Warsaw Housing Authority Executive Director Laura Kaufman requested funds to be used for a transitional housing project at the Warsaw City Council meeting Monday.

Kaufman proposed $21,000 from previous Owner Occupied Rehabilitation grants be used as a local match on an $84,000 Indiana Housing Finance Authority grant to purchase property for transitional housing.

The property to be used is at 606/608 E. Center St. It contains two three-bedroom apartments. A family would be able to stay in the apartments for up to two years as they search for permanent housing and learn to become self-sufficient.

According to Kaufman, there is no transitional housing in Kosciusko County and there is a great need for it. She said the lack of transitional housing was identified as the greatest need in the county by a housing needs assessment done in October 1999.

Councilwoman Trish Brown disagreed with using the money for transitional housing. She believes there is a greater need for single-family housing and that would be a better use for the money.

The council approved, with a vote of six to one, permission to use the $21,000 for transitional housing. Brown opposed the motion.

The next step for Kaufman is to apply to IHFA for the grant.

In other business:

• Locksmith Don Coleman gave a presentation on lockouts in Warsaw. Coleman brought to the council's attention that people are locking their keys in their car more and more and the Warsaw Police Department is taking care of the problem for free.

Coleman believes if the city were to charge for the service of getting into people's locked cars, people would be a bit more careful. It would also make competition for his business.

Police Chief Steve Foster said there were 187 lockouts in 30 days.

Coleman said a lot of the people locking themselves out are repeat offenders.

Foster said the police department takes care of lockouts as a service to citizens and will continue to do so. He doesn't believe the number of lockouts is that big of a problem and it isn't interfering with the rest of the police department's duties.

The council will consider the request.

• City planner Jeff Noffsinger presented the ordinances pertaining to real estate signs and accessory buildings discussed at the Warsaw Plan Commission meeting Dec. 11.

The proposed amendments pertaining to real estate signs for residential areas include a 6-foot height limit, a 4-square-foot size limit, a one-sign limit per zone lot, public right of way restriction and required removal within 10 days of the sale.

For commercial and industrial areas, signs cannot exceed 8 feet in height or 48 square feet in size. Only one sign is permitted per zone lot unless the property is on more than one street. Then a sign can be placed adjacent to each street. Signs cannot be on public rights of way and they should be removed from the property within 10 days of the sale.

The ordinance had a favorable recommendation from the plan commission. The council approved this ordinance.

The ordinance pertaining to accessory buildings was tabled because of confusing language. Noffsinger said the council has 90 days to act on the ordinance or else it becomes law.

• The council was supposed to hear a presentation from engineering and architectural company Herceg and Associates on the renovation of the NIPSCO building. The presentation was cancelled due to weather conditions and the council will hold a special meeting Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. to hear the presentation.

A Warsaw Board of Works meeting will follow.

Members of the Warsaw City Council include: president Jerry Patterson, Trish Brown, Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, Joe Thallemer, Bill Rhoades and George Clemens. [[In-content Ad]]