HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Board - Minutes - 10/07/2004CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD
MEETING MINUTES
281 N. College Ave.
Fort Collins, Colorado
October 7, 2004
4-6p.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, Jon Fairchild, Joe Herbert,
Jane Phalen, Denise Rogers and Peter Tippett.
Staff Present: Maurice Head, Ken Waido
Council Members Present: None
Guests: Sandra Gibson, Senior Advisory Board; Tom Honn, Fort Collins
Housing Authority Board and co-chair of the Affordable Housing Coalition for
Larimer County
Chair Kay Rios called meeting to order with a quorum present at 4:05 p.m.
Ooen Public Discussion
None.
New Business
Minutes
The minutes of September 2, 2004, were corrected as follows:
One page 3, in the last full sentence of the last paragraph, the word "said"
was added after "Mr. Waido".
The minutes were unanimously accepted as corrected on a motion by Peter
Tippett seconded by Denise Rogers.
Development Fee Comparison
Staff provided answers to four questions from the Board about the data
presented at last month's meeting in the meeting information packet. The
answers clarified the source and definition of some of the figures. After
discussion, the Board still found it extremely difficult to compare the impact
on affordability of development fees across different jurisdictions.
Maurice Head reported that the Advance Planning Department is preparing a
Request for Proposals for preparation of an Affordable Housing Index to
address this problem. The index will look at a wider range of variables that
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October 7, 2004 Minutes
Page 2 of 4
affect the cost of housing and how they've changed over the past five years,
with the goal of creating an accurate computer model to better assess the
impact of proposed changes. It would also allow comparisons among four or
five other communities along the Front Range.
Ken Waido pointed out that the most significant impact on renters who want
to become homeowners is interest rates, over which the City has no control.
Kay Rios asked why there is a widespread impression that City fees are
higher than in surrounding communities. Mr. Waido and Tom Honn agreed
that the real issue is land cost. Mr. Honn said it is important to understand
the whole property value issue and what drives it. Mr. Head responded that
the Index would help do just that.
Ms. Rios asked that this issue stay on the Board's agenda.
Ken Waldo will invite Michelle Jacobs from the Homebuilders
Association to a future meeting of the Board to present industry
figures on the cost of building a home locally.
Downpaayment Assistance Program
Jon Fairchild asked Ken Waido if requiring downpayment assistance loans to
be paid back earlier would actually make more money available for more
loans. Mr. Waido confirmed that the idea behind quicker turnaround of the
loans would mean less dependence on CDBG and HOME funds to restock the
program. Recycling the funds would keep the current program going. Mr.
Fairchild added that he had not met with Joe Rowan to discuss options for
improving this program.
This item will also stay on the agenda unless Mr. Rowan wants to pull it when
he returns to town.
Sales and Use Tax Rebate Program
Staff provided in the meeting packet a copy of the 1999 City Ordinance, No.
191, that rebated sales and use taxes to developers of affordable housing.
This ordinance expired at the end of 2001; since then, these repayments
have been made through the Competitive Process. Kay Rios felt that this
program should be brought back up to City Council, but Mr. Waido cautioned
that the Board might want to wait until the outcome of the citizen vote on
the repeal of the grocery sales tax is known. Elimination of the grocery tax
would result in a loss of $6 million to the City's annual budget.
Ms. Rios agreed, and referred this issue to the Policy Committee.
2005 Work Plan
The deadline for submitting the Board's Work Plan for next year to the City
Clerk is Nov. 30. As discussion of updating last year's plan progressed, Ken
Waido reminded Board members that the Board's Work Plan is not the same
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October 7, 2004 Minutes
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as Staff's work plan, which is set by City Council's policy agenda. Kay Rios
suggested that some of those objectives could be incorporated in the Board's
Work Plan, however. She also asked that Cameron Gloss be invited to
present an update on the Zucker Report in January.
Kay Rios asked Board members to email any changes in liaisons and
other suggestions to her before the November 4 meeting so she can
develop a draft plan for discussion and approval.
Old Business
City Budget/Affordable Housing Fund
Ken Waido reported that, thanks to the efforts of Council member Marty
Tharp, the City's commitment to the Tenant -Based Rental Assistance pilot
program will come from the Community Opportunity Fund rather than the
Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Update/Reports on Subcommittee Efforts
None.
Liaison Reports
Kay Rios reported that since Sept. 1, seniors not certified as disabled under
ADA requirements have been cut from Dial -A -Ride. There was no notice of
the change to anyone but the riders, who have been reduced by 50. The
reason for the change was a lack of funding; Dial A Ride has said that if the
grocery tax is eliminated, the situation will be even worse.
Isabel Garity announced that the Severe Weather Shelter for the homeless
has been moved to the Salvation Army facility on Mason south of Horsetooth.
The plan is to bus those in need to the shelter from downtown where they
hang out, but Ms. Garity was concerned that this move would eliminate the
option for drop -in use.
Competitive Process Recommendations
Ken Waido updated the Board on the CDBG Competitive Process. The Board
held a special meeting on Sept. 16, at which they developed priorities for the
affordable housing proposals:
1. Home Buyer Assistance Program
2. 300 First Street SRO Project
3. (tie) Land Bank Program/CARE Housing
5. Sleepy Willow
According to Mr. Waido, Home Buyer Assistance, 300 First Street and Land
Bank all received full funding; CARE Housing received a reduced amount --
$100,000 -- with the understanding that it could resubmit in the spring, and
the Sleepy Willow project submitted a reduced request, based on the
consultant's recommendation for a five-year funding plan, and received a
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October 7, 2004 Minutes
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portion of that amount, $342,000. In total, 87 percent of the funds awarded
went to housing, 13 percent to public facilities uses. He added that staff
discussed with the CDBG Commission the appropriateness of using affordable
housing funds for rehab at Sleepy Willow, but in this case the rehabilitation is
designed to keep the units in the pool of affordable housing rather than
building new stock.
The Board debriefed the ranking process, and discussed the importance of
member participation in these special meetings; while emailed comments are
important, during the back -and -forth discussion, information vital to the final
decision can be exchanged. Isabel Garity felt it was important to be sure the
Board's funding recommendations are consistent with its goals and priorities.
Mr. Waido said affordable housing projects can fall anywhere on the
continuum from SROs to downpayment assistance, but providing rental
housing for those making below 50 percent AMI is a priority. Maurice Head
commended Denise Rogers on her presentation to the CDBG Commission.
Open Board Discussion
Kay Rios asked Board members for suggestions for topics for the City
Council's Nov. 5-6 retreat. She will also ask Council member Tharp for
suggestions on how to keep the idea of affordable housing and funding for it
in front of Council. She will also send a thank you memo to Ms. Tharp for her
efforts on finding funding for the Tenant -based Rental Assistance program.
Ken Waido informed the Board that Matt Baker will be attending the
November meeting to discuss street oversizing fees, and Jim Hibbert will
attend in either November or December to discuss adjusting Utilities fees.
Ken Waido pointed out that the information packet for this meeting contained
materials for Council's Oct. 12 study session on the issue of rental licensing.
Kay Rios felt it will be important for the Board to make a formal
recommendation to Council on any proposed ordinance; Ms. Tharp was
present for the Board's initial discussion of the issue. Jon Fairchild thought
the Board's recommendation should be for registration with a nominal fee
that won't create a new cost and inspections done only as a result of
complaints; Denise Rogers added that the problems with rental properties
should be added by enforcing existing ordinances before creating new ones.
Mr. Waido said one concern with the existing regulations is that minimum
safety standards are currently enforced on a complaint basis only.
Meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Kate Jeracki
October 20, 2004