A Plan To Revitalize Doraville.
The plan is simple. The idea is that many of our problems could be solved by accomplishing one goal. Attract home owners that want to live in Doraville and encourage the restoration of single family homes.
Still with me? Okay, promise you'll keep reading after you read this next sentence. The first part of this plan would be to raise property taxes.
Yep. Sounds crazy I know...but there's more.
If Doraville raised property taxes on single family homes and raised the Homestead Exemption it would act as an incentive for potential home buyers that would be willing to live in Doraville and discourage investors that wish to find cheap properties to lease for low rents. In other words, if you live in your home your current property taxes would go down. If you are renting your home your current property taxes would go up.
It would also be good for the fiscal health of the city. In the short term revenues would be raised because we currently have more rental properties than owner-occupied homes. In the long run the city would collect additional tax revenues from increased property values.
Still with me? Okay, promise you'll keep reading after you read this next sentence. The first part of this plan would be to raise property taxes.
Yep. Sounds crazy I know...but there's more.
If Doraville raised property taxes on single family homes and raised the Homestead Exemption it would act as an incentive for potential home buyers that would be willing to live in Doraville and discourage investors that wish to find cheap properties to lease for low rents. In other words, if you live in your home your current property taxes would go down. If you are renting your home your current property taxes would go up.
It would also be good for the fiscal health of the city. In the short term revenues would be raised because we currently have more rental properties than owner-occupied homes. In the long run the city would collect additional tax revenues from increased property values.
Restoring Neighborhoods, Rebuilding Markets, New Housing Directions For Struggling Cities
By Alan Mallach
Making Cities Competitive
Population loss and concentrated poverty both reflect the outward movement of residents who acquire the economic means to leave a declining city. Unless cities can reverse that pattern, convincing the middle- and upper-income families that can afford to live elsewhere to stay, they will remain locked in a self-perpetuating dynamic of continued deterioration and impoverishment.
Fostering a more diverse economic mix can trigger an economic chain reaction that, if properly managed, with attention given to the housing needs of the city’s lower-income residents, can benefit everyone through:
Increased housing demand, which raises property values, attracts investment, reduces abandonment and increases housing and neighborhood quality of life;higher property values, which provide more revenues for the city, which translate into improved municipal services or lower taxes; and increased disposable income, which enhances business and job growth, particularly for the retail and services sectors, within the city.
Since housing usually makes up between 60 and 80 percent of the average city’s total property tax base, a city can build its revenue base more effectively by increasing even modestly the value of its residential real estate than by attracting new businesses and industries, or by building stadiums and convention centers. The best way to raise real estate values is to raise the value of the existing housing stock by improving neighborhoods and making them more attractive to an economically diverse body of homebuyers.
It's a Good Place To Start.
One of the reasons it's so difficult to come to a consensus on what needs to be done to improve our city is that people see so many different problems and think that without solving each individual problem no real progress can be achieved.
Residents have pointed to problems with our Public Schools, problems with too many pawn shops, liquor stores, massage parlors, check cashing businesses, etc. on Buford Highway. Also many of the homes in Doraville have not been well maintained, and some are being utilized to house multiple families or for non-traditional uses.
When home values are low local schools suffer.
When 50% of your community can get up and move at anytime, they don't have strong ties to the community. Potential business owners know this, and if we don't make changes to our residential statistics we will not be able to attract neighborhood shops and chain stores.
When people see ugly homes that are not well maintained they are discouraged from improving their own property.
Encouraging property improvement and owner-occupied home ownership can solve all of these problems over time.
Residents have pointed to problems with our Public Schools, problems with too many pawn shops, liquor stores, massage parlors, check cashing businesses, etc. on Buford Highway. Also many of the homes in Doraville have not been well maintained, and some are being utilized to house multiple families or for non-traditional uses.
When home values are low local schools suffer.
When 50% of your community can get up and move at anytime, they don't have strong ties to the community. Potential business owners know this, and if we don't make changes to our residential statistics we will not be able to attract neighborhood shops and chain stores.
When people see ugly homes that are not well maintained they are discouraged from improving their own property.
Encouraging property improvement and owner-occupied home ownership can solve all of these problems over time.
But What About All Of The Current Rental Properties?
Good question. It's unfair to change the rules in the middle of the game. Lots of people have invested in residential property in Doraville. A sudden and steep increase in their property taxes isn't really fair & it will only leave them with less money to improve their property.
What if the city allowed tax breaks up to the amount of the new Homestead Exemption to owners of rental properties provided they prove that they've spent a certain amount of money on exterior improvements to their property? They can avoid the higher taxes while making their properties more attractive to new potential buyers.
What if the city allowed tax breaks up to the amount of the new Homestead Exemption to owners of rental properties provided they prove that they've spent a certain amount of money on exterior improvements to their property? They can avoid the higher taxes while making their properties more attractive to new potential buyers.
How Will We Know Who Is Living In Their Home & Who Is Renting?
That's important. Even if the city didn't want to adopt any other part of this plan, they should at least know that everyone receiving a homestead
exemption actually deserves it.
What if the city required a permit to rent single family homes? The permit fee could be extremely small, but the fine for not having one should be large enough to ensure that every landlord gets a permit.
exemption actually deserves it.
What if the city required a permit to rent single family homes? The permit fee could be extremely small, but the fine for not having one should be large enough to ensure that every landlord gets a permit.
Just One Last Thing...
What if the city adopted a less one-size-fits-all approach to building permits? Less expensive permits would encourage residents to take on more small improvement projects, and would reduce the number of people that attempt to avoid getting permits at all.
Now It's Your Turn.
This isn't another neighborhood group. There are no registration fees. There are no email lists. There are no meetings. If you think this is a viable plan to improve your community, please tell your friends and neighbors. Please tell your City Council Representative. Please attend City Council meetings & tell them that you support the "Revitalize Doraville" plan.
That's it. If you want to see what others are saying or put forth your own plan please click on "Share Your Thoughts".
That's it. If you want to see what others are saying or put forth your own plan please click on "Share Your Thoughts".