CITY OF TALLAHASSEE
TARGET ISSUES WORKSHOP AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED ON: February 18, 2009
SUBJECT/TITLE: Review of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee 2008 Report of Barriers and Recommendations for Implementation
TARGET ISSUE: Affordable Housing

STATEMENT OF ISSUE
In 2008, the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) reviewed the City’s established policies, procedures, ordinances, land development regulations and comprehensive plan elements, and recommended specific initiatives to encourage or facilitate affordable housing, as required by F.S. 420.9076. The AHAC submitted their Report of Barriers and Recommendations to the City Commission on December 10, 2008.

The State Statute requires the City Commission to decide whether or not to implement each of the AHAC’s recommendations. City staff provided comments for each recommendation. Any supported recommendations considered incentives or new housing strategies must be adopted by resolution into the Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) at the City Commission meeting February 25, 2009. Failure to review each recommendation and adopt supported recommendations into the LHAP for implementation will cause the State to withhold State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds.

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Approve Option 1. Decide whether to support or reject each recommendation in the Report of Barriers and Recommendations.

FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact of each recommendation is included in the staff analysis.

Thomas H. Lewis, Director, Economic & Community Development

Anita Favors Thompson, City Manager

For information, please contact: Ellen Meyi, at 891-6500.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS
HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES
The Mayor and City Commission, in keeping with F.S. 420.9076, appointed the 11-member Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) after a public hearing on June 25, 2008. The AHAC was mandated to submit a report of findings by December 31, 2008, or the City of Tallahassee’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funding would be withheld.

The following people were appointed in the following categories in which they are actively engaged with affordable housing:

1. Residential home building industry: Mr. Forrest Boone
2. Banking or mortgage banking industry: Ms. Pamela Keller
3. Area of labor within the home building industry: Mr. Allan Franklin Jr.
4. Advocate for low-income persons: Ms. Dorothy Inman-Johnson
5. For-profit provider of affordable housing: Mr. John Whetsel
6. Not-for-profit provider of affordable housing: Ms. Regina Davis
7. Real estate professional: Ms. Patti Ketcham
8. Local planning agency representative: Mr. Terence Hinson
9. Resident of the jurisdiction: Ms. Priscilla Howard
10. Representative of employers in the jurisdiction: Mr. Warren Jones
11. Representative of “essential services personnel” as defined by the jurisdiction: Mr. Larry Cone

The committee members reviewed the Comprehensive Plan Elements, Land Development Regulations, City Ordinances, City Commission Policies, and other City documents, and discussed regulatory barriers to affordable housing. The Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD) Housing Division staffed the Committee with assistance from the Planning Department. The Code Enforcement Division of ECD and the Growth Management Department also met directly with committee members. All recommendations were generated by the AHAC. Staff’s role in this process was to provide research and clarification of City procedures. State Statute 420.9076 F.S. mandated the AHAC to consider the following recommendations:

• Modification or repeal of existing policies
  
• Creation of exceptions for affordable housing
  
• Adoption of new policies, procedures, ordinances, or plan provisions
  
• Evaluation of the affordable housing incentives suggested in 420.9076 F.S.:
  
  • (a) The processing of approvals of development orders or permits, as defined in
    s. 163.3164(7) and (8), for affordable housing projects is expedited to a greater degree than other projects.
    
  • (b) The modification of impact-fee requirements, including reduction or waiver of fees and alternative methods of fee payment for affordable housing.
    
  • (c) The allowance of flexibility in densities for affordable housing.
    
  • (d) The reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very-low-income persons, low-income persons, and moderate-income persons.
    
  • (e) The allowance of affordable accessory residential units in residential zoning districts.
    
  • (f) The reduction of parking and setback requirements for affordable housing.
    
  • (g) The allowance of flexible lot configurations, including zero-lot-line configurations for affordable housing.
    
  • (h) The modification of street requirements for affordable housing.
    
  • (i) The establishment of a process by which a local government considers, before adoption, policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions that increase the cost of housing.
    
  • (j) The preparation of a printed inventory of locally owned public lands suitable for affordable housing.
    
  • (k) The support of development near transportation hubs and major employment centers and mixed-use developments.
• Evaluation of other affordable housing incentives

The Committee held advertised public meetings on seven occasions prior to the adoption of the report on November 14, 2008 (July 24, August 6, August 22, September 11, September 15, September 30, and October 22). Mr. Warren Jones was elected as the Chair of the Committee and Ms. Pamela Keller was elected as the Vice-Chair. Meeting minutes are available on the Electronic Data Management System (EDMS).

The AHAC identified the following barriers to affordable housing in their review of City documents:

• Inconsistent language in City documents
  
• High cost of land
  
• Lack of available and affordable land
  
• Resource allocation not explicitly based on need
  
• Under-used programs
  
• Lack of coordination between transit and affordable housing
  
• Limited resources in Affordable Housing Trust Fund
  
• High cost of regulatory fees
  
• Cost of regulatory delays in housing development
  
• Limited citizen oversight of policies affecting housing
  
• “Ineligible” housing stock in need of rehabilitation
  
• No clear inventory of existing affordable housing stock

Attachment 1 is a summary table of the AHAC’s short-term and long-term recommendations to overcome the identified barriers and to encourage more affordable housing in the City. Attachment 2 is the AHAC Report of Barriers and Recommendations, which details the analysis of each issue. The summary of staff responses about each recommendation is in Attachment 3 in the order of recommendation numbers. The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee final report was reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office, the Office of Budget and Policy, and Directors of the Public Works Department, Planning Department, Growth Management Department, Economic and Community Development Department, and Star Metro Transit. Detailed comments from each department are included as Attachment 4.

The Long Range Target Issue Committee reviewed the AHAC report November 19, 2008. The City Commission received the report from the AHAC on December 10, 2008. Public comment received at the AHAC public hearing to adopt the report is included as Attachment 5.

According to 420.9076 F.S., any recommendations that will be implemented into the City’s Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) must be adopted at a City Commission meeting before March 10, 2009 (90 days from the date of receipt.) The City Commission must review each recommendation and make a decision whether or not to implement the recommendation. Economic and Community Development (ECD) Department staff and other affected departments have compiled staff responses to each recommendation so that the City Commission has all perspectives. Commissioners can decide at the Target Issues meeting which of the AHAC’s recommendations to accept or reject for implementation. At the City Commission meeting on February 25, 2009, Commissioners will adopt any changes to the LHAP by resolution.

OPTIONS

Option 1. Decide whether to support or reject each recommendation in the Report of Barriers and Recommendations.

Pros:
1. Deciding on the recommendations would comply with State Statute and would maintain the City’s eligibility to receive State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds.
2. Approved recommendations may assist the administration and construction of affordable housing in the City.

Cons:
1. None are identified in making decisions about the AHAC’s recommendations.

Option 2. Do not decide whether to support or reject each recommendation in the Report of Barriers and Recommendations. Provide staff with alternate direction.

Pros:
1. None identified.

Cons:
1. The City would not comply with State Statute 420.9076 F.S. if the City did not make decisions about the AHAC’s recommendations.
2. Approved recommendations would not assist the administration and construction of affordable housing in the City.

ATTACHMENTS/REFERENCES

1. Summary of Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Recommendations
2. Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Report of Barriers and Recommendations
3. Summary staff responses to the AHAC report by recommendation number
4. Detailed staff responses to the AHAC recommendations
5. Public comments received at the November 14, 2008 public hearing