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108 East Green Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
(607) 274-655
Approved Minutes
IURA Neighborhood Investment Committee
August 9, 2013
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 8:35 a.m. by Chairperson Tracy Farrell, with members Theresa
Halpert, Karl Graham, and Fernando de Aragón present. Staff member Sue Kittel also attended.
II. Public comment
None.
III. Review of Minutes –July 12, 2013
On a motion by Halpert and second by Graham, the minutes of July 12, 2013 were passed
unanimously.
IV. New Business
Farrell added an update on the Unsafe Buildings Committee to the agenda.
Farrell gave a brief history of the working group which has formed to develop a policy to address
unsafe buildings within the City. The committee reviewed the notes from the last work group
meeting and discussed needed protections for low-income homeowners without the resources to
maintain their properties. Kittel and Farrell will bring these concerns forward at the next working
group meeting.
V. Old Business
a) Neighborhood Housing Initiative Program—discussion
Farrell provided a brief summary of the Neighborhood Housing Initiative program of a few years ago.
She then outlined concerns which have become apparent as staff undertook steps to begin
implementing the program policy as written. After much discussion, it was agreed that Kittel would
develop a program idea and circulate it to committee members. The idea is to create a program
focusing on affordable housing that would follow many of the policies and protocols already in place
for the CDBG and HOME programs. An expanded definition of affordability and some additional
flexibility in the requirements for potential homeowners was a priority for the committee. They
hoped to expand the income range of people who can afford to live in the City through careful
application of this program.
The Committee agreed to review and comment on a program outline via e-mail so that there are not
unnecessary delays in getting this program ready for implementation.
b) Proposed Projects at 214 Second Street and 314 South Plain Street- possible
resolution
With the delays in implementing the Neighborhood Housing Initiative, the Committee wanted to
proceed with allocating funds for the INHS proposed projects at 314 South Plain Street and 214
Ithaca
Urban
Renewal
Agency
Second Street. INHS had applied for funding in the 2013 Entitlement Program funding round and had
been led to believe that funds would be forthcoming thought he Housing Initiative.
Farrell noted that 314 South Plain Street was a property which had been iconic in its badness and
expressed a desire to return the lot to productive use as quickly as possible. Halpert noted the
significant holding costs INHS was experiencing with these empty lots, along with the impact on a
neighborhood already under stress.
On a motion by Farrell and a second by Graham, the following was passed unanimously:
Funding for Community Housing Trust New Construction Project
Whereas, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services applied for funding in the amount of $220,000 for
new house construction at 214 Second Street and 314 South Plain Street in their 2013 Community
Housing Trust New Construction proposal, and
Whereas, the project includes constructing a single family home at 314 South Plain Street and two
owner-occupied units at 214 Second Street on vacant lots that INHS now owns, and
Whereas, at the time applications were reviewed, it was thought that the Neighborhood Housing
Initiative would be a good source of funding for this project, and
Whereas, the Neighborhood Investment Committee has considered the possibility of applying
Neighborhood Housing Initiative funds to this project and is concerned about potentially lengthy
delays while operating procedures and other logistical issues with the Neighborhood Housing
Initiative program are worked out, and
Whereas, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services would like to begin work on these projects as soon
as possible so that these lots are put back into productive use, and
Whereas, delaying reconstruction of these houses is increasing the holding costs for these lots, and
Whereas, the NI Committee of the IURA recognizes the urgent need for new affordable housing in
Ithaca and wishes these projects to begin as soon as possible, now therefore be it
Resolved, that the NI Committee of the IURA recommends that Community Development Block Grant
and HOME investment Partnerships Program funds in the amount of $220,000 be allocated to these
projects, with the exact ratio of CDBG and HOME funds to be worked out by staff and presented to
the IURA for approval at their August meeting.
VI. Motion to Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m. by consensus.
j:\community development\admin files\minutes\nic\2013\ni minutes- august 9, 2013.doc