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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Affordable Housing Committee - 08/21/2017Approved on September 19, 2017 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE August 21, 2017, 4:00 PM, City Hall Members attending: Leslie Black-Plumeau, Sandy Dooley, Michael Simoneau (left at 5:05 to attend Recreation and Parks Committee meeting), John Simson (Chair) Members absent: Tom Bailey Others Present: Monica Ostby, liaison from SoBu Planning Commission; David Mullins, Executive Director, Green Mountain Habitat (Kevin Dorn was unable to attend due to participation in a mediation) Minutes by Sandy Dooley AGENDA 1. Welcome 2. Agenda Review: Additions, deletions or changes in order of agenda items 3. Comments and questions from the public not related to the agenda 4. Review and approval of minutes from the August 8, 2017, Committee meeting. 5. Visit by David Mullin of Habitat for Humanity to discuss potential sites in the City 6. Discuss and assign preparation of a briefing folder for new members 7. If full committee is present, discuss our approach to additional inclusionary zoning for the City 8. Old Business 9. Set dates for September and October meetings 10. Adjourn 1. Welcome: John called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. and welcomed Monica Ostby and David Mullins to the meeting. 2. Agenda review: There were no changes to the agenda 3. Comments, etc.: There were no comments from the public. 4. Review and approval of minutes of August 8, 2017, committee meeting: Mike moved and Sandy seconded that the second draft of the August 8, 2017, meeting minutes be approved. Vote was three in favor, zero opposed, and one abstention (Leslie abstained as she did not attend this committee meeting). 5. Visit by David Mullin of Habitat for Humanity to discuss potential sites in the City David gave overview of Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity’s (GMHH) work in Chittenden County ● GMHH has been operational in Chittenden County (CC) for 33 years ● GMHH looks for infill land opportunities in CC ● Income eligibility for household: ≤ 60% HUD AMI (Area Median Income) ● Sweat equity requirement for household: 400 hours ● On average, 300-400 volunteers participate in construction of a single house ● GMHH typically pays $65-70,000 for the lot on which it builds a house ● Houses are perpetually affordable with 25/75 sharing of increased in value of the house when (if) sold; same sharing as CHT. ● Houses are very energy efficient; utility bills are very low. ● Recently built house in Milton: 1,200 sq. ft., $230,000 market value; sold to family with a $139,000 (interest free) mortgage. VHCB provides small grant that supports GMHH’s home program. ● Household seeking consideration for eligibility/selection to purchase a GMHH home may apply on GMHH’s website. ● Household selected to purchase a pre-existing home rents the home for a year during which the household completes its 400-hour sweat equity requirement on another home being built by GMHH. ● Years ago, GMHH partnered with the City of Burlington to build two homes on Venus Avenue cul-de-sac. Committee discussed building homes (single-family or duplex) on City-owned property off dead-end of Duval Street (in Chamberlin neighborhood). Dave showed committee a drawing of a development on this property that a UVM class had prepared. Fair level of enthusiasm among those present to have GMHH build homes on this property. City staff have concerns about timing due to part of this site being within the airport’s 65 DNL boundary. Those present indicated desire to explore, further, the possibility of GMHH pursuing a development on this site. Sandy volunteered to find out how much CHT paid for the land it used for the Queensbury Co-op development (located on formerly City-owned land on the other side of the ravine from the Duval Street site). 6. Discuss and assign preparation of a briefing folder for new members John shared the Recreation and Parks Committee’s documents prepared for this purpose as a springboard from which AH committee can draft its documents. AH committee already has a mission statement. Leslie volunteered to draft a section describing “who we are, what we do, and what we have done so far” for review at our next meeting. 7. If full committee is present, discuss our approach to additional inclusionary zoning for the City (deferred as full committee not present) 8. Old Business (a) Monica brought to committee’s attention that Planning Commission (PC) would be reviewing Committee’s latest proposals re draft Housing Preservation LDRs at PC’s meeting the following evening. She would not be present at the meeting. Monica agreed to send an email to Jessica (PC Chair) stating her support for the committee’s proposed modifications. (b) Sandy shared that she reviewed email exchange among Monica, Jessica, and herself and is still unclear re how/why the PC wants the AH committee to modify the definition of “affordable housing” in SoBu’s LDRs. Those present think perhaps this may have something to do with how this definition interacts with the density bonus or TDRs. Sandy agreed to follow up with Paul Conner to seek his view on this subject. (c) Recruitment of folks to apply to be appointed to committee. We know Todd Rawlings applied. City Council is still advertising in The Other Paper. Wes Daum expressed interest; do not know if he applied. Monica believes that Lindsay Brice applied to be appointed to serve on AH committee. Sandy agreed to follow up with Celine Ingalls to see if Lindsay has applied. (Note: when Celine replied, she indicated that Lindsay had not applied for any committee.) (d) The fact that the Housing Trust Fund has no by-laws came up. Those present believe that, at a minimum, it needs to be officially stated that all Trust Fund dollars must go to developments serving households whose incomes do not exceed a certain AMI level (perhaps, 65, 80, or some other percent on AMI). 9. Set dates for September and October meetings September 19, October 2 and 17, all at 4 pm. Committee did not schedule a meeting in first half of September because it could not identify a date on which all committee members would be present, which is desired for further discussion on Inclusionary Zoning. 10. Adjourn – Leslie moved and Sandy seconded that the meeting be adjourned. Committee approved motion unanimously at 5:55 p.m.