FILLMORE : Council to Vote on Cutting House Fees

Building a home in Fillmore could cost less if the City Council approves a proposal to waive or reduce developer fees for low- and moderate-income families.

The council is expected to decide tonight if the city’s $8,000 to $10,000 developer fees for new houses should be discounted for qualifying builders of a single home.

“We’ve already had a particular situation where the fees would make it impossible for the people to build,” said Fillmore City Manager Roy Payne.

The proposed cut in fees would be part of Fillmore’s housing assistance program, Payne said. “It would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, the same way we do with the housing rehabilitation program,” he said. Families seeking reduced development fees would have to meet the same standard the city uses for the rehab program, Payne said.

To qualify, a family would have to meet the city’s definition of low and moderate income. The city considers a family of four earning $24,200 a year to be very low income, said Nellie Jasso, who coordinates Fillmore’s housing rehabilitation program. A family of four earning $58,100 is considered moderate income, Jasso said.

The city would use redevelopment money to subsidize the fees and, in some cases, would arrange for low-cost loans, officials said.

If the council approves the proposal, it would help Fillmore fill undeveloped lots scattered around the city, Payne said. “We probably wouldn’t get more than one or two applications a year,” he said.