Jenna Bordelon
BURBANK -- Three low-income neighborhoods will be the target of a
three-year program to eliminate blight if a grant application for state
funds is approved.
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize submission of
a grant application in the amount of $189,401 to the Code Enforcement
Incentive Program.
The money would go toward increasing staffing and eliminating code
violations in areas where deteriorating housing poses a risk to
residents.
Eight building inspectors cover Burbank. With the new money, the
complement would increase by one.
Officials from the redevelopment office identified the three target
zones as the Lake Street and Verdugo Avenue area, the Grismer Avenue area
between Peyton Avenue and Elliot Drive and the Golden State neighborhood
bounded by San Fernando Boulevard, Empire Avenue, Ontario Street and
Lincoln Street.
"They stood out as areas that could be improved," Housing Development
Manager Duane Solomon said. "The whole effort from our perspective is to
provide [money] to build up the units."
If the grant is approved, the city would have to match the funds
through the redevelopment 20% Set-Aside account.
The city would have to undertake 25% of program funding for the first
year, 50% the second year and 75% the third year.
John Cheng, assistant community development director, said $199,113
has been allocated.
"We're here to really improve the housing stock and to eliminate the
blight area," Cheng said. "Hopefully, when the surrounding property
owners see the improvement in the targeted area, they will follow suit."
One of the biggest concerns for the city, Cheng said, is the presence
of lead paint in many rental units. Some of the money initially would be
used to mount a public awareness campaign about the dangers of lead
paint.
Building officials also will set up a database to keep track of
inspections, complaints and permits.
"In the end, we'll be able to query the database and get the
percentage of rehabilitated units," plan check engineer Tom Sloan said.
The data may then be used by other cities as a pilot program.
