VPWG Minutes
December 11, 2015

Attendees:LGuralnik, DKMorris, LBelayneh, IBrown, N, ENusser, DHendricks, DKolke, AMMalbon, OBB, PBrewton, RBey, ABrose, JWingenfeld, LWalls,

Welcome and Introductions:
The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:40am. Introductions were conducted.: EN/LG passed without revision

Land Recycling Snapshot:

The group reviewed the Property Reserve and Treasurer’s Sales, noted due out dates and upcoming deadlines, including that applications for the April 2016 Treasurer’s Sale were due by close of business today.ACTION – staff will make sure tax delinquency file is on the VPWG webpage.

The group was reminded of the process changes starting with the April 2016 Sale.

-City will pre-filter the tax delinquency list, which will become the universe of ‘eligible’ parcels for groups to select from

-If properties are for different projects, groups need to submit different applications

-If there are properties that groups think should be eligible, but are not on the list, and groups would like to acquire, please let us know

The City will be sending warning / default letters out for properties that have missed the hand money deposit deadline for the October 2015 Treasurer’s Sale. Staff provided an additional electronic notice to those groups affected.

For properties that are past due out with clear title, groups must close within a reasonable time frame or file for an extension.

Question: What about extension requests and updating the dates in the report? The City has said that they are currently unable to do this on the Property Reserve Report, however the date should be adjusted in the Property Reserve Status Update generated by the Three Taxing Body Administrator.

Chair Brose noted thatlongtime staff Ed Jacob has resigned his position with the city. This is causing a backlog on accessing publicly owned properties. Groups are to contact Connie Walsh until the position has been filled.

ACTION:staff will confirm with the City that 352 Enright Court sold at October sale, as it is not showing up onlists

Proposal to Purchases (P2P) – groups were informed to be on the lookout and turn them in promptly so that the parcels move forward in the process.

The groups discussed at length the criteria that a parcel must be $300 tax delinquent in order to ualify for the property reserve process. The general concern is that the tax bill on vacant land is so low that it could take a decade or more to meet that threshold.

ACTION – staff will aggregate a list of properties that groups wanted to take but/and were not included on the filtered eligible list from the City.

ACTION – staff will request a meeting with the Chief of Staff and Director of Finance to discuss this and other issues, including the 4th economy contract for the overhaul of the city’s land recycling and property management process.

ACTION – groups are submitting 2ndary applications with properties that *should* have been on the list

GLS Lien portfolio –

Chair Brose reviewed the outcome of the second recent meeting with County Executive and his team. Staff will be working with Allegheny County Economic Development to identify a set of information to gather from the groups to move forward with an analysis for a second buyback. Groups will provide staff with the necessary information in order to be included in the negotiations.

ACTION – staff will add the full GLS-retained list to the VPWG webpage

ACTION – staff will send lists with instructions to groups to complete by Jan31

Land Bank:

The December Land Bank Board meeting is cancelled. The group re-visited the agreed upon shared priorities:

  • Community Plans
  • Affordable Housing
  • How and when developers and residents can interact in the process
  • Clear disposition policies
  • Accountability/transparency
  • Relationship to URA/City departments/community groups
  • Specific neighborhood examples and priorities
  • Community outreach and representation

Members signed up to take turns and volunteered to attend and provide public testimony on the share priorities for the first several meetings in 2016:

1/8

Demi

Laura

Aggie

Duncan

NSLC

2/12

Zeba

Peter

Ed

Joe

Updates:

VLTK / Adopt-A-Lot:ESing provided an update on the completed Vacant Lot Toolkit and the Adopt-A-Lot legislation and amendment as passed City Council earlier in the month, including the public launch of the toolkit on December 8th.

Permits, Licenses, and Inspections: PLI staff, Julie Reiland, will be on-hand at the January 2016 meeting to begin a series of regular trainings for VPWG members around code enforcement.

Adjournment: There was no new business and the meeting adjourned at 9:45am.