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Reducing permit waits, buying City-owned houses and City Employee wellness—City Council Week of June 16

City Council

New rule proposed to help speed up building permit process.

Some building permit applications have sat incomplete for a year and a half, a city official said. Under a proposed bill, the Zoning Administrator would have 30 days to flag missing information. Otherwise, the application is marked complete, though it can still be sent back at review. Council will vote once the Planning Commission sends its recommendation.

Written by Amy Whipple

  • Legislative Projects Manager Carter said some building permit applications have sat for a year and a half in incomplete status.
  • The Zoning Administrator would be required to notify permit applicants within 30 calendar days if their application is missing documents or other information.
  • If the Administrator does not notify the applicant of missing information, the application will be marked complete.
  • However, when the application is reviewed for permit approval, it will be sent back because of that missing information.
  • The bill will be sent to the Planning Commission for their report and recommendation. Council will vote after they receive the report and recommendation.

City Council

Pilot program for buying houses directly from the City.

Buying a City house can take up to two years under the existing program. With a new pilot, the City would clear titles first, cutting closing to about six months. Council has advanced the first five sales, all in the West End. Buyers would have to meet income limits and live in the home for at least five years.

Written by Amy Whipple

  • The program would allow for certain City residents to purchase houses directly from the City.
  • The first five properties are located in the West End. Council gave an affirmative recommendation for their sale.
  • Council questioned Director of Finance Gula and City Solicitor Kubiak about the program. The information below is from their answers.
  • A house would be sold to the highest bidder as is required by City statute. There would be requirements for who could place a bid such as income that’s not above 120% of the area’s AMI ($128,775 for a family of four).
  • The houses will not be in market-rate condition but will be in better condition than other properties available from the City that have been unoccupied for many years. They will be sold as-is.
  • There would be open houses. Potential buyers may bring contractors or inspectors so they can make an informed purchase based on the amount and type of work needed.
  • The City will have already cleared the title of the house. This brings the time until closing down to around six months. The existing program can take up to two years.
  • A purchased house must be occupied by the owner for at least five years. If they do not, the property will revert back to the City.
  • Local banks said that it's possible for someone to get financing under all of the program's parameters.
  • Councilperson Wilson expressed concern that the new program will duplicate or hinder the Land Bank.
  • City Solicitor Kubiak said the program will complement the existing efforts of the Land Bank, the URA, and the existing City purchasing program. The Land Bank in particular is currently focused on properties in worse shape in other areas of the city.
  • She added that the City owns approximately 450 houses that could be available through the program. There is currently not a backlog for processing them, which should help efficiently move them.

City Council

City to end underused benefits program for employees.

The City won't renew a contract for employee wellness programs, which an official said weren't as well used as hoped. It requested $80,540 to pay the rest of the contract, which began in 2018. However, the vaccine program will stay. Details of a new wellness program are coming later this year.

Written by Amy Whipple

  • Wellness programs and initiatives for City employees, including vaccine clinics, are administered by Integrated Health 21
  • The request of $80,540 is to pay the remainder of a contract that began in 2018. The contract’s new total is now $1,048,520.
  • Assistant Director of Compensation, Benefits, and Human Resources Petro-Ott said the services are not as well used as they would like. They will not renew the contract.
  • Assistant Director Petro-Ott said the vaccine program will remain. Other details of a new wellness program will be announced later this year.