09/09/2008
NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
September 9, 2008
Present: Donald F. Brackett Chair
Kip Corriveau Vice-Chair
Jordan Behar Board Member
–
arrived 6:03 p.m., departed 7:09 p.m.
Laurel Braswell Board Member
Josephine Carbone Board Member
Peggy M. Cutkomp Board Member
Samuel Davis Board Member
Tony Langhorne Board Member
Peter Leach Board Member
Nick Pavonetti Board Member
Absent: Lisa Hughes Board Member
Also Present: Geri Campos Lopez Economic Development Housing Director
Jim Donnelly Assistant Director of Econ. Dev./Housing
Michael Holmes Housing Manager
Terry Malcolm-Smith Housing Coordinator
Brenda Moses Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
2. Introduction of Members
Board Members introduced themselves.
3. Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board (NAHAB) – Affordable Housing
Advisory Committee (AHAC) Schedule
Economic Development Housing Director Geri Campos Lopez said although the City
already has a NAHAB (Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board), its membership
has been expanded to comply with State requirements to develop a local housing incentive
strategy. The expanded NAHAB will be referred to as the AHAC (Affordable Housing Advisory
Committee) for now and will serve as the State mandated committee.
Ms. Lopez said AHAC meetings are scheduled for October 7 and October 28 at City Hall
in Room 222, and on November 19 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. The November 19th
meeting will be a public hearing. Meetings of the original NAHAB members are scheduled for
October 14 and December 9 at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall in Council Chambers. The regularly
scheduled November 20 NAHAB meeting has been cancelled. She said at the NAHAB
meetings, board members will discuss their normal course of business, and although it is not
necessary, all AHAC members are welcome to attend. In response to a question, Ms. Lopez
said the AHAC will discuss strategies and barriers to affordable housing. A revised meeting
schedule and a committee and staff contact list will be distributed to all members.
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4. Presentation of the Local Housing Incentive Strategy Development Process by Wade
Trim, Inc. – Mr. Jose Fernandez, Ms. Amanda Warner
Jose Fernandez and Amanda Warner of Wade Trim reviewed: 1) Role of the AHAC; 2)
Schedule to complete the Local Housing Incentive Strategy; 3) Explanation of the desired
development process; 4) Explanation of the State regulations; 5) Review of the affordable
housing principles; 6) Explanation of the agents involved; 7) Explanation of the difference
between the incentives and barriers; and 8) Review of the main directives of the housing
element.
Mr. Fernandez said State statute requires that the AHAC analyze: 1) Expedited
permitting; 2) Impact fee waivers or modifications; 3) Flexible density; 4) Reservation of
Infrastructure; 5) Accessory dwelling units; 6) Parking and setbacks; 7) Flexible lot
configurations; 8) Street requirements; 9) Oversight (ongoing); 10) Proximity/transportation; and
11) Other issues. He said the committee will go beyond those requirements.
Mr. Fernandez said affordable housing needs to be attainable and mix with other uses,
should be in close proximity to activity centers, employment, recreation, and shopping, should
be accessible to multimodal transportation, should have adequate infrastructure, should be near
green/open space, should be safe and functional, and should meet minimum design standards
to protect the character of the surrounding area. He said there is a fine line between incentives
and barriers.
Ms. Warner said Wade Trim will perform an inventory and assessment of the City’s best
practices/incentives to provide affordable housing and evaluate the land use and housing
elements of the City’s Comprehensive Plan for the promotion of affordable housing. Strategic
areas of improvement will be identified and an action plan developed to help implement
affordable housing strategies. After strategies are developed, Wade Trim will review them to
ensure they are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Upon completion of the review, the
committee will recommend a course of action to Council.
5. Exercise: Potential Affordable Housing Barriers by Wade Trim, Inc.
Ms. Warner reviewed the top ten common affordable housing barriers: 1) Supplier
expertise; 2) Information access; 3) Public perception; 4) Land availability; 5) Cost of
Production; 6) Financing; 7) Code/regulations; 8) Process; 9) Infrastructure capacity; and 10)
Other items.
Board members prioritized the top ten barriers to affordable housing. The top three
barriers chosen from the list were financing, land availability and Code/regulations, and cost of
production.
Discussion ensued with comments: 1) That even if infrastructure, land, and tenants are
in place, tax credits and other funds are necessary to ensure rents are low enough to make
housing affordable; 2) That land is getting scarce; 3) That the School Board has more land than
anyone else that could be used to benefit the community, especially teachers; 4) That there is
very little subsidy support at the 120% of AMI (adjusted area median income) level; 5) That
hardworking professionals such as teachers are included in the lower income brackets; 6) That
although financing is available for low income borrowers with little or no credit, very little
information is readily available to the public; 7) That public perception always affects an
affordable housing project. Many residents are concerned that affordable housing projects such
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as Section 8 housing means a potential increase in crime and negatively affects property
values; 8) That transportation options in the U.S. should be reviewed instead of spending
money to send representatives to other countries; 9) That the Code in coastal areas should not
be applied throughout the City, 10) That building materials for Florida’s climate differ from those
needed in other climates, and the cost to test building materials is high; 11) That an architect
with local knowledge can affect a project’s success; 12) That there are many vacant parcels that
were to be developed and are now vacant and unattractive due to the lack of financing; 13) That
although the City allows land assembly, time constraints, the parcel size and price, and the
density allowed on a parcel greatly affects its development potential and profitability; 14) That
parking is a major barrier, and sometimes the “killer” of reasonably-priced real estate; 15) That
government-imposed landscaping, drainage, etc. increase project costs; 16) That density
bonuses are a myth; 17) That land is available for development; 18) That the cost of materials is
a static cost, however public perception, zoning, infrastructure capacity, convenient access by
tenants to the local area, housing credits, etc. play a larger part in costs of production; 19) That
some nonprofit organizations have a lack of expertise in the affordable housing arena; 20) That
the City should foster joint ventures between nonprofit organizations and private developers to
provide affordable housing; 21) That many barriers and variables affect affordable housing and
are inter-related; 22) That a mix of different types of housing and incomes result in diverse
neighborhoods; 23) That affordable housing developments can be attractive and affordable on
small footprints if appropriate elements such as natural lighting, energy efficiency, and overall
good design is achieved; 24) That it takes forward thinking from a Code/regulation perspective
for mixed use developments to be successful and attractive; 25) That economic conditions
prevent private developments from taking risks; 26) That financing options for commercial and
residential purposes have become limited due to the current economic conditions; 27) That the
City needs to quickly develop a policy that resurrects blighted properties, as CDBG (Community
Development Block Grant) funds will soon be available for rehabilitation of existing apartment
buildings, etc. As blighted properties are being sold for much less than the cost to produce new
housing projects, that renewal of existing stock is an excellent affordable housing opportunity;
and 28) That City lobbyists need to lobby the County, State, and Federal government regarding
affordable housing opportunities. Consensus was that discussion regarding financing issues be
divided into commercial versus homeownership.
6. New/Old Business
7. Next Meeting
Mr. Fernandez said affordable housing alternatives and strategies to get to the next level
will be discussed at the next two meetings. He said committee members are welcome to e-mail
him regarding any ideas, specific strategies, why they feel the current process does not work,
what they feel would work, etc., for discussion at future meetings. Ms. Lopez requested that the
committee also consider specific issues they have tripped over and areas that need
improvement so that they can be translated into process improvements. Housing Manager
Michael Holmes encouraged committee members to review the Land Development Code on the
City’s web site.
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It was requested that as very low income people need the CHA (Clearwater Housing
Authority) and it has pulled out of having its own housing and apartments, that the committee
consider ways to engage CHA to help create and provide affordable housing.
The next AHAC meeting is at 6:00 p.m. on October 7,2008.
8. Adiournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:38 p.m.
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Chair, Neighborhood & Affordable
Housing Advisory Board
Attest: C
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