Historical November 1989 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Operation ConServ is a new city program to strengthen neighborhoods. Skinker DeBaliviere is one of 13 neighborhoods targeted by this program in its first phase. ConServ has three major components: 1.
A one and five year strategic neighborhood plan; 2. Concentrated city services; 3. Neighborhood-based housing corporations to implement housing strategies according to the plan.
The October Times featured Part I of an article describing ConServ and one of its components, the Strategic Neighborhood Plan.
This article describes the other two components of the ConServ program.
Concentrated Services
Representatives from each of 20 different service areas within or affiliated with the City serve on the ConServ Council together with the ConServ staff.
This Council meets at least once a month to assure that services are delivered in a coordinated and effective way.
The Neighborhood Plan (described last month) identifies the priority goals for each neighborhood and helps guide the ConServ Council in determining what city services are needed to help the neighborhoods improve.
Housing Corporation
Each ConServ neighborhood forms a notfor-profit housing corporation. Volunteers to serve as incorporators and directors are recruited by the mayor, ConServ and the aldermen. Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were drafted by the City Counselor’s office.
The Skinker DeBaliviere Community
Housing Corporation
(SDCHC) was incorporated in November, 1988 by: Karleen Hoerr, Katie Kurtz, Jim McLeod and Tom Scatizzi.
At its first meeting, the incorporators amended the by-laws to allow an additional director. George Storey was elected as a fifth board member. SDCHC is guided by one goal above all others: increase owner occupancy. Other goals include: maintain population diversity; restore properties to original density and for properties on some blocks, to decrease density; to improve sub-standard housing; to correct non-conforming uses; and to address properties which are identified as problems due to poor maintenance, poor management, or criminal activities. SDCHC is generally considered the “purchaser of last resort.” SDCHC is likely to acquire and rehab properties only when there is no private entity willing to develop the property in accordance with the Neighborhood Plan.
The housing corporations are funded with seed money from the city in the form of a line of credit with the not-for-profit city agency, Operation Impact. SDCHC has a $200,000 line of credit.
The Neighborhood Plan guides the housing corporation in how it requests money to purchase property, and also guides Operation Impact and the Community Development Agency (CDA) in approving or denying requests.
The money for the credit line is generally derived from CDA administered federal block grant funds. Expenditures are subject to CDA, Operation Impact and federal regulations. SDCHC may request money against its credit line for acquisition, rehab, or demolition of real property.
The money may not be used for offices or staff. Operation Impact employs a real estate broker and a construction specialist, who are available at no cost to SDCHC. Operation Impact has contractual arrangements for legal, appraisal, architectural and other services. SDCHC does not maintain a bank account for ConServ funds. Approved expenses (purchases, contractors, etc.) are paid directly by Operation Impact.
When SDCHC borrows against its line of credit, Operation Impact takes back a note and deed of trust.
When SDCHC has income, generally from selling a property, the money goes back to Impact and credits the line of credit.
When SDCHC owns occupied rental property, the property manager (under contract with Impact, not the corporation) will maintain a bank account for operating expenses.
A specific plan has not yet been adopted. Again, a draft of the final Neighborhood Plan document should be ready by late October. Ideas, suggestion, and comments are welcomed by SDCHC and the Planning Committee. Call Nancy Farmer at SDCC and she will see that your comments get to the right person.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November 1989.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1989_11.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 7.
