FEDA proposes creating list of properties to develop with City of Fairfield

FAIRFIELD – The City of Fairfield is exploring a partnership with Grow Fairfield Economic Development Association (FEDA) to establish a list of properties that are ripe for development.

During the council’s meeting Monday night, July 8, FEDA Executive Director Ed Malloy told the council about a new committee his organization formed to develop vacant, abandoned or dilapidated properties in town, known as the Fairfield Neighborhood Revitalization Project.

The committee includes people such as City Administrator Doug Reinert, Code Enforcement Officer Weston McKee, Deborah Williamson of the Fairfield Beautification Commission, and developer Don Hoelting, among others. Malloy noted that the city owns three parcels that could be developed with FEDA’s help.

The council voted to refer the matter to the property committee to craft an agreement between FEDA and the city on how the two entities would work together.

Some of the vacant lots FEDA identified that would be perfect for new housing include the lots near the intersection of Fifth Street and West Madison Avenue (behind Logan Apartments), and a lot in the 500 block of South Sixth Street where a home was just demolished.

Other lots, such as the one near the intersection of North Fourth Street and West Lowe Avenue that borders the railroad tracks, may be better suited for commercial uses.

“It makes sense for the city to divest of that lot and put money into other areas to support more housing development,” Malloy said. “Right now, the city has set aside $70,000 toward condemned house demolition. Money from the sale of other city assets like a vacant lot could go toward the revolving fund to do more with housing.”

Malloy said the Neighborhood Revitalization Project is exited to work with the city not just in developing vacant lots but also in finding solutions for dilapidated properties that come into the city’s possession.

“The city has expressed interest in partnering with Grow Fairfield to find developers for those properties, or find investors who would be interested in rehabilitating properties that can still be salvaged,” he said. “We’re talking about properties that might have an out-of-town owner, or one who isn’t paying close attention to it and is willing to dispose of it or sell it.”

Malloy said he believes this new project will pay dividends to the town’s residents by improving the quality of housing.

“It will raise the standard by taking down bad properties that are lowering the standard,” he said.

Malloy said one prong of the project is facilitating the construction of smaller homes or “micro-homes” on some of these lots, since the committee has heard from both developers and residents that they would like to see more smaller homes in the city.

One possible incentive that the city and Fairfield could offer developers is lowering the price of a lot for sale on the condition that the buyer builds a home on it in a reasonable amount of time, such as within 15-18 months.

“We’re looking for the best ways to incentivize investors and builders on these in-fill lots,” Malloy said.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com