HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Board - Minutes - 03/18/2004CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
281 N. College Ave.
Fort Collins, Colorado
March 18, 2004
4 - 4:30 p.m.
Kay Rios, Chair
Isabel Garity, Vice Chair
Ken Waido, Staff Liaison, 970-221-6753
Marty Tharp, City Council Liaison, 970-484-5711
Board Members Present: Kay Rios, Isabel Garity, Denise Rogers and
Sunshine Workman. Jane Phelan and Joe Rowan sent their comments via
email.
Staff Present: Ken Waido, Julie Smith
Council Members Present: none
Guests: none
The purpose of the meeting was to develop recommendations to the
Community Development Block Grant Commission on providing CDBG, HOME
and Affordable Housing Funding to projects during the spring cycle of the
competitive process. Kay Rios called the meeting to order with a quorum
present at 4 p.m.
Four applications were under discussion: HO-1: Home Buyers Assistance
program; HO-2: 300 First Street SRO Rehab; HO-3: Larimer Center for
Mental Health Rehab, and HO-5: Sleepy Willow Upgrades.
HO-1: Home Buyers Assistance was ranked by every Board member
responding as first priority for funding.
HO-3: Larimer Center for Mental Health Rehab was ranked either as last
(by the two members voting via email) or inappropriate for funding by the
majority of the Board. Sunshine Workman had rated it third because she felt
it was a worthwhile project and asked the other members for an explanation
of their objections.
While the rest of the Board agreed that the project was worthwhile, Denise
Rogers felt strongly that the transitional nature of the program, as well as its
treatment component, placed it outside the scope and mission of the
Affordable Housing Board. Funding it would set a precedent that could result
in future requests for funding in -patient, hospital -based, residential facilities.
Isabel Garity added that, while recommending amounts to be funded is also
beyond the scope of the Board, the application for HO-3 indicated a large
expected profit from the program.
Fort Collins Affordable Housing Board
March 18, 2004 Minutes
Page 2 of 3
With this background, Ms. Workman agreed with the rest of the Board to
recommend no funding for HO-3.
Kay Rios will bring up the topic of appropriate use of Affordable
Housing Funds with the full Board at the April 1 meeting, to have a
complete discussion of the issue.
The Board was initially evenly split over the ranking of HO-2: 300 First
Street SRO Rehab and HO-5: Sleepy Willow Upgrades Isabel Garity,
Jane Phelan and Sunshine Workman had rated HO-5 second, while Kay Rios,
Denise Rogers and Joe Rowan ranked it third. At the beginning of the
meeting, Ken Waido distributed a memo from Julie Brewen of the Fort Collins
Housing Authority, prioritizing the rehabilitation items and removing the
administrative fee cost from the request.
Kay Rios explained her reservations about HO-5 in terms of using affordable
housing funds to support improvements strictly for the purpose of increasing
"marketability." Denise Rogers agreed, but also recognized that if the City
can't fill the Sleepy Willow property, it will no longer be available as an
affordable housing resource. Ms. Rios was also concerned that the pending
tenant -based rental assistance program funding would be used to address
some of the same items included in this request. Julie Smith explained that
the rental assistance program funds will become available in the very near
future, while these CDBG funds will not be disbursed until at least October of
this year.
Sunshine Workman argued in favor of interior upgrades to Sleepy Willow on
the grounds that tenants might stay longer in an environment that's in better
shape, especially bathrooms and kitchens. Exterior work and landscaping
should receive a lower priority than interior, however.
Ms. Workman had initially ranked HO-2 fourth, because of her concern over
the application's mention of the potential loss of HUD funding that could
leave the project in limbo. However, Julie Smith explained that HUD funding
has been renewed every year, and if it were to terminate, a year's notice
would be given.
After discussion, Isabel Garity and Sunshine Workman agreed that, with
priority given to improvements related to health, safety and energy
efficiency, they could support ranking HO-5 third and HO-2 second.
Fort Collins Affordable Housing Board
March 18, 2004 Minutes
Page 3 of 3
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
The Affordable Housing Board recommends the following funding priorities for
the spring CDBG competitive process:
1. HO-1: Home Buyers Assistance -- full funding
2. HO-2: FCHC -- 300 First Street SRO Rehab -- full funding
3. HO-5: FCHC -- Sleepy Willow Upgrades -- prioritized funding
4. HO-3: Larimer Center for Mental Health Rehab -- NO FUNDING
Sunshine Workman will accompany Kay Rios to the CDBG commission
meeting on Wednesday, March 31, 2004, to present the Affordable Housing
Board's recommendations.
Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Kate Jeracki
March 20, 2004