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Coming soon: City Council approves agreement for more affordable housing
Oct 15, 2008 (Odessa American - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
AT A GLANCE:
--What: City's partnership with Green Eagles Development to build 53 affordable homes on Odessa's south side.
--When: The project should be completely done by the end of next year.
--Who: The development is meant to accommodate those with moderate incomes. The houses will sell for $85,000 to no more than $125,000.
--Where: The houses will go up on eight acres of donated land on Odessa's south side.
--How much: The city will pay Green Eagles $250,000 split up into three payments as an incentive to build in the lower-priced market.
Dirt will start flying soon to make way for 53 new affordable homes on the city's south side.
City Council members on Tuesday unanimously approved an agreement with Dallas-based Green Eagles Development to build the moderately priced houses. They're expected to sell from $85,000 to no more than $125,000 and will be constructed with a green approach, a plus Green Eagles representatives touted in a Council briefing just before Tuesday night's meeting.
The houses are going on eight acres of land that were donated to the city about 10 years ago.
"When the houses go up, you'll be amazed," developer Mick Ziegler said.
The city will pay Green Eagles Development $250,000 as an incentive for building the lower-priced homes. Payments will be split up into three phases to match the sub-division's progress.
Green Eagles will get about $83,000 after the first phase's 20 homes are completed. They'll get another chunk after phase two is done, and the last third once phase three's 23 homes are up.
Assistant City Manager Michael Marrero said the $250,000 incentive was offered to entice a developer who would be willing to build workforce housing instead of average-priced homes, which start at about $225,000. The city has been dealing with a housing shortage for a while because of the Basin's booming economy, especially in the lower-priced market.
"I just hope they live up to what they say," Councilman James Goates said after casting his vote.
Marrero said Green Eagles will be responsible for marketing and selling the homes, and First Basin Credit Union will handle all the mortgages.
The project should be totally done by the end of next year.
"There's a huge need here for this type of housing," developer Lawrence Messina said. "We drove around and there are no for-sale signs."
Thirty-three of the homes will be sold at no more than $125,000, with the other 20 at no more than $90,000. The $90,000 homes will comply with requirements for the city's affordable housing program, which helps income-qualified buyers with closing costs and down payments.
Because the homes will be built to environmentally friendly standards, Marrero said the average electric bill should be around $70 a month. City Manager Richard Morton said if this development is successful, the city has a track of land on the west side that could accommodate more workforce housing.
Council also approved:
--Accepting $14,725 from Texas' "J" RAC 2007 EMS/Trauma Care System funds.
--Accepting $116,913 from the 2008 COPS Technology program grant.
--A $210,000 bid award for traffic paint.
--A $84,281 bid award for traffic signs, blanks, sheeting, hardware and street name blanks.
--A $60,000 bid award for heavy truck parts.
--Amending the Workforce Housing Incentive Program.
--A lease agreement with the Permian Basin Regional Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
--Purchasing $123,334 worth of maintenance equipment for the parks and recreation department and Ratliff Ranch Golf Links.
--Spending $122,695 for annual HTE software maintenance.
--The emergency purchase of sodium hydroxide for $62,256.
--Spending $149,606 on emergency vehicle equipment.
--Abandoning a utility easement in lot 1, block 1 of French Addition.
--Settling of the claim of pat land.
--Revising personnel policy and procedures.
--An electric power contract with CAPP and all related authorizations and documents.
--The revised City's Citizen Participation Plan.
--Denying Oncor Electric Delivery Company's rate increase request.
--Keystone Petroleum's request to rezone from light industrial to light industrial-drill reservation on 18.6 acres of land southeast of Dixie Boulevard.
To see more of the Odessa American, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
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