Autumn Village senior housing given 18 months to pay fees

Developers of Autumn Village affordable senior housing have been allowed 18 months to pay off remaining construction-related fees owed to the city - more than $51,000 - with 3 percent interest.

Carson City partnered with Community Development Inc., in Caldwell, Idaho, to build the apartments. A subsidiary of the company manages the housing. The leniency in obtaining payment is to avoid having residents incur higher rent costs, said City Manager Linda Ritter.

"They need this time to work this out," Ritter said.

Phase I of Autumn Village is now occupied after residents started moving in during September. It has 47 units. Construction on Autumn Village II is under way, and will provide 41 more units.

Both portions of the project are in the 1100 block of Beverly Drive, east of the Carson City Senior Citizens Center.

Construction on the first part of the project began in March 2005 and was supposed to be completed by late 2005. Postponements because of excessive rain and snow, and to a lesser extent cost-saving design changes, pushed the opening date to spring, then summer of this year.

The developer unintentionally classified the residential project as a commercial development when it initially sought its applications from the city. The water fees for residential projects are higher than for commercial, therefore the developer must pay an additional $103,000 above what it had paid in commercial fees. The developer has already paid half and asked for an extension on the other portion, Ritter said.

"This will be a one-time occurrence," said Supervisor Robin Williamson.

Cost to build both phases is an estimated $12 million, according to the city.

While Autumn Village II moves forward, plans for The Vintage of Carson City, have fallen through, the city's planning division reported.

This 230-unit development was being planned for a four-acre site the Western Nevada Boys & Girls Club is selling on Russell Way. The city had planned to use its $2.8 million share of a state-bond allowance to help finance the construction. The developer would have paid off the bond.

But Canddle Development recently opted out of the project, said Walt Sullivan, the city community development director.

Now the city's bond allowance reverts to the state, specifically the Nevada Rural Housing Authority, for its own affordable housing projects.

"Should we have more affordable housing? Yes," Sullivan said. And interest in Autumn Village bears this out: The number of names on occupancy waiting lists far exceeded the number of units available.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.