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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRDA Min 1997-11-24 11-24-97 Seal Beach, California November 24, 1997 I The Redevelopment Agency of the City of Seal Beach met in regular session at 6:50 p.m. with Chairman Campbell calling the meeting to order with the Salute to the Flag. ROLL CALL Present: Chairman Campbell Agencymembers Brown, Forsythe, Fulton, Hastings Absent: None Also present: Mr. Till, Executive Director Mr. Barrow, City Attorney Mrs. Yeo, City Clerk . APPROVAL OF AGENDA Brown moved, second by Fulton, to approve the order of the agenda as presented. I AYES: NOES: carried Brown, Campbell, Forsythe, Fulton, Hastings None Motion WAIVER OF FULL READING Brown moved, second by Hastings, to waive the reading in full of all resolutions and that consent to the waiver of reading shall be deemed to be given by all Agencymembers after reading of the title unless specific request is made at that time for the reading of such resolution. AYES: NOES: carried Brown, Campbell, Forsythe, Fulton, Hastings None Motion I ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Chairman Campbell declared Oral Communications open. Mr. Gordon Shanks, Surf Place, directed his comments to the Trailer Park audit item. He preempted his remarks by stating it is not his policy to be critical of work done by staff, it is poor policy for the Councilor members of the public to do so, however there are audits and there are audits. Mr. Shanks said he had reviewed the Trailer Park audit, prepared by staff, believes all data to be true, however recommended that the audit not be received and filed as such action would indicate belief and acceptance. He offered that there are too many questions that are not answered by this document. He made reference to the Trailer Park subdivision map, the map of the City agrees with the map in the Park office, yet the finance office is not capable of evaluating whether lines have been moved to accommodate a larger trailer or whatever, that would most likely be done by the City Engineer, that type of data does not show in an audit, another issue is that of subletting, according to the audit everyone has supposedly 11-24-97 signed a statement declaring their finances to be low to moderate or have provided their income tax data, yet that does not prevent someone from placing a trailer on one site, subleasing that it, and move to another, using the same low to moderate income documentation, therefore a person could own several spaces and still fulfill the low to moderate criteria. Mr. Shanks offered that the audit appears to be acceptable on the surface however it does not answer some serious questions. He noted that it is known that there are violations, they opened the wall to First Street, access to the bicycle path, it is known that over the years they have sold/changed titles on some of the original one hundred twenty-five units, not known if there are more, the report also advises that the Park will be requesting a rent increase in the next two to three months, yet it is not known who actually owns the Park, it is said that the widow of Mr. Dawson owns ninety percent, the owner of the remaining ten percent is unknown. He questioned if there is justification for a rent increase, whether the Park has adequate money to repair or replace the water, sewer and gas lines in that they are nearly twenty years old, the Park is also looking rather unkept, therefore before a rent increase is allowed, an escrow account, bond, or other means should be required to make infrastructure repairs when that becomes necessary, that as a protection for the Park residents. Mr. Shanks again requested that this item not be received and filed. Agencymember Hastings recalled having requested that a survey of the Park be done, one hundred twenty-six lots could be accounted for, the concern was that some lot lines had been changed, that the units are closer together than they are supposed to be, changes that have occurred as a result of the cabanas, moving trailers from lot to lot, and emphasized that what she had requested was a lot line survey of the Park, this report does not answer her request. I I Agencymember Brown moved to not receive and file the Trailer Park audit report, and that further audit work be done as suggested. Agencymember Fulton seconded the motion. Agencymember Forsythe noted that the issues previously mentioned were meant to be more specific in response to certain allegations and concerns, a space by space survey and audit, whether a person that qualified for that space was in fact low to moderate, etc. Agencymember Brown added that it is important to know the ownership of the space as well as the responsibility for the infrastructure. Agencymember Forsythe explained again that the intent of the request was for a lot by lot survey, the allegations had been that there are persons residing in the Park that own a number of units and no longer meet the low to moderate criteria, in fact making money by means of the low to moderate designation. Agencymember Hastings again pointed out that the distance between trailers has been observed and is likely Code violations, and recalled her request and response of the then Park owner to do an official survey of the spaces, that must be done to resolve conflicts in the P~rk. The Executive Director said the audit was approached as giving assurance that the Agency is meeting its fiduciary duties under the I I I I. 11-24-97 I 12-22-97 agreement, specifically to verify the rent control, that there has not been rent increases without Agency review, and that income eligibility requirements are being met, everything else is apart from that, such as a resolve of zoning and lot line issues, this report was meant to address what was felt to be the first priority, thought to be a reasonable audit, and noted that the Park was notified of the request for a survey, expected that the Park would bear that cost, otherwise if the survey is a high priority there may need to be a budget amendment to accomplish that. Agencymember Forsythe said it is not felt that this report meets the fiduciary responsibility of verifying income by taking a sampling of only a little more than sixteen percent of the residents of the Park, since this has been an on-going concern that there are persons that do not meet the low to moderate criteria, the demand is for a more detailed audit. The Director asked if the desire is for twenty-five, fifty or one hundred percent review. A consensus of the Agency was indicated to audit the Park on a one hundred percent. basis, some of the units being on double lots therefore about one hundred ten or fifteen units. Agencymember Brown revised his motion to table this item until further data is available. Agencymember Fulton confirmed his second. AYES: NOES: Brown, Campbell, Forsythe, Fulton, Hastings None Motion carried ADJOURNMENT It was the order of the Chair, with consent of the Agency, to adjourn the meeting at 7:06 p.m. y~l~ \ "- S Seal Beach, California December 22, 1997 Pursuant to the direction of the City Council of the City of Seal Beach, the regularly scheduled meeting of the Seal Beach velopment A ency for this date was canceled.