Real Estate Committee

CITY OF MOUNTVERNON,N.Y. Real Estate Committee - 2022 City Hall, OneRoosevelt Square Mount Vernon, NY 10550 REAL ESTATE COMMITI'F.E Den'fckTlioinpson -City Council President Dr. Darren Morton - Comptroller Stephanie Vandei'pool - Assessor Elias S. Gootzeit, Secretary 914-665-2398 REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES For meeting held on Friday, August 26, 2022 at 3:30 pm The Real Estate Committee Meeting was held on Friday, August 26, 2022 at 3:30 pm at City Halt, 1 Roosevelt Sq,,2nd Fl, Mayor's Conference Room, Mount Vernon, NY. Subsequent meetings will be held the last Friday of each month at 4:00pm Attendance: Derrick Thompson, Committee Chair (City Council President) - Present Stephanie Vanderpool, Assessor - Not Present Dr, Darren M, Morton, Comptroller - Present Joyce Brown, City At - Not Present Elias S, Gootzeit, Legislative Assistant/Committee Secretary-Present Guests: Esther Osimeh of 152 South 13th Avenue seeking to make an offer for several years on 331 South Second Avenue.; Nina Marrero and Maggie Nieves of Besmatch Real Estate,seeking to make an offer on 205 South Fifth Avenue and wanting to understand the procedure for doing so,; Christopher Goad, of Goad Realty Services, Inc. seeking to make an offer on 106 Hillside Avenue 4032.7 Summary There being a quorum represented by Chair/Council President Thompson and Comptroller Morton and Assessor Vanderpool being away on vacation, the meeting was opened at 3:45 pm with a Call of the Meeting and a Roll Call. Committee Chair 1 Thompson. The minutes ofJuly 29th, 2022 were distributed, reviewed and approved before 4pm, Guest Presentations: Self-introduction and presentation of Ms, Esther Osimeh of 152 South 13th Avenue seeking to make an offer for several years on 331 South Second Avenue,.. since 2018... looking to move into a next door site that is more accessible for her as she ages.; Council President Thompson reflected that residents like Ms. Osimeh who have followed a city owned property with the intention of living in and improving it are individuals with whom the City intends to do business. Mr, Thompson noted, however, that the procedure for accepting offers and auction has not yet been established, Ms, Nleves and Ms. Marrero were addressed by Comptroller Morton that 205 South Fifth Avenue is not owned by the City of Mount Vernon; but is owned by the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal %ency and that they should address their offer to their Executive Director, Sylvia Bolivar, Ms, Marrero and Ms, Nieves indicated that they had discussed their offer with Deputy Commissioner of Planning Marlon Molina who redirected them to the Real Estate Committee. Comptroller responded that he would address the issue of agency responsibility with Deputy Commissioner of Planning Molina. Comptroller Morton noted that the next session of the Urban Renewal Agency is September 20'h. City Council President Thompson noted that the Real Estate Committee will be more able to address the requests ofthe public once the public list of City Owned Properties that do not have a municipal purpose is produced. In response to Mr. Goad's Indication that there are 300 City Owned properties that are occupied with tenants, Comptroller Morton responded that many of the properties that are included in that number are for municipal use, Those that are not for municipal use, but are occupied with tenants are currently under study by the Comptroller's office. Upon completion of the studies, inctuding appraisal of all city owned properties not for municipal use, they will be made known to the community of potential buyers and developers for the purpose of return to the tax rolls, Mr. Goad indicated his interest in the city owned property at 106 Hillside Avenue, He asked the Comptroller for an explanation of the procedure, The Comptroller noted that as inventory comes under the control of the City and remained in the City's inventory and part of the 2016 audit, there has been no IN REM since 2016. As the newly elected Comptroller, Comptroller Morton is not sure on the variety of properties has been completed. It takes two years after notice to an owner before a property declared in rem can be put up for auction, Any properties that remain unsold following the auction will be made available for a direct bid. After the auction, then bids for the remaining inventory will be entertained will be made available for a 2 negotiated bid, The Comptroller described his effort to establish a list of such City Owned property. He noted that there are not 300 such properties that are city owned but for non-municipal use. The Comptroller described working on an appraisal of properties from the last (2014) auction, Four such appraisals have been completed Eight or nine are still being appraised. The appraisals will establish a reasonable bid for each property. The Comptroller also noted for Ms. Osimeh that the continuing interest of individual investor/residents in a particular property- such as Ms. Osimeh since 2018- will provide his office n additional variable to consider when determining whether an offer made will be accepted. The Comptroller will be recommending a rule to the City Council for approval. The Comptroller is projecting an intention to provide the City with a Fall 2022 auction opportunity. The Goal is to get properties back on the tax rolls The process has been dormant for some time. The potential date, time and processes is not yet definite. The Comptroller noted the 127 Dell Avenue property as an example where the City waited too long and a property owner who could have lost his interest sooner by in rem procedures was able to redeem their ownership because the City of Mount Vernon slept on the requirements for the municipality to acquire ownership rights and sale thereafter. The real estate representatives in the meeting asked how they would be notified of the coming process, the Comptroller recommended that they keep track of CMVNY postings in the newspaper, CMVNY Website and check in with the City Comptroller to confirm the list of available properties, Correspndence The following correspondence was received from potential customers and read to the Real Estate Committee by the Secretary:: a. Habitat for I-Iumanity-New York City and Westchester County Introductory Letter seeking to address the Real Estate Committee of the City of Mount Vernon, NY on September 30, 2022; identifying the following sites wbich it considers opportunities: 234 East Fifth Street, 4064.1 : 432 East Fifth Street 4071..3: Privately owned, dmnaged by fire 436 East Fifth Street 4071.4: Privately owned, damaged by fire 16 North Bond Street 1070.14: Privately owned, damaged by fire 14 North Bond Street: Upon aThis Rock Ministries Apostolic Church 12 North Bond Street 1070.26: Abandoned property, owned by Mount Vernon Overall Economic Development Corporation The Mandela School at 47 l I' Avenue: Owned by the MVCSD 201 South Second Ave., wareliouse for rent 3  b. Bryant Wilder submitted formal letters of offer that were read for: 120 Stevens Avenue 1082.4 0ffer: $446,000 425 South Seventh Ave 30'l2.43 0ffer: $38,000 16GlenAvenue 1142,3 0ffer$296,000 106 Hillside Avenue 4032.7 0ffer: $340,000 106 South 12"' Avenue 3018.5 0ffer: $287,000 224 Nortli Seventh Avenue 1105.5 0ffer: $281,000 127 Dell Avenue 2070.29 0ffe,r: $334,000 145 SouthFultonAvenue 4002.19 0ffer: $225,000 328SouthFirstAvenue3120.lO Offer:$257,000 Discussion Committee Chair Thompson summarized the purchasing process and the requirement that the offeror be able to show the availability of sufficient funds to support the offer- using a bank statement for instance- that funds are readily available and accessible. The Comptroller discussed producing a summary protocol for both the auction by the City of Mount Vernon and for receiving offers for the purpose of negotiated purchases in the event of a non-productive auction for any particular property. In the past history of the process, the City would require a 25% down payment and completion of the purchase within 30 days, Chairman Thompson noted that offers are heard publicly ; and that not all offers are accepted. Ms. Osimeh's response to the statements of the Committee members was "You can't just squeeze an old lay out." CommitteeChairThompsonsuggestedthatshebesteadfastuntil herofferisgivenjust consideration- which he assured that it would be, Adjournment: Motion to adjourn at 5pm by Comptroller Morton seconded by Council President Thompson and passed by roll call, The meeting ended at 4:22pm. I 4