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10/12/2021 - Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Affordable Housing Advisory Meeting Minutes October 12, 2021 Committee City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 r Meeting Minutes Tuesday, October 12, 2021 8:30 AM Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Page 1 City of Clearwater Affordable Housing Advisory Meeting Minutes October 12, 2021 Committee Roll Call Present 9 - Chair Camille Hebting, Committee Member Linda Kemp, Committee Member Kevin Chinault, Committee Member Carmen Santiago, Committee Member Michael Boutzoukas, Committee Member Gaby Camacho, Committee Member Lindsay Dicus-Harrison, Committee Member Pierre Cournoyer, Committee Member Kathleen Beckman Absent 2 Committee Member Peter Scalia, Committee Member Jacqueline Rivera Also Present - Denise Sanderson — Economic Development & Housing Director, Gina Clayton — Planning & Development Director, Chuck Lane — Economic Development & Housing Assistant Director, Terry Malcolm-Smith — Senior Housing Coordinator, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. New Business 2.1 Presentation of improvements made to the Housing Division webpage Assistant Economic Development & Housing Director Chuck Lane reviewed improvements to the Housing Division webpage as recommended by the 2020 AHAC (Affordable Housing Advisory Committee). He thanked Robert Napper for his work on the webpage that includes public service provider information and forms, a link to the county program for rental assistance, information on income eligibility, a homeless initiative page, etc. Public Communications has a standing order to direct people to the webpage. All outreach, including postcards sent to North Greenwood residents, directs citizens to the webpage. In response to questions, Mr. Lane said NAHAB (Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board) will develop measurables to track webpage activity. Tracking metrics is important to determine if the website is generating more traffic and business. Page 2 City of Clearwater Affordable Housing Advisory Meeting Minutes October 12, 2021 Committee Recommendations: 1) educational campaign to increase traffic with constant outreach and promotion to drive people to the web site where the City's limited resources and opportunities are marketed, 2) include information re subsidized housing opportunities in Pinellas County and related contact Information, 3) include resources for locating workforce housing, 4) list affordable housing apartment contact information and availability and notations that availability is not guaranteed as demand far exceeds availability, 5) standardize forms for submission to all nonprofits to avoid applicants having to duplicate their efforts, and 6) produce printed materials for distribution. Mr. Lane said the webpage did not include email addresses due to concerns that spammers could use the email information inappropriately. 2.2 Review and discuss updates to the City of Clearwater Local Housing Incentive Strategy Mr. Lane reviewed the 2020 Local Housing Incentive Strategies Update prepared by the AHAC. The Committee meets 3 times annually, next meetings are on November 9 and 30, 2021. A quorum of 6 members is required. Committee recommendations will be presented to the City Council on December 2, 2021 for adoption. He reviewed program income limits for affordable housing. The term `low income housing"is used less frequently. The City's definition of affordable housing is 80% AMI or below and of workforce housing is 80% AMI to 120% AMI. Senior Housing Coordinator Terry Malcolm-Smith reviewed the City's down payment assistance program. The State's affordable home purchase cap is $311,000. Concerns: 1) sporadic employment during the pandemic negatively affected Incomes; 2) households with incomes below 80% AMI are unlikely to be able to afford to purchase a home even with the increase in down payment assistance, 3) smaller units due to increased construction costs make it difficult to house large families, 4) providing ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant units is important, 5) waitlists for affordable housing are 3— 5 years long, 6) rental assistance would be helpful, 7) residents mistake the term "workforce housing"for employer provided housing, and 8) high insurance rates may create barriers to qualifying for affordable housing. Mr. Lane said units in the naturally occurring affordable housing market are old and lack amenities. The City does not want to Page 3 City of Clearwater Affordable Housing Advisory Meeting Minutes October 12, 2021 Committee encourage mobile home occupancy. He reviewed the vision statement and goals in the Consolidated Plan. While the State allows affordable housing to be built in all zoning districts, the City would have to evaluate each option before including a non- residential site on the City's list of properties available for affordable housing development. NAHAB could discuss better ways to quantify the number of new units created. Suggestions: 1) construct affordable 3- and 4-plexes on lots in Countryside, 2) establish a goal to create a specific number of units for very low income households, 3) strategies must provide builders a profit, and 4) City provide all relevant information to affordable housing developers to guide their processes. Mr. Lane said land costs could be an issue in more expensive areas of the City. Language can be added to support sustainable long-term accommodations for the elderly to age in place with help from the City's rehab program. In response to a question, Mr. Lane said the City oversees 3 to 4 affordable housing developments during a heavy year. He provides affordable housing developers with process information and coordinates their efforts with the Planning & Development Department. Planning & Development Director Gina Clayton said project review focuses first on affordable housing. Staff is reaching out to the County to determine if research was done on reduced permit fees. In response to a question, Mr. Lane said Parks & Recreation and sewer impact fees are not discountable. In response to a question re the cost of waiving all impact fees for 20 single-family affordable housing residences a year, Mr. Lane said impact fees fund the City's future burden of providing resident services. It may be possible to use limited housing funds to pay toward impact fees. When affordable housing is sold, staff must make certain the property is sold to income qualified persons. Staff also must continually verify that units designated affordable remain affordable. He will check with the Legal Department if the City can waive some impact fees related to future bond allocations. Recommendations: 1) Allow duplexes and triplexes on single- family lots; 2) charge impact fees for multifamily developments due to the impact of multiple families on City services; 3) staff review other municipality funding sources used to offset impact fees; 4) reduce permit fees for affordable housing to be competitive with other municipalities, 5) be a County leader in incentivizing affordable housing, 6) reduce impact fees for Page 4 City of Clearwater Affordable Housing Advisory Meeting Minutes October 12, 2021 Committee affordable housing for a limited time of 5 to 10 years; and 7) add equity to new affordable housing by including EV(electric vehicle) charging capability at construction when costs are lowest to enable low income residents to transition to electric vehicles. Ms. Clayton said staff will review the City's fee structure for affordable housing and compare it Countywide. The City Council can be requested to make changes if it is determined that City fees are not competitive. Mr. Lane said Code permits a 20% - 50% increase in density for affordable Housing and encourages mixed-income development. Re infrastructure capacity, Clearwater is built out, CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funds could be used to install sewer lines in the few spots needed. Mr. Lane said parking standards and neighborhood compatibility are the biggest challenge to encouraging ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) construction, few lots are large enough to accommodate additional units and short-term rentals are prohibited in residential neighborhoods. Consideration of tiny homes is on hold while the Comp Plan is updated. Ms. Clayton said a goal is to increase density. Mr. Lane said the City's foreclosure program should provide additional affordable housing opportunities. Staff and the CRA will evaluate all City land appropriate for affordable housing and publish the list next spring, future updates will be done more often than every 3 years. A public vetting process will take place re distribution of foreclosed properties, NAHAB will take a more active role in distributing foreclosed properties and verifying that established strategies are implemented. Recommendations: 1) establish City procedure to notify all interested parties re availability of foreclosed property, the City of St. Petersburg allows nonprofits to take a first look at foreclosed properties; and 2) a strategy focus on the importance of diverse income levels in the North Greenwood neighborhood. Mr. Lane said the City of St. Petersburg preapproves developers to participate in affordable housing projects, developers must have the capacity to construct affordable housing at their own cost. Low income home purchasers must obtain their own mortgages. Recommendations: 1) rebranding educational campaign for affordable housing, partnering with the Chambers of Commerce Page 5 City of Clearwater Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes October 12, 2021 for promotion; 2) contact and provide all service providers with affordable housing information; 3) include a strategy section called "Affordable Housing and Community Development." 4) add strategy to encourage mentoring and technical training within the development community as some developers are too small to qualify for affordable housing incentives; 5) strategy to inform citizens re crisis surrounding the severe shortage of affordable housing and encourage residents to lobby for increased affordable housing funding, even by travelling to Tallahassee; 6) strategy for a call for action that encourages grass root movement; 7) strategies need to conform with Greenprint goals; 8) strategy to encourage developers to partner with the Sierra Club or other nonprofits to add solar panels during construction to significantly reduce utility costs for low income residents who will live there; and 9) committee members should investigate other states' affordable housing programs practices that Clearwater could adopt. 3. Citizens to be heard regarding items not on the agenda: None. 4. Adjourn Attest: i //, : •ard Rep, City of Clearwater The meeting adjourned at 11:05 a.m. Perin L G1�itri Chair - Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Page 6