HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Board - Minutes - 06/06/2013CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD
MINUTES
BOARD MEETING
300 Laporte Ave
Fort Collins, Colorado
June 6, 2013
4 to 6 p.m.
Chair: Dan Byers
Staff Liaison: Sue Beck-Ferkiss 970-221-6753
City Council Liaison: Lisa Poppaw
Board Members present: Dan Byers, Tatiana Martin, Troy Jones, Terence Hoaglund, Jeffrey Johnson, Curt Lyons
Board Members absent:
Staff present: Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Social Sustainability Specialist; Joe Frank, Director, Social Sustainability
Department; Lindsey Earl, Summer Intern; Beth Sowder, Manager, Neighborhood Services; Mike Gebo, Chief
Building Official; Polly Lauridsen, Compliance Supervisor; Chadrick Martinez, Director of Development, Fort
Collins Housing Authority; Michele Dunlop, Note Taker
Council Members present: None
Guests: Marilyn Heller, League of Women Voters
Meeting Summary:
Beth Sowder, Mike Gebo and Polly Lauridsen notified the Board of a proposed change to the International
Property Maintenance Code, allowing for the regulation of owner-occupied buildings that require
maintenance, but are not yet dangerous. The Board expressed concern over a potential negative impact on
low income housing.
Chadrick Martinez offered an introduction to low income housing tax credits, with additional background
on the City of Fort Collins’ Redtail Ponds development.
Director Joe Frank provided an update on the Provincetowne master covenant, which City Council has
elected to maintain as-is. Director Frank thanked the Board for its constructive commentary throughout the
duration of the project.
The Board discussed the upcoming mall development project in relation to citywide impact fees,
inclusionary zoning and citywide ordinance.
Meeting called to order with a quorum present at 4:00 p.m. by Dan Byers.
AGENDA REVIEW
Chair Dan Byers queried the Board for additions or subtractions to the agenda. No commentary.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comment.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting of May 2, 2013 were approved as presented.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Director Joe Frank introduced the Social Sustainability Department’s summer intern, Lindsey Earl. Ms. Earl studies
sociology at Colorado State University.
NEW BUSINESS
GUEST SPEAKERS BETH SOWDER, MIKE GEBO AND POLLY LAURIDSEN
Beth Sowder, Mike Gebo and Polly Lauridsen of Neighborhood Services joined the Affordable Housing Board to
discuss proposed changes to the City of Fort Collins’ International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). The IPMC,
amended and adopted by the City of Fort Collins in 2008, categorizes problem properties as dangerous (eminent
hazard to the occupants or the public), unlawful (any structure built or altered without permits or approval), unfit for
human occupancy (a health risk), and substandard (a rental or commercial property that requires general
maintenance, but is not yet dangerous). Neighborhood Services has proposed a fifth category that would fall
somewhere between substandard and dangerous, applicable to owner-occupied as well as commercial buildings. As
an alternative, Neighborhood Services has also considered removing the owner-occupied exemption from the
substandard classification. However, Mr. Gebo noted this may be more work than is necessary to remedy the
problem of excessive exterior degradation.
Additional property maintenance policy proposals include:
A vacant and dangerous building registry, requiring one local contact person responsible for ensuring a
property is secured and correcting violations
Regulation of excessive accumulation of items that would normally be stored outdoors (ladders, hoses,
lawn mowers, grills, cars, trailers)
Longterm goals for the project include:
Remove the ‘visible from ground level’ provision from the outdoor storage code.
Limit the number of inoperable motor vehicles in residential properties to one unless in an enclosed
structure.
Require the removal of dead shrubs if a certain distance from a property line or structure (would not apply
to trees).
Members of the Affordable Housing Board cautioned that changes to the IPMC could add new financial burdens to
struggling low income households, and urged Neighborhood Services to define ‘excessive accumulation’ in a clear
and measurable way. Mike Gebo emphasized Neighborhood Services’ flexibility and willingness to work with
affected households to brainstorm practical solutions. The proposed changes to the IPMC will return to City Council
for a work session on July 23, 2013.
GUEST SPEAKER CHADRICK MARTINEZ
Chadrick Martinez, Director of Development, Fort Collins Housing Authority, sat down with the Affordable
Housing Board to provide an overview of low-income housing tax credits. Mr. Martinez walked the Board through
the step-by-step tax credit process, viewed through the lens of the City’s Redtail Ponds affordable development
project. Members of the Board listened with attentive interest, and Chair Dan Byers thanked Mr. Martinez for the
educational presentation.
PROVINCETOWNE
Director Joe Frank provided an update on Provincetowne. At the last work session, City Council urged the
Department of Social Sustainability to stay the course, not to change the master covenant, but to more aggressively
monitor the situation in Provincetowne. Social Sustainability has put together a work plan and requested additional
staff, to enforce the covenant and educate current owners, realtors and the local homeowner association on the terms
of the covenant.
Jeffrey Johnson notified the Board that Ingrid Decker had reached out for his input on filing liens against the
Provincetowne property, with the goal of making the covenant more noticeable in the title. Although he responded
as an individual, rather than as a member of the Board, he indicated he’d present his thoughts to the Board. Sue
Beck-Ferkiss indicated she could have the memo to Ms. Decker sent to the entire Board for review, as a matter of
official record.
Although the Provincetowne master covenant is unchanged, Council has asked Social Sustainability to go softly at
enforcement. Director Frank thanked Board members for their valuable comments at the last meeting, which helped
to inform the decision making process.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY
The Fort Collins Board of Realtors (FCBR) is monitoring what the City is proposing about Historical Preservation
and Oil and Gas regulations. City Council has had some discussion about who should be responsible about
providing documentation about both of these issues. As of now, there has been nothing official proposed so FCBR is
just monitoring and will take action if appropriate and need be. Also, FCBR's Government Affairs Committee is
monitoring the details of the mall and planned apartment housing, they would like more available detail on what is
going to happen in regards to the affordable housing "fee."
Director Joe Frank explained that, although the housing itself may not be affordable, the developer has agreed to pay
an affordable housing impact fee that will be channeled into the competitive process. The Affordable Housing Board
will be asked to weigh in on citywide impact fees and inclusionary zoning requirements as the City moves forward
with the project. More information will follow as the policy discussion progresses.
FUTURE MEETINGS
The Affordable Housing Board proposed the cancellation of its scheduled July 4, 2013 meeting, in the absence of
any pressing business.
Issues up for future discussion include, but are not limited to:
Update on the land bank program
Introduction to inclusionary zoning
Accessory dwelling units
Director Joe Frank suggested lining up a speaker from Homeward 2020, and the Board was amenable.
– Meeting adjourned at 6:15 PM by Chair Dan Byers. –
The next meeting of the Affordable Housing Board is scheduled for:
July 4, 2013 at 4:00 PM
The meeting will be located at:
Fort Collins City Hall
Council Information Center
300 Laporte Ave