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ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />MONDAY, OCTOBER 14,2002 <br />29. Options Regarding Making Units in the Dahistrom Housing Development More <br />Affordable—Continued <br />whatever was needed to reduce the cost of the assigned units to $199,000.00. <br />Richard Prove, of 65 Stubbs Bay stated that the price of $199,000.00 was still <br />disappointing, but a movement in the right direction. <br />Sansevere stated he would not support the City subsidizing less expensive housing. <br />Moorse stated that once the units came available at $199,000.00 they would come down <br />further in cost by becoming eligible for other funding sources. <br />White stated that because the development had no family housing, and was designed for <br />singles and couples, it was not the right project to provide Orono with low income <br />housing. <br />Murphy stated he would like to learn more about subsidized housing. He felt the few <br />units offered in the Dahistrom development were a token effort and more significant <br />efforts should be made later, with a different development. <br />Prover asked why the City would not want to subsidize housing. He stated that Orono is <br />running out of land and the City should require the developers to make more units <br />available at affordable rates. He stated that the developer should quadruple the amount of <br />units to be made affordable. <br />Sansevere stated that the issue was whether the City should subsidize affordable housing <br />in that development. Prover stated that the City should because it was a pittance given the <br />other sources of public funding available, and that Orono should have a mix of housing <br />available. <br />Murphy stated there is a mix of housing options available in Orono. He added that four <br />affordable units in the Dahistrom development would not make a significant impact, but <br />the City could consider a development that is geared toward affordable family housing. <br />Sansevere stated that the Dahistrom project w as almost complete when the concerned <br />neighbors brought the affordable housing issue to Council's attention. He stated that in <br />regard to future projects, he would be receptive to exploring the affordable housing issue <br />now that he is aware of the problem and options available. <br />Murphy suggested that Mr. Prover continue to push for affordable housing in Orono, but <br />stated that the Dahistrom development was not the right project for it. <br />Mayor Peterson, Murphy, and Sansevere all agreed they did not approve of the City <br />IS ^ ryu ____________