Evanston’s Human Services Committee on Wednesday postponed new leases for tenants in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St., until a Saturday budget workshop.
Previously, tenants could receive a 15 percent credit on their rents for completing a community service requirement. City Manager Roger Crum’s proposed budget would eliminate the credit, effectively raising rents in the building by 15 percent.
The 15 percent increase would generate an extra $32,000 in revenue for the city, which faces a projected $3.5 million deficit in its 2003-04 budget.
Add a 5 percent increase for annual inflation and some artists who lease space in the building could be forced to leave, said Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th).
“A 20 percent increase in one year is a kick in the head,” he said.
But Ald. Gene Feldman (9th) said the rents in the building already are well below market value. The difference between market value and the rents represents the city’s support for the arts in the form of a subsidy, he said.
“There is no way that this community can ensure that every artist can pay the rent at (the cultural center),” he said. “All we can do is do the best we can and be comfortable with what we’re doing.”
In return, the city should demand that tenants complete community service, whether they benefit from the rent credit or not, Feldman said.
“This isn’t a building that’s there to house artists in an ivory tower away from the community,” he said.
Other aldermen agreed the community service component of the tenants’ leases remained important but that it should not be tied to the rent amounts.
“We should never have paired community service with money,” said Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste (2nd).
Jean-Baptiste proposed that Evanston City Council amend the city’s budget to increase rents by just 10 percent while keeping the community service requirement intact.
Aldermen will consider the amendment at a budget workshop Saturday. They have until Feb. 28 to make changes to Crum’s balanced budget proposal and adopt a plan.
Currently, city staff spend about eight weeks at a cost of an estimated $6,000 determining if tenants meet the community service requirement. Under the aldermen’s proposal, the Arts Council would appoint a committee to make sure tenants comply.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, aldermen discussed the 22 days of lakefront events allowed between June and August.
Several residents who attended the meeting complained events have grown increasingly disruptive and numerous over the past two decades.
Ald. Arthur Newman (1st) suggested the city raise fees for lakefront events. This year the city implemented a $100 application fee for large special events.
“We’re giving it away,” said Newman. “I’ll tell you what: If they want the lakefront, make them pay $1,000. If not, they can have Lovelace Park for $100.”
