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Notice/Advertisement Title: Vacant and Foreclosure Registry, Relocation Code Change, and Housing For All Legislative Package Update
Contact Name: Kendra Asiedu
Contact Telephone Number: 614-622-4618
Contact Email Address: Knasiedu@columbus.gov
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Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee Hearing
Date: Wednesday - July 10, 2024
Time: 5pm
Location: Columbus City Council Chambers
Subject: Vacant and Foreclosure Registry (1995-2024 and 1997-2024), Relocation Code Change (1987-2024), and Housing For All Legislative Package Update
Councilmembers Present: Councilmembers Shayla Favor, Melissa Green, Nancy Day-Achauer, Lourdes Barroso De Padilla; Emmanuel Remy
Summary of Minutes:
Call to Order: 5pm
Present: Listed Council Members, Deputy Director Hannah Jones, Chief Counsel Lara Baker-Morrish, Deputy Director Anthony Celebrezze, Mark Carter, Kendra Asiedu, Sundeepti Jindal, John Tannous, Ariel Garrett; Jessica Clinger: Niyah Walters: Director Scott Messer; Graham Bowman; Carlie Boos; Steve Skovensky; Melissa Benson
9 in audience unnamed; 10 attendees via Youtube
Introduction: Councilmember Favor
Presentation: Deputy Director Hannah Jones on Ordinance 1987-2024
• Questions From Councilmember Favor: Cost burden of the larger abatements and displacements in recent history. Deputy Director Jones answered regarding the direct housing costs and the tangential supportive housing cost can vary for each remediation and the support the vulnerable community members need.
• Questions From Councilmember Favor: The mechanics of how ordinance 1987-2024 would affect those forced to vacant. Deputy Director Jones answered the logistics of the enforcement mechanism and how the city would assist tenants.
• Questions From Councilmember Favor: What if a resident is behind on rent, how would this ordinance impact a required vacate. Deputy Director Jones answered that it would not have, due to 1987-2024 focusing on the nuisance issues caused by the owner's responsibilities. The City of Columbus is looking at different interventions to ensure that residents are protected.
• Question from Councilmember Green: How does an emergency vacate affected the logistics and the turn around for residents. Dep. Jones answered that the turn around for vacate is rather quick especially with an emergency vacant being deemed unsafe for the tenant.
• Questions From Councilmember Favor: How does Ordinance 1987-2024 impact the financial recourse that residents could seek. Chief Counsel Lara Baker-Morrish answered that tenants would still be able to seek any legal recourse available at their disposal. Deputy Director Jones then mentioned the key role of Legal Aid in assisting tenants in their own legal proceedings in additional damages.
• Questions From Councilmember Favor: Would ord. 1987-2024 have assisted residents at Sandridge and Riverview. Deputy Director Jones answered that it would not have, due to 1987-2024 focusing on the nuisance issues caused by the owner's responsibilities. The City of Columbus is looking at different interventions to ensure that residents are protected.
• Questions From Councilmember Favor: Any exceptions to the legislation. Deputy Director Jones answered disconnection of utilities; damage due to the tenant or by guest of tenant; or if landlord plans to move the tenant into the unit up to standard for the tenant’s needs.
Invited Speakers:
§ Melissa Benson, Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio
• Detailed Latitude 525’s situation prior to and on Christmas day with coordination with Legal Aid. How people had to move in a day to emergency shelter and hotel rooms- with the city’s assistance. The emergency evacuation allowed for the proper challenges to be triggered as residents were unable to contact code under fear of retaliation.
• CM Favor commented to the positive partnership between Legal Aid and the support that Legal Aid has done in the larger vacates and eviction court
§ Steve Skovensky, Community Shelter Board (first speaker)
• Voicing support for the ordinance; detailed Latitude 525 for the response for hotels needed for families on Christmas day; and Colonial village response for 536 households- asylum seekers, limited credit history holders; creation of needed responses to not overwhelm the city’s resources
Presentation: Andie McDonald, Legislative Aide to Council President Pro Tem Dorans on Vacancy and Foreclosure Registries
§ Question Favor: What is the timeline of implementation. Aide McDonald and Director Messer talked on the logistics that there would be a leeway of 6 months for vacancy and foreclosure to allow for property notification and BZS notification for property owners.
§ Question (Favor): If a tenant just moved out, how long would an owner have to register as a vacant property. Aide McDonald answered that property has to be vacant for a year before registering for vacant registry
§ Question (Favor): How big is the vacancy problem. Director Messer answered that it is a problem nationally, but estimated a couple thousand would qualify under the registries. Trying to add more property stock that can be used and not held
§ Question (CM BdP) What is the definition of vacancy, an example would be if someone intends to vacate do renovations. Aide McDonald answered that there are expectations for those who have a building permit on file, so they wouldn’t have to register. Director Messer followed up with the expiration date on the building permit so property owner/landlord must make improvements before the expiration of the permit. There is being a discussion of fees being waived if there is financial hardship for resident
§ Question (Green): What is the process of notification for out of state actors affecting the Columbus rental amount. Director Messer answered that there is no definite answer, but using technology to shift through documentation of bills and closing to investigate actors to make the ordinance more effective; also provides analysis of locations; vacancy age, and more.
§ Question (BdP): A course of action for the City to obtain and ensure compliance. Director Messer answered penalties associated with those in non-compliance
Updates on remaining Housing for All initiatives:
§ Councilmember Shayla D. Favor: Rent Increase Notification Update
§ Rental Registry Update on behalf of Councilmember Bankston
§ No questions
§ Councilmember Emmanuel Remy: ADU Pilot
§ Question (Favor): What’s the benefit to using the pre-approved manual and do I have to use it. CM Remy answered no to the required usage, but those who would like to venture on their own won’t qualify for the additional funding from the city for afford ability.
§ Question (Favor): Can the manual can be viewed as a type of catalogue. CM Remy answered yes, that allows owner to bring in their desired design and/or unit from building
§ Question (Favor): This program does not support short term rental with ADUs. CM Remy answered absolutely not, the program is meant to give residents of Columbus needed housing for a long time and providing stock
§ Question (Favor): What is the potential impact of the ADU program. CM Remy answered that a lot of interest in the program and the way to assist in the housing crisis who needs housing affordability
§ Question (BdP): Is the sole purpose of the ADU program just housing. CM Remy answered at the moment the program is centered on housing
§ Question (D-A): Is the ADUs structure on the foundation, and not similar to trailers. CM Remy answered at the moment, this is.
§ Question (Green): If this is a trailer it wouldn’t be a problem, but what would a trailer/mobile camper look like compared to the ADU program; responses from BdP, Favor, Remy, about how it would be different due to the home being immobile and on a foundation. Back and forth before Messer answer, it is not a trailer, because it would be immobile and has different regulations compared to the mobile homes; the ADU program is streamlining the building side, but understanding that it would be similar to tiny homes
§ Senior Policy Advisor John Tannous: Wholesaler Regulation Update
§ Question (Favor): What would someone choose working with a wholesaler than working with a real estate agent. Advisor Tannous answered that the lack of education and the reach of wholesalers, from texts to mail, Wholesalers reach out to the vulnerable populations of Columbus.
§ Question (favor): For general education, what is wholesaling. Advisor Tannous answered the texts, why buy homes signs; CP Office intern researched and looked into Facebook groups of those who are wholesaling to gain a quick amount of money
§ Question (Favor): Is there no licensure for wholesalers. Advisor Tannous answered no, unlike realtors they do not have licensure; most wholesalers are not licensed, some may be licensed as a real estate agent, but most are not
§ Question (Favor): Providing local regulations that wholesellers have to provide for community members. Advisor Tannous answered absolutely.
§ Question (BdP): What will filing a complaint about a wholesaler look like for a resident. Advisor Tannous answered at the moment, there is not a regulatory forces that we have, and do not want to make one that we can’t enforce; Atlanta uses 7-8 pieces of information needed for enforcement, but conversations must be had with BZS; City Attorney; Department of Development. As mass marketing is a large amount of the reach of wholesaling, conversations are being had.
§ Question (Green): Where will the infraction be? Criminal code or civil code? Counsel Baker-Morris answered that more discussions are being discussed, especially with the burden of proof; and the intent of the legislation; and how national and state regulation encounters this legislation.
Public Testimony
Wade Biglin
Voicing support of all the presented legislation pieces
Derek Bergman
Commenting on the Vacancy and Foreclosure Registries
Question asked by Derek: Expanding the registries to business and blighted properties. Aide McDonald answered that not at the moment. Director Messer emphasized that point of not at the moment
Question (Green) to Dias/explanation to Derek: The right of privacy and ownership that creates constraints of national limitations of the Council; Counsel Baker-Morris answered briefly talked of the constitutional concern from Ohio and nationally. Additionally, considering the rights of homeowners and properties that City of Columbus can’t touch, but this registry is a first step.
CM Favor mentioned that vacant property protections are under City Title 45; if they are keeping the vacant property, then they are allowed to have it vacant
CM Barroso De Padilla mentioned how the Council works with the barriers given in the City, State, and Nation. How we are combating and providing for our residents in the ways they need under the restrictions that do exist
Victoria A. Cavendish Dawson
ABSENT
Keryna Johnson
Voicing support of ADUs
Conclusion: Councilmember Favor
Adjourned: 7:00pm