09/13/2022 - Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Affordable Housing Advisory Meeting Minutes September 13, 2022
Committee
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
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Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
9:00 AM
Main Library / Council Chambers
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
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City of Clearwater
Affordable Housing Advisory Meeting Minutes September 13, 2022
Committee
Roll Call
Present10 - Chair Camille Hebting, Committee Member Kevin Chinault, Committee
Member Carmen Santiago, Committee Member Gaby Camacho,
Committee Member Lindsay Dicus-Harrison, Committee Member Pierre
Cournoyer, Committee Member Kathleen Beckman, Committee
Member Peter Scalia, Committee Member Robyn Fiel, and Committee
Member Bruce Rector
Absent 1 - Committee Member Jacqueline Rivera
Also Present - Denise Sanderson — Economic Development & Housing Director, Gina
Clayton — Planning & Development Director, Terry Malcolm-Smith —
Senior Housing Coordinator, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter
1. Call To Order
The meeting was called 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. New Business
2.1 Housing Incentive Programs -Amanda Warner, Wade Trim Consultant
Consultant Amanda Warner, with Wade Trim, will facilitate a discussion
regarding housing incentive programs with the Committee.
Amanda Warner of Wade Trim provided a PowerPoint presentation that
reviewed the history and duties of the AHAC (Affordable Housing Advisory
Committee) as required by SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership). This
year's schedule: 1) Workshop— September 9, 2) Workshop - October 11;
and 3) Public Hearing - November 7. Following its December 1 City Council
adoption, the City will submit AHA C's updated strategies report to the
State and incorporate the strategies into the LHAP (Local Housing
Assistance Plans) by March 31, 2023.
Ms. Warner reviewed the City's 2021 report and government housing
funding sources.
Discussion ensued with concerns expressed that: 1) many middle income
workers cannot afford to live in Pinellas County, 2) Clearwater has
insufficient affordable housing, 3) many lots in the inventory of City-owned
properties were too small to develop; 4) larger parcels needed to be
assembled for affordable housing; 5) while mixed-income units should be
required for all new development, City Council does not support mixed-
income units for the bluff development, 6) new affordable housing units
should be energy efficient and feature solar panels and EV(Electric Vehicle)
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City of Clearwater
Affordable Housing Advisory
Committee
Meeting Minutes September 13, 2022
charging capability whenever possible; 7) the City and County should join
efforts developing affordable housing and 8) committee recommendations
should not create development hurdles that cannot be overcome.
Discussion ensued re 1) integrating affordable housing into neighborhoods
by adopting neighborhood's aesthetic character; 2) shared housing,
3) measuring the effectiveness of incentives, and 4) obstacles to home
Ownership: a) high taxes; b) expensive and difficult to obtain homeowners'
Insurance; and c) slow program processes for down payment assistance,
inspection programs, and HUD (Department of Housing & Urban
Development) regulations. Information was requested re the number of
affordable housing units completed in Clearwater 2017 — 22, the anticipated
need, and copies of Orlando, St. Petersburg, and Tampa AHAC reports. It
was suggested that public participation would improve if NAHAB meetings
were scheduled at a more convenient time for residents.
Planning & Development director Gina Clayton said affordable housing is
limited to incomes of 80% AMI (Area Median Income) or below. Staff
suggested committee recommendations not preclude projects with 100%
affordable units or discourage housing development.
Ms. Warner requested members review the 2021 recommendations before
the October 11 meeting.
3. Citizens to be heard regarding items not on the agenda
4. Adjournment
Bryan Beckman reviewed GreenPrint goals to install solar on 1,000 low-
income homes and reduce by 20% energy costs at low-income housing. He
recommended requesting the City Council to consider pairing incentives with
IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) funds. He reported the City of Dunedin offered
incentives for residents to install solar panels in addition to federal program
benefits.
The meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.
Attest: / / Chair, Affordable Ho F' . dvisory Committee
oardReer
City of Clearwater
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