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Evansville council approves $1.86 million housing trust and other appropriations; mold repairs and parking debt moved
Summary
The council adopted ordinance F-2025-02 approving multiple transfers and appropriations, including funding for mold remediation at Swander, debt service for a downtown parking garage, $450,000 toward a Teepee Park housing initiative, and a $1.86 million total housing trust appropriation.
The Evansville Common Council on March 10 unanimously adopted ordinance F-2025-02 to authorize multiple transfers and additional appropriations across city funds, including a $1.86 million housing trust appropriation and several targeted allocations.
Robert Gunter of the controller’s office outlined amendments the office requested. The council approved moving casino revenue to the parks fund to cover additional mold remediation costs at the Swander facility after contractors discovered mold extending into an adjacent arena wall. Danielle Crook, executive director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, told the council crews repaired HVAC issues that caused condensation and that removal revealed mold extending through the shared wall; work was paused and the city is completing remediation.
The ordinance also appropriated general-fund cash balance into the debt service fund to pay bonds for a parking garage at the 500 block of Main Street; the controller said the bond term would be provided later. A $35,000 fire grant carryover and a roughly $7,400 human relations carryover from 2024 were included.
Regarding the housing trust fund, the controller said $860,000 in carryover plus a previously committed $1 million will be appropriated, creating a $1,860,000 allocation for housing initiatives. Colby Jackson, DMD, briefed the council that $450,000 of that allocation will be split among three organizations collaborating on projects in the Teepee Park area: Community 1 (roofs and HVACs: five roofs, three HVACs and two whole-house rehabs), Memorial CDC (acquisition and renovation of 660 Ravenswood Drive), and Habitat for Humanity (new construction of a single-family home at 1555 South Linwood).
Jackson said the homeowner repair application process is ongoing: about 12 applications are through the process and ready for contract or purchase orders, with roughly 25 additional applications in the pipeline undergoing income reverification. He said the full $1.86 million will not be spent immediately and that staff will continue processing applications through the year.
During the roll call vote on final passage, the council voted 9-0 to adopt the ordinance.
Council members asked for additional details to be provided by staff, including bond term length for the parking garage and remaining fund totals after the appropriations.
