HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 11/3/2020 - Memorandum From Housing Strategic Core Team Re: October Housing Update
Social Sustainability
222 Laporte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6758
MEMORANDUM
DATE: October 28, 2020
TO: Mayor and City Council
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Affordable Housing Executive Team1
FROM: Housing Strategic Plan Core Team2
RE: October Housing Update
Bottom Line: This memo provides monthly updates regarding housing overall, the Housing
Strategic Plan, and the work of the Ad Hoc Housing Committee. This memo also responds to
Council’s questions regarding building stock as a proxy for redlining in Fort Collins (see page 2).
Housing Strategic Plan
Plan Progress. The Housing Strategic Plan’s development is on track with an adoption hearing
scheduled for February 16, 2021. In October, the plan’s development included the following:
Securing a contract with Root Policy Research to support strategy identification and
development of a strategy evaluation framework;
Continued outreach regarding the greatest challenges and remaining questions outlined in
the Existing Conditions Assessment and strategy identification, see more below.
Moving forward, the following key milestones will be achieved:
Community Engagement. October and early November engagement includes the following:
Overall engagement: “At your own pace” virtual engagement through fcgov.com/housing
(English page) and fcgov.com/vivienda (Spanish page); six virtual City-led workshops; and
workshops for other groups scheduled on request.
Home2Health partner engagement led by Center for Public Deliberation, Partnership for
Age-Friendly Communities, Family Leadership Training Institute, and others
Stakeholder engagement this past month:
o Boards and Commissions: Affordable Housing Board; Planning and Zoning Board;
Economic Advisory Commission, Natural Resources Advisory Board
1 Jackie Kozak Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer; Theresa Connor, Utilities Executive Director; Caryn Champine,
Planning, Development, and Transportation (PDT) Director; Julie Brewen, Housing Catalyst CEO; Josh Birks, Economic
Health Director; Dave Lenz, Finance Planning and Analysis Director; Beth Sowder, Social Sustainability Director
2 Lindsay Ex, Interim Housing Manager; Meaghan Overton, Sr City Planner ; Clay Frickey, Redevelopment Program
Manager; Marcy Yoder, Neighborhood Services Manager; Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Social Policy and Housing Programs
Manager; Maren Bzdek, Sr City Planner; Victoria Shaw; Sr Financial Analyst; Leo Escalante, Public Engagement
specialist; Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, City Planner; Shawna VanZee, Associate City Planner; DeAngelo Bowden, Social
Sustainability Specialist; Megan DeMasters, Environmental Sustainability Specialist
Nov: Identify strategies
and outline the Plan
Dec: Evaluate
Strategies &
Work Session
Jan 2021:
Draft Plan &
Prioritized
Strategies
Feb:
Adoption
Hearing
(2/16)
Spring 2021:
Community
Summit,
Implementation
Work Session
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2
o City Staff: Lunch and learn presentation, Sustainability Services Area (SSA),
Community Development and Neighborhood Services (CDNS)
o Community: Housing Catalyst; Housing Providers Panel (Housing Catalyst,
Neighbor to Neighbor, CARE Housing, Habitat for Humanity, Elevations Community
Land Trust); Chamber of Commerce; BIPOC Alliance; The Family Center/La Familia
Ad Hoc Housing Committee
The October meeting focused on housing types and zoning:
The meeting kicked off with an overview of the existing state of housing types and zoning in
Fort Collins by City Staff and Housing Catalyst.
Then, a panel with representatives from the Cities of Portland, Oregon and Aurora,
Colorado shared their work to increase housing types and improve affordability.
Finally, Committee members expressed support for the following:
o Advance the Land Use Code audit recommendations, including options to increase
affordable housing incentives, missing middle housing types and density overall;
o Support to explore policy solutions for increasing accessory dwelling units (ADUs);
o Support for requiring affordable housing unit preservation for more than 20 years;
o Creation of an end-of-term report to highlight the Committee’s accomplishments as
well as recommendations and considerations for the next Council.
Staff is currently scoping options for a Land Use Code update to implement recommendations of
the Land Use Code Audit, with a focus on changes to housing regulations to support the
implementation of the Housing Strategic Plan. In November, the Committee will revisit options and
solutions to move forward with the recommendations of the Land Use Code audit and discuss
options to increase housing stability (and decrease displacement). Meeting materials are available
online at: fcgov.com/council/ad-hoc-housing-committee
Additional Updates & Accomplishments
Building Stock by Decade as a Proxy for Redlining in Fort Collins. At the September Ad Hoc
Committee meeting, Councilmembers discussed the concept of redlining and the recognition that
while Fort Collins did not formally experience redlining, there is evidence of restrictive covenants
prohibiting community members who were not Caucasian/White from purchasing properties in
certain subdivisions (see page 8 of the Existing Conditions Assessment for examples).
Staff was asked to research whether a map of subdivisions by decade could serve as a proxy to
assess the prevalence of these restrictive covenants. While a building map by decade is attached,
staff would note additional research and resources are needed to fully assess the prevalence of
housing discrimination in Fort Collins. In particular, some restrictive covenants were likely codified
in HOA documents, which would not necessarily be recorded on subdivision plats. Other
communities have commissioned disparity studies, which in this case could include historic
research at the deed and subdivision level, to assess this issue. Staff recommends exploring the
scope and resources required to complete a disparity study and how such a study would advance
the City's strategic objectives and Council priorities.
Next Steps
Nov – Strategy identification & analysis; summarize engagement; Super Issue Meeting
Dec – Council Work Session (December 8); begin drafting plan document
Jan – Draft plan released to the community; engagement focus on strategy prioritization
Feb – Council Adoption Hearing (February 16)
Attachment: Building Stock Map by Decade
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Construction Progression
187 3-2004
70’s
60’s
50’s 40’s
80’s
90’s
2000’s
-- ---------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Prospect
----------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drake
----------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Horsetooth
----------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harmony
----------- ----------------------------------------- Kechter
----------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trilby
Carpenter
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