The developers of the proposed low-income Churchill Apartments downtown can now proceed with their attempt at obtaining state tax credits for their project.
But the project wasn’t approved without controversy at Monday night’s Burlington City Council Meeting. Mayor Pro-Temp Becky Anderson held fast to her belief that the Churchill Apartments, which would add 75 low-income housing units to the downtown area, could be detrimental to the downtown community. She says that adding those units within just a few blocks of the low-income Maple Hills Apartments goes against the city’s strategic plan.
“We had a strategy in there saying that ‘the city will promote the geographic dispersal of affordable housing throughout the community’,” said Anderson, “And if we are putting all of our low income within a half a mile, we’re not doing that.”
Anderson voted ‘no’ on the measure, and apologized for a comment she made during a previous work session that some took as disrespectful.
“I was worked up last monday, and I said the worst possible words I could say, I said ‘those people’,” said Anderson, “I wasn’t think of all low-income people. I’ve been low-income in my life. When I came to Burlington, my life turned around, and I’m thankful to Burlington because of that.”
Mayor Shane McCampbell also voted ‘no’, citing worries that adding 75 new units without a significant increase in downtown parking could end up putting a strain on downtown.
Mike Darnell, the owner of the McConnell Lofts right across the street from the proposed site on 3rd Street and Valley, says that the Churchill proposal could be presumptuous, arguing that demand for such apartments may not exist.
Councilman Bob Fleming said he supports the project, but he only came to that conclusion after a lot of soul-searching.
“I see some of these old buildings sitting downtown, empty, and here’s an opportunity for what I consider to be a legitimate company to come and and build something that would benefit many people in our community,” said Fleming.
Fleming was joined by Councilmen Jim Davidson, and Tim Scott in voting ‘yes’ on drafting a letter of support for Des Moines-based Blackbird Investments, the group heading up the project, allowing it to pass.
It’s still not a done deal. The project hinges on whether or not Blackbird can obtain Low-Income Housing tax credits from the State of Iowa–something they couldn’t do without a letter of support from the council. No financial assistance will be given to the project by the council.
