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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Garfield County's $1.5 million commitment to affordable housing at Glenwood Meadows remains in place, but conditions for renting the units remain up for debate.
On Monday, county attorney Don DeFord brought to the commissioners a draft agreement between them, the Garfield County Housing Authority and the developer, Spruce Realty Group. However, the three parties did not reach consensus.
What came up for debate was a provision that in order to qualify for one of the rental units, besides meeting income guidelines, people would have to live and work in Garfield County.
Developer Arny Porath said the 120 rental units had to be open to anyone because part of the financing for the project comes from tax credits through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHAFA), which sets its own rental conditions.
"If it's not available to the general public we would not receive the funds we applied for," Porath said.
Porath's group is receiving $8.8 million from a federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) construction loan, $10 million in tax credits and $3.1 million in grants. It's also receiving $1.5 million from the county, or $12,500 per rental unit. The city of Glenwood Springs has also agreed to defer its fees amounting to $800,000.
All parties agreed the county's renting conditions could be called "preferences," which would keep the project eligible for state financing.
"We would review (the applicants) with the understanding that we could take other people," said Commissioner John Martin. "There'd be a pecking order in the review process."
Commissioner Trési Houpt also wanted residents of the county who are not currently employed, specifically the disabled and retired persons, to be eligible for the rent-restricted housing.
The group also stumbled over another requirement of the tax credits administered by CHAFA that renters be reviewed annually to make sure they still meet the preferences.
DeFord suggested an either/or preference such that applicants either work in Garfield County or have lived in the county for at least 30 days.
He also brought up another sticking point.
If a renter "gets a job in Eagle County ... you vacate the unit at the end of the lease."
Commissioners Larry McCown and Martin agreed.
However, Garfield County Housing Authority Director Geneva Powell said she would not like to force people out of their housing because of a change in their work status.
"With the vacancy rate as low as it is in the county, it would be a hardship on those families," she said.
At the conclusion of the discussion, DeFord said he will bring back another version of the agreement to the board.
"It's not resolved in my mind," Powell said of the yearly review and possible loss of housing due to a change of status. But, she added, "I will follow the commissioners' wishes. They've put a lot of money into this."
Contact Donna Gray: 945-8515, ext. 16605
dgray@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
On Monday, county attorney Don DeFord brought to the commissioners a draft agreement between them, the Garfield County Housing Authority and the developer, Spruce Realty Group. However, the three parties did not reach consensus.
What came up for debate was a provision that in order to qualify for one of the rental units, besides meeting income guidelines, people would have to live and work in Garfield County.
Developer Arny Porath said the 120 rental units had to be open to anyone because part of the financing for the project comes from tax credits through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHAFA), which sets its own rental conditions.
"If it's not available to the general public we would not receive the funds we applied for," Porath said.
Porath's group is receiving $8.8 million from a federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) construction loan, $10 million in tax credits and $3.1 million in grants. It's also receiving $1.5 million from the county, or $12,500 per rental unit. The city of Glenwood Springs has also agreed to defer its fees amounting to $800,000.
All parties agreed the county's renting conditions could be called "preferences," which would keep the project eligible for state financing.
"We would review (the applicants) with the understanding that we could take other people," said Commissioner John Martin. "There'd be a pecking order in the review process."
Commissioner Trési Houpt also wanted residents of the county who are not currently employed, specifically the disabled and retired persons, to be eligible for the rent-restricted housing.
The group also stumbled over another requirement of the tax credits administered by CHAFA that renters be reviewed annually to make sure they still meet the preferences.
DeFord suggested an either/or preference such that applicants either work in Garfield County or have lived in the county for at least 30 days.
He also brought up another sticking point.
If a renter "gets a job in Eagle County ... you vacate the unit at the end of the lease."
Commissioners Larry McCown and Martin agreed.
However, Garfield County Housing Authority Director Geneva Powell said she would not like to force people out of their housing because of a change in their work status.
"With the vacancy rate as low as it is in the county, it would be a hardship on those families," she said.
At the conclusion of the discussion, DeFord said he will bring back another version of the agreement to the board.
"It's not resolved in my mind," Powell said of the yearly review and possible loss of housing due to a change of status. But, she added, "I will follow the commissioners' wishes. They've put a lot of money into this."
Contact Donna Gray: 945-8515, ext. 16605
dgray@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
