HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 07/20/2022July 20, 2022, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 1
Approved on August 17, 2022 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE July 20, 2022, 6:00 p.m., meeting held online and at City Hall Members attending: Janet Bellavance, Leslie Black-Plumeau (arr. 6:30), Vince Bolduc, Sandy Dooley, Tom Getz
(new), Emily Holt-Gosselin (new), Darrilyn Peters, John Simson, and Chris Trombly; member absent: Ariel Jensen-Vargas; Also present: Andrew Bolduc, Deputy City Manager; Meaghan Emery (arr. 6:10), City Councilor AGENDA 1. Call to order, agenda review and approval, approval of 6/15/22 AHC meeting minutes, announcements, public comment on items not on the agenda 2. Member introductions 3. Elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk. Current chair will preside until this point. 4. City Manager update 5. Review of relevant City Policies: a. Bylaws for Committees Established by the South Burlington City Council b. Conflict of Interest and Ethics Policy for Elected and Appointed Officials 6. FY2023 Policies and Priorities Discussion and subcommittee assignments 7. Adjourn 1. Call to order, agenda review and approval, approval of 6/15/22 AHC meeting minutes, announcements, public comment on items not on the agenda Call to order: Chris called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m.
Agenda review: Darrilyn moved and Sandy seconded motion to approve agenda as proposed. Approved: 8-0-0 Approval of minutes: Vince moved and Darrilyn seconded motion that the 6/15/22 meeting minutes be approved with the addition, as an attachment, of the committee’s approved FY22 Policy Priorities & Strategies/Adopted by
Council 11/15/21 document: Approved: 8-0-0 Announcements: None Public Comments: None
2. Member introductions: Vince – 45-year SoBu resident, he and spouse built their SEQ house, retired St. Michael’s College professor; John – 40+-year SoBu resident, participated in SoBu’s affordable housing ad hoc and standing committees since beginning, interested in incentivizing needed zoning changes; Sandy – 50-year SoBu resident, participated in SoBu’s affordable housing ad hoc and standing committees since beginning, interested in middle- and lower-income households having options in available affordable housing; Janet – retired elementary school teacher, interested in land conservation and affordable housing, her children don’t want housing she wanted at their age; Leslie – works at VHFA (Vermont Housing Finance Agency), previous employment in Washington, DC, believes local zoning decisions have a big effect on housing; Darrilyn – retired public health professional, believes having housing is a major pathway to health, committee’s representative to the Climate Action Task Force; Emily – excited to join committee, family moved to SoBu 15 years ago, in spite of parents having “good” jobs, finding affordable housing has been a challenge, moved five or six times, cannot afford her own housing (lives with parents), personally invested in learning more about this challenge and making a difference; Meaghan – new City Council (CC) liaison to the committee, believes that if you work in SoBu you
should be able to live in SoBu; Tom – eight-year SoBu resident (13 in VT), has worked in development of affordable housing for 10 years, leads Summit Properties development process, interested in learning more about the policy side of affordable housing; Chris – joined committee in 2020 (middle of pandemic), sought opportunity
to get more involved in this issue, interest spurred by family and friends’ experiences in seeking affordable housing, encouraged by passion of this group; and Andrew (Bolduc) – grew up in SoBu, formerly the City Attorney, now Deputy City Manager, lack of affordable housing directly affects his work as two people have declined offers of leadership positions with City due to unavailability of affordable housing. 3. Elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk. Current chair will preside until this point: Darrilyn moved and Leslie seconded motion nominating Chris to serve as chair. John moved and Vince seconded motion that nominations for chair be closed. Motion approved: 9-0-0. Motion to elect Chris as chair approved: 9-0-0. Leslie moved and Vince seconded motion nominating Sandy to serve as vice chair and clerk. John moved and Vince seconded motion that nominations for vice chair and clerk be closed. Motion approved: 9-0-0. Motion to elect Sandy as vice chair and clerk approved: 9-0-0.
July 20, 2022, SoBu Affordable Housing Committee Minutes – APPROVED Page 2
4. City Manager Update: Andrew reported that to date 220 people have completed the Community Survey on ARPA funds; subgroups so far: 38% live in SEQ, 55% graduate degree or higher, 93% Bachelor’s degree or higher. Will do outreach to underserved populations. Can be completed with paper and pen. Open for participation until mid-August. One or two proposals received in response to RFP for ARPA funds for affordable housing. The City was awarded $ 1 million in VCDP funds for Summit development in O’Brien Farms.
Snyder/Braverman received a permit to build 130 housing units in City Center (to be called Prospect Place). Growth in grand list from 2021 to 2022 was 1.33%. Residents’ property taxes for FY22-23 will increase 0.08 %. At its 8/1/22 meeting the CC will act on the proposed FY23 Policy Priorities & Strategies plan.
5. Review of relevant City Policies: a. Bylaws for Committees Established by the South Burlington City Council b. Conflict of Interest and Ethics Policy for Elected and Appointed Officials: Andrew encouraged all committee
members to attend the 8/1/22 Orientation for new and continuing city committee members. He gave basic definition of conflict of interest as a situation in which a committee member has a direct financial interest or a member of their immediate family has a direct financial interest in a subject being addressed by the committee. The City’s Conflict of Interest (COI) policy relies on self-enforcement. John asked how committees should conduct their business. Are they expected to have formal bylaws or follow Robert’s Rules? Andrew said that CC, DRB, and Planning Commission, because they have independent policy and/or decision-making authority, must operate in accordance with defined rules/procedures. All other committees, because they are advisory, can conduct their business more informally. Tom asked if he needs to do anything formally when faced with a COI. Answer: nothing formal—you remove yourself from discussion and decision-making re the subject of the COI. Vince mentioned unfortunate situation in which a resident, in two submissions printed in The Other Paper, alleged that three committee easily identifiable members (Chris, Leslie and Patrick) had a general COI in serving as
committee members. Andrew agreed that they do not. Vince is hopeful that Tom will not be accused of COI. Sandy expressed hope that this individual will not make such allegations in the future. With regard to public meeting requirements, members should not “reply all” in response to an email providing information about a policy
matter. Members may “reply all” in response to an email seeking to schedule a meeting or relating to the inclusion or exclusion of an item on a meeting agenda.
6. FY2023 Policies and Priorities Discussion and subcommittee assignments: Members discussed the Proposed Subcommittee for 2022-2023 table. First focus was the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) that will need funding
for completion. Consensus of members is that committee should recommend that ARPA funds be used for this project; estimated cost is $12,000 to $20,000. Importance of having new HNA for housing chapter in updated Comprehensive Plan was mentioned. Members recognized that to make timely recommendation to CC,
committee needs to take action on recommendations re use of ARPA funds at its August 17th meeting. Vince asked Meaghan how the CC will use the results of the Community Survey in making decisions on use of ARPA funds. Meaghan indicated that survey will have “weight” but not be determinative in deciding how funds will be used. Question raised: why is AHC proposing using ARPA funds for an equity audit when this is not part of committee’s charge? Second question: aren’t HNA and equity audit part of same thing? Some members want equity audit, broader than viewing equity through housing lens, as a means of advancing CC commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity. Sandy agreed to attend 8/1/22 CC meeting to advocate, as an individual resident, for keeping the equity audit in the FY23 Policy Priorities & Strategies plan. Need action at 8/17/22 meeting on recommendation to CC that ARPA funds be used for HNA and Weatherization. Leslie and Janet will draft motion on HNA, and Sandy and Darrilyn will draft motion on weatherization. Work Group assignments: Climate Action Plan – Darrilyn, Leslie, Tom & Vince; short-term rentals and SEQ LDR limiting density to 1.8 per acre on small
lots – Darrilyn, John, and Sandy; Comprehensive Plan update – Leslie and Sandy; renter & renter related issues – Ariel, Chris, & Emily; redevelopment – Darrilyn, Janet, John, & Tom. Based on Andrew’s recommendation, we are using “Work Group” to describe the subgroups instead of “Subcommittee.”
Andrew Bolduc will staff the committee’s August 17th meeting.
7. Adjourn: (8:03 p.m.) Leslie moved and Janet seconded motion to adjourn meeting. Approved: 9-0-0.