The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1970 Hot Words Precede Rent Supplement OKH ot Words Prec cede � �6) Z) t OK 1 1 r By ED HORN Eagle Managing Editor A Federal dragon in the form of a rent supplement program came to College Station last night, causing apartment owners to breathe fire and smoke at the city council, but to no avail. The council voted 5 -1, w!th Bill Cooley the one, to approve a resolution authorizing operation of the rent sup- plement program in 40 of the 200 units of the proposed luxury Southgate Village Apartments at Luther Street and FM 2154. Councilman Joe McGraw moved twice to approve the resolution, the first time afi�r hearing numerous and vociferous objections to the plan by apartment owners. The first motion died for lack of a second. When it did, Mayor D. A. (Andy) Anderson said several es the council , needed to make son disposition of the request. The councilmen then went into a "caucus," to use An- derson's term, talking among themselves at the council table in low tones for 15 to 20 minutes as spectators recovered from the heated rhetoric. McGraw made his motion again, and Councilman Tian Davis seconded. Davis, Cecil Ryan and C. J. Ransdell joined McGraw and Mayor Anderson in favoring the resolution. Councilman James Dozier was absent. At issue was a Federal Housing Administration requirement that 20 per cent, of the apartments in the proposed $2.8 million complex be set aside for use under the rent supplement prograln. "I have been under intensil pressure today from I think everybody that owns an apartment In the College Station area, anybody that has any money in apartments," An- derson said in beginning discussion of the requested resolution. "The banks, indirectly, have been after me, and a lot of pressure has been exerted all afternoon and all evening." Anderson said Southgate Village is to contain 32 om- bedroom units, 98 with two bedrooms, 50 with three bedrooms and 1% baths and 20 with four bedrooms and two baths. He said rent would range from $151.50 to $224.44. The mayor said the subsidized unit rent would range from $93 to $138. He read aloud from several letters and telegrams he had received expressing opposition to the rent supplement proposal. Among the correspondents were apartment owners Rollin Piperi and A. W. Wortham. They and apartment ow.�ers•' present at the council session objected primarily to the fact that students would be eligible for the Federal program, and said there are plenty of vacant apartments available. Wortham sent message to the council noted if they voted to allow the program they would be contributing to spiraling inflation and creeping socialism. After reading some messages, Anderson noted the rent sup- plement program will be part of. a Workable Program which College Station has been trying to obtain to ease its housing situation. "Elected by the people, I feel obligated to serve those that are rich or poor, black or white,'' Anderson said, "and personally, I can't see any harm in this particular rent supplement program." Realtor W. M. Sparks reported the Southgate Village See RENT, Page 2 Rent Stipplement Resolution OK'd (Continued from Page 1) all bills paid, "but we're not project is sponsored by the full yet." Catholic Diocese of Austin, but Also present to object were is privately owned. He said the apartment owners Billy Zidell owners have obtained a 40 -year and A. P. Boyett Jr. Boyett per cent interest and the FHA claimed there are about 300 tacked on the rent supplement vacancies in Bryan- College requirement. Station apartments. "Some of the letters here McGraw pointed out that make it sound like this is a gimmick," said Sparks. construction of Southgate 'Nobody's giving them Village would provide the city anything; they're lust getting aja place to put persons who good loan." I might be displaced because of He pointed out the apartment - the minimum housing Stan complex would pay $40,000 an- �dards. nually in property taxes, and The councilman said he felt said single students would not a lot of the complaints had been be eligible for rent supplements. hypocritical, noting the city had Sparks reported such apart- received an "enormous sub - ments are in operation in Austin sidy" to finance sewer con - and Ande rson noted a rent struction from the Federal supplement project, involving an entire apartment complex, government. had met no opposition in Bryan. "We can accept subsidies for Sparks said his office had put highways, we can accept sub - the deal together in response sidles for sewer and water to a plea from the late Texas development, all of which A &M president Earl Rudder for contribute and stimulate the the community to provide private development market," housing. He said Rudder met McGraw said. with local Realtors about 21/21 He said the university is years ago, laid out a five -year subsidized to the hilt, pointing plan for A &M growth and ap -, out it sits on land granted by pealed to the men to provide `the government. housing. "It seems a little hypocritical John Carrigan of Houston, an I that the first time this com- owner of Travis House Apart -I munity has an opportunity to ments on S.H 30, reported he `stand for better housing for the and his partner had also built poor visa vis a subsidy we can1 in response to Rudder's in seem to bring our way clear vitation. to do that," said McGraw. << M y opposition stems Cooley pointed out primarily from one thing," said businessmen are not in corn Carrigan. "Students per se, petition with the university. single, married or otherwise McGraw replied that the would be getting a rent subsidy university has all kinds of or supplement in direct com- contracts for projects which petition with private owners." could be handled by the private Carrigan claimed Travis sector. He mentioned the House had lost money and computer center, with which never been full. He said he did Wortham is associated, as one not feel Congress intended for example, saying it does contract students, whose families might work for local banks. have plenty of money, to benefit "There's a whole bunch pi from the rent supplement i tbat pro opposed to, too," program. Cooley said. He suggested that some might deliberately "not earn enoughf money and be married and still I CALL CLASSIH'1H:D, $22 3707 move into these things." Carrigan reported he owned an apartment complex near the rent supplement complex in Austin., and said his apartments; LET are not full, but the others were it FREEDOMS filled the day they RING Carrigan insisted he is not opposed to helping the needy. CALL He pointed out his apartments I 846 -3711 rent for $60 per student with