Minutes 07/28/1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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32.4 July 28, 1981 and that suitable plans be implemented to provide additional housing units for all citizens in the future.,' Signed by Raymond Turner, Incoming President, Portsmouth Central Civic Forum" Jim Hartley, 43 E. Pollux Circle, representing Simonsdale Civic Club, spoke regarding Item 81-266(a) and (b) on housing plans for low an~ moderate income citiznes and offered the followi'ng reasons for need for citizens study of housing need: Each plan that has been postulated over the past few years has loudly been protested by some segment of our city. Largely because those plans were developed by PRHA's professional staff. A study commission composed of varying groups throughout our city could perhaps come up with a compromise acceptable to a greater hum§er of citize~ without considering the to have to come up 'here con- ~ile the resolved plan may solve the immediate problem, causes, the problem will come back to us and don't want trary~to the Belief of many and oppose another plan. And asked that Council vote in favor of the resolution being presented. Ellis W. James, 1804 N. Lakeland Drive, Norfolk, Va., representing Tidewater Fair Housing, Inc., stated the question of withdrawal of the appeal is not as significant as has been suggested that it is, and suggested that there was nothing in the decision preventing from using the other programs that are available, and that he concurred with the City Manager letter and report of the concerns of the Black and white equally. On motion of Mr. Barnes and seconded by Mrs. Webb, the following resolution was adopted, and by the following vote: 'A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PORTSMOUTH REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY TO WITHDRAW ITS APPEAL OF THE DECISION OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH IN THE MATTER OF CENTRAL MID-CITY CIVIC LEAGUE, ET AL. VS. THE PORTSMOUTH REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY, ET AL. (CHANCERY NO. C-81-119' UPON APPROVAL OF A NEW SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH HUD. WHEREAS, The City of Portsmouth and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had entered into a Contract requiring the substantial rehabilitation of eighty-eight (88) unit of family housing under the Section 8 Program located in area or areas outside of low income and minority ccncentration within the corpora>e limits of the City in settlement of litfgation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; and ~HEREAS, in execution of said Contract commitment the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority adopted a Resolution on February 24, 1981 authorizing the acquisition, rehabilitation and operation of the Westhaven and Century Apartments as a housing project; and WHEREAS, litigation was commenced in the Circuit Court of the City of Portsmouth by taxpayers and residents of the City against the City of Portsmouth and the Portsmouth Re- development and Housing luthority to enjoin the City and Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority from acquiring said multi-family dwelling units to be operated by Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority as a "Housing Project"; and WHEREAS, the Trial Court by written Opinion ruled in favor of the Complainants and issued a Fermanent Injunction against the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority stating that it is without legal power to acquire, the Westhaven and Century Apartments to which action the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority has noted an appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia; and WHEREAS, at the request of this Council the Department of Housing and Urban Development completed a re-review of the Community Development Block Grant Program and related housing requirements in Portsmouth and suggested that the City seek other means for providing low · ncome housing in non-impacted areas of the Ci'ty; and WHEREAS, the Ccuncil of the City of Portsmouth directed the City Manager and the City Attorney to meet with officials of the Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding the requirements of said Department for the provision of low and moderate income housing and to review and develop alternate means of providing same in accordance with the requirements of the 1974 Housing and Community Development Act, as amended; and WHEREAS, the approval of new conditions to the 1981 Community Development Program Grant Contract by all parties, including the United States District Ceurt for the Eastern District of Virginia, would be required to enable the implementaticn of a Section 8 Existing Housing Assistance Payments Program; and WHEREAS, by Resolution of the Council of the City of Portsmouth adopted this date, the City Manager was a~thorized to do all things necessary and execute any and ali documents to amend the current Contract with the Department of Housing and Urban Development so as to enable the City to implement a Section 8 Existing Housing Assistance Payments Program; and WHEREAS, the implementation of such Program would non be blocked by the decision Circuit Court of the City of Portsmouth in the matter of'Mid-City Civic League, et al. Portsmouth Redevelopment And Housing Authority, et al.; and of the VS.