DEPARTMENT:
Neighborhood and Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
Verónica R. Soto, AICP, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED:
Citywide
SUMMARY:
Director to report updates on Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Programs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Each month the director prepares a report on program updates directly affecting the Commission and its charge.
ISSUE:
Topics to be discussed are (a) Business Plan Update; (b) Risk Mitigation Implementation Plan; (c) ForEveryoneHome Initiative; (d) Upcoming Meetings; (e) Low Income Housing Tax Force Policy Update; (f) Housing Policy Process; (g) Chief Housing Officer
(a) Business Plan Update
Staff provides monthly updates to Mayor, Council, and Housing Commission on the progress of the Affordable Housing Business Plan. Staff has attached the recent update from July.
(b) Risk Mitigation Implementation Plan Update
Staff is coordinating with stakeholders to assess the implementation of the Risk Mitigation Fund Policy. The stakeholder group, which includes Commissioner Jessica Guerrero, has met to discuss the assessment, guiding principles, the outreach plan/efforts, demographics of clients served, and root causes of the need for assistance. The group will continue to meet and plans to present the preliminary draft assessment and high level recommendations to the Housing Commission to receive initial feedback.
(c) ForEveryoneHome Initiative
The ForEveryoneHome Initiative is in the data collection phase of the anti-displacement needs assessment. Staff from Grounded Solutions Network are working with staff and ForEveryoneHome team members to gather data and conduct interviews as needed. In October, the ForEveryoneHome team will attend a learning tour with the other cohort cities couple with the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference in Atlanta, GA. Veronica Soto will participate in a panel discussion with representatives from the other two ForEveryoneHome cohort cities on learnings from applying a racial equity lens to municipal policy. Some members of the team will also attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration of New Communities, the nation’s first Community Land Trust, in Albany, GA.
(d) Upcoming Meetings
Housing Commission is tentatively scheduled to meet again on September 25. Other upcoming meetings include the Planning and Community Development Committee on September 9, the South East Service Center project will be presented to Audit and Accountability on August 30 and City Council on September 19, and the CHDO Request for Applications are due on September 13, 2019.
(e) Low Income Housing Tax Force Policy Update
Staff is updating the City’s Housing Tax Credit Policy which outlines how a developer can receive Resolutions of Support or Resolutions of No Objection for their application to the state for an allocation of Housing Tax Credits. The policy was adopted in December 2017 and needs to be updated to account for changes to both city priorities and the state’s program rules. Staff will provide a briefing in September.
(f) Housing Policy Process
The National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) has presented an executive statement on the proposed recommendations for the San Antonio Housing Trust. A recommendation NALCAB proposed is to create a Housing Policy. The Housing Commission has requested collaboration in the creation of policy.
(g) Chief Housing Officer
Update.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing purposes only.