Hamilton councillors deny realtor’s tax grant applications, upholding earlier vote

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Published October 13, 2021 at 6:01 pm

FILE PHOTO
FILE PHOTO

The full city council in Hamilton completed a shutout on Wednesday against a realtor who was seeking five tax increment grants, confirming a committee vote.

On Wednesday, council upheld the Oct. 6 decision by the general issues committee to reject five grant applications from Malleum Real Estate Management, a private equity firm. The tax grants, which are usually given to stimulate redevelopment in the city, are typically automatic if they are recommended in a staff report. However, members of Hamilton ACORN, a tenant union that represents low- to moderate-income people in the city, said in delegations that they were renovicted out of their homes while living in Malleum properties.

The vote this time was 6-4 in favour of the denial, with three abstentions. The five councillors who rejected the applications at the GIC — John-Paul Danko (Ward 8), Tom Jackson (6) , Nrinder Nann (3), Esther Pauls (7) and Maureen Wilson (1) — were joined in the majority by Ward 15 Coun. Judi Partridge. Three of the grant apps were for properties in Nann’s Ward 3.

Ward 2 Coun. Jason Farr voted for Malleum to receive the grants. One of the applications, at 152-154 James St. N. and 4-6 Cannon St. E., was for a property in Farr’s Ward 2. Councillors Brad Clark (Ward 9), Lloyd Ferguson, (Ward 12), Brenda Johnson (11) also repeated their votes from Oct. 6.

Three councillors declared conflicts. Ward 14 Coun. Terry Whitehead is also on leave, and Chad Collins’ former Ward 5 seat will likely be vacant for about six weeks until a councillor is appointed to finish the term.

The five grants were for a total sum of about $152,000, spread out over a maximum of five to nine years.

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