City of Beloit Moves Forward on Affordable Housing Proposal, Despite Neighborhood Opposition

The Rock River Townhomes project would tap federal and state low-income housing tax credits through the Wisconsin Housing and Development Authority. Approximately 60% of the apartments would be affordable, with the rest at or just below market rate.

Brandon Methu, the real estate developer from Northernstar Companies, told The Daily News in November he thinks that the apartments would be a great asset to Beloit.

“Its quality housing for young families, firefighters, teachers, police officers, and professionals looking to start their lives in Beloit,” he said. “There is an emphasis on providing affordable housing for people with first class amenities.”

Methu said the developer has made changes to the design to create a better shared vision with the surrounding community.

Neighbors and community members have come to every meeting since July to make statements for and against the development.

Neighbors opposed to the development brought legal representation to a Dec. 18 public hearing before the city council, as the council considered rezoning the site from single-family to multi-family residential.

Some of those opposed questioned what they said was a lack of documentation on a land survey of the parcel.

Erik Olsen, an attorney from Madison who spoke on behalf of some neighbors, said they were unable to find any documents on a land survey done on the parcel and going back over 20 years during which time neighbors have been using the lot as a park.

He said some homeowners who live adjacent to the site have signed a protest petition. He said that speaks volumes, saying everyone nearby is “dead opposed to this development.”

He said that there is a pending case in Rock County Circuit Court about boundaries of the parcel.

Olsen said land use maps and comprehensive plans are “promises made by the city” on future direction for development.

In the city’s previous comprehensive plan, the site under consideration was zoned for single family residential. 

The council recently referred the draft plan back to its plan commission, which recommended approval of it.

“With thoughtful planning, increased density of mixed residential can become a positive component to the city creating a cost savings and the ability to provide more efficient and cost-effective public infrastructure and public services,” the draft plans reads.

The document said that there is a severe need for more diversity in type and affordability of housing said the and the current use of the Sixth Street site is “insufficient use of valuable land.”

The plan commission recommended nine conditions that it said would be in the publics best interest for the council to approve. They would be added to the site plan before the apartments were constructed, and would authorize up to 88 residential units and a club house and management/leasing office, community room, business center, package/mail room and ancillary uses.

Any changes to the uses listed would require council approval.

Other requirements would include:

• A minimum of 135 off-street parking spaces to serve the townhomes and club house.

• A traffic study to assess the potential effects of the proposed development on the existing transportation system and incorporate the findings into the proposed project.

• 15 percent of the land would have be set aside as green space.

• The maximum building height of two stories and 60,000 square feet maximum building coverage on the 6-acre lot.

• Sign ordinance requirements except construction signage.

• Approval of a development agreement with the city of Beloit.

• Construction of a sidewalk on the site connecting to existing public sidewalks.

Several neighbors at the Dec. 18 hearing cited concerns about the proposal, including traffic, safety, privacy and loss of green space

Lori Marshall, a neighbor who has been at every recent city council meeting, said that she feels like the neighborhood is being targeted due to the value of the homes surrounding it.

“Look at us all I don’t think we exude wealth or fear low-income people as some have suggested, we are those people,” she said. “We feel we are being targeted because of the income and tax credits available.”

“It’s not fair to us in the neighborhood who have been there forever for you to just say ‘Oh well here you go you got a take it,’” she said. “I’m sorry I’m just very disappointed.”

Jessica LaRosa said in a response to a public record request she submitted, was an email chain from a city staff member asking for support for the project from other staff members and other community members.

“The email in question seems to encourage individuals to come out in support of this project,” she said. “I believe all relevant citizens, city of Beloit employees and city council members should be aware of these efforts to ensure that the decision making process remains open and unbiased.”

“A lot of what I’m hearing is excuses because their minds have been made up,” she said, of the council. “When it comes down to it someone is going to be held accountable when what we’ve spoken to turns out to be right, just something to think about.”

Mathu, the developer, said he has tried to work with residents and he has scaled the project back from the originally proposal.

“I was thrilled to see some of the neighbors come out and speak at the meeting because their feedback was pointed but something that a developer can actually act upon,” he said. “Unfortunately, there have been a select few individuals many of whom reside in the same homes that have been unmoved in regard to changes that we could possibly make on this development. I have asked some of these individuals ‘if 88-units isn’t what you are looking for and their response is zero’ … many of these folks want to see a vacant lot continue to be a vacant lot.”

He said he is not in affordable housing to make a profit. He said it is one of the most challenging aspects of real estate.

Rev. Gregg Schnieder said building affordable housing helps to stabilize the cost of rent in a community and helps increase the housing base city-wide.

“I caution you to not segregate affordable and attainable housing to the undeveloped areas on the fringes of the city as many of the ‘not in my backyard’ people want,” he said. “This would amount to a continuation of the practice of redlining, just using income as the basis of determining where you are able to live.”

City council member Kevin Day in recommending approval of the project, suggested two additional conditions: a landscape buffer on the west and south property lines and a playground on the green space. Those were both approved Tuesday night. 

Day said that he was at the plan commission meeting when the commission denied the PUD and he understood the concerns but said he feels like the concerns can be remedied with the changes and conditions.

Day also said that the property is on the state’s census tracts for housing tax credit. He said there are a limited number of properties in the census tracts that are big enough for affordable mulit-family housing.

“The property lends itself to this type of development,” he said.

Day also said the comprehensive plan needed to be updated and said that is in the best interest of Beloit.

City Council Vice President Nancy Forbeck said a lot of elderly people are excited about the prospects of more affordable housing in Beloit.

View Article Here.