Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Affordable Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances 71-unit affordable housing project in Fox Park, Benton Park West and Tower Grove East
Summary
The committee voted 6-0 to advance Board Bill 58 with a due-pass recommendation. The project proposes 71 affordable apartments with rents below 50% AMI, multiple unit sizes, a $14.2 million estimated cost, and support from the St. Louis Development Corporation and staff.
The Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee on Nov. (date not specified) advanced Board Bill 58, sending the measure out of committee with a due-pass recommendation by a 6-0 vote.
Vice Chair Sonnier introduced the bill, describing a 71-unit affordable housing project across the Fox Park, Benton Park West and Tower Grove East neighborhoods that would include 3 one-bedroom units, 52 two-bedroom units and 16 three-bedroom units. "All of the proposed rents are below the 50% AMI maximum," the introducer said, and the project was presented as being managed by a local operator identified in the packet.
Zach Wilson of the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) told the committee SLDC "are very supportive of this project," noting the project scores above the Tier 3 threshold on the community benefit scorecard and will use low-income housing tax credit financing. Wilson said SLDC supports "15 years of tax abatement, 10 and 90, followed by 5 of 50," as described during the presentation.
Committee members asked about outreach to Saint Louis Public Schools after the Parent Action Council submitted comments. Wilson said the packet was emailed to SLPS's real estate committee on May 28 and that staff and the developer attempted to schedule follow-up meetings but some were canceled or rescheduled. "We've notified all projects that have been introduced," he said; the committee discussion reflected that SLPS had been notified though an in-person meeting had not occurred.
Ald. Browning voiced support and asked to be added as a cosponsor; Ald. Aldridge moved to bank the bill and Ald. Browning seconded. Later, Ald. Cohn moved and Ald. Browning seconded to pass the bill out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. The clerk then called the roll and the committee recorded six aye votes.
The committee record shows a community benefit scorecard value of 65 for this project; the Tier 3 threshold cited in the packet is 50 points. The developer-provided total project cost cited in the presentation was about $14,200,000.
The committee banking motion and the due-pass recommendation advance the bill to the next legislative stage; the committee did not adopt final ordinance language during this meeting.
