By Sue Bergstrom for Valdez City News –
Tenants and interested parties gathered in the Valdez City Council Chambers on Wednesday, December 9th for a presentation by city officials followed by comments and questions from the floor.
Director of Community and Economic Development Lisa Von Bargen discussed the results of the resident survey. She stated that income levels as well as the number of senior citizens, people with disabilities and those of Alaska Native or Native American heritage would qualify City of Valdez for a federal grant that could provide assistance for any of several different future plans. She said that survey results had not been available in time to meet the deadline for this grant cycle, but the census would not have to be re-done to qualify next year. She said the survey had also given her a better idea of the average size of the residences, how many were movable and who would need assistance to move.
City Manager Bob Jean discussed the finances of moving forward with the several alternatives that had been discussed in previous meetings. He said that, due to the number of tenants who were in arrears on their lot rent, it was unlikely that new management for the mobile home court could be found or that a homeowner’s association would be a viable plan. A chart showing revenues and estimated expenses for the mobile home court indicated that with present occupancy, Aleutian Village would just break even if everyone was paying their rent and lose money if everyone wasn’t. Expenses were estimated using average costs for items such as snow removal and insurance as Aleut Realty’s financial records are not public information. Jean made it clear that Aleut Corporation would not be likely to allow an extension beyond their planned eviction date if it was costing them thousands of dollars a month to keep the mobile home court open and that this limited everyone’s options that his hands were tied if Aleutian Village continued operating at a loss.
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Jean reminded that he has been cautioning tenants since the initial meeting to pay their rent. Comments from the floor indicated that people felt that they were justified in withholding their lot rent for various reasons, including that they were already evicted and that Aleut Corporation had not met its obligations to them. Jean replied that the City of Valdez could not help anyone who was evicted for non-payment of rent before the announced closure date. He made it clear that Aleut Corporation is within their rights both to evict individual tenants for non-payment and to close the mobile home court. He said, that perhaps they could be convinced to push back the closure date to allow more time to seek alternatives for the residents provided it wasn’t costing them money.
Bob Jean’s employment as interim City Manager was to have ended December 31st, but Jean has stated that he will stay until mid-January, when the new City Manager arrives in order to make sure he has all the information needed to move forward.
