HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Board - Minutes - 02/02/2012CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD
MEETING MINUTES
AMENDED
281 N. College Ave.
Conference Rooms A and B
Fort Collins, Colorado
February 2, 2012
4 to 6 p.m.
Chair: Ben Blonder
Staff Liasion: Ken Waido 970-221-6753
City Council Liaison: Lisa Poppaw
Board Members present: Dan Byers, Jeff Johnson, Troy Jones, Wayne Thompson,
Mike Sollenberger
Board Members absent: Ben Blonder, Karen Miller
Advance Planning Department Staff present: Sharon Thomas, CDBG/HOME Grant
Administrator; Joe Frank, Director
Council Members present: None
Other Staff present: Ginny Sawyer, Neighborhood Services Manager; Kate Jeracki,
Note Taker
Guests: Marilyn Hellers, League of Women Voters
Meeting called to order with a quorum present at 4:05 p.m.
by Dan Byers, Vice Chair
Joe Frank announced that he would be filling in for Ken Waido, who should be returning
to work later this month.
For the benefit of the new members, Troy Jones and Jeff Johnson, members, staff and
guests introduced themselves in lieu of the roll call and welcome.
There were no changes to the agenda as presented.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Marilyn Hellers reported on a public panel discussion held on Saturday, Jan. 28, by state
Reps. John Kefalas and Randy Fischer and Sen. Bob Bacon on mobile home parks. She
deferred further comments until Ginny Sawyer presented her update on the Bender
Mobile Home Park.
NEW BUSINESS
APPROVAL OF MINUTES — The minutes from the Dec. 1, 2011, meeting were
approved as presented. However, after discussion, the minutes from Nov. 3, 2011, were
tabled. Joe Frank will discuss the format of the minutes with Ken Waido, and the subject
will appear as an agenda item at the next meeting.
SPRING COMPETITIVE PROCESS — Sharon Thomas presented an update on
CDBG funding requests. Two housing applications have been received: one from the Fort
Collins Housing Authority/The Villages Inc. to cover fees associated with securing a site
for a 40-unit supportive housing project in north Fort Collins, and one from Merton for
the ongoing Union Place development on Willox Lane.
The deadline for completed applications in Feb. 16. Staff will work with applicants to
fine-tune their requests and have them ready for board members’ review by
Feb. 24. The full board will discuss them at the March 1 meeting, then the chair will
present the board’s recommendations to the CDBG Commission on March 29.
All 31 CDBG requests will be posted in ZoomGrants; board members should contact
Lori Middleton in the Advance Planning Department to receive access, and review just
the two requests related to affordable housing.
Thomas added that the two requests total about $900,000, but there is only $685,000
available in this funding cycle.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS — Dan Byers read an email from absent Chair Ben
Blonder suggesting Byers be nominated to serve as Chair for 2012 and Mike
Sollenberger as Vice Chair. Sollenberger nominated Byers and Wayne Thompson
seconded. Byers nominated Sollenberger and Thompson seconded. Both were approved
unanimously.
Jeff Johnson pointed out that the board’s bylaws need to be updated, since they indicate
that elections should be held in October, and the board should have nine members. Joe
Frank said both of those requirements have been changed by City Council, and an update
of the bylaws should appear on a future agenda.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS — Joe Frank pointed out the slightly updated agenda
format; the board accepted it by consensus.
Frank outlined the ongoing reorganization of the Advance Planning Department’s
responsibilities related to affordable housing and human services. The personnel shifts
are needed to better track and manage the $22 million in assets now under the
department. He added that there is no single department responsible for human services
functions, although the city disbursed $680,000 to 28 different human service agencies
last year, and City Council would like to see more centralization.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BINDERS — Sharon Thomas said that while she was
preparing orientation materials for the two new members, it occurred to her that all the
board members might find the information useful. She distributed binders to every
member, and outlined the contents. Members expressed their appreciation. Dan Byers
asked if information on the Land Bank program and a glossary or summary of the
different programs the board deals with could also be included. Thomas said she would
send an update to members to insert into their binders.
OLD BUSINESS
ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE (AI) – Sharon
Thomas provided an update on this HUD-required process. She said the city was in the
early stages and has hired BBC Consulting out of Denver to conduct a survey of both
residents and real estate, housing and social services professionals on what they see as
barriers to housing choice in Fort Collins. The surveys are available both online and in
hard copy.
To meet the Aug. 15 deadline to return the completed analysis to HUD, Advance
Planning will hold stakeholder meetings in March, then public workshops on what has
been learned in April, which happens to be Fair Housing Month. In May, BBC will make
a presentation to the CDBG Commission and the Affordable Housing Board. Staff plans
to have the final report ready for review by City Council in July.
BENDER MOBILE HOME PARK – Ginny Sawyer reported that on Dec. 20, City
Council appropriated $50,000 to help residents of the park who are being displaced by
redevelopment. Each household will receive about $2,000; the funds are being managed
by United Way of Larimer County at no charge to the city. To date, only two households
have put in claims for expenses, but others should be coming in soon.
Sawyer and Marilyn Heller discussed the legislators’ panel on mobile home parks in
more detail, and the difference between manufactured housing and mobile homes.
Sawyer also shared a map showing the location of all the mobile home parks in and
around Fort Collins, and will send a pdf version to all board members.
Joe Frank added that the city was in a reactionary mode during this situation, and needs
to develop a policy to cover what happens when redevelopment displaces any sort of
affordable housing. Jeff Johnson suggested working with Funding Partners on a concept
pioneered in New Hampshire that allows mobile home park residents to pool their
resources to own the land and rent space from themselves. Frank said it sounded similar
to some existing land-lease arrangements, and the board expressed interest in learning
more. Troy Jones suggested that the Affordable Housing Board explore alternative
models for mobile-home ownership with the Fort Collins Housing Authority.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mike Sollenberger said he is concerned about the effects of the city’s new Green
Building Code on the cost of construction of affordable housing. Although future energy
savings are supposed to offset the initial expense, several board members pointed out that
the higher cost of the home prevents many low-end and first-time buyers from entering
the market. Sollenberger will research the increased costs and bring those figures before
the board for review at a future meeting.
FUTURE MEETING AGENDAS
For the March 1 meeting, the board will discuss:
Meeting minutes format.
Order of business on agenda.
Competitive Process grant requests.
Assignment of liaisons to other City boards.
At some future meeting, the board would like to:
Update the bylaws.
Hear a report on the Land Bank program.
Review the effects of the city’s Green Building Code on housing affordability.
-- Meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m. by Chair Dan Byers. --