DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, AICP, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force Policy Recommendations briefing
SUMMARY:
The Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force will brief the City Council on its comprehensive approach to affordable housing for a diverse population in San Antonio
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On August 18, 2017, Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced the formation of the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force (Task Force) to develop a comprehensive housing policy 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 Task Force includes:
• Lourdes Castro Ramirez, President, University Health System Foundation (Chair)
• Gene Dawson, Principal, Pape Dawson Engineers
• Jim Bailey, Architect, 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, four consultant groups-Ximenes and Associates, Economic and Planning Systems, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) San Antonio, and the 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 Technical Working Groups included more than 120 volunteers.
The Technical Work Groups met four or more times to identify and create policy recommendations based on the five distinct policy themes. The five policy themes 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. Develop and preserve housing for stable, equitable and resilient neighborhoods
ISSUE:
This briefing by the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force will show data that currently illustrates San Antonio is confronting numerous troublesome housing conditions, which if not addressed quickly, will become worse in the future. The Task Force has a collective vision that housing will be safe, affordable, stable, and delivered through a sustainable system. San Antonio will have healthy neighborhoods, connected communities and a shared prosperity. Everyone will have a place to call home. The comprehensive framework will be an inclusive data-driven model based on national best practices and includes extensive community engagement. The Task Force’s policy recommendations include these overarching themes:
1. Invest in improving the housing eco-system, by increasing resident’s capacity and ensuring accountability.
2. Establish dedicated funds for housing preservation and new housing construction.
3. Restructure city strategies for deploying housing funds to address the overall housing need of the city.
4. Protect our neighborhoods and mitigate displacement.
5. Invest in efforts that will improve the regulatory environment and remove regulatory barriers for housing.
The Task Force will issue Executive and Community Impact Reports in July 2018. The final comprehensive report will be released in August 2018.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
It is anticipated that the Task Force will develop as part of their report a 10 year financial spending plan that will have an impact to the General Fund and future bond programs.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a briefing by the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force. No formal action is required.