DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance authorizing the acceptance of $200,000 from the San Antonio Housing Trust Finance Corporation and appropriates funds in support of the Mayor's Housing Policy Task Force.
SUMMARY:
This ordinance accepts funds in the amount of $200,000 from the San Antonio Housing Trust Finance Corporation and appropriates the funds in a donation fund for expenses related to the Mayor's Housing Policy Task Force. The $200,000.00 will be used in three main areas: Consultant Services, Taskforce Meetings support, and Community Workshops.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The San Antonio Housing Trust Finance Corporation (SAHTFC) was formed by the City of San Antonio to support housing preservation and housing related activities. The board of the SAHTFC consists of San Antonio City Councilmembers from Districts 1 through 5. On December 13, 2017, the SAHTFC Board approved providing $200,000.00 to the City of San Antonio to support the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force.
The Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force, established on August 18, 2017, consists of five (5) advisors appointed by Mayor Nirenberg to assist with the development of a comprehensive and compassionate policy framework to address the pressing affordable housing challenges that our city faces with input from community stakeholders.
To date, some milestones of the Task Force include:
• October 3, 2017, First public meeting
§ Introduction of taskforce members and the work, general timeline presented
§ Introductory Remarks by Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Chair Lourdes Castro-Ramirez
§ Presentation: “Housing and Neighborhoods through the ‘Equity Lens’” by Dr. Christine Drennon
§ Discussion of the Taskforce approach to the work
• October 17, 2017, Second public meeting
§ Housing Presentation: “What we Know and What We’re Doing about it” by Veronica R. Soto, Neighborhood and Housing Services and Chris Ryerson, Planning Department
• October 30, 2017, Third public meeting
§ Presentation: “Helping Neighbors Build Communities” by Leilah Powell, Executive Director of San Antonio Office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
§ Presentation: “Equitable Neighborhood Development: Housing in Context” by Noel Poyo, Executive Director of National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB)
• November 14, 2017, Fourth public meeting
§ Presentation: “Latinos as the Engine of San Antonio's Population Change” by Dr. Rogelio Saenz, Professor and Dean of the College of Public Policy, UTSA
• Saturday, December 9, 2017, Our Lady of the Lake Univ. Auditorium, Community Input Meeting
§ First Community Input Meeting hosted at Our Lady of the Lake Univ. Auditorium
§ Over 250 citizens participated and helped to identify housing solutions and identified problems; a final report is being compiled of the feedback
§ Two additional large Community Input meetings will be hosted in 2018.
At each of the Task Force meetings, over 50 members of the public have attended with over 100 attendees at the first meeting. The large turn-out for the Community Input meeting in December with over 250 attendees demonstrates the interest in the work from residents and the public.
As of December 2017, the Taskforce has identified the following processes to address housing issues:
• Five Technical Working Groups in policy areas identified as follows:
1. Providing Housing for All (special needs populations)
2. Creating a transparent, coordinated housing system
3. Developing and preserving housing for stable, equitable and resilient neighborhoods
4. Funding and Financing for housing
5. Removing barriers to housing and supply
• The Working Groups will convene in 2018
• The need to have a professional consultant assist with the final document to be presented utilizing the best data and data analysis to inform the work and incorporate the feedback from the Community Input meetings as well as the Technical Working Groups.
ISSUE:
The funding secured from the SAHTFC will be used to pay for consultant services to develop a housing policy framework in support of the work of the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force, space rental and supplies for Community Workshops, and audio/visual support for the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force regular working meetings.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council may elect not to accept the funds from the San Antonio Housing Trust to provide funds for expenditures related to the Mayor's Housing Policy Task Force.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance accepts funds in the amount of $200,000 from the San Antonio Housing Trust Finance Corporation (SAHTFC) and appropriates the funds in a donation fund for expenses related to the Mayor's Housing Policy Task Force. The funds will be provided by the San Antonio Housing Trust Foundation to the City of San Antonio. Any remaining funds after the work of the Task Force is completed will be returned to the SAHTFC.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends City Council approval of the Ordinance authorizing acceptance and appropriation of these funds from the San Antonio Housing Trust Foundation to fund expenditures of the Mayor's Housing Policy Task Force.