HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Board - Minutes - 11/05/2020AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
November 5, 2020, 4:00-6:00pm
Remote/Online via Zoom due to COVID-19
11/5/2020 – MINUTES Page 1
1. CALL TO ORDER:4:05
2. ROLL CALL
x Board Members Present: Jen Bray, Catherine Costlow, Bob Pawlikowski, Tatiana Zentner,
Diane Cohn, Daphne Bear
x Board Members Absent: Kristin Fritz
x Staff Members Present: Megan DeMasters, Jamie Gaskill, Yaz Haldeman, Lindsay Ex, Sue
Beck-Ferkiss, Brittany Depew
x Guests: Jess Dyrdahl
3. AGENDA REVIEW –No changes
4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION –None
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Bob moved to approve October minutes as amended.
Diane seconded. Approved 6-0.
6. NEW BUSINESS
A. Board Introductions
B. Housing Strategic Plan – Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Lindsay Ex, Megan DeMasters
Draft vision: “Everyone has stable, healthy housing they can afford.” Provided grounding,
reviewed biggest challenges and remaining questions. Shared outcomes from strategies
brainstorm and how to organize these into “buckets.” Want to start with people (builders, renters,
homeowners, people experiencing homelessness, etc.), then types of levers (funding, education,
policy, etc.). Provided fall engagement update – will host a total of about 35 workshops with the
community, plus online input. Next steps: community engagement, monthly Affordable Housing
Board meetings, December 8 work session. Discussion Question: Given these challenges and
remaining questions, what goals are appropriate? Current goal is 6% of units affordable by 2020
(will not meet this goal) and 10% of units by 2040.
Discussion:
x This structure feels well thought out and organized.
x Average social security payment is $1,500/month, and many retired Americans have this
as their only income source.
x Don’t want to lose anything that was important in the last housing plan.
x Still not clear what long-term recovery from COVID-19 will require or entail.
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x Rent assistance demands have gone up drastically.
x Received infusion of funds from both CARES (must be spent in 2020) and CDBG-CV
(can be spent into 2021).
x Need to be mindful of decision-fatigue when seeking feedback and input at all levels.
x Bozeman has specific goals for each income level.
x How do preservation and stabilization fit into this plan?
o This is critical in keeping people housed.
o Rehab of units can be expensive and complicated.
x When considering percentages of affordable housing, are we looking specifically at those
with deed restrictions or did this also include de facto affordable?
o The original 10% goal assumed there would also be approximately 5% naturally-
occurring affordable housing.
x Have engaged with students who want to be included in these considerations and data.
o Not all students want to live with roommates, but there’s often no other choice.
x Is increasing density a goal or a strategy? It could be both.
x Plan to start land use audit now, rather than wait for next budget cycle.
o This process will still take years.
x Ad Hoc Housing Committee next meets November 12 at 5:00 p.m.
C. Utilities Affordability Programs (UAP) Update – Jamie Gaskill
Estimate that 6,000 more Utilities customers could benefit from UAP. Utility burden is the
percentage of income that is spent on utilities such as electricity, gas, water, wastewater,
stormwater and broadband. Work to lower households’ utility burdens by providing combination
of assistance, lowering rate, increasing home efficiency, adjusting household behaviors. Haven’t
done any shutoffs since March, but those will be starting again soon. Various assistance
programs have different criteria for eligibility.In 2019, had 700 participants in the income-
qualified assistance program, 167 participants in medical assistance program, and 364 people
served by payment assistance fund. In 2020, August almost matched total payment assistance
for all 2019. Retrofit programs put on hold with COVID-19.
Discussion:
x Hand delivered 1,300 brochures to 13 targeted neighborhoods.
x Impressive portfolio of ways Utilities is helping to support customers.
x Water assistance, infrastructure repairs and replacement is not as robust as other types
of assistance, trying to fill this gap.
o Prioritizing people who have water as part of their rent bill (i.e. manufactured
home parks).
x Leak detection can be challenging when it’s slow or not obvious.
x Continually evolving strategies for how to best engage people with a wide range of
needs.
D. 2021 Work Plan, Board Discussion
The Board reviewed 2021 work plan for updates. Discussed goals, language, liaison
assignments (will decide at a later time), and other components of the plan.
x Suggest changing language from citizen to resident
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o More clarity around who we mean – does this include college students?
x Discussed structure around CDBG (community development block grant) ranking
system
x Distinction between broad work plan vs. more specific work itself
x Land Bank outcomes and goals
x Metro Districts policy and process
Diane moved to accept changes to work plan and create final draft.
Tatiana seconded. Approved unanimously 6-0.
7. OTHER BUSINESS—NOT DISCUSSED
a)City Council Six-Month Planning Calendar
b)Council Comments
c)Review 2020 Work Plan
d)Update on Affordable Housing Projects
e)Future AHB Meetings Agenda
8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS—Not Discussed
a) Liaison Reports
10. ADJOURNMENT:6:31