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Assembly members weigh using $1.3 million for housing rehabilitation of vacant properties
Summary
Assembly member Erin said she is exploring how roughly $1.3 million that was discussed for reappropriation might be used to rehabilitate vacant and abandoned properties for housing, and the administration said it is already working on related options and invited members to join that effort.
At the Aug. 14 Assembly Rules Committee meeting, Assembly member Erin raised interest in directing approximately $1.3 million toward housing rehabilitation and reuse of vacant and abandoned properties rather than prioritizing shelter spending.
"I've been really interested in thinking through how do we put that $1,300,000 to work in a strategic way and in a way that is accessible to individual members of the public, not just entities," Erin said, describing an interest in programs that reach smaller property owners and individual households.
Chair and administration representatives responded that the administration and staff are already working on approaches and that members interested in shaping the plan should join the ongoing project. "The agreement for the postponement definitely was laden with a number of conversations about how we're gonna proceed and the goal getting money for those, reuse of vacant and abandoned properties," the chair said. Committee staff said the plan is in progress and that collaboration with interested assembly members and administration leads (Ona and others) is underway.
Clarifying points: staff cautioned that the reappropriation conversation was connected to prior budget postponement terms and that some program parameters were negotiated during that agreement. Members said they would prefer to join the administration27s ongoing project rather than start a separate process.
Next steps: staff indicated the administration will pursue project work and that assembly members should coordinate with municipal staff leading the effort to align objectives and access pathways for smaller property owners.
End note: No ordinance or final allocation was adopted at the meeting; members described an ongoing, staff-led process and expressed interest in participation.
