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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 10/25/2018APPROVED on November 6, 2018 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE October 25, 2018, 10:00 AM, City Hall Members attending: Tom Bailey, Leslie Black-Plumeau, Sandy Dooley, Todd Rawlings, Michael Simoneau, and John Simson Absent: Larry Michaels (member), Monica Ostby, PC liaison Also present: Helen Head Minutes by Sandy Dooley AGENDA 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests 2. Review and approval of minutes of October 9, 2018 minutes 3. Chair's remarks Reminder of regional housing meeting 10/29 and State Housing Conference 11/14 4. Review and discuss City Council interim zoning proposal and warned meeting Nov. 13 and Committee strategy in response 5. Discuss and plan Committee public messaging and strategy to build support 6. Review Bike Rack items 7. New business 8. Adjourn 1. Call to order, emergency procedure, agenda review, comments from guests: John called the meeting to order at 10:02 a.m. and welcomed Helen Head to the meeting. Helen indicated she would need to leave the meeting shortly before 11:00 a.m. 2. Review and approval of October 9, 2018 minutes: Tom indicated that, based on his notes and recollection of the meeting, the committee had not passed the motion Sandy had proposed (via email) regarding modifying the draft Inclusionary Zoning proposal to exclude the SEQ but had passed a different motion. He inquired of committee members as to their recollection of the motion the committee passed. Mike, Leslie, and Sandy indicated their recollection that the committee had passed the motion Sandy had proposed (via email) regarding modifying the draft Inclusionary Zoning proposal to exclude the SEQ with some additional language. Without further discussion Tom accepted their recollection. Mike moved and Sandy seconded that the second draft of the October 9, 2018, meeting minutes be approved as written. Motion passed: 5-0-0. Todd had not yet joined the meeting when the motion was voted. 3. Chair's remarks: ● Reminder of regional housing meeting 10/29 and State Housing Conference 11/14 John reminded those present of the October 29th meeting of local housing staff and committee folks convened by the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. The focus of the meeting is municipal Housing Trust Funds and John, Sandy, and Larry Kupferman (chair of SoBu’s Housing Trust Fund board) are presenters on a panel. John encouraged everyone to attend. John also encouraged everyone to register for and attend the VHFA-sponsored State Housing Conference on November 13- 14. John is a presenter at one of the workshops. Leslie indicated that scholarships are available for folks for whom the registration fee is a barrier to attendance. John, Leslie, Tom, Todd, and Sandy indicated they plan to attend. Mention was made of the need to warn a committee meeting when a majority of the committee’s members expects to attend the same event. 4. Review and discuss City Council interim zoning proposal and warned meeting Nov. 13 and Committee strategy in response: Committee members reviewed the text of the November 13, 2018, Public Hearing Warning relative to the City Council’s resolution to consider adopting Interim Zoning that is being published in the October 25, 2018, issue of The Other Paper. Members expressed their expectation that the City Council will adopt Interim Zoning at the November 13th Public Hearing to take place during a Special Meeting of the City Council that evening. All committee members present expressed concern that the adoption of Interim Zoning would delay the progress that has been made toward expansion of Inclusionary Zoning beyond the City Center District. Committee members saw value in having the City adopt Inclusionary Zoning for the Transit Overlay District during the period of Interim Zoning. This would bring about incremental progress in the expansion of Inclusionary Zoning. Todd indicated that he supports limited Inclusionary Zoning (i.e. not citywide) in the context of Interim Zoning. At this point, Tom moved and Mike seconded motion that the draft proposal to expand Inclusionary Zoning beyond City Center be modified so that it would apply only to the districts that underlie the Transit Overlay District. Note: the other areas of the City proposed to be excluded from Interim Zoning either do not permit residential housing as a use or, in the case of the Meadowland Business Park, are not suitable for residential housing. Committee members stated expectation that the Planning Commission (PC) is unlikely to move forward on the Inclusionary Zoning proposal during the Interim Zoning period unless the City Council requests that it do so at the same time as the PC moves forward on Interim Zoning. Committee members stated belief that this should not be onerous on the Planning Commission and Planning and Zoning staff because the Committee has done virtually all the work on the Inclusionary Zoning proposal. Committee members indicated willingness to assist in the work needed to bring about adoption of Inclusionary Zoning. Realizing that the motion needed to include actions that would put forth this proposal for City Council consideration, Sandy moved and Leslie seconded that Tom’s motion be amended to include preparing a draft Resolution for the City Council (CC) in which it would request the Planning Commission to move forward in adopting Inclusionary Zoning for the Transit Overlay District, John’s writing a letter to the CC in which he requests that the CC add consideration and possible approval of the Committee’s resolution to the agenda of its November 13th special meeting, with the draft Resolution and draft proposal for application of Inclusionary Zoning in the Transit Overlay District included along with John’s letter. Motion to amend Tom’s original motion passed: 6-0-0. Committee then voted on motion that the draft proposal to expand Inclusionary Zoning beyond City Center be modified so that it would apply only to the Transit Overlay District and that adoption of such Inclusionary Zoning proposal be advanced by the preparation of a draft Resolution for the City Council (CC) in which CC would request the Planning Commission to move forward in adopting Inclusionary Zoning for the Transit Overlay District, which resolution John would send to the CC along with a letter requesting that the CC add consideration and possible approval of the resolution to the agenda of its November 13th special meeting (the draft proposal to apply Inclusionary Zoning in the Transit Overlay District would be sent with John’s letter and the draft Resolution). Amended motion passed: 6-0-0. 5. Discuss and plan Committee public messaging and strategy to build support: Mention was made that John Wilking is the chair of the new SoBu Economic Development Committee. Names of other members should be listed on City’s website. Sandy quoted from October 9th meeting minutes in which Jessica Hyman urged the committee to “consider what our desired outcome is before deciding on our outreach approach.” Members concurred with this advice. Members brainstormed outcomes: (1) foster an empathic attitude in community about affordable housing (2) increase the understanding of economic implications of affordable housing (3) achieve a widespread understanding of voters of benefits of a city with housing at all price points (4) get results we want at the voting booth (5) have people recognize the values of affordable housing like they do natural resources (6) have the $ the City allocates for affordable housing be equal to the $ the City allocates to open space (7) people who work here should be able to live here (8) have residents understand that not having a housing supply with broad spectrum of price points has negative effect on economic growth (e.g. sluggish economic growth was cited as one of the reasons for recent downgrading of VT’s bond rating). This costs all of us money. John encouraged Mike to find a two+ acre parcel suitable for affordable housing that the City might buy. Mike mentioned the 7-acre parcel (formerly part of Wheeler Park) that the City swapped for 21 acres of wildlife corridor to settle the JAM Golf litigation. How might the City buy back this land? Committee then discussed Tom’s conversation with Jessica Hyman and her proposal to seek a VNRC grant that the Committee could use to develop and carry out an outreach plan; also her recommendation that we change the Committee’s name. Members agreed on proposing that name be changed to Housing Committee. Sensing that committee members want to explore Jessica’s offer, Tom moved and Leslie seconded motion that John follow up with Jessica, conveying committee’s interest in working with her, and getting more information on what she is proposing. Motion passed: 6-0-0. Members discussed need to have human interest stories about real people and the challenges they face in finding housing in SoBu that fits their household budget. To address this, Sandy moved and Leslie seconded a motion that the committee prepare draft sample emails (seeking City and School District employees who would volunteer to share their housing challenges) that John would send to Kevin (for City employees) and David Young (for School District employees) with the request that they forward the email to their respective staffs. Sandy and Mike are willing to prepare the draft emails. Motion passed 6-0-0. Tom is waiting for Katie Buckley, Commissioner of Housing and Community Development, to send him names of employers/businesses that have stated lack of affordable housing is having a negative impact on their company. Sandy volunteered to contact Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility to identify employers/businesses that have stated lack of affordable housing is having a negative impact on their company and/or made comments to effect that lack of affordable housing has a negative impact on economic development. Tom shared that he had attended a Winooski panel on Inclusionary Zoning. He expects Winooski to adopt Inclusionary Zoning. Tom asked about housing cooperatives in Burlington area. Sandy indicated that CHT has established cooperatives and provides technical support to promote their successful management. One is in SoBu—on Queensbury Road. The newest one is on Bright Street in Burlington’s Old North End. Committee reviewed dates of November meetings: Tuesday, November 6th, 10:00 a.m.; Thursday, November 29th, 10:00 a.m. (note that this meeting is on Thursday) 6. Review Bike Rack items and 7. New Business The Committee did not have time to address these agenda items. 8. Adjourn: Tom moved and Mike seconded motion to adjourn meeting at 12:12 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. “Bike rack” ● Tom will prepare a “Summary” of the proposed changes (from May 29, 2018, meeting minutes) ● work on Committee’s page on the City’s website ● (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): ● Mike will consult with an accountant regarding what incentives the City might put in place to encourage owners of undeveloped property to sell land at a “bargain price” to private developers. ● Mike will seek Yves Bradley’s input regarding development of more housing along Shelburne Road corridor.