Birmingham City Council Highlights 12.20.22

Here are a few of the legislative highlights from Tuesday’s Birmingham City Council meeting, in case you missed it.
 

ITEM 6

Today, the Council passed an amended version of the redevelopment agreement between the City and Housing Reinvestment Corporation of America (a subsidiary of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition).

Several weeks ago, Councilor LaTonya Tate joined Pratt City residents and National Community Reinvestment Coalition officials for the groundbreaking of the new affordable housing development that was made possible through this agreement.

In November, the Council unanimously passed the redevelopment agreement in which the City conveyed a total of fifty three 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 53 homes will be constructed on previously vacant lots along the Pratt Highway corridor.

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. In October, 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.”

ITEM 13

The Council passed a resolution allowing the Mayor’s administration to submit a grant application for the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure program. If accepted, these funds would help connect Birmingham’s Railroad Park to the Rotary Trail, several city blocks away.

The globally competitive grant will be awarded to 10 cities for the purpose of making infrastructure improvements for cyclists. The grants will be between $400,000 and $1 million and do not require a local funding match.

The three-block stretch between Railroad Park and the Rotary Trail is a key corridor for local cyclists.

“I would love to see an increased focus on educating people about bike lanes and how they should be utilized,” Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said. “I look forward to this being a successful application process so that we can begin to fill the gap that currently exists between these two popular trails.”