HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 06/22/2021June 22, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 1
Approved on August 9, 2021 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE
June 22, 2021, 10:30 a.m., meeting held online Members attending: Leslie Black-Plumeau (left @ 11:30), Vince Bolduc, Sandy Dooley, Patrick O’Brien (arr. 10:46), John Simson, and Chris Trombly Others: Monica Ostby, PC liaison; Kevin Dorn (left 10:51), City Manager; Jessie Baker, incoming City Manager; Minelle Sarfo-Ado (left 11:40), Darrilyn Peters, and Ariel Jensen-Vargas (at City Hall), SoBu residents AGENDA
1. Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of minutes (06/08/21), announcements 2. Communications Update 3. Discussion regarding welcome packet for new city manager 4. Discussion regarding RFP for development of City-owned land near old City Hall to create perpetually affordable housing for low and middle income residents 5. Discussion regarding construction costs/fees impacting affordable housing development
6. Adjourn 1, Call to order, agenda review, public comment, approval of Minutes (06/08/21), announcements
Call to order: Chris called the meeting to order at 10:35 a.m. Agenda review: Vince moved and Leslie seconded motion to approve the agenda as proposed. Motion approved: 5-0-0.
Public Comments: None. Minutes: Leslie moved and Vince seconded motion to approve the second draft of minutes for the 06/08/21 meeting. Motion approved: 5-0-0. Announcements: Sandy shared that she had attended (in person) the 06/21/21 City Council meeting at which Kevin Dorn’s and Tom Hubbard’s retirements were recognized. It was announced that Andrew Bolduc would become the new Deputy City Manager. Sandy, Chris, and Monica attended a 06/09/21 meeting of architects focused on affordable housing. Few architects in attendance and they had had little direct involvement in affordable housing but had a strong interest. Vince recommended a Harvard study that he had shared with committee members and has been posted on AHC’s webpage. Vince said that nothing in study would be new to AHC members. Leslie indicated that this study is updated annually. Chris reported that the AHC will not meet during month of July. Due to move to Market Street location, City cannot assure technical and staff support
required for committee to meet. Kevin explained that in accordance with Vermont open meeting law, committees are required to offer option to attend meetings at a City-designated site or online. As a result, FY 21-22 organizational AHC meeting is postponed until August. Members decided to identify work groups to accomplish
tasks during July. John, Leslie, and Vince are work group tasked with responsibility to develop draft work plan for FY 21-22. Members are encouraged so send suggestions for work plan goals to this group. Chris will work with Sandy to prepare for August meeting. Monica mentioned that Planning Commission will meet during July and
encouraged AHC members to attend the PC meetings. Sandy and Ariel volunteered to attend the PC meetings. Other committee members are also encouraged to attend. Monica recalled that someone during the architects’ meeting indicated that developers receive tax breaks for building detached single-family homes. Committee needs to learn more about this. Bob Duncan (architect) may be a good resource re this topic. Sandy will work with Patrick regarding income levels for citywide Inclusionary Housing regulations (as requested by PC). Darrilyn proposed that AHC stay up-to-date on how much state and federal dollars are available to SoBu for affordable housing. 2. Communications Update: Ariel sees primary goal of communications workgroup as building support for the City doing more to increase the supply of affordable housing in the City. She sees social media as “listening platforms” not at marketing tools. At this point, each committee member introduced themselves to Jessie. Jessie then introduced herself to the committee. Leslie raised question of how to respond to questions from individual
June 22, 2021, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes- APPROVED Page 2
City Councilors. Monica stated view that committee members should not feel pressured to respond to questions
from individual City Councilors. Options might be to (1) refer question to committee chair, (2) efer to staff, or (3) seek advice at next committee meeting on how to respond. Jessie stated that unless an email communication is solely a matter of sharing information, we should not “Reply All.” All discussion of policy issues or other
committee matters must take place in public, open session. Monica shared that she and Paul Engels (also a PC member) have been assigned to a group reviewing the airport’s rezoning request. 3. Discussion regarding welcome packet for new city manager: Sandy proposed two changes to the draft statement to be sent to the new City Manager. One related to adding the concept of interdependence and another proposed substituting a new sentence at the beginning of the Inclusion paragraph. She shared proposed language for both changes. Chris shared Janet’s (Bellavance) recommendations relating to preservation of affordable housing and changing the language in the equity paragraph to remove assertion of ensuring equitable
treatment vis-à-vis housing when the AHC does not have authority to ensure compliance. Because AHC has already developed LDRs relating to preservation of affordable housing (and they are part of the City’s LDRs), members did not concur with this recommendation. They did modify the language in the equity paragraph to eliminate any claim that AHC could ensure equitable treatment in housing transactions.
Motion: Sandy moved and John seconded motion that the committee approve the proposed modifications to the draft “Where We Have Been – Where We Want to Go” statement relating to interdependence and inclusion, and
removal of “ensure” language. Motion approved: 5-0-0. New language is highlighted in this statement, which is attached to these minutes.
Monica raised subject of City needing to take initiative in having the University Mall redeveloped in a manner that
includes residential housing, citing this as an opportunity for the City to advocate for more residential housing and redevelopment of valuable property within City Center. It was noted that the Form-based Code LDRs that apply in this area do not regulate use and, thus, support mixed use development. Committee deferred action on this proposal to a future meeting.
4. Discussion regarding RFP for development of City-owned land near old City Hall to create perpetually affordable housing for low and middle income residents: Committee members want to move this proposal forward. Following a brief discussion, in follow-up to input from Kevin at prior meeting, the committee acted. Motion: John moved and Vince seconded motion that the Affordable Housing Committee propose to the City Council that it give priority to having a plan be prepared for the purpose of developing unused property behind City Hall for affordable housing. Motion approved: 5-0-0. 5. Discussion regarding construction costs/fees impacting affordable housing development: Brief discussion due to limited time. Subjects mentioned: why is it cheaper to build detached single-family units than multi-unit housing., what can we do to make it less expensive for nonprofits to build affordable housing, too many
requirements that increase the cost, are these requirements necessary, for-profit developers can build housing for 50-60% less if the amenities are changed and specifications less demanding. Patrick posed question to a nonprofit developer: Why can’t we (for-profit developers) build the housing for $5 million and throw you the keys,
instead of you building it for $10 million? Nonprofit developer’s response: we need to talk. Parting reminder from Monica: members need to keep paying attention to PC’s iscussion of conservation and
development in the SEQ. 6. Adjourn: At 12:30 p.m. Vince moved and John seconded motion to adjourn. Motion approved: 5-0-0
The South Burlington Affordable Housing Committee
Where We Have Been – Where We Want to Go
On May 2, 2016 the City Council appointed the first standing South Burlington Affordable Housing
Committee. Prior to that, starting in 2012 there had been a series of volunteer resident committees and
task forces appointed by the City Council to complete a housing needs analysis and plan, The Path to
Affordability, prepare draft inclusionary zoning regulations for City Center and recommend a Housing
Trust Fund for the City. All three have been accepted by the City Council and the latter two have been
acted upon positively by the Council. Since its appointment the standing committee has drafted a new
section for the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) discouraging the demolition or use change of
existing housing and extending inclusionary zoning throughout the Transit Overlay District of the zoning
map. Currently the Committee has drafted and submitted to the Planning Commission amendments to
the LDRs that would extend inclusionary zoning to the entire City.
From the work of the standing committee and its predecessors there have been successes. The Housing
Trust Fund has been funded with $50,000 each year in the City budget and it has appropriated money to
the Cathedral Square senior housing and the Champlain Housing Trust family housing buildings in City
Center. Developers working in City Center and other parts of the City where inclusionary zoning
regulations apply, have designed and built or planned to build some very attractive units to incorporate
households in the “missing middle income” brackets into their developments, fulfilling the intent of
inclusionary zoning in South Burlington. Looking to the future, we are committed to four themes:
Affordability, Inclusion, Equity, and Interdependence.
Affordability
Housing in our City is very expensive and like the rest of the County, the vacancy rate is so low that
vacant rentals or homes for sale barely appear on the market before they have new renters or owners.
First and foremost, this committee and City government need to work to enable the construction of
more housing at all price points. We will need ideas and action to create greater density and stimulate
infill development through zoning changes in the Transit Overlay District. We need to support Planned
Unit Developments in the South East Quadrant and elsewhere in the City on property not designated for
protection or conservation. We need to continue to advocate for and assist non-profit developers to
build in South Burlington. This can be done with sustained and increased support for the Housing Trust
Fund and adjusting development fees for affordable units.
Inclusion
The post-World War II equation of success with detached single-family homeownership has had a
disproportionate effect on housing development in South Burlington. This preference and the high cost
of land are major factors limiting inclusivity by household income in the City. One prominent symptom
is the universal complaint of employers that they have great difficulty recruiting and retaining
employees. They report that for middle managers and technical staff housing availability is a barrier.
Many employees eventually find housing a long commute away or pay in excess of 30% for what they
can find nearer to their job. For wage employees the housing situation can be much direr. New private
developments containing 10% or 15% inclusionary units and more housing built by the region’s non-
profits will help. But to be the kind of inclusionary City we aspire to in the Comprehensive Plan, South
Burlington needs to do much more to bring home ownership and rental housing to our current and
future working households.
Equity
This is a new theme for the Affordable Housing Committee and for the City in general. Stimulated by
our reading of The Color of Law and subsequent popular book discussion co-sponsored by our
committee and the Public Library, we are looking at how South Burlington can be more supportive of
home ownership by BIPOC households. Beginning with encouraging the construction of more houses
and condos in the city we will see an easing of the market. Next we need to encourage realtors and
financial institutions to continue practicing equity when dealing with prospective homeowners. Finally,
we should explore the feasibility of a program of down payment assistance perhaps through VHFA using
a portion of the Federal COVID funds allocated to Vermont and South Burlington.
Interdependence
We believe these goals are complementary to all other goals in the City’s Comprehensive Plan and that
our City (and the world) will be most successful and resilient if we recognize the integral role that having
safe, secure, and affordable housing plays in a humane and civilized society. In short, the City’s multiple
goals are interdependent. Thus, we will pursue our goals with resolve while simultaneously working
with those pursuing different goals in a manner that seeks to find the best approach to maximizing
positive outcomes for all.
Appendix
1. 2020 Annual Report to the City Council
Mission
The Affordable Housing Committee’s mission is to increase the availability of safe and affordable housing in the city, particularly for households with incomes no greater than 80% of
the median for the region. To this end, it provides guidance and policy recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council, educates the community about housing needs, and collaborates with regional municipalities and housing partners.
Members
Chris Trombly, Chair; Sandra Dooley, Vice-Chair; Leslie Black-Plumeau; Vince Bolduc; Patrick
O’Brien; Mike Simoneau; John Simson;
Accomplishments
• Committee met 10 times in 2020. The meetings were suspended in March and resumed in September in online format to accommodate COVID19 safety precautions.
• Adopted Housing Space working group report that identified ideal undeveloped parcels for
future housing completed in March 2020 by Housing Space working group and briefed City Council on August 18, 2020. Identified two sets of 5+ acre parcels that are ideal for future residential development:
(1) those all or partially zoned as residential and
(2) those not currently zoned as residential.
• Attended several Planning Commission Meetings to provide feedback on impact to housing.
• Sent memo to City Council on October 19, 2020 opposing draft sewer ordinance due to impact restricting housing availability.
• Solicited feedback from property owners in commercial and industrial districts Identified about
extending development types allowable to include residential.
• Attended Virtual Housing Convention hosted by Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission on 11/30/20.
• Provided preliminary feedback to the Planning and Zoning Director on new Accessory Dwelling Unit regulation released in November.
• Motion passed supportive of proposed Eastview development plans for affordable housing units as required by inclusionary zoning.
• Motion passed supportive of exploring repurposing the 575 Dorset street lot into affordable housing.
• Book discussion group planning sessions for Feb 2021 for understanding the impact housing
regulations can have on social inequities such as race and economics.
Goals for 2021
• Continue to educate the City Council, Planning Commission and the general public on the
positive impact of increased housing, including housing affordable for low and moderate income.
• Change name from Affording Housing Committee to Housing committee to be more inclusive of different housing challenges.
• Prepare an LDR amendment that will extend inclusionary zoning City-wide
• Develop a dedicated funding source or funding mechanism for the Housing Trust Fund to
directly impact the development of affordable housing.
• Propose ways SB could build on state provisions to allow more accessory dwellings and increase the number of smaller, affordable homes citywide.
• Work with the Planning Commission on mechanisms to increase supply of housing stock by
reviewing density calculation, building types, inclusionary zoning, LDR amendments, and other
zoning tools to increase affordable housing consistent with Comprehensive Plan goals.
Committee Charge from City Council
Purpose:
To engage in activities that support and assist the City in achieving the goals for housing, especially housing for households whose incomes do not exceed 80 percent of the Area Median Income, stated in the City’s 2016 and subsequent Comprehensive Plans.
Charge:
1. Keep abreast of housing policies and strategies in place elsewhere that might be applied here to increase the stock of affordable housing for employed and senior residents.
2. Review ideas and recommendations in the 2013 Report, Path to Affordability not adopted thus far to determine if any should be advanced to the planning commission
3. Assess the need for expanding inclusionary zoning regulations to areas of the City outside the
City Center district and make recommendations to the Planning Commission on this subject
4. Study ways to permanently fund the Trust Fund and make a recommendation to the City
Council
5. Continue to monitor statistical data regarding the state of housing affordability in the City
6. Undertake measures to educate the public
7. Be open to citizen ideas and opinions
8. Submit an annual report to the City Council