SIDNEY — The REVIVE “Renovate, Invest, Energize” program, a new program designed to incentivize the purchase and renovation of existing single family homes was established by Sidney City Council Monday evening.
An ordinance was adopted by council to implement the REVIVE program and its guidelines. The program is not only designed to also incentivize the purchase and renovation existing single family homes, but also of homes originally constructed as single-family housing but had been converted to multiple-family housing. The homes are to be restored to single-family home status or existing duplexes originally constructed as duplexes provided the property owner lives in one of the units.
To provide such incentive, City Manager Mark Cundiff said, the city of Sidney, at its sole election and discretion, may agree to do some or all of the following:
• Forgive outstanding utility bills incurred by previous owner(s), vacant property registration fines, and junk and weed abatement costs/assessments.
• Forgive other liens placed on the property by the city or forgive other financial obligations owed to the city associated with the property.
• Depending on the location, Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) property tax abatement.
Program requirements/logistics:
• For houses that will be renovated and subsequently used as single-family housing units, regardless of the number of units into which the structure may have previously been divided, and structures originally constructed as duplexes being able to be renovated as a duplex provided the property owner lives in one of the units.
• Property owner shall enter into a binding agreement with the city agreeing to bring the house into compliance with all Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) requirements within a prescribed number of days.
• Register the property as a vacant property within 30 days of taking ownership or request an exemption from registering based on one of the approved exemptions.
• Pay for all utility costs from the time the owner assumes ownership of the property until the property is sold.
• Use the property only as a single family dwelling unit and, if sold, to place a restriction on any subsequent instrument of conveyance, indicating that the subject property may only be used as a single family dwelling unit, and structures originally constructed as duplexes being able to be renovated as a duplex provided the property owner lives in one of the units.
• Property owner must obtain all necessary building permits, pass all inspections and be issued a certificate of occupancy.
• No financial obligation related to the subject property shall be forgiven or waived by the city unless and until all obligations required to be performed or met by the owner of the property have been completed to satisfaction of the city of Sidney.
• All residential areas of the city eligible for the program.
In other business, City Council was introduced to and adopted an ordinance as an emergency to amend and adjust the pay schedule for a temporary position of the assistant law director. The pay scale will be $104,940.49 to $139,092.82. The position will be effective Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, 2021.
Human Resource Manager Kelly Holthaus told council members the action to pass the ordinance as an emergency is necessary for the orderly and timely transition of services related to the office of the city’s law director, who will be retiring by the end of the year, and so the ordinance will be become effective immediately.
