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11/09/2004 . -. /U. NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER November 9, 2004 Present: Laurel Braswell Don Brackett Peggy M. Cutkomp Lisa Hughes Josephine Carbone Chair Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Absent: John Sabatier Tracy Reid Vice-Chair Board Member Also Present: Howie Carroll Michael Holmes Brenda Moses Assistant Housing Director Housing Manager Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order and are in summary format. 3. Approval of Minutes - Mav 11 , 2004 - Special MeetinQ Member Cutkomp moved to approve the minutes of the special meeting of May 11, 2004, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4. Citizens to be Heard - None. 5. FY (Fiscal Year) 2004/05 Consolidated Action Plan - Update Assistant Housing Director Howie Carroll said the Consolidated Action Plan process started in January: 1) Staff reviewed subrecipient applications and completed the ranking process; 2) NAHAB (Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board) approved funding allocations; 3) City Council approved subrecipient funding allocations; and 4) Staff forwarded allocation reports to USHUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). Following HUD comments, staff made some technical revisions to the Plan. Funding is in place. Staff sent agreements out in early October. Most recipients have returned the agreements. A few smaller projects that experienced unforeseen delays and several ongoing public facility projects were carried forward from last year. 6. FY 2004/05-10 Consolidated Action Plan - Update Mr. Carroll said the 2004-2010 Consolidated Action Plan guides City programs for the next five years. The Plan, adopted in 2000, needs to be updated. A consultant will analyze City housing needs, the homeless population, marketing, etc. In early spring, staff will meet with the community, the Homeless Coalition, Realtors, and all agencies involved in housing and community development activities. NAHAB members will be invited to the meetings. Staff plans to submit the Action Plan to NAHAB in June, to the City Council in July 2005, and it is due to HUD in mid-August 2005. The Plan will review and update needs, housing, and priorities. Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2004-11-09 1 ~. Mr. Carroll said the Consolidated Plan process ranks priorities and attaches funding to high and medium priority items and distributed information on the process. Information will be posted on the City website. He urged subrecipients and NAHAB members to become involved in the process, which will affect future funding levels. The next Consolidated Plan document will be interactive and link to more comprehensive data. In response to a question, Mr. Carroll said priorities will be determined after meetings with subrecipients, community partners, and review of analytical information and other data. 7. New/Old Business Mr. Carroll reported over 100 people had attended the Homeless Emergency Project's Open House for its new thrift store, transitional housing facility, and dental facility. In September, the City introduced an Internet-based Homebuyer's Assistance Program for City employees. Several months ago, CHIP (Clearwater Homeless Intervention Project) held a grand opening for the Parkbrook Apartments, an onsite 8-unit transitional housing facility. Staff is working with a church and a subrecipient to construct a rental housing facility with at least half of the units designed for accessibility by physically disabled individuals. .-. The City provided CHA (Clearwater Housing Authority) a $500,000 commitment for housing development at Jasmine Courts. Last month, the Florida Finance Housing Corporation awarded CHA housing tax credits. It is hoped the first phase of construction will begin next spring. Mt.Carmel CDC (Community Development Corporation) should be breaking ground on its eight-unit elderly rental community on La Salle Street in North Greenwood during the first half of next year. Construction documents are being reviewed. Mr. Carroll said last week, he met with a major home developer regarding construction of townhomes within the City limits. The developer is considering setting aside a portion of the development for affordable housing. Several market-rate housing developments are proposed in Downtown. He reviewed local problems related to home affordability and stated that staff always considers ways to address the increasing affordable housing demand. Nonprofit organizations have completed the majority of rehabilitation projects in the City and Mr. Carroll complimented their efforts. He reported the City of Clearwater, City of Largo, and other municipalities have agreed to form a Task Force to develop a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness. /. In response to a question, Mr. Carroll said affordable housing is defined as a household having to pay no more than 30% of its gross income on principal, interest, taxes, and insurance payments. If a lender agrees a client is "bankable" and "credit-worthy," the lender may approve a percentage higher than 30% of income to debt ratio. Some programs provide homebuyers with help paying part of closing costs, initial taxes, and insurance required. No programs subsidize property taxes. The City works with Habitat for Humanity and seeks other affordable housing programs. Homeowners who lose their homeowner's insurance cause their mortgage agreements to be in default. Property taxes are escalating. Problems that affect affordable housing include job loss, loss of spouse, or family illness. Taxes and insurance costs are a growing problem as is the diminishing pool of candidates who can afford "affordable housing." Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2004-11-09 2 . -. . In response to a request, Mr. Carroll said he will contact the Property Appraiser's Office regarding the possibility of freezing tax rates for homeowners in affordable housing programs. He also will report on the status of residents being relocated from Jasmine Courts. 8. Announcements - None. 9. Next meetina - December 7.2004 A meeting has been scheduled forDecember 7,2004, at 9:00 a.m. in Chambers to review and approve the CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report), which defines federal programs the City completed during the last fiscal year. The CAPER will be presented to the City Council for approval on December 16,2004, then forwarded to HUD. 10. Adiournment The meeting adjourned at 9:35 a.m. ,.pe--// ff.F~~~ Chair, Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board Attest: l~t~~ oard Reporter Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2004-11-09 3