DEPARTMENT:
Neighborhood and Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
Verónica R. Soto, AICP, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED:
Citywide
SUMMARY:
Director to report updates on Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Programs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Each month the director prepares a report on program updates directly affecting the Commission and its charge.
ISSUE:
Topics to be discussed are (a) Chief Housing Officer; (b) Program Policies for HUD-Funded Affordable Housing Activities; (c) Business Plan Update; (d) Risk Mitigation Outreach and Assessment Plan; (e) ForEveryoneHome Initiative; (f) Local Housing Solutions; (g) City Housing Policy Implementation Plan; (h) Annual Report Update; (i) Upcoming Meetings
(a) Chief Housing Officer
Update.
(b) Program Policies for HUD-Funded Affordable Housing Activities
The City of San Antonio (the City) receives federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to include the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Neighborhood Stabilization Program (one time award) Funding. As such, the City is required to develop policies that will dictate programmatic requirements. The current Program Policies for HUD-Funded Affordable Housing Activities (Program Policies) were approved by the City Council on January 18, 2018 and apply to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). The City is initiating a review and update to the current Program Policies in order to:
• Ensure that the City’s policies are comprehensive and in compliance with HUD regulations;
• Provide streamlined, consistent guidelines for federally-funded affordable housing activities;
• Align with the needs of our community.
(c) Business Plan Update
Staff provides monthly updates to Mayor, Council, and Housing Commission on the progress of the Affordable Housing Business Plan. Staff has attached the recent update from August.
(d) Risk Mitigation Outreach and Assessment Plan Update
Staff is coordinating with stakeholders to assess the implementation of the Risk Mitigation Fund Policy. The stakeholder group, which includes Commissioner Jessica O. Guerrero, has met to discuss the assessment, guiding principles, outreach plan/efforts, demographics of clients served, and root causes of the need for assistance. The group will continue to meet and plans to present the preliminary draft assessment and high level recommendations to the Housing Commission to receive initial feedback.
(e) ForEveryoneHome Initiative
The ForEveryoneHome Initiative is in the data collection phase of the anti-displacement needs assessment. Staff from Grounded Solutions Network are working with staff and ForEveryoneHome team members to gather data and conduct interviews as needed. In October, the ForEveryoneHome team will attend a learning tour with the other cohort cities couple with the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference in Atlanta, GA. Some members of the team will also attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration of New Communities, the nation’s first Community Land Trust, in Albany, GA.
(f) Local Housing Solutions
San Antonio was selected, through a competitive application process, to be one of four cities to participate in the inaugural Local Housing Solutions Institute. Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Atlanta are the other selected cities. The Institute took place last week from September 16-20 at the West Creek Ranch in Montana. The purpose of the Institute was to help the delegations from selected cities refine and strengthen their housing strategies to better meet their affordability and other housing challenges. San Antonio’s delegation was comprised of six senior officials representing agencies that are critical actors in the development of a comprehensive, balance, and coordinated local housing strategy in their city. San Antonio’s delegation included Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, Chair of the Housing Commission and President of the University Health System Foundation; Verónica (Vero) Soto Director of Neighborhood and Housing Services; Rudy Niño, Assistance Director of Planning; Tim Alcott, Real Estate and Legal Services Officer at SAHA; and Victoria Gonzalez, Senior Policy Advisor for Mayor Nirenberg.
(g) City Housing Policy Implementation Plan
The City will develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) to produce a City Housing Policy Implementation Plan, collaborating with stakeholders, including the Housing Commission.
(h) Annual Report
Staff is preparing an annual report. A work session will be held with the Housing Commission on October 1.
(i) Upcoming Meetings
Housing Commission is tentatively scheduled to meet again on October 23. Other upcoming meetings include the Planning and Community Development Committee on October 14.
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.