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HomeMy WebLinkAbout[06c] Rental Housing Working Group UpdateCITY OF ST. JOSEPH wwv.cltyo(stjoseph.com Page 24 of 27 DATE: April 20, 2011 MEMO TO: Economic Development Authority Administrator FROM: Cynthia Smith- Strack Municipal Development Group Judy Weyrens RE: Rental Housing Working Group Update Mayor Richard Schultz Background: The Rental Housing Working Group is hosting a meeting with student rental property owners on Councilors April 20, 2011. The Working Group will meet on the 27th to debrief from the meeting with Steve Frank property owners. Attached is a copy of the invitation sent out, a survey distributed, and talking Bob Loso points from the meeting. Renee Symanietz Dale Wick The Working Group is required to give the City Council an update on activities at the May 5, 2011 meeting. A similar update will be presented to the EDA on the 27ch EDA Carolyn Yaggie- Action: Heinen This agenda item is for information and discussion. Chad Davey Al Rassier Tom Skahen Dale Wick Page 24 of 27 April 6, 2011 Dear St. Joseph Student Rental Property Owner /Representative, Your presence is kindly requested and highly suggested at a meeting on Wednesday, April 20'h at 6:30 p.m. at Sal's in St. Joseph. The purpose of the meeting is to hear about your future plans for rental property, to give you information on potential grant programs that could assist in transitioning student rental property to other use(s), and to update you on what a rental housing working group has been doing. We are particularly interested in hearing about: 1. What you plan to do with your property over the next several years. 2. Whether or not you're anticipating a change in use or occupancy of your student rental property. 3. Whether or not you'd recommend the City consider applying for grants to assist with the transitioning of student rental units to other uses. The meeting is being organized by a rental housing working group which was recommended by the St. Joseph EDA and authorized by the City Council. The rental housing working group is open to anyone who wishes to participate and typically meets from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month at City Hall. The rental housing working group's purpose is to determine, examine, and report potential strategies to transition student rental properties from previous occupancy levels to those experienced post -change in CSB /SJU on- campus residency requirements. The basic underlying question to be examined is whether or not the public sector should get involved in transitioning rental uses, and, if so to what extent. This is your opportunity to be heard and be part of a vision for the future of your student rental property. This is also an opportunity to indicate whether or not you would like to actively participate in transitioning your student rental property to an alternate use based on its location, size, age, etc. The meeting will be facilitated by us following a brief introduction by City Council Member and EDA Chairperson Dale Wick. If you are unable to attend the meeting please contact any of us at your convenience so we can get your input. Please make every effort to attend the meeting. Sincerely, Barb Schloemer Cory Ehlert Kurt Schneider Dale Wick Page 25 of 27 Rental Property Owner Meeting Sal's 6:30 p.m. April 20, 2011 Introduction. Thank you for attending this meeting. We are representing a rental housing working group which was formed as a result of a meeting with rental property owners in 2009. You are all invited to participate in the working group. We meet monthly and our purpose is to determine if the City should be involved in transitioning student rental properties to other uses, and, if the answer is 'yes' to suggest potential transition strategies to the Council. So far we've done some brainstorming and researching. We've also tried to break down the issue by creating sub -areas and examining the kinds of student rentals and the number of student rentals within each. Now we'd like to hear from you. We think this will help us to make appropriate recommendations to the City Council. We are set to present information to the Council on May 5 th We are not here to talk about whether or not CSB /SJU residency requirements will be changed because we know that is a given, rather we are here to hear from you. Purpose of meeting: • This is your opportunity to be heard and be part of a vision for the future of your student rental property. • It's also an opportunity to indicate whether or not you would like to actively participate in transitioning your student rental property to an alternate use based on its location, size, age, etc. We'll also share some information with you on potential grant programs that could assist in transitioning student rental property to other uses. Most of them require application by /through the City to access. Meeting logistics: • We hope to be done with this meeting in an hour or so. • Barb, Kurt, Cory, and I are here to help facilitate a discussion. • We'd like you to sign the sheet that's being distributed. • The wall maps are for your reference and our information as we hear from you. • We have a survey we'd like you to complete before you leave. Page 26 of 27 Student Rental Property Owner Survey Name: Rental Property Address(s): 1. Are you planning a change to your student rental property? If so, in general what are your plans? 2. Are you interested in applying for grants that could potentially assist in making a change to your student rental property? If so, what would you use assistance for? 3. Do you think your student rental property(ies) have an alternative use(s) based on its (there) age, location, size, etc? What would or could that use(s) be (for example: single family owner occupied home, continued general market rental, senior rental complex, community center, parking lot, park land or open space, downtown pedestrian friendly business use, commercial use dependent on vehicular traffic, etc)? 4. Are you interested in being involved with student rental transition planning? If so, in what way? S. Should the City be involved in helping property owners transition their student rentals to alternative uses or should the City allow the market to make adjustments? Please explain. Page 27 of 27