is a funding mechanism for additional affordable housing.

and the city is also held to much different standards as to how the properties can be conveyed, the process it goes through and of course the land bank entity itself can manage and develop properties whereas the city technically cannot do that.

Is that also the ability that it can be it can be handled more quickly, efficiently in order to make that transaction happen?

It has a little bit more opportunity to do that than the city might.

That's absolutely correct.

Okay.

Thank you.

And I would really like a little more clarification about some of those distinctions for the next meeting before we actually vote on this.

And to that I would add a little more public input.

and it may be that if we hear from people between now and then that it might be worth having a second public hearing.

We could do that.

So we'd have to wait a couple of meetings and come back to Council for the second meeting.

I mean, is this an urgency that it couldn't wait two weeks?

So that's why it's in front of you earlier than that.

So waiting two weeks wouldn't?

So I'm going to put the sheet back down here if anybody would like to talk.

So thank you and I'm sure others will chime in as well.

Jason Vandiver.

Thank you.

Dave Gamondi.

Thank you.

I'm trying to read this down there and I can't so whoever signed up last would you come down?

Thank you.

We've got a sheet down here.

So again, thank you for bringing this forward, and thanks for your time.

Mr. Long, you're fine.

Thank you very much.

Ms. Johnson.

making 30,000, 20,000, 40,000, 50,000 can't find affordable housing in the city of Charlottesville.

Please don't exclude them from this process.

I'm just curious.

And then let those people decide if these people are doing what we want instead of just handing them money to go with.

Thanks.

Thank you all.

All right.

You can go home, right, all the restrictions that were in effect, but it was a very well implemented program and I'm grateful to staff for a lot of the hard work that went into it.

And to the public who did it.

Would that be okay?

Mr. Mayor, I would actually like to suggest that we suspend discussion on this, do a little bit more public engagement, perhaps consult with the HAC and bring this back at another date.

And can the HAC do any special added on kind of public engagement in addition to their regular meeting?

So I think that's an addition.

Okay.

And we need something that can start reserving it so that it can be used to the public good that we all want, particularly affordable housing.

And I, yeah, I think that we heard that there was a fair amount of support for the idea if it's well fleshed out, we just need to do that due diligence before we move forward.

Okay, and these minutes will be conveyed.

And it would be nice to know when we can get it back to us.

What's the soonest, do you think?

So we have to have the next HAC meeting, it's going to be in December.

And then if there's going to be, you know, extended community engagement, we're talking about sometime in early 2018.

In my view.

Or it would need to be coordinated with the Comprehensive Equity Plan that the Low Income Housing Coalition talked about.

Well that's the housing needs assessment that's part of the housing plan.

So all of those will be working together?

So that's why I think it's important that we start seeing a timeline because there's a lot of pieces here.

So can you bring us a timeline to the next meeting?

or probably the first of the year because TAC needs to meet.

Yeah, TAC's going to meet and they're going to come up with a plan so it's going to be 2018 before we come back to Council.

I'll just come and speak in Madison.

The 30 minutes allocated, the item Dr. Stacy Pethia, Housing Program Coordinator, will be presented.

Good evening, Stacey Pethia, Housing Program Coordinator for the City of Charlottesville.

That data that's collected will then be analyzed at the end of the three-year period to see how effective the program was in recruiting landlords and retaining landlords, how often the fund was utilized and by how much, and to make recommendations for moving forward.

Thank you.

So is it possible for us to have a backstop of some sorts for those individuals?

I would have to check, we would have to do some research to see if it was possible legally to, and I'm not sure.

Could we, could the city possibly cover the deposit or us have like a note in lieu of deposit that we could provide to the landlord so let them know, hey we guarantee this person's rent?

If you forgo the security deposit, you can come back to us, but I'm not sure.

The other option would be whether the city could fund that, not directly, but rather through some type of nonprofit.

Right, it's a separate program.

Yes, as I understand you're talking about a different initiative than the risk.

We can play offense as well.

I do have an example from Lancaster, Pennsylvania where they do just that with their risk reduction fund that I can provide information to you for review, if you would like that.

But I'm assuming you don't have any examples from Virginia?

No.

Thank you.

But I think that we need to err on the side of that if we can.

Is there any data that shows that?

Well, anecdotally, and there have been US interagency usage.

The homeless group.

Recruiting Landlords to Work with Homeless Individuals.

There's tons of data that shows this will work.

Human nature would indicate it would work.

I mean oftentimes it acts as sort of a security blanket more than anything else and it brings landlords in for that initial time and a lot of times it's just that initial give me the chance with one person to prove all of the bad things wrong that you've heard.

What does this pay for?

If I were to go and totally trash the place or my dog just freaked out and tore holes in the walls and it was $1500 worth of damage, they could come and ask for $1100 to cover that difference.

make this contingent on a deposit of less than a certain percentage of the rent?

So we could do that.

And I just want to make sure that somebody isn't getting exorbitant deposits plus using this program.

Do you have a particular amount that we... 25% of one month's rent?

50% of one month's rent?

So it's like this is an addition too, but I'm also looking forward to us having that real conversation about let's just do what's right for people who need the help.

That's a hard one to have with landlords speaking from experience.

And then we can proceed accordingly.

And it seems like we can use that carrot as a stick in a way to kind of make sure that that's what they do.

Unless it's no deposit.

It's not true.

And it has to be verifiable.

It can't just be saved.

I don't know how else to

Who pays the tenant's court costs in a case like that?

This could be done through that also.

Because forcing it into court, if the tenant has to pay for that, is not what we want.

So it could be both, the total court cost.

So I guess I would entertain a motion for amendment if anybody wants to amend what's been provided.

We're ready for a motion, that's right, and then we can discuss that further.

We started out by saying this was a loan to the property owners, but it's a payment.

It's a payment.

It's a damage payment.

because we're not going to provide that money until the unit is verified to have been rented to another low-income family.

And you have inspectors?

Yes.

We just need to do it.

to make sure the damage was truly done.

So it's the way people live.

to ensure that the court costs that might be borne by the tenants be borne by the city if they come as a result of this strategy.

like they're going to automatically damage the home or like let's just remove ourselves away from that kind of connotation that can be made or could be gathered from the conversation that we've had up here tonight.

Are there any comments anybody wants to make about the motion?

I don't want to delay that, but I would like that to be explored.

The scenario presented by Counselor Bellamy where the city pays all or a portion of a security deposit.

It makes it part of this, so that if you don't require a large deposit, then we will cover your costs.

So that's essentially the backstop in the deposit.

It just holds it for any damages, like we'd be holding the deposit for them.

No, no, no.

So you don't need to do the deposit.

So you're trying to avoid the landlord creaming the top.

We're not giving the money out to the landlord.

We just need to let them know, like, if the deposit needs to be made, we'll cover the deposit.

Well, we'll guarantee it.

Yeah, we'll guarantee it.