HomeMy WebLinkAboutA039 - Email from Wesley Wierson dated August 3, 2018 Vetoing the rental cap hardships???!
Wesley Wierson to: AmesCityCouncil 08/03/2018 08:14 AM
Hello Council,
Word on the street is Mayor Haila is going to veto the hardship ordinance that everyone,
including city staff, the council members, and the public, has worked so hard to get into place to
help *right the wrong* that has been imposed on homeowners in the rental cap neighborhoods.
I hate to admit that I feel slightly responsible for this veto by bringing to light the issue of
"bonafide rental", and that this was such a contentious topic on Tuesday night. My only point was
that, under city code, an owner occupied home can obtain an LOC and be rental compliant if 2+
people are considered renters, but that an owner occupied home with a "roomer" doesn't qualify. I
did not intend, or expect, this to be expanded to 5 bedroom homes where a family member pays
rent and/or that this bonafide rental definition would allow any qualifying hardship owner to
obtain an LOC and sit on it for decades, if they wish. That is certainly not my intent.
I've been told the council can veto the veto with a 4-2 vote. The way I see it, you're deadlocked at
3-3.
Do you think it is moral to impose this rental cap on homeowners with no way to help people like
me? I don't think you do.
Do you really want to go through this all again? Further, if you do, I imagine the hardships you
choose moving forward would be extremely watered down compared to the ones you worked so
hard, over weeks of time and hours of deliberation, to pass. That would be great news to some,
but terrible news to most.
It sure seems to me that some of you the mayor included, are taking the loud voice of a certain
neighborhood a lot more seriously than the voices of other neighborhoods.
I hope you consider the ramifications of allowing the mayor's veto to go through.
Thanks for your time, and I suppose I will be seeing you again at the next city council meeting.
Cheers,
Wes
Wesley A. Wierson
Genome Hacker