ACMA 2008 Summer Conference Housing & The Economy Avondale Presentation Rogene Hill

Revenue Shortages  Sales Tax 2006 Level  Property Tax Valuations Down  HURF Reductions  Expect Income Tax to Decline  Water/Sewer/Trash  Increasing Delinquencies Water Bills HOA’s

Strategies  Set 6% Decrease Budget Totals $270,410,230  Cut staffing (Total 19.5) Traditional Methods Outsource Parks Maintenance (Save $100K)  Eliminate Programs Combine Special Events Further Studies Ongoing for Parks & Fleet

New Revenue  Local Ballot Initiative Prop 406 & 407 Dedicated ½ Cent Sales Tax Removes Cap on Items <$5,000 Expands Language to Include Transit

Cultivate Partnerships Leverage Funds  HOA Support “Collection Techniques Workshop”  New Residential Improvement Districts in Development Process  Public Private Partnerships for Development  City - School District Partnerships Building Permit Fee waiver for use and programming Joint grant seeking & Research  Investigate Pilots and Partnerships to Save Energy  “Green Fridays” and other new initiatives  Agency Partnerships, Realtors, Financial Institutions

CODE ENFORCEMENT OVERWHELMED Complaints for Vacant Properties  Whole Subdivisions  Randall Martin  Oak Park Abandoned Pools Squatters Graffiti

Stabilize Neighborhoods Relieve Code  Graffiti Contractor  Clean & Lien Provisions of IPMC (114 Properties)  Fish in the Pools  State Real Estate Office Collapse of Randall Martin Oak Park  Focus Housing Programs on Foreclosures  Forge Internal Synergies Additional Crime Prevention Remove Blight

Recent Weed Abatement “Before and After”

Create Housing Center  Consolidate Housing Resources  Focal Point for Community  Housing Program Coordination  SS Agencies Share Space  Look for Synergies  Prepare for Federal or State Programs

Housing and Resource Center

Lessons Learned From the Past  Vacant Public Building = Nuisance  Non Profit Occupy w/o Rent = Cost  Selling in Down Market = Lost Value

Advantages  Staff Occupies Building  Social Services/Housing No Cost  Building = Match for Grant  Bldg Operating Subsidy  Two-Year Term – Re-evaluate

Sell Houses!  Employer Assisted Housing (EAH) for Police  EAH program for other employees and employers in the vicinity like school districts  Housing Marketing Video

Employer Assisted Housing  $20,000 Down Payment Assistance  Extra $10,000 for Bank Owned/Foreclosures  Forgiven over 10 $2,000/yr  New Police Recruits or Existing to Move into Avondale  If Avondale Resident up to $5,000 for rehab Re imbursement Forgiven over 5 yrs.

EAH for Others  Seek Additional Funding  Talking with Others About Live Near Work Campaign Accentuate the Positive Transit Oriented Development Planning a Fall Campaign

Next Steps  Open Housing Resource Center  Continue to Look for Funding  Ready for Federal/State Programs  Market and Sell Vacant Houses  Put Safeguards in Place Subdivision Regulations HOA Best Practices HOA Academy

Wish List  State Legislature Review Tax Policy  Banking Industry Work With Cities Work Outs with Lenders Approve Short Sales – Realtors Have Buyers Monitor Investor Ownership Patterns  Shorten Foreclosure Process Properties in Limbo Too Long No One is Responsible

In the Meantime HOPE FOR RECOVERY!