In response to the Water Discount program championed by Councilor Giovanni Recupero and approved by the City Council on Sept. 24, a group of condo owners has mobilized in protest. The program, which excludes condo owners from the owner-occupied water bill discount, has sparked considerable opposition.
After years of discussion and previous iterations, Recupero introduced the measure in September and secured enough votes for passage. Following a challenge raised by Councilor Roy Avellaneda the following week, the measure remained in place. Implementation is scheduled for July 1, 2019 alongside new water rates.
The lack of Council support among condo owners has not dampened the growing movement among those affected. Condo owners are ineligible for the program because their units lack individual water meters, placing them in the same category as absentee landlords.
This exclusion has galvanized the community. Condo owners have begun voicing their concerns publicly, with letters to the newspaper expressing disapproval of the program and concern about similar policies that may follow.
“fblikebutton_button” “Chelsea water and sewer rates are increasing significantly, and the Council’s vote means that those renters, businesses, and 1,861 condos are going to subsidize a discount for 625 owner-occupied, single-family households and 1,149 two- and three-family households,” according to a letter from Sharlene McLean and co-signed by multiple condo and homeowners. “This decision is blatantly discriminatory as it creates separate classes of homeownership in Chelsea, and privileges residents who have the financial capital to buy and own single or multi-family homes – all at the expense of, among others, condo owners who are also stakeholders in the community, and deserve the same consideration as other homeowners.”
The signatories contend that the policy will negatively affect the broader community. They pointed out that houses of worship are prohibited from participating, as are businesses.
“Simply put, this is a poorly conceived and exclusionary policy that was rushed to a vote without any meaningful discussion or community input, and that benefits the few at the expense of the many,” the letter stated.
The organized condo owners are calling on the Council to repeal its vote before the new rates take effect.