DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance authorizing the acceptance of funds from the San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corporation to provide single family home repairs within the City’s Under 1 Roof and Minor Home Repair programs.
SUMMARY:
This item includes an Ordinance authorizing the City of San Antonio to accept and appropriate $500,000 in funding from the San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corporation (SAHTPFC) to provide services under the City’s Under 1 Roof program, and $250,000 to provide services under the City’s Minor Home Repair program; and authorizing payment of vendors and to the City for administrative costs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corporation (SAHTPFC) was formed by the City of San Antonio to develop affordable single and multi-family housing and to be a financial pass-through facility to issue bonds for affordable single and multi-family housing. The board of the SAHTPFC consists of San Antonio City Councilmembers from Districts 1 through 5. As of the end of 2016, the San Antonio Housing Trust had an estimated $3,000,000 in funds available in the SAHTPFC. The SAHTPFC Board recommend utilizing $250,000 to create an administrative reserve, $2 million for multifamily development projects and $750,000 for single family housing repair, including $500,000 for the City’s Under 1 Roof program and $250,000 for the City’s Minor Home Repair program.
The SAHTPFC board approved on August 15 to provide $750,000 to the City of San Antonio as follows: $500,000 for the Under 1 Roof program and $250,000 to the City’s Minor Home Repair program to homeowners of Council Districts 1 through 5 who earn less than 80% of the area median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Under 1 Roof program replaces worn and damaged roofs with new, energy efficient roofs for qualified homeowners. In FY 2017 the Under 1 Roof Program utilized $500,000 to provide light colored energy saving roofs for 32 homes in Council Districts 1 and 2, and the FY 2018 Proposed General Fund Budget includes $500,000 to provide up to 28 roofs in District 1. Eligibility for Under 1 Roof includes: Homeowners must earn under 80% of the Area Median Income; must live in the home they own in the eligible area and have a Homestead designation with the Bexar County Appraisal District; structure must be less than 1,500 square feet; be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident; and payment of property taxes must be up to date. Although homeowner’s insurance is not a requirement, the Under 1 Roof program strives to assist residents who do not have homeowner’s insurance. To date, 12 out of the 43 homeowners assisted since the program’s inception in FY 2016 did not have homeowner’s insurance.
The Minor Home Repair program for qualified home owners addresses health and safety items such as plumbing, electrical, non-working utilities, broken windows, damaged doors or other items in need of repair. Eligibility for the Minor Home Repair program includes: Homeowners must earn under 80% of the Area Median Income; must live in the home they own in the eligible area and have a Homestead designation with the Bexar County Appraisal District; be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident; and payment of property taxes must be up to date. Merced Housing Texas has been awarded $750,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to provide minor home repair and ADA modifications since FY 2014 and service was provided to 36 households in FY 2017. Currently $500,000 is under contract through Merced Housing Texas. NHSD also proposes to increase the maximum Minor Home Repair per home to $25,000 from $5,000 for future repairs. The department has the option of utilizing Merced Housing Texas or administering the Minor Home Repair program internally alongside several other housing repair programs currently administered by the department.
ISSUE:
The San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corporation Board approved a motion on August 15, 2017 to provide $750,000 to the City of San Antonio as follows: $500,000 for the Under 1 Roof program to homeowners of Council Districts 1 through 5 who earn less than 80% of the area median income, and $250,000 to the City’s Minor Home Repair Program. Upon receiving City Council approval, the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department will proceed with a targeted mail out to Districts 1 through 5 which will include an informational flyer and application. Homeowners can return their applications to the department via mail, email or in person for processing. The Department also will coordinate with the City Council Offices to provide program information to their constituents through newsletters and other marketing mediums utilized by the City Council Offices. The start date for each program is September 2017 and the anticipated completion date for both is within the end of March 2018.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council may elect not to accept the funds from the San Antonio Housing Trust to provide services under the Under 1 Roof and Minor Home Repair programs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The item authorizes the City to accept $500,000 for the provision of roof replacement under the Under 1 Roof program and $250,000 for the Minor Home Repair program. The funds will be held by the San Antonio Housing Trust Foundation to be allocated to the City of San Antonio upon receipt of invoices as needed until full expenditure of funds.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends City Council approval of the Ordinance authorizing acceptance and appropriation of these funds from the San Antonio Housing Trust Foundation to provide services under the Under 1 Roof and Minor Home Repair programs, and authorizing payment of vendors and to the City for administrative costs.