HomeMy WebLinkAbout08052004 BSC Agenda Item 8 Page l of l
Annette Arriaga
From: Brian Hoogendam [brian.hoogendam @advancedreality.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 8:36 AM
To: 'Annette Arriaga'; 'Dennis Mack'
Subject: please forward to BSC
Annette,
I met with Mike Farley last week and he gave me an opportunity to publish an article in the West U current about
the OSH issue..this happened very fast— I met with him on Wed and I had to give him an article on Thurs.
Attached is the article I wrote—very neutral but lets the community know that we are working on this issue.
Please forward to all members of BSC and hope all is well. Thanks,
Brian
Brian Hoogendam
President-Advanced Reality, Inc.
713-533-5839 office
832-567-2472 cell
www.advancedreality.com
brian.hoogendam @advancedreality.com
7/21/2004
Update from the Building and Standards Subcommittee on Old Stock Housing
The current city council tasked the Building and Standards Committee (BSC) to examine
issues that face Old Stock Houses. Currently there are more than 2,000 homes still
standing in WUP that were built prior to 1960. Some of these "Old Stock Homes" have
been remodeled while others still sit in their original unchanged state. Either way, there
seems to be an attraction for the architecture and character of the older homes which
makes them a valuable part of the WUP real estate market.
These homes are interspersed among new construction homes that have been built over
the years (approximately 60 in 2003). This juxtaposition gives West University a truly
unique demographic - a robust new home market attracting top professionals that is
paired with a market for older homes that are still affordable to the average homebuyer.
However, homeowners who have older homes are often faced with a myriad of issues
when they choose to remodel. Our committee hopes to bring extra incentive and less
paperwork to these homeowners. In particular, we are examining three main areas:
• Potential tax relief or other incentives for homeowners who perform extensive
remodel jobs on older homes
• Recommendations to the Zoning Board of Adjustment to help with current
setback and zoning requirements
• Publishing communications to all city residents explaining how the remodel
process works and how the city officials are there to help
Encouraging people to remodel their homes will have a positive impact on our
community. Remodeled homes will sell for more in the long run which increases the tax
base of the city. Also, the city will continue to maintain the look and feel that makes it
such a livable and enjoyable community.
There are a number of us working on this issue, including owners of both new and old
homes. With a little help from City Council and the community, we hope to come up
with meaningful proposals to help preserve homes that give West University its signature
charm and character. We will keep everyone posted as we progress on this issue.
Regards,
Building and Standards Subcommittee on Old Stock Housing