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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 04/16/2019Approved on May 8, 2019 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE April 16, 2019, 10:00 AM, City Hall, Champlain Room Members attending: Leslie Black-Plumeau, Sandy Dooley, Todd Rawlings, Michael Simoneau, and John Simson Member absent: Tom Bailey, Larry Michaels Also present: Monica Ostby, Planning Commission liaison; Paula DeMichele, resident of Essex Town (somethinglikeastar@yahoo.com) Minutes by Sandy Dooley AGENDA 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests 2. Review and approval of minutes of 4/2/2019 committee meeting 3. Chair’s comments – SoBu Life 4. Discuss proposed changes to Inclusionary Zoning draft and prepare for next meeting with Regina 5. Report by Leslie re City employee survey 6. Discuss content of Housing Handbook and assign chapters 7. Discuss Planning Commission TDR subcommittee work to date – John Simson 8. Reports and updates by committee members 9. Adjourn 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests: John called the meeting to order at 10:03 a.m. He noted how to exit from building. John welcomed Paula to the meeting. 2. Review and approval of minutes of 4/2/2019 committee meeting: Mike moved and Leslie seconded motion that the minutes of the 4/2/19 meeting be approved as drafted. Motion passed 5-0- 0. 3. Chair’s comments: John shared that he was invited to write an article about affordable housing for the Department of Recreation and Park’s magazine, SoBu Life. He wrote and submitted his article, receiving data assistance from Leslie (Black-Plumeau). Leslie sent copy of article to committee members. 4. Discuss proposed changes to Inclusionary Zoning draft and prepare for next meeting with Regina: Members discussed and agreed to propose to Regina using “number of bedrooms” in Article 18.01 instead of “Household Size Equivalent” and explaining, in an Appendix, how “number of bedrooms” is used in the HUD formula to calculate “Household Size Equivalent” for each inclusionary unit. “Household Size Equivalent” functions as a proxy for household size in setting rental and purchase prices for inclusionary units. Members want a reference included, at 18.01 D.(1)(c), regarding how utilities costs are estimated for use in defining “housing costs” for renters. Expectation is that HUD or VHFA does this so that programs don’t have to do it. The reference in 18.01 D.(1)(c) could be to an explanation included in an Appendix. Todd shared that the folks he is working with re BTV revisions are not ready to go with the “50% of annual condominium or homeowners’ association fees” language (at 18.01 C.(1)(c). So far, they have not settled on an alternative. He hopes to have a revision to share with us at our May 8th meeting. 5. Report by Leslie re City employee survey: Leslie shared a handout summarizing the results of the Survey Monkey survey results from SoBu City employees. Thirty-six (36) employees responded to the survey. Takeaway messages: ● Most So Bu City employees live outside the City because housing costs are too expensive here. ● Only 25% of City employees that responded currently live in SoBu. ● Many employees responding (36%) once lived here but moved out due to housing costs. Of those responding that have moved out, 83% moved because of high housing costs or they needed more room and could not afford the larger housing that would meet their needs. ● Of those responding, 64% have considered living in SoBu but housing costs are too expensive. ● Five of the employees said they would talk with the committee. The housing price range that respondents mentioned was $200,000 - $300,000. Todd inquired as to how this data might be used. How are we going to connect the dots? John wants to change the conversation from preserving more open space to creating more affordable housing. Todd reiterated his view that our AMI targets for home ownership are too high. Sandy sees a major partnership with Habitat for Humanity as the only way we can have significant numbers of housing in the $200,000 to $300,000 price range built in SoBu. Williston’s Finneys Crossing development was mentioned as having significant amount of affordable housing. Extensive discussion followed about whether to and, if so, how we might lower our AMI targets. Members agreed to change proposed LDRs so that at least two-thirds of the 15% Inclusionary home- ownership units shall be affordable at 100% AMI, instead of at least one-third of the 15% Inclusionary home-ownership units affordable at 100% AMI, as previously drafted. John will follow up with David Young regarding whether the committee’s questions have been sent to School District employees and, if so, what has been their response. Monica and Leslie will do research to identify strategies for selling/marketing Inclusionary Zoning/Housing. 6. Discuss content of Housing Handbook and assign chapters: Members want two handbooks; one for developers and one for potential renters or homeowners. Something no longer than one page is desired (perhaps, both sides of a single page). Might we obtain a grant from CCRPC or VNRC to pay someone to write the handbooks? It needs to be written by a professional writer. Comment made re “logistical details.” Todd agreed to do a draft of Handbook for committee review. Committee members are to send ideas for Handbook content to Todd. Sandy suggested including the statutory categories that cannot be the bases for property owners’/managers’ or mortgagers’ discrimination against potential renters and home purchasers. Idea is to have a template for a Handbook that other communities can use. John will contact Regina to see if “Handbook” subject can be added to agenda for CCRPC-sponsored meeting on April 30th. 7. Discuss Planning Commission TDR subcommittee work to date – John Simson: John shared that most recent TDR committee meeting was less productive than it could have been had non-members’ input not consumed three-quarters of meeting time. Monica is concerned that SoBu is a “Tale of Two Cities.” Members reviewed and provided input re Monica’s “TDR Ethics” paper. John’s goal is to find ways to increase the market for TDRs. Info: Snyder has appealed the Environmental Court decision re City’s TDR LDRs. A joint meeting of the Interim Zoning committees and Planning Commission is likely to take place in late April or early May. The most significant change being considered at this point is to define “residential unit” by maximum number of square feet. Example: if maximum for one unit =1,500 sq. ft., 3,500 sq. ft. unit = three (3) units. 6. Reports and updates by committee members: No time for this item. 7. Adjourn: At 12:00 p.m. Todd moved and Mike seconded motion that the meeting be adjourned. Motion passed 4-0-0. (Leslie left meeting before adjournment.) Bike rack: ● 1/8/19 Emails to K. Dorn and D. Young to be completed by 1/24/19 City: DONE! ● Keep and address at 1/24/19 committee meeting. Work on Committee’s page on the City’s website ● Combine with item immediately above. (Quoted from January 23, 2018, meeting minutes) “John asked Mike to prepare a work plan for the committee to collaborate with Coralee to enhance its effectiveness in communicating with residents via the City’s website and via other means. The plan should include specific assignments to be carried out by identified committee members. Mike accepted this assignment.” Homework (not yet reported on): All bike rack tasks should include date of assignment and date for task completion.