CONDO CONVERSIONS 7-0 The Council voted to...

CONDO CONVERSIONS 7-0

The Council voted to approve a second settlement deal with

residents who purchased illegally converted condominiums.

Monday’s settlement with the property owners and five title

companies covers 42 units on 11 properties sold as individual

condominiums despite being permitted as apartments. Typically, the

process to convert the apartments into condominiums is very arduous,

but the council made an exception for these home buyers, many of whom

were the victims of unscrupulous sellers.

WHAT IT MEANS

The property owners who participated in the settlement deal can

now clear up their titles and, if necessary, refinance their homes as

long as they adhere to the guidelines set forth in the settlement

agreement. That includes bringing the condominiums up to code and

paying a special fee to fund affordable housing projects in the city.

FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING 5-2

The Council made its annual allocation of the Community

Development Block Grant. A citizen’s committee made recommendations

on how the $1.6 million should be spent and the council decided to

follow most of their of suggestions, doling out money for 17 special

projects and nonprofit groups.

WHAT IT MEANS

The council followed most of the committee’s recommendations,

although it did opt to divert $25,000 from the salary of a staff

member dedicated to Project Self Sufficiency, a program to improve

the lives of single mothers through education, and instead invest the

money into the Community Care Health Centers. The City Council will

consider paying for the position with General Fund money during

upcoming budget talks. Debbie Cook voted against the proposal because

representatives from Project Self Sufficiency weren’t present at the

meeting. Mayor Jill Hardy also voted against the proposal.

BOLSA CHICA ANNEXATION 6-1

The City Council approved a plan to pay an outside consultant

group to analyze the impact of annexing the Bolsa Chica mesa,

currently a county territory encircled by Huntington Beach’s

jurisdiction.

WHAT IT MEANS

The report will look at the pros and cons of annexing the land,

slated for development of 349 homes. Keith Bohr spearheaded the

effort, arguing that it might be advantageous to collect property

taxes from a new community within the city’s spear of influence.

Opponents of development on the Bolsa Chica mesa argue that the

report is premature and unsuccessfully lobbied to get it postponed.