Real Estate Committee

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. Real Estate Committee – 2024 City Hall, One Roosevelt Square Mount Vernon, NY 10550 REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE Cathlin B. Gleason – City Council President Dr. Darren Morton – Chair Stephanie Vanderpool – Co-Chair Antoinette Anderson - Secretary Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 9:30am (In-person and via Zoom) Mayor’s Conference Room – City Hall, 1 Roosevelt Square, Mt. Vernon, NY 1. Call of the Meeting: 9:35am 2. Roll Call Present: Chair, Darren Morton Co-Chair, Stephanie Vanderpool Council President Cathlin Gleason Secretary, Antoinette Anderson Additional Participants: Joyce Brown, Land Use Counsel 3. Guests: Esther Osimeh – Interest in 331 South 2nd Ave Avait Kulkarni (online) 4. Approval of May 2, 2024 Minutes: Motion to approve by Co-Chair Vanderpool, seconded by Council President Gleason. All were in favor – the motioned passed. 5. Correspondences: Were read for the record. 6. Guests Comments/Open Floor: a. Ms. Osimeh asked for an update on the process. b. Mr. Kulkarni is interested in the Best and Final offer process. 7. Comments: The Chair shared that the final copy of the playbook was received. The playbook provides guidelines to proceed with the process, which includes, but not limited to; assessing the condition and value of the properties, which properties will remain with the city, the county, and school tax arrears, properties that have occupants or family members who wish to purchase and incorporating the NYS Supreme Court law that was recently passed. Properties with squatters will most likely receive a month-to-month lease. He stated that research is being done to identify pre-auction agreements and deposits that  were accepted by the previous Comptroller towards the purchase of certain properties. In many of these instances, deposits were made more than five years ago, with no follow-up from the buyer. He reiterated that the city has the right to cancel pre-sale agreements prior to the sales transaction of any property and deposits, if made, will be returned. He explained that the Best and Final Offer process was vetted by legal counsel and allows individuals to submit sound offers on properties. It also allows the committee to make decisions that are in the best interest of the city and not ones that ensure profitability for the city. 8. Old/New Business The property at 119 South 4th Avenue is not in good condition. The DPW will have the structure assessed to determine if the city needs to demolish it or if it can be a condition of sale. The scope of work for the demolition should be the same for the city and for the condition of sale. This safeguards the abutting properties during the demolition. In addition, the cost for demolition will be factored into a “reasonable” offer for that property. There is an initial offer on this property, however based upon the tax arrears and the costs for demolition, the offer may not be reasonable. There are other offers on this property that are being considered. There may be a special meeting called for this committee to convene and vote on this matter. In addition, notices would go out to the neighbors on each side, giving them the option to submit offers for portions of the lot of the demolished structure. The North High property that was destroyed by a neighbor’s truck will have to be assessed. 9. The CP Gleason motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by the Co-Chair. All were in favor; the meeting was adjourned at 10:07a NEXT MEETING: Thursday, July 26, 2024 at 9:30a in the Mayor’s Conference Room