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02/09/2021 Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes February 9, 2021 Housing Advisory Board Page 1 City of Clearwater City of Clearwater Main Library - Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 Meeting Minutes Tuesday, February 9, 2021 9:00 AM Main Library - Council Chambers Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes February 9, 2021 Housing Advisory Board Page 2 City of Clearwater Roll Call Present5 – Chair Peter Scalia, Vice Chair Gabby Camacho, Board Member Kevin Chinault, Board Member Camille Hebting, and Board Member Lindsay Dicus-Harrison Absent 2 - Board Member Carmen Santiago, and Board Member Linda Kemp Also Present - Denise Sanderson – Economic Development & Housing Director, Chuck Lane – Economic Development & Housing Assistant Director, Patricia O. Sullivan – Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the Minutes of the October 13, 2020 NAHAB Meeting Member Chinault moved to approve minutes of the October 13, 2020 Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board meeting as submitted in written summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda Councilmember Beckman said she looked forward to working with the board and thanked members for their service. 4. New Business Items 4.1 Discuss the Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board’s role as it relates to workforce and affordable housing Economic Development & Housing Assistant Director Chuck Lane reviewed the Code related to the board. It was questioned if the board could meet informally with the City Council. Mr. Lane said a conversation with the dais would be possible when the Chair delivers the board’s annual presentation to the City Council. It was stated the Chair speaks for the board. City Clerk Rosemarie Call said a Joint Special Work Session or Meeting with the City Council could be scheduled. Mr. Lane said the board could Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes February 9, 2021 Housing Advisory Board Page 3 City of Clearwater meet as a group first and determine what it wanted to present Member Camacho moved for the Board’s Liaison to schedule a joint meeting or work session with City Council and NAHAB (Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board) when a topic of discussion is determined. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Discussion ensued with comments a joint meeting did not have to be scheduled immediately but it would afford the City Council an opportunity to provide the board direction on Council priorities and improved ways to assess neighborhood needs. It was noted new board members have a steep learning curve with unfamiliar acronyms. It was stated the last NAHAB tour of Economic Development and Housing Department projects was educational and should be repeated. It was noted that tours had not been scheduled during the pandemic. Member Chinault moved for staff to schedule a NAHAB tour of Economic Development and Housing Department projects and to invite Councilmembers to participate. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Mr. Lane said a tour would be scheduled once it can be done safely. In response to a question, Economic Development & Housing Director Denise Sanderson said the City funded numerous nonprofit organizations to provide specific services to City residents. She suggested inviting one group to each NAHAB meeting to discuss each organization’s services and challenges. Also, Community Development Coordinator Gabe Para could present information on the City’s homeless initiative. Consensus was to support Ms. Sanderson’s recommendations. Councilmember Beckman expressed interest in accompanying the board on a tour. She said she was educating herself on nearby municipality actions to understand and be better informed of possibilities. In response to a suggestion, Mr. Lane said he would share with the board staff documentation of nearby municipality accomplishments and related staff recommendations. 4.2 Election of Officers Member Chinault moved to appoint Camille Hebting as Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes February 9, 2021 Housing Advisory Board Page 4 City of Clearwater Member Camacho moved to appoint Kevin Chinault as Vice Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Old Business Items: None. 6. Director's Report Mr. Lane said Directions for Living was managing the relocation of Prospect Towers’ residents who could not afford increased rents; alternative housing was located for 44 of 50 tenants who had lost their subsidies. Mr. Lane said 1520 Jeffords Street was being rehabbed and converted from an Assisted Living Facility to a 60-unit rental property. As units will be small, rents can be low. The project would qualify for a density boost if units were reserved for affordable housing. The owner did not want to limit units to senior tenants but was interested in housing seniors that needed housing. Mr. Lane reported Blue Sky’s tax credit application was approved for an 81 unit, 9-story affordable housing project on the site of the former downtown fire station. Peter Leach had applied to the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) for funding for an affordable housing project across the street from Madison Point. Clearwater Gas System intended to donate 4 lots on Blanche B Littlejohn Trail to Habitat for Humanity. Three new single-family homes were under construction in the North Greenwood neighborhood, one by Habitat for Humanity, one by Emerge Community Development Corporation, and one by Clearwater Neighborhood Services. At the next City Council meeting, Council will be asked to donate a lot for a new single-family home to the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. Mr. Lane said the application process for FY (Fiscal Year) 2021/22 Annual Action Plan Funding begins next week. Following NAHAB’s recommendation to approve based on TRC (Technical Review Committee) and staff recommendations, the City Council will approve funding in July. In response to a question, Mr. Lane said the City was required to set aside certain funds to assist those at 50% AMI (Area Median Income) or below. Staff was working with the Kimberly Home to pay down its project and with Habitat for Humanity to reduce a mortgage for a qualifying homebuyer. Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes February 9, 2021 Housing Advisory Board Mr. Lane said the governor had proposed fully funding the Sadowski Fund (officially the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund). If approved, the City would receive a project allocation of $1.6 million, a significant increase over current funding. If realized, the City may need additional staff to move the money. 7. Board Members to be Heard: None. 8. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m. Attest: B6ard Reporter City of Clearwater Chair Neighborhood & ' ffo dable Housing Advisory Board Page 5