DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood & Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Ver?nica R. Soto, FAICP, Neighborhood & Housing Services Department Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUMMARY:
Discussion with San Antonio area Community Housing Development Organizations on the Housing Commission's proposed definition of affordability
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The term 'Affordable Housing' appears several times in City policies and programs. This term is usually based on HUD's calculation of the San Antonio metropolitan area's Area Median Income (AMI) which includes the neighboring cities of New Braunfels and other Bexar County towns and does not accurately reflect the median income levels of households within the City of San Antonio. Currently several programs and policies use the HUD definition when referring to AMI for affordable housing programs including the UDC, Neighborhood Improvements Bond program, Center City Housing Incentive Policy, City Fee Waiver program, City rehabilitation programs, and programs administered through federal funding sources.
On February 26th, 2020, the Housing Commission was asked by the Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing Committee to discuss the creation of a singular definition for affordable housing that more specifically reflects income levels within San Antonio.
From September through December 2020, Commissioners heard presentations from the Office of Innovation on the digital divide, and VIA Metropolitan Transit, San Antonio Water System (SAWS) and City Public Service (CPS) on the average households' utility and public transportation costs.
The Housing Commission also requested public input on the definition of affordability. Staff published a public intake form that was available for two weeks and comments were presented at small focus groups with Commissioners.
In February and March of 2021, the Housing Commission was briefed on proposed definitions and participated in small group briefings with staff the week o...
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