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Committee reviews agreement giving city staff authority to manage FAIR mortgages and affording new housing study work
Summary
City staff presented a resolution authorizing the Department of Community and Economic Development to administer FAIR program mortgages and liens previously held by the Williamsport Redevelopment Authority; RDA has already signed the agreement and staff said FAIR program funds are expended though mortgages on about nine to ten properties remain.
The Finance Committee reviewed a resolution to authorize the city's Department of Community and Economic Development to administer the FAIR program day-to-day, including the authority to amend or satisfy mortgages or liens tied to that program.
Valerie Fessler, a Community and Economic Development staffer, told the committee the agreement is intended to resolve a technical issue: several FAIR mortgages had been written between homeowners and the Williamsport Redevelopment Authority (RDA), rather than directly with the city, which limited the city's ability to manage transfers and mortgage satisfactions. "This agreement would give the Department of Community and Economic Development the authority to do the day to day management and administration of the FAIR program, including the amendment or satisfaction of any mortgages or liens associated with that program," Fessler said. She added that RDA staff and board reviewed and signed the agreement.
Fessler told the committee the FAIR program work itself is complete and the program has been closed out with the county; what remains are outstanding mortgage instruments on about "9 or 10" properties that require administrative handling. When asked how much money remains, staff said there is none and the program funds are fully committed or expended.
Committee members asked why the RDA originally held mortgage documents; Fessler said the RDA had historically used staffing agreements with the city and that the RDA is an independent authority whose board the city appoints. The committee discussed prospects for pursuing additional FAIR-like funding; staff said they are preparing a housing needs study with consultant support and hope that, once the city has an updated housing plan, it can pursue county FAIR funding or a Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) grant to design a new program that better fits current city priorities.
No vote was taken at the committee meeting on the resolution; staff said the RDA has already signed the agreement and the resolution formalizes the arrangement so the Department of Community and Economic Development can carry out administrative duties related to mortgages and liens.
Committee members noted possible follow-up work: completing the city's housing needs planning, exploring DCED funding for a larger housing study and coordinating with partners such as Lycoming College on complementary business and cost-benefit analyses.
