Placement: Resolutions
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Resolution 21-R62, Appointing an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program
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Submitted By: Alessandra (Alex) Tasca, Deputy Director, Neighborhood Services Dept. (NSD)
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to be responsive to our community.
Executive Summary (General Business): This Resolution (originally approved on May 10, 2021), serves to correct the appointment category of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) Member Stephanie Heidt. The City solicited residents to apply for the AHAC. The goal is to identify eight (8) board members with various backgrounds and one (1) elected official to review housing policies, procedures, ordinances, and land development regulations and make specific recommendations to the City Council for incorporation into the Local Housing Assistance Plan. Per Section 3.05 of the City Charter the applications were reviewed by the Mayor and city staff and their recommendations are being brought to the City Council for approval.
Presentation Information: Alessandra (Alex) Tasca, Deputy Director, NSD will be available to answer questions.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve the attached resolution appointing the individuals listed to the City’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and provide staff direction.
2. Move that the Council deny the recommendations and provide staff direction.
Background: The City receives funding from SHIP and as a condition of receiving these funds, the City is required by Chapter 420, Florida Statutes, to establish an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC). The City is required to adopt a Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) and submit the Plan to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for approval. The LHAP is developed for a three-year period and sets forth the local strategies and requirements. The primary objective of the AHAC is to update this plan as required.
The Committee must consist of eight (8) members who reside in the City and one (1) elected official. The Committee shall include one representative from at least six (6) of the following eleven (11) categories.
(1) A citizen who is actively engaged in the residential home building industry in connection with affordable housing.
(2) A citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage industry in connection with affordable housing.
(3) A citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in connection with affordable housing.
(4) A citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for low-income persons in connection with affordable housing.
(5) A citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing.
(6) A citizen who is actively engaged as a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing.
(7) A citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate professional in connection with affordable housing.
(8) A citizen who actively serves on the local planning agency pursuant to section 163.3174, Florida Statutes, notwithstanding any City ordinance or resolution to the contrary. Only one citizen who actively serves on the local planning agency may serve on the affordable housing advisory committee.
(9) A citizen who resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body making the appointments.
(10) A citizen who represents the employers within the jurisdiction.
(11) A citizen who represents essential services personnel, as defined in the local housing assistance plan.
The Committee is required to have a minimum of four (4) meetings to review eleven (11) affordable housing incentives and make recommendations to the City Council before December 31, 2021. The Neighborhood Services Department will incorporate the approved recommendations into the City’s LHAP which is due to the State by March 31, 2022.
The AHAC report identifies incentive strategies and recommendations for implementation by the City. The recommendations should seek to remove regulatory barriers that limit the development or preservation of affordable housing or drive up housing costs.
The City staff will present the final AHAC report to the Mayor and City Council. The Council may:
• Discuss the report and vote to adopt only one of the recommendations;
• Adopt all the recommendations;
• Use the report as a springboard to generate their own ideas for incentive strategies; or
• Read the report and take no further action.
Upon receipt of the AHAC report, the City will have 90 days to amend its LHAP to incorporate the recommended incentive strategies that it plans to implement based on the recommendations of the AHAC Committee.
Issues/Analysis: The Neighborhood Services Department solicited volunteers from the community and has received 20 applications from citizens interested in serving on the Committee. Pursuant to Section 3.05 of the City Charter and in accordance with the regulations of the State, this memorandum serves to nominate the following applicants for appointment to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Subject to your advice and consent. As you will note in your review of the applications, we are once again very fortunate to have more qualified applicants than spots available. The eight (8) applications being recommended for approval are listed below. Attached are all 20 applications for your review. The Committee's membership must satisfy at least six of eleven categories.
The category for Stephanie Heidt needs is being revised because she serves on a regional planning agency governed by Chapter 186 of the Florida Statutes. Resolution 21-R58 approved by City Council on May 10, 2021 states that she serves on a local planning agency pursuant to Florida Statutes 163.3174. Staff is updating the Resolution to categorize Stephanie Heidt as a Committee member who “actively resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body”.
Please note that some nominees could conceivably fit into more than one category, and all fall under the category of "citizen", and the current nominees satisfy six categories.
Recommended for the Committee:
Robert Calhoun (residential home building industry in connection with affordable housing)
Samiea Hawkins (advocate for low-income persons in connection with affordable housing)
Melissa Winstead (not-for-profit provider of affordable housing)
Patricia Garcia-King (real estate professional in connection with affordable housing)
Stephanie Heidt (resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body)
Nicole Fisher (resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body)
Lisa Heintz (represents the employers within the jurisdiction)
Bryan Gerner (represents the employers within the jurisdiction)
Financial Information: N/A
Special Consideration: AHAC meetings will start in June 2021. A minimum of four (4) meetings are required to be held by December 31, 2021. The LHAP is on schedule to be updated by March 2022.
Location of Project: N/A
Attachments:
1. Revised Resolution
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 6107
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Ella M. Gilbert, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.