ATHENS, Ohio — Athens City Council lowered the sale price of two city-owned homes by around $7,000 at its meeting Tuesday night, despite a council member’s objections.
The council held second reading of Ordinance 80-25, which, following Tuesday night’s amendment, authorizes the sale of the two city-owned single-family homes to the Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority for $282,520. The homes are located at 25 Central Ave. and 458 Richland Ave.
The city proposes to sell the homes to AMHA, who already manages them as rentals, because they “are no longer needed for a municipal purpose,” the ordinance states.
The homes are occupied by renters who have disabilities and, who use housing vouchers, Mayor Steve Patterson said during a previous council session. The city had originally purchased them to “alleviate affordable housing needs.”
Explaining the amendment to reduce the sale price of the homes, council member Micah McCarey, At-Large, said closing costs were originally included in the sale price by mistake. The total sale cost should actually be $275,610 — nearly $7,000 less than previously stated in the ordinance.
Council members voted 5-1 to approve the amendment, sending the ordinance back to its first reading, but not before Council member Alan Swank, 4th Ward, voiced his objections.
Swank said that while he supports the sale to AMHA, private websites, like Zillow, estimate the two homes a combined value of up to $339,000 — $60,000 more than the sale price established by the revised ordinance.
The Athens County Auditor’s website has the Central Avenue home valued at just over $121,000 and the Richland home at $144,000, or about $265,000 for both.
Zillow, however, as of Sept. 3, places their respective fair market values at $136,200 and $198,200, or a Zillow-estimated combined fair market value of $334,400.
Swank noted that the seven members of Athens City Council own homes valued by the county auditor at a total estimated around $2.2 million, while their combined fair market value stands at an estimated total of $2.6 million.
“I’m just wondering, my fellow city council members, how many of you would sell your property today for the (county) auditor’s assessed value?” Swank said. There were no hands raised.
Swank noted that the city income tax increase on the May ballot was defeated by a margin of about 14%, following the city’s loss of $722,000 through a cyber-scam.
Additionally, the city spent $340,000 on netting to separate the Ohio University golf driving range from nearby city-maintained soccer fields — and has now learned that the driving range closed July 1.
In light of these recent losses for the city, Swank said selling the two homes for $60,000 fewer than what they are possibly worth “is an irresponsible use of taxpayers’ dollars.”
Swank noted that the two homes may be taken off the county’s property tax rolls if acquired by AMHA.
David Mott, an attorney representing AMHA, briefly addressed the council, confirming that a special provision under state law does exempt metropolitan housing authorities from having to pay property taxes via exemption.
Swank noted that more than 60% of local property taxes go to Athens City Schools. Removing the two homes from property taxes will cost the school district about $5,000, Swank said.
Council member Jessica Thomas, At-Large, said she wanted to emphasize that AMHA has been managing the properties “for some time now,” completing accommodations in the homes for the clients who live there, “which we need a lot of in this area.”
Swank unsuccessfully motioned for council members to table the ordinance pending an independent appraisal of the two properties.
City-owned single-family homes at 25 Central Ave. and 458 Richland Ave. are on track to be sold to the Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority, despite council member Alan Swank’s, 4th Ward, objection that the combined estimated value of the two homes is $60,000 less than what the city is asking. Photo by Larry Di Giovanni.
Resolution passes for Ad Hoc housing subcommittee
After making amendments, the council unanimously adopted Resolution 04-25 on first reading to establish the Ad Hoc One-Year Affordable Housing Commission Subcommittee.
The committee will “review rental code inspection processes to enhance efficient and effective code compliance and rental unit safety,” the resolution states.
According to the resolution, the duties of the seven-member subcommittee will be to:
- Complete its review of rental housing units in the city, of which there are 5,825, by Oct. 1, 2026.
- Produce quarterly updates for the council.
- Release a final report by Dec. 1, 2026.
The council unanimously amended the resolution Tuesday to:
- Make the Affordable Housing Commission the authority that appoints four Ad Hoc subcommittee members, rather than the council president, Ohio University president and mayor.
- Remove the word “student” before “renter,” so non-OU student tenants can be appointed to the ad-hoc housing subcommittee.
Council member Solvieg Spjeldnes, 1st Ward, said she has already been contacted by individuals who are willing to serve on the ad hoc housing subcommittee.
Mayor Patterson — addressing Spjeldnes — asked if individuals had already been identified to serve on the subcommittee, without the resolution having yet passed.
“There are people who volunteered to be considered,” Spjeldnes said.
Other business
In other action Tuesday, the council:
- Heard from a city resident who said the crosswalk for pedestrians where motorists turn east from East State Street onto Stimson Avenue is dangerous. The resident said she and her 14-year-old daughter were nearly struck by a vehicle at the intersection.
- Heard second reading of Ordinance 86-25 to establish annual fees ranging from penalties for garbage and rubbish violations to city parking garage fees.
- Passed on third and final reading Ordinance 78-25 that appropriates $386,753 over a three-year period, from the city’s water fund, as the city’s share of a United States Army Corps of Engineers Hocking River study. Originally, the city estimated the cost at $300,000. Service-Safety Director Andy Stone said the city’s share of the study cost last year and this year has already been appropriated in the city budget. Among the goals of the study are to determine ways to improve environmental conditions in the river, such as water quality, and improve safety near White’s Mill.
- Heard first reading of Ordinance 90-25 that would authorize Stone to advertise, accept bids and enter into a lease agreement to the highest bidder for the right to lease the former city fire department headquarters at 61 Columbus Road. The lease term would be from one to six years and would require approval from council.
- Suspended rules and adopted Ordinance 92-25 on first reading so that an additional $220,000 from the city’s Tax Increment Financing Fund 593 can be transferred to Street Fund 220 and designated to the East State Signal Improvements Project No. 367. The project, with a previous appropriation of $230,000, now totals $450,000 and has another month to 45 days until completion, Stone said. It is intended to synchronize East State Street traffic lights to the highest degree possible in order to improve traffic flow and lower carbon emissions.
- Suspended rules and adopted Ordinance 93-25, which gave final authorization from different funding sources toward the city’s annual street paving and repairs. Its final total was $620,000, though up to $700,000 was authorized if needed. To alleviate often-used Street Fund 220, which provided $140,000 in funding, other revenue sources included $330,000 from State Highway Fund 225, and $150,000 from Wheel Tax Fund 226.
Athens City Council’s next regular meeting will be Monday, Sept. 8, at Athens City Hall, Council Chambers, third floor, 8 E. Washington St. Meetings are also streamed online. Regular sessions are on the first and third Mondays of the month; committee meetings are on the second and fourth Mondays.
