City of Lawrence

Affordable Housing Advisory Board

June 4, 2018 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Rebecca Buford, Susan Cooper, Ron Gaches, Edith Guffey, Thomas Howe, Dana Ortiz, Shannon Oury, Tim Stultz, Sarah Waters, Erika Zimmerman

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Nancy Thellman

 

STAFF PRESENT:

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager; Scott McCullough, Director of Planning and Development Services; Danelle Dresslar, Community Development Manager; Jeff Crick, Planner II; Brad Karr, Community Development Programs Analyst; Danielle Buschkoetter, Strategic Projects Manager

 

Chair Oury called the meeting to order at 1:04 pm.

 

1.    Public Comment

There was no public comment.

 

2.    Approve Minutes from May 14, 2018 meeting

Howe moved to approve the minutes from the May 14, 2018 meeting. Gaches seconded the motion. The motion passed 9-0.

 

Buford arrived at the meeting.

 

3.    Monthly Financial Report

Stoddard said the monthly financial report is now available anytime on the Lawrence opengov.com website. There were no changes from the last report.

 

4.    Elect Vice Chair

Howe moved to nominate Gaches for Vice Chair. Gaches accepted the nomination. There were no other nominations. Stultz seconded the motion. The motion passed 10-0.

 

5.    Receive update from Bert Nash about transitional housing project and consider recommending extension of funding allocation through December 31, 2018

Gaches asked if there was any cost or any cost avoided by recommending an extension. Stoddard said the only cost would possibly be an opportunity cost of not using the money elsewhere if the project would not proceed. Zimmerman asked if it would be possible to commit future funds to the project, and release these 2018 funds to be reallocated. Stoddard said the City Commission would have to make a determination on committing future funds, but cautioned that Bert Nash might be using the funds as leverage to apply for other grant funds. Oury indicated she would recuse herself from the vote on this item, due to the LDCHA working with Bert Nash on the grant application. Stoddard suggested deferring the discussion until next month, and she would invite a representative from Bert Nash to attend the meeting to answer questions on the extension request. Howe moved to defer the item until the July, 2018 AHAB meeting. Ortiz seconded the motion. The motion passed 9-0, with Oury abstaining.

 

6.    BBC Consulting Workshop

Heidi Aggeler, Managing Director of Housing & Community Development, and Jen Garner, Senior Consultant, both with BBC Research & Consulting, provided the board with a Housing Market Study Update presentation. The presentation reviewed findings from the needs analysis and surveys. The board completed an exercise to determine what successful outcomes from the HTF investments would look like. The board decided on:

·         Workers in Lawrence can live in Lawrence

·         Low and moderate income renters can become owners if they desire and are qualified. Ownership products include land trust homes, cooperative/shared housing, condos and townhomes, and single family detached homes

·         The gap between affordable rentals and the number < $25,000 households needing affordable rentals is reduced

·         Lawrence has more housing and supportive service options for persons transitioning out of homelessness

·         Persons with disabilities have more options for housing that is accessible, affordable, and facilitates independent living

·         Seniors can age in place

 

The board also discussed a dashboard to measure the successes of the investments. The dashboard would measure:

·         Reduction in the rental gap

·         Increase in the number of purchase options for low and moderate income renters who are candidates for ownership

·         Increase in the number of transitional vouchers with supportive services

·         Increase in number of units that are accessible for persons with disabilities (through new construction and rehabilitation)

·         Facilitation of innovative partnerships with private sector housing providers (small landlords, private developers)

·         Leveraging of other resources – federal funds, private contributions – to produce outcomes

·         Investments make an impact – social and economic

 

These outcomes would be included in the final Housing Market Study, and would link to recommended goals and solutions. BBC will present a draft of the study to the City in July, 2018.

 

7.    Quick Updates

a)   Tenants to Homeowners awarded state grant using HTF allocation as leverage

Due to time constraints, this item was not discussed.

 

8.    Other New Business

There was no other new business discussed.

 

9.    Next Meeting / Future Agenda Items

The next meeting will be on July 9, 2018.

 

10. Adjourn

Stultz moved to adjourn the meeting. Zimmerman seconded the motion. The motion passed 7-0.

 

 

Future Meeting Dates / Tentative Agenda items

July 9, 2018

August 13, 2018

September 10, 2018

October 8, 2018

November 12, 2018

December 10, 2018

 

 

These minutes were approved by the Board: July 9, 2018