02/18/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Mr. Rutan said the testimony concerning the condominium conversion has been important but developers have not testified and the council should remember fundamental property rights. He said the existing ordinance does not balance those rights. He said the Planning Commission recommendation represents much work over a long period. He said making money on a conversion should be separate from accepting social responsibility for special category tenants. He said he supports the Planning Commission1s recommendation with some changes. Ms. Schue said she supports Option #2. She said property rights are limited in many ways. For example, factories must pay for anti-pollution devices. She said conversions to condominiums cause adverse effects to some people and mitigating the effects is a cost of doing business. She said she does not support the moving expenses in the existing ordinance that permit people to profit financially by moving. Responding to a question from Mayor Obie, Mr. Bennett said comparable housing is an issue for disabled and elderly people with special needs and families that have low incomes. He said most renters in Eugene have month-to-month leases and most rental projects have a 75 to 100 percent turnover annually. He said the comparable housing issue is important only for people who consider a rental unit a permanent home. He said it precludes the conversion to condominiums of some buildings. If the council wants to do that, it should say so. Ms. Wooten suggested that Option #4 be amended to change the age at which people automatically become special category tenants and to change the moving expenses. e Mr. Rutan said he would consider Ms. Wooten's suggestion. Ms. Ehrman said she supports requiring receipts for moving expenses. Ms. Johnson said the Planning Commission recommended that actual moving expenses up to $500 be paid for special category tenants. Mr. Holmer said the Planning Commission recommendation has some merit and his support for Option #4 is to assure that the entire issue is considered. He said the issue is a social problem that affects many people and the council should consider it. Ms. Wooten said there are specific needs concerning conversions to condominiums that the council should address now. Later, the council could consider displacement from other facilities. Replying to questions from Mr. Miller, Ms. Brody reviewed the options. Ms. Johnson discussed the conversion of Delta Grove and North Green and said about 10 percent of the tenants in those developments became speci a 1 category tenants. That percentage would be reduced about 75 percent by the eligibility requirements recommended by the Planning Commission. Mr. Miller pointed out that people under 70 years of age who would suffer relocation trauma would be classified as disabled if the Planning Commission e MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 18, 1987 Page 10