HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Board - Minutes - 12/03/19980
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD
Meeting Minutes
December 3, 1998
Bob Browning, Vice Chair
Ken Waldo, Staff Liaison
Chuck Wanner, City Council Liaison
The meeting of the Affordable Housing Board was called to order by Chairman
Bob Browning, beginning at 4:05 p.m., at 281 North College Avenue, Fort
Collins, Colorado. Board members present included: Bob Browning, Kay Rios,
David Danforth, Isabel Garity, Joanne Greer, Stacy Overton, and Mickey Willis.
Staff present: Ken Waldo and Ann Wafts. City Council Liaison present: Chuck
Wanner. Others present: Joe Frank, Greg Byrne, Krista Moberly, Grace Harris,
Lou Stitzel, and Betty Malone.
Public Discussion
No public comment was offered.
Old Business
Update on affordable housing program revisions: Ms. Watts reported that P&Z
approved the proposal with two changes: 1) They noted their desire to see a
more in-depth financial impact analysis on the development fee delay program;
and they want a minimum 20-year affordability requirement added to each
program offered under the proposal.
No affordability requirement has been placed on these programs to date. The
assumption was made that applicants for these programs would also be
participants in Federal and State programs that would have their own
affordability requirements. Some developers have appeared with small projects
that barely meet the 80 percent AMI requirement, with no funding source
requiring them to stay affordable for a specific length of time. This is the issue
needing a solution.
The P&Z 20-year request was a recommendation. The proposal will no be
negotiated between Affordable Housing and P&Z; rather, Council will receive
Affordable Housing's, P&Z's, and Staff's recommendations to fuel their ultimate
decision.
In response to questions by the Board, Ms. Watts stated that the incentive
program apply to new housing, not rehabilitated units. Any affordability time
period would apply whether the unit was rental or ownership. The intent of the
affordability recommendation is probably to establish a model deed restriction to
place on units. The numbers are small for developers who apply for the City
Affordable Housing Board
Meeting of December 3, 1998
Page 4
17, 1998. Board members expressed interest in knowing what price level for
home ownership would be attainable at differing AMI levels.
Other comments included: Testing anticipated results against the data of the
upcoming 2000 census; whether to institute a competitive process for impact fee
rebates rather than first -come -first served. Board members expressed concern
about this approach as promoted by Staff. The balance drawn was whether a
competitive process would identify the best projects, or whether it was better to
encourage projects to proceed expeditiously.
Mr. Browning noted that the Board originally advocated a competitive process for
rebates, which was turned down by Council. Such a process is better from a
taxpayer's viewpoint, in that projects with higher merit will be better assured of
funding. Mr. Wanner noted Council's concern that with the competitive process,
it cannot be determined if the program is stimulating a project or is an adjunct to
it.
Mr. Frank noted the importance of having people on CDBG who were schooled
in affordable housing issues in order to make sound decisions. Mr. Wanner
advocated a higher percentage of CDBG funding going to affordable housing.
Ms. Watts stated that the Affordable Housing Board could make
recommendations to the CDBG Commission on matters arising from Board input
and policies.
Staff reiterated their intent to work on a competitive process policy. Ms. Rios
asked that such a policy be reviewed before the Board gives its assent to such a
policy. Mr. Browning noted the stance that Council had previously taken against
the Board recommendation that a competitive process be in place.
The Board meeting adjourned, to be reconvened from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on
December 17, 1998, for further review of the City document, beginning at page
74.