[Peace] REMINDER: TODAY 6PM: Gateway evictions

[Randall Cotton]

Remember, tonight is the regular monthly meeting of the Champaign
Neighborhood Services Advisory Board.

This a group of citizens that advises the Neighborhood Services department
of the City. The Neighborhood Services department was involved in trying
to mitigate the fallout from the Gateway Studios disaster. Top staff
members of Neighborhood Services are typically also present at the
meeting. Our impression is that some folks on the NSAB and also some folks
in the Neighborhood Services department may be sympathetic to the
proposals we'll be putting forth below.

This a call for folks to attend this meeting to show the depth of
community interest in making sure that what happened at Gateway Studios
NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. We need a decent contingent of folks to impress the
importance of this issue on the Board and the staff.

The agenda is attached. Gateway Studios is on the agenda and I plan to put
forth two proposals at that time (see below). There is a public
participation section as well where folks could speak their mind. The
meeting actually starts at 5:30PM, but the Gateway issue won't come up
until a little later. If you can come for the whole meeting, that's great,
but it's OK to arrive at 6PM - that should still be early enough to catch
all discussion regarding the Gateway issue and the proposals I'll be
putting forth to address that disaster. The idea is for these proposals to
turn into staff recommendations to City Council, which generally goes
along with what staff recommends. The proposals are at the end
of this message.

Please also check that the following events are also on your calendar:

People's Potluck
This regular potluck series is focused on issues of housing, employment,
food, and poverty. The housing group is very active and will no doubt be
discussing and organizing around what happened at Gateway.
Sunday, June 7th from 5:30-8:30pm
Independent Media Center (202 S Broadway, Urbana)

Urbana City Council Committee of the Whole meeting:
Monday, June 8, 7PM, Urbana City Council Chambers
First formal addressing of issues surrounding Gateway Studios by Urbana
City Council

Meeting with Rep. Naomi Jakobsson
Thursday, June 25th at noon
to discuss State Legislation and learn from Naomi's efforts in 2008
(limited space, please contact Danielle if you are interesting in
attending: chyn at ojctech.com)

Proposals for tonight's NSAB meeting:

1. Relocation Assistance Proposal (based on IL HB 5170 considered last
year and to be reintroduced this year.)

If the City notifies a landlord that a rental property dwelling unit will
be condemned or will be unlawful to occupy due to conditions that violate
applicable codes, statutes or ordinances, the landlord shall pay
relocation assistance to every displaced tenant household, unless the
condemnation action or no occupancy order results from a natural disaster
or eminent domain. However, no tenant whose own illegal conduct caused the
need to relocate shall be entitled to relocation assistance and no tenant
whose right to possession has been terminated by court order shall be
entitled to relocation assistance.

Relocation assistance payment shall include:

A. Refund of any prepaid rent
B. Refund of any security deposit
C. Any interest on security deposits
AND
D. Either:
  1. 3 month's rent
  OR, at the tenant's option,
  2. Any additional actual damages (beyond A, B and C) resulting from
breach of lease, as established by law or court judgment

The landlord shall pay relocation assistance to the tenant by certified
check no fewer than 3 days prior to the date the tenant is required to
vacate the premises.  If the landlord fails to timely complete these
payments, the City will immediately advance all remaining payment to each
displaced tenant household. The City shall assess a civil penalty of $50
per day against the landlord for each displaced tenant household to whom
the City advanced payments until the date the landlord fully reimburses
the City. In addition, interest shall accrue on the amount of relocation
assistance paid by the City for which the landlord has not provided
reimbursement.

The City may sue to recover the assistance paid, interest on the
assistance, penalties, attorney's fees and other costs of suit.  Any
tenant who brings an action against a landlord to recover unpaid
obligations provided herein shall also be entitled to recover from the
landlord attorney's fees and other costs of suit.

2. Notification of Landlord Non-payment for Essential Utilities.

Proposal:

For utilities without which a rental property dwelling unit would be
condemned or otherwise unlawful to occupy and which are paid for by the
landlord or their agent, the landlord must notify affected tenants when
the utility bill is in sufficient delinquency that 30 days remain before
the utility could be discontinued due to non-payment. Notice shall be
mailed to each tenant and posted at the entry to each tenant's rental unit
no later than the 30 day threshold. The City shall assess a civil penalty
of $50 against the landlord for each tenant household that is not notified
as provided herein for each day they remain unnotified. The city may sue
to recover unpaid penalties, attorney's fees and other costs of suit.