Housing Planning Committee: Action Items (DRAFT)

Attached is the updated draft of our items prioritized by the committee at the last meeting and through e-mail of some who were not at the meeting. Numbers at the end of the action items indicated voted each action item received. This will be submitted to city staff to pursue cost figures to implement. Items to note in our preamble include:

• Income level does not play a seperate role in most items.
• The concept of universal design needs to be considered in all action items.
• Environmental stewardship also plays a role in all action items.

Questions that need to be answered:

--What have we missed here and does everyone feel comfortable we are on the right track?
--How is the best way to get these action items implemented?

New Construction
• Promote Diversity of Housing Types and Development Patterns--14
o Remove barriers to innovative design concepts
o Allow "trade-off" incentives for builders & developers with new concepts to make the new concepts financially feasible
• Model Best Practices of Other, Comparable Communities--9
• Initiate Meaningful Regulation / Certification Reform--7
o Open up zoning options to allow for greater "mix" of blended housing options
o Evaluate a process by which builders could qualify to pull permits (local license? proof of compliance with basic insurance requirement already required by law?)
• Promote Consistency in Codes, Regulations, Enforcement--4
o Where possible, coordinate building code adoption and amendment between city, county, and other area entities
o Consolidate some building/development departments and/or functions within city government
o Consolidate some building/development departments and/or functions between city and county government (functional consolidation)
o Fair & workable process for appealing changes on grounds of affordability impact
• Promote a philosophy of enhancing and supporting existing market opportunities and market forces (rather than attempt to create ones that do not exist)--1
o Avoid temptation to "design from scratch" without regard to what the market is demanding
o Make true local market measures (buying patterns, demand trends, etc.) a meaningful part of master plans for future growth
• Establish an Awards Program for Innovation in Housing, Development & Residential Design--1

Urban Living & Development
• Establish “Housing and Neighborhoods” office--14
o Public/private partnership
o Provide landlord/tenant mediation
o Collect and maintain housing and neighborhood data and information
o Offer a “resource library”
o Administer voluntary reporting & scoring system referenced above
o Administer life skills and financial literacy training (or function as a central clearinghouse of otherwise available options
• Establish a voluntary scoring system for rental housing--9
o Track safety information, code compliance
o Archived utility histories
o Develop a local “Angie’s List” format where tenants can “review” landlords and where landlords can market good properties
• Seek and expand incentives for efficiency improvements of high-consumption segments of housing stock--6
o Dual track strategy (state and local levels)
o Add to the city’s legislative agenda as a legislative priority
o Local participation in P.A.C.E. and similar programs
• Identify pilot programs to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of broader rental registration and inspection programs--5
o Example: West Central
• Expand existing programs/establish new programs to develop resources and revenues for financing--3
o New methods for housing improvements

Affordability
• Pursue and expand assistance programs for low-income residents--14
o Expand use of land trusts (as used by UNA), with a rent-assist component included / added
o Expand support for Council of Churches’ rent buy-down program (and/or similar programs)
o Establish pilot program utilizing CDGBs to facilitate affordable housing projects
o Expand use and availability of transitional housing options
o Explore greater usage of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs)
• Encourage consortium (and other private) models to expand availability of affordable housing—10
o Businesses
o Private Investors
o Social Capital
o Sweat Equity
o Banks & other Local Lenders
o KEY: Seek more “bottom-up” (as opposed to “top down”) solutions to address affordability
• As a part of Economic Development plans and strategies, incorporate and account for the availability of (and future need for) necessary workforce housing options--0

Action Items Discussed So Far (In Progress)

New Construction

• Initiate Meaningful Regulation / Certification Reform
• Open up zoning options to allow for greater "mix" of blended housing options
• Evaluate a process by which builders could qualify to pull permits (local license? proof of compliance with basic insurance requirement already required by law?)
• Promote Consistency in Codes, Regulations, Enforcement
• Where possible, coordinate building code adoption and amendment between city, county, and other area entities
• Consolidate some building/development departments and/or functions within city government
• Consolidate some building/development departments and/or functions between city and county government (functional consolidation)
• Fair & workable process for appealing changes on grounds of affordability impact
• Promote Diversity of Housing Types and Development Patterns
• Remove barriers to innovative design concepts
• Allow "trade-off" incentives for builders & developers with new concepts to make the new concepts financially feasible
• Promote a philosophy of enhancing and supporting existing market opportunities and market forces (rather than attempt to create ones that do not exist)
• Avoid temptation to "design from scratch" without regard to what the market is demanding
• Make true local market measures (buying patterns, demand trends, etc.) a meaningful part of master plans for future growth
• Establish an Awards Program for Innovation in Housing, Development & Residential Design
• Model Best Practices of Other, Comparable Communities

Urban Living & Development

• Seek and expand incentives for efficiency improvements of high-consumption segments of housing stock.
• Dual track strategy (state and local levels)
• Add to the city’s legislative agenda as a legislative priority
• Local participation in P.A.C.E. and similar programs
• Establish a voluntary scoring system for rental housing
• Track safety information, code compliance
• Archived utility histories
• Develop a local “Angie’s List” format where tenants can “review” landlords and where landlords can market good properties
• Expand existing programs/establish new programs to develop resources and revenues for financing
• New methods for housing improvements
• Identify pilot programs to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of broader rental registration and inspection programs
• Example: West Central
• Establish “Housing and Neighborhoods” office
• Public/private partnership
• Provide landlord/tenant mediation
• Collect and maintain housing and neighborhood data and information
• Offer a “resource library”
• Administer voluntary reporting & scoring system referenced above
• Administer life skills and financial literacy training (or function as a central clearinghouse of otherwise available options

Affordability

• Pursue and expand assistance programs for low-income residents
• Expand use of land trusts (as used by UNA), with a rent-assist component included / added
• Expand support for Council of Churches’ rent buy-down program (and/or similar programs)
• Establish pilot program utilizing CDGBs to facilitate affordable housing projects
• Expand use and availability of transitional housing options
• Explore greater usage of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs)
• As a part of Economic Development plans and strategies, incorporate and account for the availability of (and future need for) necessary workforce housing options
• Encourage consortium (and other private) models to expand availability of affordable housing
• Businesses
• Private Investors
• Social Capital
• Sweat Equity
• Banks & other Local Lenders
• KEY: Seek more “bottom-up” (as opposed to “top down”) solutions to address affordability

Affordability SWOT Analysis

Strengths

• Quality organizations (both private and non-profit) supporting affordable housing
• Collaboration and community involvement
• City and county commitment to affordable housing
• Overall housing affordability has improved (home prices have fallen)
• Historically low interest rates
• Compared to other cities, housing is generally affordable
• Low base utility rates

Weaknesses

• Financing for development (especially creative development) is hard to come by
• Narrower pathway to homeownership than in recent years (decreasing property values, tighter lending standards, etc. = fewer ready buyers)
• Financial illiteracy
• No educational requirement tied to affordable housing and/or other rentals & purchases (renter education, first-time home buyer education, etc.)
• High levels of energy consumption = increased utility costs

Opportunities

• Consortium of local banks to provide financing for affordable housing
• Local fund to provide resources fro affordable housing and housing affordability
• P.A.C.E. Program recently passed at state level, awaiting governor’s signature
• Utility-based efficiency programs have been well-received; opportunity to expand
• Utility history disclosures/publishing in a more transparent way (particularly in rentals)
• Community-wide education on financial literacy and life skills
• “Qualified Renter” training/certification program; landlords offering incentives on deposits, etc. for certified renters
• Federal Housing Trust Fund & similar incentives for construction of new affordable housing

Threats

• Foreclosures / Appraisals / Tighter lending standards, etc. = fewer available buyers
• Low average wages / few high paying jobs in the area
• Fees and regulatory costs (especially in new construction) reducing the availability of new housing that people can afford
• Future utility costs (transport rules, cap & trade, etc.)
• Mandatory fire sprinklers in new single-family residences
• Changes (reductions) to tax credit system for construction of affordable housing (MHDC, etc.)
• Inconsistent code interpretation and enforcement (internally and with surrounding jurisdictions).

Agenda for July 8 Meeting

Our meeting will be held in the 1st floor conference room in the Busch Building. The agenda is as follows:

• Review of minutes
• Housing planning blog
• Continuation of Affordable Housing/Housing That Is Affordable
• Next Steps
• Adjourn