City Delays Decision on Low Income Housing Project in Southwest San Angelo

 

Tuesday morning’s city council meeting started on a positive note, as Mayor Dwain Morrison gave recognitions and signed proclamations. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by a group of children from Angelo Catholic School. There were many bodies in attendance. The mood was warm, light and jubilant, until the mayor’s invitation for public comment.   

An item that was originally on the consent agenda was moved to the regular agenda because of the number of citizens that showed up to express their concerns. That item reads as follows:

Consideration of adopting a Resolution of the City Council of the City of San Angelo, Texas, in support of the application of Dischinger Development, LLC to be made to the housing tax credit program through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for an award and allocation of the 2015 Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program funds for the construction of eighty (80) affordable housing apartment units for low to moderate income citizens, known as Outlook at Valleyview, to be located at 2900 Valleyview Blvd.

In summary, the city is considering the addition of an apartment complex that would be constructed in the southwest side of town that provides housing based upon low income. The fact of the matter is that, that property is already zoned for a housing development; theoretically any apartment complex could be built on there, low income or not.

“I’ve told everybody that this was not zoned for apartments, that it would come back in a zoning meeting, and that is not true, it is already zoned RM1 to allow this to be built.” Mayor Morrison clarified. 

Additionally, Dischinger Development, LLC has asked that the normal permit fee ($14,000) for the construction of this type of dwelling be waived due to the fact that it’s being built for moderate- to low-income families.

”We’re talking about giving them credits for about $14,000 worth of fees, when in the first year the city would gain $62,000 in taxes back. I look at this strictly as an investment in our city, and also an investment in helping people that need to be spread throughout the city.” councilman Rodney Fleming said. A monthly lease payment at this complex is roughly estimated to be anywhere from $600-1,000 per month, making the maximum earnings that a household can gross per year to qualify $44,000 per year.

When asked her opinion of the proposal, Troi Middleton, member of the Southridge HOA, said, “I was raised in low income housing. I’m not saying that everybody that lives in low income housing is bad, but 90 percent of them are not good. I don’t want crime in my area. I built a $250,000 home because it’s a nice neighborhood, I didn’t think there would ever be low income housing in that area or I would not have made that investment. You don’t know who is going to be living in that housing for $700 a month, that’s poverty level. You are gonna have single moms with unsupervised kids running around doing who knows what.”

As Councilmen Rodney Fleming explained before open forum, he is the representive of 17,000 citizens living in that area of town. Out of those, he received about 40 phone calls from constituents protesting this matter.

“The phone calls I got yesterday, frankly, were very disheartening," Fleming said. "When I was listening to the prayer that the minister gave before this meeting, one of the things he said was to honor and glorify our God. And the phone calls I got yesterday were downright racist. People were calling and saying, 'I want that place on the north side where they belong.' I explained to them that you cannot do that, you cannot force low income people to all be together, that’s not even the American way, we want this to all be for everybody.

“When you are talking about this, if you are talking about low income people, (referring to the public comments at the podium) if you say anything racist when you get up here, I’m gonna ask they cut the microphone off," Fleming warned.  “I grew up in low income housing. So when you’re giving me this argument and saying those people are bad people, you were calling me a bad person, too. I don’t think that’s a stigma. I picked myself up, I put myself through school, I have a successful business now, I was elected as a city council member, and I’m proud to say where I came from. I don’t think that people that come from low income housing are bad people, I think they need a hand up. So that’s where I’m coming from and I hope that we can come to a resolution.”

Not everyone’s opinion was based on stereotypical propaganda. A chief concern among those heard was the fact that the public did not feel that they were informed of the issue. Many stated that they had just learned of the proposal last night. 

“I asked two weeks ago when this came up at the last council meeting that town halls be conducted in a location to hear from the citizens so that they could have their voice," councilwoman Charlotte Farmer said. "That hasn’t been done in the two-week timeframe."

There was mumbled agreement amongst the crowd. One lady even spoke out ,"We didn't know until last night through a neighborhood flyer!" A second woman then stood up and approached the podium. 

“I’m concerned about traffic, I’m concerned about security, I’m concerned about proximity to the school on the backside of Southwest, and I’m concerned about the nursing home right up the street," citizen Karen Rustmann told the council. "Those individuals need to be heard as I much as I do. I do not feel that our councilman, Mr. Fleming, has done that. We were not aware of any of this! No one has done anything to inform or advise us that this was a possibility, that this company had come in and wants fees waived. If they want this property so much, let them pay it. We do not give things for free.” she said to applause from the audience.

Continuing a chorus of shouts from the overcrowded chambers, one fiesty man pumped his fist in the air as he piped, "I called you and you never called me back!" The mayor interjected to remind everyone to keep things civil. 

“The reason I am hesitant to endorse this is because of what I feel is a market over-saturation. I do know that in this portion of town the tax credit properties that were built or were financed--Encino Park, Bent Tree, The Desert Shadows--those are all tax credit properties that were built in the southwest portion of town.” Charlotte Farmer said. “I do know that there 31 different properties in San Angelo, whether it be Myrtlewood Estates, Bent Tree, any of those that currently accept housing assistance programs that currently accept housing assist programs.  I am cautious as to what our needs are, and meeting our needs of our population now and in the future. I think we need to be very careful of our endorsement of over-building in our area. I happen to know what over-building does, and what these properties can draw in; unattended, unwatched habitations; the deterioration and the crowds that it can gather, that is my hesitation on it. I truly believe in not a hand out, but a help up, and that’s what you’re saying these folks would like to establish, but I really would like something in the game besides all borrowed, all tax dollar funds in this. So, I am opposed to the endorsement, and I’ve made that very clear." 

In conclusion, it was  unanimously decided to postpone a final decision until a town hall meeting is held at which the public will be able to not only express their concerns, but also voice opinions and ask questions of the developer.

“Most of you know, each of us represents anywhere from 15-16,000 people. The idea of being able to make a call to your personal residence is impossible, unless someone can figure out a way to do it", Councilwoman Elizabeth Grindstaff said. "I have public meetings monthly, I Facebook, and it’s still so easy to miss people. So, I implore you to watch council agendas and see what it is that affects your neighborhood. We discussed this two weeks ago, but there wasn’t anyone here to speak, maybe just a few people, so we left that day with a very different impression of what the community desires.” 

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jdgt, Wed, 02/04/2015 - 08:09

When my husband and I first looked at buying a home, we had high standards. I wanted the best schools for my kids, we wanted an "upper class" house in a great neighborhood. I'll even go so far as to say we were eyeballing Bentwood as a location to settle in. Unfortunately, being a first time homebuyer, we didn't know about all the ins and outs of a mortgage or just how much we could afford. We were able to live in a section of the city that allowed my daughters to attend Lamar for a year, and we quickly found that we just didn't fit in with the profile of the population that attends Lamar. I'll say it! I'm not one of the snooty moms with the big, blonde hair that drives the Cadillac and has to shuttle my children to 15 different events. We didn't fit in.

What we did find was a charming house in College Hills, and perfect schools for our kids, among people just like us. We could relate to them... we were of the same income, the same upbringing, the same mindset, and it was comforting to be surrounding in people just like me.

I'm not saying low-income housing doesn't "deserve" to be built in Southwest. I AM saying that these people will be forced into an unhappier lifestyle because they're already low income, and they'll be surrounded in the snoots who look down on them. NOTHING is going to change that... Why do they deserve that? Why not find a more reasonable part of town where they'll fit in with people just like them? I'm not saying the north side... or God forbid "Grape Creek" even! Just somewhere so that they're not judged, or persecuted because they don't fit in.

Do it... Pass the vote, break ground and begin construction. There is a lot of vacant land that would connect Bentwood and Butler Farms together that these housing units could be built on. The high and mighty inhabitants of both Bentwood and Butler Farms need neighbors who park junk cars in the front yard, or have front yards of packed dirt from 8-10 kids stampeding wildly on it all day. Don't stop there either. Those with their noses in the air who live in the bluffs deserve equal opportunites as well as the less fortunate who are forced to live in the Southwest part of town from behind Sam's back to the railroad tracks off Knickerbocker. People living in poverty or those dependent upon welfare are as justified to live in a free society anywhere they choose just the same as those who make half a million a year and drive 100 thousand dollar sports cars do.

I live in the North and East part of San Angelo, I grew up in the Lake View area. I don't see a problem with low income housing being built on this side of town. Build all you want, but for God sakes, fix the streets on this side of town! Let us have smooth roads to drive on.
Being low income ( poor) doesn't make you any more prone to crime or laziness. It is the morals and standards of self respect.

There is not a quick and easy solution to please everybody. Having grown up in a low-income family myself (and doing much better now, thank you), I can certainly see many different perspectives in-play. Jenny Martinez and J D make very good points - probably the most rational I've ever seen regarding the plight of low-income families being placed in areas of greater affluence. I can totally relate, not having money readily available to have my own car, or even enough money to participate in the things the middle-class-and-above kids took for granted, and was "normal" for them. It's its own level of disappointment that can and usually does contribute to feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth - which is a large part of why kids turn to gangs as a way to "fit in" with something... anything.

R B also speaks the truth - nobody wants to have any kind of detractors close-by that they believe will affect their property value - regardless of the nature of said detractor. Many of the more affluent neighborhoods are on the southwest side of San Angelo, which is partly the fault of the City Council and ZBA for pushing more new development in that direction, rather than improving existing areas or balancing out the rate and directions of new development.

I would like to believe that the responses from Ding-Bat and T G are not commensurate with the majority of people in San Angelo, but unfortunately, I've come to know more and more people who tend to speak before they think. Right, wrong, or otherwise, those are their opinions, and barring the "I don't live there, so 'suck-it, rich people'" attitude and "north side of San Angelo is trash" inflammatory comment, there is actually some value to be had as well. People usually don't like to hear the truth... especially if it's negative (or downright rude, in this case)... but the truth is in the demographics and statistics - it is what it is.

Saying that low-income people either have or don't have the right to live in a particular region is not the argument - the "right" is established by our country's very existence. The "means" to live wherever they like is the issue. The truth is that in our social model it takes money to have nice things. Is that fair? Yes, because the idea is that "one works and one will be rewarded." Does it always work out that way? No. Is that fair? No. But - is it any more or less fair to forcibly take value away from those who have been rewarded for their work? I say No... but I'm sure those with feelings of entitlement feel differently.

Bottom line: for the sake of all involved, find a more appropriate place for some nice, safe, and energy-efficient housing.

I really do not appreciate some of the remarks on this story! I am a single mom, teacher, and middle class. I live on the north side of town. I am angered by anyone saying the north side is a dump! Yes there are parts that are not so nice but to lump everything together like that is really asinine!

Just because something doesn't meet with your level of satisfaction, doesn't make it "a dump," or "trash." Granted, there are more poorly maintained properties in some areas of the city, but there are poorly maintained properties all over the place... especially when bounced against lofty standards. Using your logic, every area in San Angelo could technically be considered a dump, when compared to Bentwood or the SA Country Club... considering poorly maintained properties per capita. Furthermore, using similar logic bounced against socially acceptable standards, you T G as demonstrated by your comments, are being an ass. Freedom of Speech is alive and well, and I believe everybody's opinions have value, but it doesn't mean the self-proclaimed upper crust are entitled to be condescending or critical of others regardless of the issue. I'm not saying everything needs to be sugar-coated so everybody feels warm and fuzzy about everything, but being a jerk is just as bad. There's a fine line between being politically correct, and socially acceptable.

should be lowered for those that live in that area of town then. not surprised that notice wasn't given ahead of time though, I just found out that a funeral home is being built off southland only because I drove by. don't remember being told about it beforehand

I have to make a comment on the post that said if low income housing was built near Bentwood crime would go up. I lived in that area for 5 years. In those 5 years my car was broken into 3 times, vandalism was high and when the perpetrators were caught they seemed to always be bored teenagers FROM THE AREA who were released to their parents! I moved over to another part of town with a more mixed population and have been here 8 years and the worst thing that has happened is trash thrown into the yard by passing vehicles and a hit an run (culprit caught and arrested)

Before you make generalizations about people you know nothing about, take a look at the neighbors you already have. Sometimes parents are too busy working to afford the status symbol house and cars that they don't even know what their own kids are up to.

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