Andrea Farrior and Chris Parks discuss the latest news from the Atlantic Animal Shelter.
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Andrea Farrior and Chris Parks discuss the latest news from the Atlantic Animal Shelter.
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Jim Field speaks with Steph and Ashley Freund of the Washington GEM 4-H Club about a fundraiser to obtain a cellphone booster for the Cass County Community Building area.
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The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, authorized City Administrator Doug Harris to sign a letter of commitment with the non-profit RD Atlantic LLLP group, which will help the group get a higher tax credit rating for an elderly affordable housing project. RD Atlantic representative Cindy Voorhees with National Consulting Alliance in Des Moines, says the group is seeking a Low Income federal Housing Tax credits award administered by the Iowa Finance Authority, for the acquisition and rehabilitation of the 24-unit Regency Villa Apartments on Redwood Drive.
She says a local government contribution will help to make the project competitive and successful. Right now however, they don’t need money from the City, just a commitment that would enable the developer to get the necessary tax credits and begin work on the project.
The developer plans on investing $2.1-million to improve the property, which includes rehabilitation of the living units, new roofing and siding, appliances and carpeting. Voorhees says the organization will need some financial help from the City, but it’s really only necessary to increase the chances they will get more points in the tax credit rating. She says in order for the organization to get more money from the feds, the City needs to agree to provide a $20,000 interest free loan for 15-years with a “Bullet Maturity” (that is, no principal paid until the end of the 15-year term). The $20,000 will be put in a cash or cash equivalent account to fully secure the loan.
Originally, the developer had asked the City for a $100,000 interest free loan with a 20-year Bullet Maturity. Voorhees said the project would make a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) of $750 per year for the first 15-years.
Regency Villa is owned by a non-profit organization and is in the Rural Development Program, a benefit of which is that the tenants will never pay more than one-third of their income, for rent.
While parts of Iowa have already seen snowfall twice in recent weeks, today (Thursday) is Winter Weather Awareness Day. Meteorologist Jeff Johnson, at the National Weather Service, says a host of important information is being posted on the agency’s website to help Iowans prepare for what could be wicked weather ahead. “We’ll talk about what makes up a winter storm,” Johnson says. “Some of the things you’ll see from the National Weather Service in the way of products, and what I mean by that is, our winter storm watches, warnings and advisories, and things folks can do to make themselves more safe this winter season.”
The first day of winter is December 21st, but winter weather may arrive much sooner. While there’s much speculation, Johnson says it’s really too early to say what kind of winter Iowa will experience. “Looking at the long-range predictions, there are a lot of uncertainties as to the weather pattern for the upper Midwest, so at this point, about all we can do is prepare for the worst,” Johnson says. “Expect some snow events and extreme cold.”
States just west of Iowa were whalloped by a paralyzing blizzard in early October. B-J Fictum, an emergency management consultant, says the most important thing Iowans can do is prepare for up to 72 hours without any outside help. “Look out in western Nebraska, look at South Dakota earlier this year, you couldn’t get anywhere for at least 48 hours or more,” Fictum says. “They need to have enough stuff, enough food, enough medicine, enough supplies so they can do it. That’s what we’re trying to push. Make sure to be prepared and be self sufficient.”
Other supplies to keep stocked include: a flashlight with batteries, a portable radio or weather radio, and an emergency heat source. Also, have a survival kit in your vehicle, with items like: blankets or sleeping bags, extra clothing, a first aid kit, flashlights, mobile phone and charger, a shovel and scraper and non-perishable food items. Learn more at www.weather.gov.
(Radio Iowa)
A housing study completed by SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council) for the City of Atlantic revealed no new surprises for those searching for affordable housing.
SWIPCO Housing Director Jeremy Middents said a drive-by survey found more than half (54%) of the existing housing units in Atlantic are rated in “Fair” to “Poor” condition. Middents told the City Council Wednesday, more than half of the homes are in need of some sort of repair or major rehabilitation. Another two-percent are beyond hope for rehabilitation or repair, and need to be demolished.
The City has, in the past, purchased abandoned and dilapidated homes with the intent to clear the lots for future, new buildings, and it has participated in programs to improve the existing housing, through grant applications (such as CDBG’s) for owner-occupied homes intended to aid in their rehabilitation. Middents said also, that CADCO – The Cass/Atlantic economic Development Corporation – has helped by participating in the “Paint the town red” program which helps elderly and disables homeowners with the painting of their homes.
He says SWIPCO has applied for the Federal Home Loan Bank Repair Program funds on behalf of the City. Officials should learn next week whether the funds are approved. Middents says many of the homes are in poor condition, and unless the home or property owners get some type of assistance, those homes will continue to deteriorate and become dilapidated. One of the options for the spaces made vacant by demolished homes, according to Middents, is to construct affordable housing units, which the latest Census shows there is a current lack of.
Middents says the Census doesn’t take into account various subsidies that are available. He said a survey of rental complexes are at or near capacity in Atlantic, and several had waiting lists of persons wanting to rent. There’s also concern about the condition of rental units, especially those designed for single families. He said the City could create a Rental Maintenance Code, and back that up by incentives or disincentives for the land or property owners in order to spur them into bringing their properties up to Code and perhaps prompt them to apply for assistance in making additional housing available.
The study shows also, that the City needs new upper- moderate – and affordable homes and rental unit housing, but it needs to create incentives for developers to come up with more “Mixed-use” housing complexes or units. SWIPCO is working with the City to create a plan to address the problem of housing in Atlantic.
The Freese-Notis (podcast) weather forecast for the KJAN listening area, and weather information for Atlantic, from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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CLASS 1-A
CLASS 2-A
344 AM CST THU NOV 7 2013
EARLY THIS MORNING…MOSTLY CLEAR. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.
TODAY...SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 40S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.
TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S. TEMPERATURE STEADY OR SLOWLY RISING AFTER MIDNIGHT. WEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
FRIDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 50S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 25 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 30S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.
SATURDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 50S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S.