Council denies request to reduce required low‑income units at Radiant apartments
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Summary
The City Council refused a request from CB/Radiant Apartment developers to amend an agreement and reduce the number of deed‑restricted low‑income units from 30 to 22, citing concerns about the city's requirements and the project's compliance with those commitments.
The City Council voted on Monday to deny a request from CB Rapid City Housing Limited Partnership (CommonBond) to amend the previously agreed number of low‑income units at the Radiant apartment complex, keeping the commitment at 30 restricted units.
Finance Director Daniel Ainsley read a statement provided by the project representatives explaining how area median income (AMI) calculations and HUD rent standards are used to set unit rent limits and how some financing partners require different affordability thresholds. The statement said the amendment would provide flexibility to reconcile those requirements.
Council debate focused on whether the developer was meeting the city's affordability commitments. Councilor Pete Pettigrew said CommonBond had requested additional city funds before and again asked for flexibility after receiving that support. "I just feel they're taking advantage of us," Pettigrew said.
Councilor John Roberts said he was concerned the company had not been audited previously and that staff found eight units out of compliance with the city's 30%‑of‑income rent standard during a recent review.
City staff said the issue was not the AMI thresholds dictated by other financing partners but the city's separate requirement that households not be charged more than 30% of their income for housing costs; that provision remains in effect for units covered by city funding.
A motion to deny the amendment reducing the number of deed‑restricted units from 30 to 22 was approved by the council. The motion passed on a council vote; the council did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript extract.
