Our first housing committee meeting was May 24th in City Council chambers. Committee members include:
Doug Adkins City Manager and Facilitator
Steve Bohannon Council Rep
Ami Vitori Council Alternate
Ashley Combs City Planner
Pastor Torri Colts Public member and CARE
Celeste Didlick-Davis Public member and CARE
Jason Hightower Local businessman and CARE
Wendy Hunter Residential Realtor at Coldwell Banker Oyer
Marc Dixon Residential Banker at Guardian Savings
Lenny Robinson Local Developer
Walter Leap Local Realtor and Landlord
Dan Fishbaugh Fishbaugh Homes, new construction
Dickey Brandon Local Home Remodeler and Landlord
Wanda Glover Second Ward Community Council
MPD, MFD, and Health Dept As needed for various issues
You can view the video of this meeting on the Housing web page at Housing-Information and click on the link at Housing Policy Meeting May 24, 2018
I laid out a plan to look at global issues facing our housing stock and then specific issues that we could tackle on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis. The Global issues include:
Global Issue One – Tax Delinquent Property
Global Issue Two – Vacant Residential Property
Global Issue Three – Vacant Residential Land
Global Issue Four – Property Maintenance Code Compliance
Global Issue Five – Housing Buffer Around Heavy Industry Areas
Global Issue Six – Home Ownership
Global Issue Seven – Rental Housing
Global Issue Eight – Overabundance of Less Competitive Housing
Global Issue Nine – Healthy Neighborhood Infrastructure
Global Issue Ten – Non-Infrastructure Aspects of a Health Neighborhood
Global Issue Eleven – Unintended Consequences of Housing Choices – Gentrification
Global Issue Twelve – Selection of a Neighborhood for Revitalization
As we get through these global issues, it should be easier to look at specific neighborhoods and make determinations as to what should be done and where exceptions to the policy need to be reviewed.
My guess is that this is a several months long process with a lot of hard discussions. That’s ok. We’re long past due to deal with these issues. They are very difficult and hopefully we can work as a community to resolve issues that have long kept us from being the best city we can be.
It’s my first priority for the rest of the year…. Wish me luck.