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