SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) Neighbors around a proposed affordable housing project in Sioux Falls bring their fight back to City Council Tuesday Night.
Enough petition signatures were gathered by the group to force Council to take another vote on zoning changes that will allow the apartment complex by Costello Cos. to be built on West 85th Street in the southwestern part of the city.
Spokesman Nathan Schauer says they have new information to present to Council before the re-vote.
"Some major safety issues we are concerned about. We have some new information about property values, how it will decrease our property values." Schauer tells KELO.COM News.
Council voted 7-1 to approve the zoning changes, so Schauer's group needs two more votes to stop the project.
"If we can't get this turned over, which, I guess, we feel good about but if not, we would like the panel to shoot it back to the planing commission to get hard restrictions on it." says Schauer, concerned that the proposed complex could morph from about 96 units up to 150 units.
This residential neighborhood versus affordable housing battle is being waged in the midst of a significant housing shortage for low income people in booming Sioux Falls. But Schauer claims the project even falls short on that issue. He says only about 15 percent of the apartments would be required to be rented to low income people.