HUMBOLDT — City Administrator Larry Tucker reviewed two programs Monday evening that promise to improve Humboldt’s housing stock.
One, through a $170,000 Community Development Block Grant, will result in upgrade of nine rental properties. The other will use a $100,000 grant from the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation to make houses affordable.
Rental upgrades will be done to nine properties with five owners. Tucker said he expected remodeling — improvements to such things as heating, air conditioning, windows and general repairs — to take about two years. Owners have pledged to put money into the properties, along with grant proceeds.
The KHRC grant will make funds available to make up the difference in sale of a property between its appraisal and sale price. An example, he said, was if a property were appraised at $80,000 but the owner needed to $90,000 to meet costs involved, grant money would fill the void.
Repayment of grant money would be forgiven if the purchaser stayed in the house and met monthly payments for at least five years. Early withdrawal would result in repayment of a percentage of the grant, i.e. 20 percent, or one-fifth, after four years.
Purchasers will be limited to those earning up to 150 percent of local median income, adjusted for family size. Tucker said that meant income could be in the neighborhood of $50,000.
“This program will provide an opportunity for people who live elsewhere and work in Humboldt and want to move here,” Tucker predicted.
Monday night was Tucker’s last meeting as city administrator. He resigned on April 29, effective May 24, to become city administrator in Butler, Mo.
COUNCIL MEMBERS agreed to provide funding for the Humboldt Historic Preservation Alliance of up to 1 mill of property taxes in their 2015 budget. One mill would generate a little over $7,000.
Jan Coykendall, an advocate of HHPA, said the group had raised about $15,000 through events and donations to refit the old Humboldt Union building as a museum. Antiques and artifacts collected by the late Harvey Orcutt will be displayed there.
The group also is planning for a visit by the Smithsonian Hometown Teams Traveling Exhibit, which will bring an extensive display of local sports heroes to Humboldt City Hall Oct. 3 to Nov. 15, 2015. George Sweatt, a Negro League star, and Walter Johnson, an all-star pitcher for Washington in the American League, will be featured. Sweatt was born in Humboldt, Johnson about three miles northwest of town.
HHPA plans to erect a monument recognizing Sweatt near his boyhood home on Pine Street.
In encouraging approval of the levy, Mayor Nobby Davis said, “How can we not participate in preserving the history of our community.”
IN OTHER BUSINESS:
— Council members approved an ordinance to permit sale of alcohol at grocery, convenience and liquor stores on Sundays. City Attorney Fred Works will write the ordinance and have it available for signatures at the council’s June 9 meeting. Detractors may circulate a petition to force a referendum on the issue. A successful petition will require the signatures of registered voters equal to 5 percent who voted in the 2012 presidential election, or about 35.
— Tucker reported the city had received a $5,000 grant for a survey of historic places in the downtown area, which will take about a year to do.
