Beacon council invites input on Aug. 1
By Jeff Simms
The Beacon City Council will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 1, to gather input on changes to the city’s affordable housing laws.
A number of changes have been proposed but the Aug. 1 hearing will address a modification that would make residents earning 65 percent or less of the area’s median income eligible for below-market-rate housing. The current law states that housing costs shall not exceed 30 percent of the household’s income.
At 65 percent, a subsidized one-bedroom apartment would cost just over $1,000 per month, including utilities.
City officials plan to consider other components of the law in the months to come, such as a provision that every development with 20 or more units have at least 10 percent with rents below market rate. One proposal is to lower that requirement to 10 or more units, and/or to allow developers to pay a fee to the city instead of providing the units.
The council meets in the courtroom at City Hall, 1 Municipal Plaza.
It is essential to maintain a city of cultural and economic diversity. Too many people have already been forced out due to skyrocketing prices. We must maintain systems that protect residents… If we fail to do this, we become less interesting, unique, and vital. The tide will shift and Beacon will be bland and boring!