I agree the HBO is half baked-too many unknowns, too discretionary, too one sided.
Even though I am a small landlord and this will not apply to me (yet?) this ordinance will upset the entire Evanston housing market of currently affordable "missing middle"housing because:
1. As you point out, higher costs will raise rents or condo assessmen…
I agree the HBO is half baked-too many unknowns, too discretionary, too one sided.
Even though I am a small landlord and this will not apply to me (yet?) this ordinance will upset the entire Evanston housing market of currently affordable "missing middle"housing because:
1. As you point out, higher costs will raise rents or condo assessment fees in the buildings to which it applies. New build housing may be able to afford this but older, currently affordable buildings won't be able to absorb the cost.
2. This could lead to a decrease in the value of the buildings because any new owner will have to absorb the very high costs of conversion.
3. This could also lead to an exodus from these buildings, with tenants/condo owners looking to smaller buildings. This competition could lead to higher rents and purchase prices in smaller buildings.
You don't pass an ordinance and then try to figure out what you really mean to do and what the ramifications are. That makes the ordinance arbitrary and discretionary, two things you never want in a law.
Yeah, I actually don't hate the idea of the HBO in general, there are some compelling things about it but at the bare minimum the ordinance needs to have the actual rules in it instead of determined by some future un-elected committee staffed by god knows who.
But Tom, this is how NY passed their ordinance. Evanston's is nothing new or extroidinary. After the initial approval it took them 2 years to establish the committee, determine the timilines and the fees. And then they have until 2050 to meet the full set of targets. The first target is going to be "do an energy study, implement some measures" It's not going to cost owners a ton of money.
hahaha another study? How many people online constantly B**** about the number of studies we do. If you don't have an oridinance, it's not enforceable. And organizations like NU will definitely not do anything. Look at all the money they are throwing behind Biss' campaign and the Ryan Field deal and now joining in with the city against MLCA's lawsuit regarding the zoning changes. They have a $15B endowment. If this thing isn't enforcemable, you know they and others, won't do squat. Also not doing the ordinance disqualifies the city from the $10M from the government. The city has already said if that money doesn't come through they'll cancel the whole thing.
Yeah, I wasn't saying "do the study", I was just saying if they want to do a study, they shouldn't pass an ordinance to do it. I would suggest they not do any more studies, until the read the last few ones they've had done.
I hear you, but then why not just make it tied to zoning? Make large commercial and university zones subject to the ordinance and exclude residential. I just don't see the upside here to having strong enforcement mechanism against 18 unit apartment buildings.
They talked about this last night, and Devon Reid was beating the drum on this but the current language of this ordinance gives Northwestern a lot of wiggle room to fight for exemptions, particularly the carve outs they have for non-profits. Even if they do pass this, the worst case scenario is Northwestern litigates themselves an exemption while we all pay!
I think if they tied it to zoning, it would make NU more likely to cry that they are being singled out. If it's an ordinance based on all the buildings above 50,000 sf they have less of an argument against targeting and discrimination. I think NU should not be given wiggle room, they should tighten that language right away. They are responsible for 30% of the property in Evanston, they should have to upgrade their facilities. And Evanston Hopistal and Trinity and the large churches will have to comply. They need to remove the NP loop holes otherwise it's worthless.
I agree the HBO is half baked-too many unknowns, too discretionary, too one sided.
Even though I am a small landlord and this will not apply to me (yet?) this ordinance will upset the entire Evanston housing market of currently affordable "missing middle"housing because:
1. As you point out, higher costs will raise rents or condo assessment fees in the buildings to which it applies. New build housing may be able to afford this but older, currently affordable buildings won't be able to absorb the cost.
2. This could lead to a decrease in the value of the buildings because any new owner will have to absorb the very high costs of conversion.
3. This could also lead to an exodus from these buildings, with tenants/condo owners looking to smaller buildings. This competition could lead to higher rents and purchase prices in smaller buildings.
You don't pass an ordinance and then try to figure out what you really mean to do and what the ramifications are. That makes the ordinance arbitrary and discretionary, two things you never want in a law.
Yeah, I actually don't hate the idea of the HBO in general, there are some compelling things about it but at the bare minimum the ordinance needs to have the actual rules in it instead of determined by some future un-elected committee staffed by god knows who.
But Tom, this is how NY passed their ordinance. Evanston's is nothing new or extroidinary. After the initial approval it took them 2 years to establish the committee, determine the timilines and the fees. And then they have until 2050 to meet the full set of targets. The first target is going to be "do an energy study, implement some measures" It's not going to cost owners a ton of money.
But you don't need an ordinance to do those things! Just have the city do a study
hahaha another study? How many people online constantly B**** about the number of studies we do. If you don't have an oridinance, it's not enforceable. And organizations like NU will definitely not do anything. Look at all the money they are throwing behind Biss' campaign and the Ryan Field deal and now joining in with the city against MLCA's lawsuit regarding the zoning changes. They have a $15B endowment. If this thing isn't enforcemable, you know they and others, won't do squat. Also not doing the ordinance disqualifies the city from the $10M from the government. The city has already said if that money doesn't come through they'll cancel the whole thing.
Yeah, I wasn't saying "do the study", I was just saying if they want to do a study, they shouldn't pass an ordinance to do it. I would suggest they not do any more studies, until the read the last few ones they've had done.
I hear you, but then why not just make it tied to zoning? Make large commercial and university zones subject to the ordinance and exclude residential. I just don't see the upside here to having strong enforcement mechanism against 18 unit apartment buildings.
They talked about this last night, and Devon Reid was beating the drum on this but the current language of this ordinance gives Northwestern a lot of wiggle room to fight for exemptions, particularly the carve outs they have for non-profits. Even if they do pass this, the worst case scenario is Northwestern litigates themselves an exemption while we all pay!
I think if they tied it to zoning, it would make NU more likely to cry that they are being singled out. If it's an ordinance based on all the buildings above 50,000 sf they have less of an argument against targeting and discrimination. I think NU should not be given wiggle room, they should tighten that language right away. They are responsible for 30% of the property in Evanston, they should have to upgrade their facilities. And Evanston Hopistal and Trinity and the large churches will have to comply. They need to remove the NP loop holes otherwise it's worthless.