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Landlords miffed by high water, sewer rate
Monthly fee targets empty rentals.
By JEFF M. HARDISON
jhardison@lakecityreporter.com
A $47 monthly fee for the availability of water and sewer service is too high, according to Karen Mizer, president of the Columbia County Landlords Association.
Mizer was speaking on behalf of the many people who own and rent property in Lake City and the surrounding utility service area. The City Council Chambers were half-full of such people Monday night as the owners showed up to address this grievance.
In March 2007, this ordinance passed to assess the fee, Mizer said.
“No landlords, Realtors or developers were aware of this ordinance until we started receiving bills,” Mizer said.
In September 2007, the association was told there would have to be another rate study to revise this practice.
In the spring of 2008, the association sought an update and she was told a new rate study is needed, she said.
“Now, one-and-a-half years after this ordinance passes, we have no answers,” Mizer said.
Affordable housing is a necessity for any community to survive, she said. This availability cost has to be passed on to renters or small property owners are going out of business.
“We are not unreasonable,” she said. “If this was a $10 fee, or maybe a $15 (monthly) fee, that would be reasonable. Forty-seven dollars a month for absolutely nothing is hard to swallow.”
Mizer has 81 vacant units and has to pay $3,800 for availability this month alone. There is no income from vacant units.
“If you want to keep people here in Lake City with a place to live — because we know the housing market is suffering — we need some relief from this issue,” Mizer said.
City Manager Scott Reynolds said he anticipates sending out requests for proposals for a new rate study within the week.
City Councilman George Ward said the availability fee is a requirement, because the city promises certain gallons of water and sewer service as being available.
That commitment has been promised and allocated, Ward said.
Tom Eagle, another residential landlord, said he has 130 units in the city and 25 of them are vacant. At almost $50 a month, that’s around $1,200 a month that he is paying.
In other property he has available, there are 10 houses in the $150,000 to $160,000 range for sale in the Cypress Landing subdivision, Eagle said.
The city is killing new development, he said: It costs him $10,000 before he turns the first shovelful of dirt because of impact fees and water and sewer tap fees.
“We try, and we try and we try to have affordable housing available here,” he said.
The city is making that difficult, he added. In the past three years, he has not raised his rent one nickel. And this, he said, is despite increased fire fees.
Mayor Stephen Witt thanked the people for sharing their thoughts with City Council.
Mizer was speaking on behalf of the many people who own and rent property in Lake City and the surrounding utility service area. The City Council Chambers were half-full of such people Monday night as the owners showed up to address this grievance.
In March 2007, this ordinance passed to assess the fee, Mizer said.
“No landlords, Realtors or developers were aware of this ordinance until we started receiving bills,” Mizer said.
In September 2007, the association was told there would have to be another rate study to revise this practice.
In the spring of 2008, the association sought an update and she was told a new rate study is needed, she said.
“Now, one-and-a-half years after this ordinance passes, we have no answers,” Mizer said.
Affordable housing is a necessity for any community to survive, she said. This availability cost has to be passed on to renters or small property owners are going out of business.
“We are not unreasonable,” she said. “If this was a $10 fee, or maybe a $15 (monthly) fee, that would be reasonable. Forty-seven dollars a month for absolutely nothing is hard to swallow.”
Mizer has 81 vacant units and has to pay $3,800 for availability this month alone. There is no income from vacant units.
“If you want to keep people here in Lake City with a place to live — because we know the housing market is suffering — we need some relief from this issue,” Mizer said.
City Manager Scott Reynolds said he anticipates sending out requests for proposals for a new rate study within the week.
City Councilman George Ward said the availability fee is a requirement, because the city promises certain gallons of water and sewer service as being available.
That commitment has been promised and allocated, Ward said.
Tom Eagle, another residential landlord, said he has 130 units in the city and 25 of them are vacant. At almost $50 a month, that’s around $1,200 a month that he is paying.
In other property he has available, there are 10 houses in the $150,000 to $160,000 range for sale in the Cypress Landing subdivision, Eagle said.
The city is killing new development, he said: It costs him $10,000 before he turns the first shovelful of dirt because of impact fees and water and sewer tap fees.
“We try, and we try and we try to have affordable housing available here,” he said.
The city is making that difficult, he added. In the past three years, he has not raised his rent one nickel. And this, he said, is despite increased fire fees.
Mayor Stephen Witt thanked the people for sharing their thoughts with City Council.
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Get Over It wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:34 AM: