Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Board - Minutes - 05/01/2014CITY OF FORT COLLINS AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD BOARD MEETING MINUTES 300 Laporte Ave Fort Collins, Colorado May 1, 2014 3:00–6:00pm Chair: Troy Jones Staff Liaison: Sue Beck-Ferkiss 970-221-6753 City Council Liaison: Lisa Poppaw Board Members present: Tatiana Martin, Terence Hoaglund, Troy Jones, Diane Cohn, Eloise Emery, Curt Lyons, Jeffrey Johnson Board Members absent: None Staff present: Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Social Sustainability Specialist; Dianne Tjalkens, Board Support Council Members present: None Guests: None LAND BANK TOUR, offsite, 3:00–5:00pm (returned late—5:30pm) Meeting called to order by Troy Jones at 5:35pm. AGENDA REVIEW No comment. OTHER BUSINESS None. PUBLIC COMMENT Marilyn Heller thanked the members who attended the panel on income inequality. See League of Women Voters website, YouTube, and Channel 97 for recording. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Curt moved to approve the April 3, 2014 minutes as amended. Diane seconded. Motion passed unanimously, 7-0-0. Tatiana will email changes to Dianne. NEW BUSINESS ITEM 1: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOUSING APPLICATIONS IN THE SPRING COMPETITIVE PROCESS Sue said CDBG is recommending full funding for all 5 projects, by taking some money out of the fall competitive process. If approved by Council it will move forward. Staff will present their recommendations to Council the same night as the Mall Agreement goes back to Council. There has been a review of the competitive process, and Sue will give details of recommendations at a later date. ITEM 2: MALL AGREEMENT DISCUSSION—FEEDBACK FROM B&C MEETING DEBRIEF Discussion/Q & A: • Curt said he would appreciate education on the complexities of the mall agreement. • Jeffrey said the boards and commissions meeting about the mall agreement amendments did not address affordable housing. It was discussing funding the bonds before complying with the existing lease rates. Currently they have to have a certain square footage preleased, with a percentage of new to Fort Collins businesses, before the bonds can be issued. The developers are concerned that this will restrict their leasing and will affect issuing the bonds. • Sue clarified that residential building is in phase 3. The potential amendments do not affect residential. • Jeffrey said the developer wants permission to relax the leasing schedule for issuing the bonds to lock in interest rates. The bonds will be released in tranches. There will also be more new to Fort Collins required in each tranche. • Tatiana added that the other two changes are just wording issues that do not change the meaning of the agreement. • Jeffrey said the Bond Council recommended cleaning up the language on those two sections. • Curt said the first phase has nothing to do with housing yet, but is it fair to say that it affects the housing? If the mall falls through, then all the housing falls through. Sue clarified that if the City doesn’t get to an agreement with Alberta by June 1, the whole project could fall through. She said they are slated for 800 market rate units, but if any affordable housing fee is passed before December 2014, Alberta would agree to pay that as though it was required when they began the project. This will not change with the addendum. • Troy said the board’s only role is whether it affects affordable housing in our town. If the mall goes away, any potential for housing goes away. He is okay with the changes. • Curt wonders why the AHB cares about the mall if all the housings market rate. • Jeffrey said it is a huge employer in the center of town with access to transit. He does not know what retailers pay, but a job is better than no job and the mall will make accessible goods and services for those who have mobility issues. • Eloise asked if the developer is building the tunnel under College. Sue said the tunnel is a City project. • Jeffrey said he thinks the amendments are an improvement to the agreement. • Sue said this is going to Council next week. We cannot get a written letter into Council’s packet, but we can get an email to Council if the board wishes to do so. The outreach is an indication the City would like to hear from the boards. She added that we are losing sales tax revenue the longer we lack retail. The general fund funds affordable housing. • Curt asked if payment in lieu passed would it go into the general fund. Sue said she hopes it would go into the affordable housing fund, but there is no policy yet. • Sue clarified that if the Housing Affordability Policy Study came up with a policy that would affect the mall, she would hope it would go into the affordable housing fund. Sales of land bank are to go into the affordable housing fund too. Terence moved and Eloise seconded the following recommendation to Council: The Affordable Housing Board encourages City Council to approve the addendum to the Foothills mall agreement because: (1) The Affordable Housing Board strongly supports the production of additional housing units, whether qualified affordable or not, near to high frequency transport opportunities (such as Max and the connecting service to MAX), near to Transit Oriented Development overlay zones, and near retail; (2) The Affordable Housing Board feels that the mall project would help stop the leakage of sales tax which is currently being diverted out of the city, and thus reduces the potential income to the general fund, which in turn limits the funds available for affordable housing; (3) The Affordable Housing Board feels that it is important to have easy access to goods and services in the core of our city available to all Fort Collins citizens. Motion passed unanimously, 7-0-0. ITEM 3: STATUS REPORT OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY POLICY STUDY—DEBRIEF OF STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP #2 Sue asked the board if they would like a meeting before or after Council work session on this topic. Discussion/Q & A: • Tatiana said she would like to have direction from Council before holding a meeting. • Members said if Sue needed help preparing for the work session they are willing to meet again on a Wednesday 4:00–6:00pm. • Diane suggested also working via email. • Sue requested feedback on the first two stakeholder workshops. She has preliminary suggestions from the consultants. • Troy asked at what point it is appropriate for the board to view the recommendations. Sue said she promised the stakeholders she would send something before the third workshop and the board will get the same information. • Troy and Curt agreed the stakeholders may be offended by seeing the consultants’ recommendations before they have a chance to give their suggestions. Sue said the consultants would like to present their recommendations with clickers so stakeholders can weigh in on each. • Curt suggested starting the meeting by saying they are presenting preliminary recommendations but we need a vote on these and input for additional ideas. Curt said he saw items in the packet that seemed to contradict themselves. He gave the example of there being a bigger problem of affordable housing in the past, but a bigger gap in affordability now. Sue said there is actually evidence to support both. • Sue said she thinks we have a better sense of defining the problem and problem areas. We see big needs in the lowest income areas, which affects low income, seniors, disabled, etc. There are also problems with our home ownership system now, which is debatable whether or not it is due to our economic situation. The consultants are not recommending an inclusionary housing ordinance. She has asked them to explain why to the stakeholders. • Troy said one developer suggested that when a development gets TIF, a fee might be fair. Sue said the consultants are recommending an incentive housing ordinance. It’s when there is a negotiation for a public benefit like TIF, we would ask for units or fee in lieu. • Sue said Council work session is just to get direction on where to spend more additional time and focus. The consultants would like to talk about relaxing You+2 to You+3, in some areas around campus. Sue thought streamlining the exemption process for owner-occupied might make more sense. Eloise said this could help the issues seniors are having in staying in their homes. Sue said right now requesting extended rental requires a P&Z hearing, and other steps. • Troy said changing the ordinance to You + 3 for owner occupied and You + 2 otherwise would be ideal so that enforcement would be done by Planning. • Curt suggested You + 2 for rental, but unlimited You+ for owner occupied. Eloise said there are owners who travel a lot and would rent to as many people as possible. Sue said there are more regulatory tools for owner occupied. Troy added that what is disruptive to neighbors would be disruptive to the owners as well. • Eloise asked about making it easier to convert a basement with a separate access. Sue said another recommendation would be to have a tiered system to fees/costs that go by square footage which would help with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and other smaller units. • Curt asked if the ADU was adjacent to owner occupied could that affect You + 2 as well? Sue said there was some discussion about temporary units for relatives. Curt said that is a trailer that is not plumbed and has its own set of challenges, and cost of moving. • Troy said when the consultants and staff get to shaping of language and drafts, he would like to throw in the topic of tiered costs in terms of accessory dwelling units as well. Sue said when looking at policy we are looking at current and future conditions. You have to consider things like if you structure your dwelling differently, then what happens at sale? It is an interesting idea. Troy said if we can get reduced fees that reflect the true impact of a 300 square foot unit that will beneficial. Terence added that most lots do not allow two dwellings on one property. There are land size requirements. • Curt said You + 2, You + 3 and ADUs all come back to NIMBY. We need public education. • Eloise said owners see You + 2 and are afraid for their home values and want a neighborhood that is family oriented, not full of college students. • Sue said when we get Council direction and are trying to sell solutions, we will have to deal with details. • Sue gave other examples of suggestions from the consultants. She said they are suggesting a mobile home district. She thought an affordable housing easement on mobile home parks may be a good idea that would create an affordable housing restriction for the land in exchange for compensation in advance for the reduction in land value. She has heard from mobile home park owners that they are invested in providing affordable housing in the community. • Tatiana asked if the program would be available to new mobile home parks. Sue said potentially yes. The consultants don’t think our situation is very bad right now. Sue wants to do something that does make a positive impact. • Troy said the board should have an extra meeting before Council makes a decision, not before the work session, unless Sue needs the board’s help. The other question is about cancelling the July meeting. Members were unsure if they would be available July 3. • Sue said there will be public outreach in May, but final decision by Council is in October. • Curt would like to emphasize the stakeholders’ suggestions at the next meeting. – Meeting adjourned at 6:37pm by Troy Jones. – The next meeting of the Affordable Housing Board is scheduled for: June 12 at 4:00pm Participants will meet at: Fort Collins City Hall City Clerk’s Conference Room 300 Laporte Ave