DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, AICP, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUMMARY:
Briefing on the acknowledgment for the service and accomplishments of the Housing Commission to Protect and Preserve Dynamic and Diverse Neighborhood committee members.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On July 14, 2014, the Mayor’s Task Force on Preserving Dynamic and Diverse Neighborhoods was established to identify policies and programs that encourage investment in inner-city neighborhoods while minimizing or preventing displacement of people and reducing adverse impacts to the history, culture and quality of life.
On May 14, 2015, City Council accepted the Task Force on Preserving Dynamic and Diverse Neighborhoods Final Report and created the San Antonio Housing Commission to Protect and Preserve Dynamic and Diverse Neighborhoods. This 15 member commission was charged to increase workforce and affordable housing preservation and production and be a coordinating body charged with making recommendations to City Council on workforce/affordable housing preservation and production as well as policies to minimize displacement and mitigate the effects of neighborhood change.
ISSUE:
The Commission was initially tasked with developing and implementing five short-term and eight long-term recommendations included in the Task Force Report. An annual work plan was created to address these and other housing policy related issues.
Accomplishments made by the Commission include:
• Amendments to the City’s zoning notification process resulting in a redesign of the rezoning signage to provide greater clarity to the public on proposed actions as well as posting the information in Spanish
• An interim measure regarding the allocation of waivers for SAWS impact fees. The recommendation resulted in administrative changes to the City’s ICRIP program that improved access to fee waivers by nonprofit organizations including affordable housing providers
• The framework for an affordable housing bond which resulted in a voter-approved $20 million Neighborhood Improvements Bond
• A City-led legislative agenda that included Homestead Preservation Districts as a tool for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in San Antonio
• Amendments to the Unified Development Code that promote construction of affordable housing units
• Completed Vulnerable Communities Assessment
• Completed Fiscal Impact of Residential Development Study
• Assisted in the planning and implementation of the annual Housing Summit for four years
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.