Public housing projects win rezoning

Residents, officials trade blows in contentious city council hearing

This article is brought to you by Freedom Financial.

The quest to replace the aging Garden Square public housing facility took a step forward on July 11, but not without leaving a few political scars in the process. The Kokomo Common Council voted to rezone several properties across the city for new public housing projects, but one in particular continued to be a battleground.

The land at 3109 W. Sycamore St. was among the rezoning requests, and the residents near that property showed up once again to oppose the relocation of public housing into their neighborhood. This time, however, the rhetoric wasn’t as civil. Suspecting that the vote wouldn’t go their way, the speakers against the public housing project alleged incompetence on the part of the council, the Kokomo Plan Commission, and Mayor Tyler Moore.

The arguments were not well-received.

Local pastor Dick Sanburn speaks against the rezoning before the Kokomo Common Council on July 10.

Anticipating a darker turn due to the rumors and accusations circulating on social media, Moore recorded a message to be played during the council’s final reading of the rezoning request. In it, he endorsed the rezoning effort and addressed what he described as “misconceptions and misinformation” about the project.

“I believe that the properties identified at 1411 N. Market, 3109 West Sycamore, and the select scattered sites make use of the RAD program and will result in the betterment of the life of the residents and provide a good solution to the current situation,” said Moore. “As we've all asked, why did Advantix ultimately select these particular sites, and are they the best locations for these developments? Time will tell, and I'm staying optimistic.”

Moore defended the city administration and public housing residents against several accusations, including the claims that crime would spike upon the arrival of public housing in the area.

“(The claim) all individuals that live in government subsidized housing units are criminals or drug dealers or have violent tendencies, and because of this, elderly residents will be the first targets of criminal behavior is also untrue,” said Moore. “While every community has its issues, this claim is a gross misrepresentation of the community as a whole. The majority of those individuals and families in need of this assistance in our community are hardworking, law-abiding residents.”

But it was the allegation that he, the members of the city council, and people in his administration received financial “kick-backs” to green light the project that had Moore ready to fight.

“This is so far from being true,” said Moore. “I can assure you that not one person in City of Kokomo government is engaging in that kind of activity. Those that believe that to be the case, do not truly know me or the outstanding character of each member of this council.”

Taking aim at government

Those in attendance bristled at the mayor’s words. Some laughed derisively at his claims. And the speakers who approached the microphone in his wake made it clear that the time for niceties had passed.

Tom Rethlake, a local car dealer whose son, T.J., serves as the City of Kokomo’s attorney, spoke against the public housing project’s proposed location on West Sycamore Street. Two weeks earlier at the measure’s first reading, he was careful to express support for Mayor Moore’s administration before criticizing the project.

This time, Rethlake dismissed Moore’s stated optimism about the project’s eventual outcome.

“We listened to the mayor speak for a little bit,” said Rethlake. “You know, hope is not a strategy. The only way to make a government good is to make them responsible to the people.”

Rethlake went on to warn against the crime that follows public housing, claiming that criminal activity is underreported due to fears that the residents will lose their housing if the crimes are reported.

“They have a right to be nervous about these apartments,” said Rethlake. “Many have first-hand experiences of other crimes that occurred when another similar complex was placed nearby. That being said, I believe that everyone needs somebody to believe in them. I believe in the need for housing, just not on this piece of property.”

Local pastor Dick Sanburn, who is the spouse to incoming 6^th District Councilwoman Crystal Sanburn, directly accused the council members of shirking their responsibilities and claimed the plan commission failed to do its job.

“For council members to declare their job is the narrow scope of voting if this property can be rezoned is not only very passive and dismissive, but almost is the forsaking of your duties,” said Sanburn. “Voting yes without understanding is unwise.

“And what appears to be a lack of due diligence should compel you to vote no. But let's assume you're dependent on the planning commission to conduct your due diligence, and you're basing your vote on their favorable recommendation ...

“The Planning Commission did not fulfill their duty to enforce regulations and procedures for the comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, and subdivision control. Voting yes when you know it's incompatible with zoning regulations is irresponsible. I’m not an attorney, but changing the zoning when it clearly conflicts with the zoning ordinance sure seems like it would be illegal. Some attorneys would call that an arbitrary and capricious decision.”

Sanburn then offered up the defense of ignorance for the council members to embrace.

“I think it's fair to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn't know this,” said Sanburn. “I know there are good men and women on this council. And I don't believe there's anything nefarious going on. I think you relied on the planning commission to do their job. And they failed. They threw it over the wall to you, and now it's your responsibility to correct it.”

Officials respond

The comments crossed the line for plan commission director Greg Sheline. Citing an attack on his integrity, he responded to Sanburn’s accusations

“Someone just said that we didn't do our due diligence,” said Sheline. “I and my staff and spent hours upon hours upon hours doing our due diligence on this case. And just because you don't like what the staff report says, does not mean that we did not do due diligence.”

Sheline also pointed out that the 3109 W. Sycamore property was rezoned for multi-family residential purposes in 2019 without complaint from the neighborhood, then was rezoned for light industrial use in 2020, again without remonstrance. It was only when public housing became part of the equation that the neighborhood complained.

“I don't remember anybody opposing it at that time,” said Sheline. “The multi-family zoning fit in 2019. It fits in 2023.”

Local developer and former Howard County Commissioner Paul Wyman was the last to speak to the council. He minced no words in boiling down what he believes is the reason for such opposition.

“I think we all in this room know what this has become,” said Wyman. “And I sincerely hope and pray, for the sake of our community, that we are not going to leave here with the message that ‘those people’ can live on Market Street. And they can live in Gateway Garden. But you can’t live here. That is the wrong message for Kokomo. The dignity of the lives of these individuals is no less than any single person in this room.”

The room discarded the illusion of decorum following Wyman’s statements, booing and shouting at the developer. Council president Ray Collins ended discussion at that point and called for the vote. The council passed the rezoning, 6-3, with council members Tom Miklik, Kara McKibben, and David Capshaw voting against it.

Several additional rezonings requested by Advantix also were passed at the meeting with no remonstrance. All of them succeeded on 8-1 votes, with McKibben opposing every rezoning.