DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Housing Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Verónica R. Soto, AICP, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City wide
SUBJECT: Proposal for the Establishment of a Renters Commission
SUMMARY:
Discussion of the establishment of a Renters Commission as requested by Councilmember Treviño, District 1.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
A Council Consideration Request (CCR) was sponsored by Councilmember Treviño on June 19, 2019 requesting a discussion of the creation of a Renters Commission. The Governance Committee referred the CCR to the Culture & Neighborhood Services Committee (CNSC) on January 15, 2020.
ISSUE:
On June 11, 2019 Councilmember Treviño submitted a Council Consideration Request (CCR) for a discussion of the establishment of a Renters Commission to advise the City Council on matters related to rental housing to include housing production, accessibility, renter laws/rights, public health and safety, and other matters that impact renters and landlords.
The Housing Commission (HC) was reconstituted in January 2019 to oversee implementation of San Antonio’s Housing Policy Framework. The HC’s charge focuses on the varied housing needs of San Antonio as a whole, including issues affecting renters and/or homeowners. Over the past year, the HC has been involved in a wide variety of issues including the Risk Mitigation Fund used primarily to assist renters at risk of displacement and concerns related to San Antonio Housing Authority evictions. Two of the five at-large Housing Commissioners are renters. There are nine total commissioners.
At the January 15th Governance Committee, City staff recommended the creation of a Renters Commission be addressed in the Strategic Housing Implementation Plan that is currently underway. The Implementation Plan will identify the roles and responsibilities of each of our housing partners to include the City, San Antonio Housing Trust, San Antonio Housing Authority, Housing Commission, and other partners. It will also include needs and opportunities that are not being addressed and recommend the appropriate entity for action. The draft Implementation Plan will be presented to the Planning and Land Development Committee in June.
Members of the Governance Committee supported the creation of the Renters Commission and requested that the Culture & Neighborhood Services Committee (CNSC) consider its creation at its next meeting. Staff will provide an overview of the CCR and a briefing on the Implementation Plan in an effort to facilitate a discussion on creation of a Renters Commission and next steps.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing and discussion purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this request at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing and discussion purposes only.