DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, AICP, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force Policy Recommendation Briefing
SUMMARY:
Members of the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force will brief the Committee on its comprehensive approach to housing availability and affordability for a diverse population in San Antonio.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On August 18, 2017, Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced the formation of a new Task Force to develop a comprehensive housing policy to be based on actionable strategies to expand affordable housing opportunities. Throughout the process, the Task Force is recognizing that San Antonio prospers when healthy, resilient, sustainable, economically-integrated neighborhoods are fostered by preserving affordable housing, expanding housing supply for all, preventing displacement of low-income residents, and building infrastructure that increases connectivity and mobility.
The five-member Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force includes:
• Lourdes Castro Ramirez, Chair
• Gene Dawson, Principal of Pape Dawson Engineers
• Jim Bailey, Architect at Alamo Architects
• Noah Garcia, Senior Vice President Vantage Bank
• Maria Antonietta Berriozabal, Former City Council Member
The Task Force is receiving input and assistance from City staff, three consultant groups-Economic and Planning Systems, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB)-as well as five Technical Working Groups comprised of community members with expertise in different areas related to housing. Participants in the specialized groups included more than 120 volunteers.
The Technical Work Groups met four or more times to identify and create policy recommendations based on the group’s policy area. The five policy areas are:
1. Providing housing for all, including special populations
2. Creating a transparent, coordinated housing system
3. Increasing housing production and lowering costs by removing barriers
4. Expanding housing funding and innovative financing
5. Developing and preserving housing for stable, equitable and resilient neighborhoods
ISSUE:
This briefing update by the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force will show data that currently illustrates San Antonio is confronting numerous troublesome situations, which if not addressed immediately, will become worse in the future.
These concerns are housing costs are outpacing incomes. The gaps between supply and demand are increasing and households are spending too much of their income on housing. Housing should not cost more than 1/3 of a household’s income. Cost-burdened households are spending an average of $330 more per month on housing than they should. And finally, the City is losing homeowners.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item includes a briefing update by the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force. No formal action is required.