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Comprehensive Plan, City of Paris, Texas Future Land Use • Continue Housing Demolition - The City's efforts to demolish dilapidated housing should be actively continued and even accelerated, if possible. After demolition, the vacant ground should be marketed for a discounted price to encourage in-fill residential development or offered to adjacent owner-occupants to expand their homes, if the two lots are substandard in size. • Establish a Local Incentive Program for In-fill Residential Development - In addition to the potential establishment of a Neighborhood Service District under Texas statutes, other incentives should be considered by the City to encourage home expansion, renovation and improvements. These may include such savings as waiving local permit and inspection fees, offering a short-term discount on any increase to a home-owners municipal utility rates and discounting other City charges to demonstrate a strong public policy that housing investment is encouraged and supported. • Partner with local realtors and lenders to lower interest rates and fees, based on grant funds for low-to moderate-income homeowners to secure the home finance debt. • Partner with local businesses and community groups to start more neighborhood gardens on vacant lots. Recommendation - Neighborhood Stabilization/Housing Infill The Comprehensive Plan focus session emphasized the need to invest in existing neighborhoods. The primary strategy options provided are: • Promote compatible development patterns and activities. • Create flexible yet effective zoning ordinances. • Encourage and enforce property maintenance. • Increase investment in public infrastructure. • Create new and utilize existing financing opportunities. Toward a strategic neighborhood infill and stabilization plan, the following planning and development practices have been compiled for Paris to consider. Liveable Neighborhoods Task Force A Housing Task Force has been implemented by numerous cities whereby a target neighborhood is addressed. Following similar principles, the City of Paris can document code enforcement deficiencies, delinquent property taxes and crime in certain districts. The following mechanism may be implemented in cooperation with neighborhood residents and property owners: • Absentee Landlord Task Force efforts implemented with letters sent to investor- owners. • Rental licensing implemented in order to track ownership. • Land banking implemented to assemble parcels into a single tract large enough to encourage redevelopment. • Crime watches set up. SA98288\WPC\fina1 repurt 2-01.ck)c 56 BWR