DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, AICP, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Accepting the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force policy framework report to increase housing opportunities by producing new units, rehabilitating homes, preserving affordability, and protecting neighborhoods and adopting the Task Force’s five housing recommended action priorities.
SUMMARY:
A Resolution accepting the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force policy framework report to increase housing opportunities by producing new units, rehabilitating homes, preserving affordability, and protecting neighborhoods and adopting the Task Force’s five housing recommended action priorities.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Mayor established the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force (Task Force) on August 18, 2017 and appointed Lourdes Castro Ramírez as its chair, and Jim Bailey, Maria Antonietta Berriozábal, Gene Dawson, Jr., and Noah Garcia as its members. The Task Force incorporated an equity assessment approach examining the history and pattern of housing development in the City of San Antonio. The Task Force’s specific charge was to develop a report recommending how the City should increase housing opportunities through the development of a comprehensive and compassionate set of housing policies and strategies.
The Task Force led a public engagement process and held three public meetings, eight working meetings and created five technical working groups comprised of over 100 San Antonio residents with expertise in Protecting Neighborhoods, Removing Barriers, Creating and Coordinating Systems, Funding and Finance, and Special Populations. The Task Force’s engagement efforts resulted in over 300 detailed affordable housing recommendations. The Task Force summarized the engagement process by creating the theme, “everyone should have a place to call home and housing must be decent, safe, affordable, stable, and delivered through a coordinated system.”
In addition to the engagement efforts, the Task Force reviewed prior reports, reviewed local and national best practices, and reviewed market data analysis. Based on the review of information, the Task Force believes that housing should be considered a part of the City’s infrastructure, similar to water, energy and transportation.
The Task Force has prepared a report detailing five action items supported by 11 policy priorities and 24 implementation strategies. The Task Force presented a summary of its recommendations to the City Council during a “B” Session on June 20, 2018. During the “B” Session, the Task Force outlined that to improve housing availability, affordability and accessibility the City must implement a long range plan beginning with the adoption of the FY2019 Budget and continuing until FY 2029 with a 10-year funding strategy. The Task Force also recommended that the Housing Commission be reconstituted to oversee the implementation of the Task Force recommendations to Protect and Preserve Dynamic and Diverse Neighborhoods to include regular reports at the City Council Comprehensive Planning Committee.
The proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget includes $17 million in new funding for housing-related programs, and $25 million in total, consistent with recommendations within the Task Force’s submitted report.
ISSUE:
The Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force Housing Policy Report includes the following five housing policy recommendations to guide consideration and implementation of housing policy moving forward:
(1) Develop a Coordinated Housing System;
(2) Increase City Investment in Housing;
(3) Increase Affordable Housing Production, Rehabilitation and Preservation;
(4) Protect and Preserve Neighborhoods; and
(5) Ensure Accountability to the Public.
This is a resolution accepting the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force Housing Policy Framework Report to increase housing opportunities by producing new units, rehabilitating homes, preserving affordability, and protecting neighborhoods and adopting the five housing policy priorities.
ALTERNATIVES:
The council could choose not to accept this report.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item accepts the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force Housing Policy Framework Report and does not authorize financial commitments from the City. Annually a determination will have to be made as to what funding if any will be provided as per this report.
The proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget includes $17 million in new funding for housing-related programs, and $25 million in total, consistent with recommendations within the Task Force’s submitted report.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council accept the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force Housing Policy Framework Report to increase housing opportunities by producing new units, rehabilitating homes, preserving affordability, and protecting neighborhoods and adopt the five housing policy priorities.