Here are a few of the legislative highlights from Tuesday’s Birmingham City Council meeting, in case you missed it.
ITEM 8
The Council unanimously passed a redevelopment agreement between the City and NCRC (National Community Reinvestment Coalition) Housing Rehab Fund, in which the City will convey a total of fifty two lots located in the Pratt City Community for the future development of single family affordable, energy-efficient houses.
The NCRC pledged to build 200 affordable housing units across the city; this project is another step toward reaching that goal. The 52 homes will be constructed on previously vacant lots.
In January, the Birmingham City Council approved an item for the pilot program that transferred 27 lots in Belview Heights to Housing Redevelopment Corporation of America to develop affordable single-family homes. Last month, the Council approved a project for the development of 16 homes in Woodlawn through this program. The funding is being used to help subsidize the cost of the homes and is part of the federal American Rescue Plan funding that the City received last year.
Each home in Pratt City will be approximately 1,200-1,700 square feet and will be in the price range of $185,000.
“This is going to really help the Pratt City neighborhood continue to grow and bring home ownership opportunities to our residents in the area,” Councilor LaTonya Tate said. “My colleagues and I on the Council are constantly working on new ways to bring more affordable housing opportunities into our communities. I’ve been really encouraged with the work we’ve seen with the similar projects in other districts. This is a big step in the right direction.”
Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s Agenda:
A Resolution approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute, for and as the act of said City, a Redevelopment Agreement between the City of Birmingham and NCRC Housing Rehab Fund, LLC (NCRC), under which the City shall convey to NCRC a total of fifty-two (52) lots located in the Pratt City Community at 1430 Pratt Highway, Birmingham, and also award funds under the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR), in the amount of $2,987,000.00 to NCRC for the development of single family affordable, energy-efficient houses containing approximately 1200 to 1700 square feet of living space. (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Director of Community Development)**
ITEM 5
The Council unanimously approved a franchise agreement with the micromobility company Lime to be able to begin operations in the City. This move comes after a company previously doing business in Birmingham closed their operations.
The non-exclusive agreement allows for the company to distribute and operate their shared micromobility devices on city rights of way. While the Council was supportive of this new endeavor, several issues were brought up regarding these devises blocking sidewalks and being left in the street.
“We definitely want to look at some of the issues that residents have brought up in terms of where these devices are being left,” Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said. “Getting around in Birmingham is a challenge for a lot of people and it’s important that we have this option be available to not only people who live here, but also people who are visiting…There’s been a lot of due diligence that has been done leading up to this point and we have been watching this industry sort of unfold and evolve across the country, observing some of the missteps that were made and trying to make sure that we don’t encounter the same pitfalls here.”
While no motion was presented to change the language in the City’s governing ordinance, several Councilors, including O’Quinn, voiced interest in addressing this in the future.
Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:
An Ordinance issuing a System Permit to Neutron Holdings, Inc., dba Lime whereby the City will grant a non-exclusive franchise to operate a Shared Micro mobility Device System in the public rights-of-way or on permitted public property controlled by the City through June 30 and thereafter for a period of one (1) year from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.