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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 01/02/2019 - RESOLUTION 2019-003 APPROVING A WAIVER OF THE 2017Agenda Item 7 Item # 7 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY January 2, 2019 City Council STAFF Wendy Bricher, Financial Coordinator Beth Sowder, Director of Social Sustainability Ingrid Decker, Legal SUBJECT Resolution 2019-003 Approving a Waiver of the 2017 PILOT for Housing Catalyst. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to approve a waiver of the 2017 PILOT of $9,638 for Housing Catalyst per the 1971 Cooperative Agreement. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Public housing authorities are formed by the local governing body under State of Colorado enabling legislation. The Fort Collins Housing Authority (FCHA), now called Housing Catalyst, was formed by the Fort Collins City Council on May 20, 1971. The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires a public housing authority to submit to HUD for approval a Cooperation Agreement between the housing authority and the local government before the housing authority can submit an application for a public housing project. HUD’s standard form of Cooperation Agreement must be used unless modifications are approved to comply with state or local requirements. The Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) is covered in Section 3 (a) of the Cooperation Agreement form. On December 16, 1971, to meet this requirement, the City and FCHA entered into a Cooperation Agreement, which provided that FCHA must make annual PILOT payments to the City for the public services and facilities furnished by the City. The PILOT applies only to those properties specifically funded by the HUD “Public Housing” program. The computation of the PILOT is done on form HUD-52267 and is calculated using the total tenant revenue, less utility expenses for those units. A copy of the 1971 Cooperation Agreement, as amended in 1986, is included as Attachment 2. In 1986, upon request of FCHA, the City Council adopted Resolution 1986-177 which relieved FCHA of its obligation to make the PILOT payments. Based on that resolution, FCHA did not make PILOT payments from 1987 through 1990. The City also refunded FCHA’s PILOT payments for the years 1984, 1985 and 1986. In 1992, the City Council adopted Resolution 1992-093, repealing Resolution 1986-177 and reinstating the requirement that FCHA pay the annual PILOT payment. The change was made to assure compliance with HUD regulations. Since that time, the City has returned the annual PILOT payments to FCHA at its request. In recent years, Congressional appropriations have been at 80% of the HUD operating subsidy for Public Agenda Item 7 Item # 7 Page 2 Housing units, and the PILOT refund helps make up for Congressional underfunding of operations and services to these units. Staff recommends that the 2017 PILOT payments of $9,638 waiver be approved for Housing Catalyst. As a condition of the waiver, the City will require Housing Catalyst to sign a letter agreement obligating it to use the funds for creating or maintaining affordable housing in a manner consistent with HUD guidelines. CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS None. ATTACHMENTS 1. PILOT Request Letter (PDF) 2. 1971 HUD Agreement (PDF) ATTACHMENT 1 ATTACHMENT 2 -1- RESOLUTION 2019-003 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROVING A WAIVER OF THE 2017 PILOT FOR HOUSING CATALYST WHEREAS, on December 16, 1971, the City and the Fort Collins Housing Authority, now called Housing Catalyst, (the “Authority”) entered into a Cooperation Agreement (the “Agreement”) to comply with the requirements of a public housing program financed by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”); and WHEREAS, the Agreement requires the Authority to make an annual payment in lieu of taxes (“PILOT”) to the City for the public services and facilities provided by the City to Authority housing projects; and WHEREAS, since at least 1992, the City has remitted such PILOT payments to the Authority to help fund affordable housing-related activities and meet the needs of low-income Fort Collins residents; and WHEREAS, the Authority is scheduled to make a PILOT payment for 2017 of $9,638; and WHEREAS, this year, rather than having the Authority pay the PILOT funds to the City and then ask the City Council to appropriate the funds for repayment to the Authority as in past years, City staff is recommending that the Council simply waive the requirement that the Authority pay the PILOT funds, simplifying the process; and WHEREAS, the parties to a contract can agree to waive an obligation required of a party to such contract; and WHEREAS, as a condition of agreeing to such waiver, the City will require the Authority to sign a letter agreement obligating the Authority to spend the funds for creating or maintaining affordable housing in a manner consistent with HUD guidelines. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That the City Council hereby waives the Authority’s obligation to make a PILOT payment for 2017 only pursuant to the 1971 Cooperation Agreement on the condition that the Authority spend such funds for affordable housing and related activities for Fort Collins residents consistent with HUD guidelines. -2- Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 2nd day of January, A.D. 2019. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk