By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
A lengthy discussion at the August 4 Decatur City Council meeting concluded with several questions for which answers are being sought and several decisions which need to be made.
There was one unchanged certainty: Decatur needs more housing.
Ryan Chasey and Ryan Twiss of Club 720 outlined at length a program they operate which is being considered by the city to provide more housing. Club 720, The Housing Resource Hub (formal name), has worked with the city in the past, according to Chasey.
He said he and Twiss have held talks with Mayor Dan Rickord and other city officials on several occasions.
The talks have centered on three vacant lots off First St. owned by the city. They are situated between Emergency Mobile Technologies (former Macklin garage) and the intersection with Jefferson St.
Club 720 is asking for a letter of intent which shows the city is interested in developing housing on the three lots. Then it would seek a grant from an Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC) program which has over $7 million for communities to use.
“We work not as a developer but as a funder,” Chasey said.
The city would be able to choose the builder if the program moves forward. “This is us presenting an opportunity. This would be your project, you would be in control,” Chasey explained.
“These guys reach out to communities who want to do this,” Mayor Dan Rickord said. “The whole idea is to create housing. They are builders, they try to help communities.”
It was noted that other vacant areas in the city – of which there are few – could be used for the program rather than the First St. lots.
Another question for city officials deals with whether there is a desire to use the three lots for something other than housing.
“In the last 15 or so years there have been a lot of ideas on how to use that land. I’m not certain that I am ready to jump on this,” Councilwoman Jenny Bowers-Shultz said. “I’m not sure this would be the best use for this property.”
“We must decide if we want housing there,” Councilman Matt Dyer said. “I’m not ready to make that decision.”
Councilman Tyler Fullenkamp said he “is in favor of exploring more areas in town” to use for the Club 720 program and that he would “like more time.”
So no final decisions were made and the matter is sure to return to a future council meeting.
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