Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994 TAG: 9406010057
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority released a new maintenance fee list last week, its first revision in 10 years.
David Baldwin, the authority's director of housing, had said an increase was needed to cover material and labor costs that had increased substantially over the years and not been passed on to residents, he said.
Replacing a toilet seat will cost $11, up from $7. Two ice trays, which had cost $2, will cost residents $4 to replace. Replacing a steel screen door will cost $294, up from $126. A new key will cost $4, up from $1.
Residents did not take the fee increases lightly when they were proposed two months ago. Some said the fees were too high for people on limited incomes, particularly the elderly. More than 200 residents responded to a survey on the proposed increases.
"We did make some modifications based on comments received from the residents," Baldwin said Friday. "We reviewed our calculations a little bit and felt that the cumulative effect of some of these individual charges could end up excessive."
A main concern of residents was not in material costs but in labor costs. A labor charge of $6 had been tacked onto the $8 proposed cost of replacing two ice trays, for example. So for some items, time of labor was re-estimated and the cost reduced, Baldwin said.
The biggest problem was a misunderstanding that the fees would be for general upkeep, he said. The fees are, in fact, for repair or replacement of items damaged by the residents, he said.
Residents "thought they were going to be charged for everything in their apartment," Baldwin said. "But there's been no change in policy in how we've been charging them in the past - only for damages that they caused."
But some residents say damages are not always the residents' fault. Sometimes, damage results from poor maintenance, said Jackie Gunn, president of the Lincoln Terrace Resident Council.
"People thought it was outrageous, the prices that they wanted to charge tenants for apartments that are over 40 years old," Gunn said.
"I've been in my apartment 21 years. If I lift my living room window and it doesn't catch and falls, I don't think I should have to pay for a new window. That's wear and tear."
Gunn, who received a letter Friday notifying her of the new charges, said she had not yet compared the proposed list to the final list.
"But I intend to," she said. "I have to speak out, whether it's maintenance charges or any other problems. Whether it makes a change or not, I have to let them know about it."
To avoid another big jump in charges, the authority will begin reviewing the maintenance charge list annually, Baldwin said.
"We have a new maintenance director, and part of his duties will be to review the charge list to determine if any modifications are needed," he said. "We also need to take a look and make sure that the time required to do work items is still appropriate."
by CNB