FILLMORE : Lower Developer Fees OKd for Some

Families wishing to build a house in Fillmore will get a break in developer fees if their income meets city standards for low or moderate income, the City Council decided this week.

Fillmore charges between $8,000 and $10,000 in developer fees, which city officials say might be too costly for some property owners. Under the new component of the city’s housing assistance program, redevelopment money will be used to subsidize reduced developer fees in some cases, or the city may arrange low-cost loans to cover the fees.

Owners of undeveloped lots scattered throughout the city will be eligible for assistance if their incomes are low to moderate, according to program standards. A family of four earning $24,000 a year is considered very low income, said Nellie Jasso, Fillmore’s housing rehabilitation coordinator. The same size family making $58,000 would have a moderate income.

City officials said the reduced fees are in response to instances where lot owners were unable to build because of the developer fees. The officials expect the new ruling to apply to one or two cases each year.