[00:00:10]
>> GARCIA: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING FOR OCTOBER 24, 2024.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, FOR THE RECORD, IS HERE. SHE JUST STEPPED OUT FOR A SECOND.
[Approval of Minutes ]
>> CLERK: MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. TODAY WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 23 MEETING. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN YOUR PACKET.
I HOPE YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM. >> COURAGE: I MOVE THE
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NO. 2 IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A CCR ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO THIS ONE WAS BROUGHT TO US BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
WE WILL HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HER.
JOHN, WHO IS KICKING US OFF ON THIS ONE? >> HAPPY TO HELP.
NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES FOLKS ARE -- YES, MA'AM.
>> CLERK: DID YOU WANT TO DO THE PUBLIC COMMENT? >> GARCIA: YES.
I'M SO SORRY. I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM THAT I SKIPPED OVER
[Public Comment ]
PUBLIC COMMENT. MY APOLOGIES TO YOU ALL. SO WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE SCHEDULED TO SPEAK ACTUALLY ON THIS ITEM. THE FIRST ONE IS ERIN 00.ERIN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS ERIN 00. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1 AND A RESEARCH ANALYST WITH TEXAS HOUSERS. HERE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ON AGENDA ITEM 2.
COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR MENTIONS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED. IT PRODUCES UNITS TO HOUSEHOLDS MAKING 30% TO 50% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THE PROGRAM ALLOWS DEVELOPERS IN AUSTIN TO BUILD MORE DENSER HOUSING WHEN THE DEVELOPER AGREES TO SET ASIDE 20% OF UNITS FOR HOUSEHOLD MAKING UP TO 50% OF MFI.
NOTICE TYPE 1. RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT FALL WITHIN THE TYPE 2 CATEGORY RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE FOR PROVIDING DEEPER AFFORDABILITY, INCLUDING SETTING ASIDE 75% OF UNITS FOR HOUSEHOLDS OR ENSURING THAT 10% SERVE HOUSEHOLD AT 30% OF MFI OR BELOW . RESEARCH SHOWS THE GREATEST NEED FOR HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO EXISTS AT THE LOWEST INCOME LEVELS.
THERE ARE ONLY 28 AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE UNITS FOR EVERY 100 LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS THAT NEED ONE IN SAN ANTONIO AND JUST 37 FOR EVERY 100 VERY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. IN ORDER TO TARGET THE PRODUCTION OF UNITS TO ADDRESS THE GREATEST NEED AND ALIGN WITH THE MISSION AND GOALS OF THE SHIP, NEW DENSITY PROGRAMS IN SAN ANTONIO NEED TO INCENTIVIZE THE PRODUCTION OF UNITS SPECIFICALLY FOR HOUSEHOLDS MAKING LESS THAN 30% AND 50% OF MFI.
WE WOULD SUGGEST CURRENT ZONING MAPS AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS BE STUDIED AND INCENTIVES CALIBRATED IN A WAY THAT ENSURES THEY ARE DESIRABLE AND WILL BE UTILIZED BY DEVELOPERS TO PRODUCE UNITS FOR THE LOWEST INCOME LEVELS, ESPECIALLY NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS. IF A COMPONENT IS ADOPTED, FUNDS GENERATED THROUGH THE FEES SHOULD BE USED TO PRODUCE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT IMPORTANTLY CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED TO ENSURE THAT THE FEE IN LIEU OPTION DOES NOT BECOME A LOOPHOLE FOR DEVELOPERS TO RECEIVE THE BENEFIT BUT GETTING OUT OF PROVIDING AFFORDABILITY. WE BELIEVE THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO ENSURE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS IN AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY WITH ACCESS TO TRANSIT AND OTHER NEEDED RESOURCES. AND WE WOULD HOPE THE CITY WOULD BE PROACTIVE ABOUT INCENTIVIZING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH.
WE'RE ENCOURAGED TO SEE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S VISION FOR EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH NEW DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS AND WE HOPE TO SEE THE PROGRAMS TARGETED AND CALIBRATED IN A WAY THAT INCENTIVIZES THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, ERIN. LOUISA SANTABANEZ.
LOUISA? JASMINE HERRERA. WHAT ABOUT GILBERT HERRERA?
[00:05:04]
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH NADIA. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NADIA, CEO OF CULTURE LINGUA AND I'M SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.
WE FULLY SUPPORT THE PROPOSED CLT DESIGNATION POLICY THAT NHSD STAFF IS PRESENTING TODAY. FOR CONTEXT, WE ARE A MEMBER ORGANIZATION IN THE PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY COALITION AND IS LEADING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FOCUSING ON ATTAINABLE HOME OWNERSHIP. THE GOAL OF THIS CLT AND OTHER STRATEGIES THE COALITION IS IMPLEMENTING IS TO ENABLE MEANINGFUL WEALTH BUILDING FOR MEDICAL CENTER RESIDENTS. THE CLT WILL FOCUS ON PROVIDING SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES TO LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND AIMS TO EXPAND TO COMMERCIAL AND COMMUNITY SPACES IN THE FUTURE.
AS PART OF OUR LEARNING ABOUT EXISTING COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, OUR COALITION HAS VISITED ESTABLISHED CLTS IN OTHER CITIES. THIS INCLUDES A FIELD TRIP TO GUADALUPE IN AUSTIN, THE FIRST CLT IN TEXAS, ATTENDED BY SENIOR NHSD LEADERSHIP AND MORE RECENTLY A COMPREHENSIVE VISIT OF THE VERY ESTABLISHED CLT SYSTEM IN MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF SINCE LATE FEBRUARY ON THE POLICY BEFORE YOU TODAY, INCLUDING PROVIDING INITIAL OVERALL FEEDBACK ABOUT THE CLT POLICY DESIGNATION FOLLOWED BY A DETAILED REVIEW AND FEEDBACK OF THE EXISTING POLICIES IN AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND HOUSTON. THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE SAN ANTONIO CLT POLICY AND THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE SAN ANTONIO CLT POLICY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND COMMEND NHSD STAFF AND LEADERSHIP MOST NOTABLY SARAH ESTRADA FOR THEIR DEEP COLLABORATION WITH OUR STAFF AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO UNDERSTAND OUR FEEDBACK AND INCORPORATE IT INTO THE POLICY WHERE APPROPRIATE.
WE BELIEVE THIS POLICY WILL SUPPORT THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SHIP AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUBMITTING OUR APPLICATION FOR STAFF AND COUNCIL CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE
READY. >> GARCIA: NADIA, I KNOW YOU'RE SPEAKING ON ANOTHER ITEM, BUT I THINK THE HERRERAS ARE HERE. JASMINE, COME UP.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND THEN YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY GILBERT FOR ANOTHER THREE
CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. I'M SHORT.
SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICY AND HOW IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WITHOUT IT WE WOULDN'T HAVE PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THAT WOULDN'T STAY IN THE COMMUNITIES FOR THE CLT. FOR INSTANCE, LIKE MYSELF, MY FAMILY, WE WERE GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES AND I HAD TO REACH OUT TO MY COMMUNITY FOR HELP, THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER. AND THEY CREATED A CLT AND BECAUSE OF THAT I WAS ABLE TO STAY IN MY HOME AND NOW MY HOME IS GOING TO BE PASSED ON DOWN GENERATION TO GENERATION. AND THAT'S A GOAL I WANTED TO DO.
BEFORE ALL THAT HAPPENED. BUT I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER AND EVERYBODY THAT'S HELPED ME OUT SO I'M ABLE TO KEEP MY HOME.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES AND IN THEIR COMMUNITY THAT THEY LOVE SO MUCH. AND, YEAH.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. HERRERA.
GILBERT HERRERA. >> HI. GOOD MORNING.
I'M GILBERT HERRERA. I'M AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE CLT OF ESPERANZA.
ALSO, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR CREATING OR HAVING A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST POLICY FOR SAN ANTONIO. IT'S GOING TO BRING JOY AND IT'S GOING TO BRING SOME
[00:10:05]
GREAT HOPE FOR THE FAMILIES TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES FROM FACING FORECLOSURES AND EVICTIONS. LIKE MY WIFE SAID, IF IT WASN'T FOR ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE LEFT WITHOUT A HOUSE.WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE THAT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE GOING TO BE IN OUR BUDGET BUT WE THANK ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
AND ALSO FOR THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND AS A CITY, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A POLICY CLT TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOUSES AND, LIKE MY WIFE SAID, TO KEEP FAMILIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR COMMUNITY AND TO KEEP THEIR CULTURE AS WELL.
I THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH AND THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. HERRERA. AND NADIA, YOU GET TO SPEAK ON ITEM 5 NOW.
SO YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER THREE MINUTES. >> HI.
I'M NADIA AGAIN, CEO OF CULTURE LINGUA. I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 5 RELATED TO CREATING A CLT TIERED AFFORDABILITY POLICY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND COMMEND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR INTRODUCING THIS CCR AS WELL AS FOR HER STRONG ADVOCACY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO AND FOCUS ON ENSURING EQUITABLE AND JUST IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SHIP. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE SOME INPUT REGARDING THE DISCUSSION POINTS THAT IS LISTED ON SLIDE 7 OF STAFF'S PRESENTATION LATER, WHICH SAYS HOW SHOULD THE PRIORITY OF AFFORDABILITY TIERS DIFFER BETWEEN OWNER OCCUPIED AND RENTER-OCCUPIED CLTS? ON PAGE 72 OF THE SHIP TITLED CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ADOPTED DEFINITION OF AFFORDABILITY, THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN DEEPLY AFFORDABLE FOR RENTAL DEVELOPMENT VERSUS FOR HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. THE TABLE SHOWS THAT PER RENTAL, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE IS AT OR BELOW 30% OF AMI OR AREA MEDIAN INCOME. WHEREAS FOR HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE SHIP SPECIFIES COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, THE DEFINITION IS AT OR BELOW 60% OF AMI. THIS ALSO ALIGNS WITH THE AMI THRESHOLDS DEFINED BY THE 2022 HOUSING BOND WHERE RENTAL PRODUCTION WAS PRIORITIZED FOR HOUSEHOLDS MAKING UP TO 30% OF AMI AND HOME OWNERSHIP PRODUCTION WAS PRIORITIZED FOR HOUSEHOLDS MAKING UP TO 60% OF AMI.
ON DIFFERENT AMI THRESHOLDS. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE CERTIFIED BY THE U.S.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FUND PROVIDE MORTGAGES TO LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND ARE REQUIRED TO CHOOSE ONE OR MORE TARGETED POPULATIONS WHICH CAN INCLUDE A FOCUS ON LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, WHICH IS DEFINED AS 80% OF AMI OR BELOW. CDFI BORROWERS TYPICALLY HAVE LOWER CREDIT SCORES AND INCOME THAT DEEM THEM HIGHER RISK AND PREVENT THEM FROM MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF PRIME LENDERS. HOWEVER THERE ARE STILL INCOME AND CREDIT SCORE THRESHOLDS THAT WILL ENABLE CDFI TO PROVIDE A MORTGAGE FOR A LOW-INCOME BORROWER. AN ANALYSIS FUNDED SHOWED ACCORDING TO HOME MORTGAGE DISCLOSURE ACT DATA THAT CDFIS IN PAST YEARS HAVE LENT FOUR TIMES AS MANY MORTGAGES TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES DEFINED AS 50 TO 80% AMI THAN VERY LOW-INCOME FAMILIES DEFINED AS 30% TO 50% OF AMI AND THERE WAS NO DATA IN THE SAMPLE THAT SHOWED MORTGAGES THAT WERE ABLE TO BE PROVIDED TO EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AT OR BELOW 30% AMI. WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS POLICY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM OF FACTORS THAT IMPACT BOTH RENTAL AND HOME OWNERSHIP AND DOES NOT FAVOR THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE RENTAL PROPERTIES OVER PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP PROPERTIES. THANK YOU.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, NADIA. AND NOW WE WILL HEAR THE PRESENTATION ON ITEM NO. 2. VERONICA.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. VERONICA GONZALEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
ITEM 2 IS A BRIEFING ON THE CCR BY DISTRICT 5 REQUESTING THE CREATION OF STAY SA AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE CONSTRUCTION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED AND REQUEST DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT STEPS.
[00:15:05]
AS BACKGROUND FOR THIS BRIEFING, THE CCR WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON JUNE 20 OF THIS YEAR. THE CCR SPECIFICALLY PROPOSES THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS PROGRAMS. IT DIRECTS STAFF TO EVALUATE AND RECOMMEND CHANGES TO EXISTING DENSITY BONUS PROVISIONS TO THE UDC AND TO EXPLORE THE CREATION OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING CITYWIDE WITH FOCUSES ON EQUITABLE, TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR COLLEGES AND NEUTER, AND THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT.IT ALSO REQUESTS EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF FEES IN LIEU OF PRODUCTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PRODUCING NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS ON SITE. THE CCR REQUESTS FUNDS COLLECTED IN LIEU OF PRODUCTION GO TO THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST AND/OR THE OPPORTUNITY HOME ACCESSIBILITY AND MODERNIZATION FUND.
ON AUGUST 16 THE CCR WAS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND ASSIGNED TO PCDC FOR FURTHER REVIEW. DENSITY OR DEVELOPMENT BONUSES ARE INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPERS TO INCREASE THE DENSITY OF THEIR PROJECTS BEYOND WHAT IS PERMITTED UNDER EXISTING ZONING REGULATIONS. NORMALLY ZONING LAWS LIMIT HOW MANY UNITS OR FLOOR SPACE CAN BE BUILT ON A PIECE OF LAND.
HOWEVER, WITH THE BONUS, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT GIVES THE DEVELOPER PERMISSION TO EXCEED THOSE LIMITS. SO HOW DO DENSITY BONUSES ACTUALLY WORK? WHEN A DEVELOPER INCLUDES SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS TO THEIR PROJECTS SUCH AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THIS BONUS.
THIS MEANS THEY CAN BUILD MORE UNITS THAN USUAL ALLOWING DEVELOPERS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR INVESTMENTS AND INCREASE THEIR PROFITS. IN RETURN, THE DEVELOPER AGREES TO SET ASIDE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE NEW UNITS AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. CURRENTLY OUR UDC HAS TWO DENSITY BONUS PROVISIONS AS SUMMARIZED ON THIS SLIDE. THE FIRST GRANTS DEVELOPERS DENSITY BONUS IN EXCHANGE FOR PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS LIKE SETTING ASIDE CONSERVATION, GREEN AREAS BEYOND THE MINIMUM CODE REQUIREMENT.
THE SECOND PROVISION IS SPECIFIC TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PROVIDES FOR GREATER DENSITY INCREASE BASED ON THE LEVEL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SET ASIDE. THE KEY TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT NEITHER PROVISION HAS BEEN WIDELY UTILIZED, IF AT ALL. THE INCREASE IN OVERALL BUILDABLE UNITS IS INSUFFICIENT TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE UNITS PROFITABLE TO DEVELOPERS. WE KNOW THAT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY REMAINS A KEY PRIORITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. PUBLIC INVESTMENTS HELP BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT IT COST TO BUILD THE HOME AND WHAT LOW-INCOME RENTERS OR BUYERS CAN AFFORD. THIS MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR DEVELOPERS TO STILL MAKE A REASONABLE PROFIT WHILE KEEPING HOUSING AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CURRENTLY INCENTIVIZES THE CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING USING A VARIETY OF CITY FUNDING SOURCES INCLUDING TIRZ, AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND, FEE WAIVERS, AND ALLOCATING FEDERAL FUNDS.
ADDITIONALLY, LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS ARE AWARDED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. THIS REQUEST IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE HIGH PRIORITY SERVICE AREAS IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET SURVEY.
IT ALSO ALIGNS WITH NHSD'S GOALS TO INCREASE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS SUCH AS UPDATING THE UDC TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION AS RECOMMENDED BY THE SHIP. ADDITIONALLY, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHOICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF THE SHIP AND THE SA TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THE STATE OF TEXAS PREEMPTS BASE ZONING, A METHOD BY WHICH SOME CITIES REQUIRE AFFORDABILITY DEVELOPMENTS.
HOWEVER VOLUNTARY IS PERMISSIBLE AND THERE ARE EXISTING BONUS PROVISIONS IN THE UDC. IN SHORT THERE ARE NO LEGAL BARRIERS THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CITY FROM ADOPTING UPDATED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BONUS PROGRAMS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS WORK BE SUPPORTED BY THE EXPERTISE OF AN ECONOMIC PLANNING CONSULTANT TO ENSURE NEW BONUSES ARE CALIBRATED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN PRODUCING NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE CONSULTANT WOULD ALSO BE ASKED FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW NEW PROGRAMS SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION BY THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY. SPECIFIC FUNDING FOR THIS REQUEST IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN THE FISCAL YEAR '25 ADOPTED BUDGET.
HOWEVER, NHSD HAS APPLIED TO THE HUD'S PATHWAYS TO REMOVING OBSTACLES TO HOUSING GRANT THAT MAY INCLUDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT WITH COUNCIL APPROVAL. AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE REQUESTING INPUT FROM THE
[00:20:03]
COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE NEXT STEPS FOR THE CCR>> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERONICA. I'LL JUST SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THIS TO SEE HOW WE CAN HAVE THE CARROT STICK APPROACHES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. I LIKE THE THREE BONUS PROGRAMS BUT I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT MATCHES THE AREA, RIGHT, THAT WE WILL BE BUILDING ON. SA TOMORROW PLANS ARE ALREADY OUT THERE. I KNOW YOU ALL REFERENCED THEM.
SO DEFINITELY GOING WITH WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED IN THOSE PLANS.
SAME GOES FOR TOD. I DON'T KNOW IF IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THE REMOVING BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE SHOULD ALSO REVIEW BUT I'M SURE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE PLENTY OF EAGERNESS. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE LEGAL ANALYSIS PART OF IT. IT SAYS THE CITY ALREADY HAS TWO DENSITY BONUS PROVISIONS IN THE UDC. THEY ARE UNUSED AND SO DO WE KNOW WHY THEY ARE UNUSED
OR -- >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS DEVELOPERS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT IT, PERHAPS NOT PROMOTED ENOUGH. BUT IT'S ALSO NOT CALIBRATED TO THE CURRENT MARKET.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALSO COMES WITH A DEGREE OF MANAGEMENT DISTINCT FROM MARKET HOUSING. EVERYTHING FROM INCOME CERTIFICATION.
SO SOME FOLKS MIGHT SHY AWAY FROM THAT. BUT THE RECALIBRATION IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIG ITEMS THAT WOULD HELP UPDATE THOSE TWO PROVISIONS.
>> GARCIA: GOT IT. AND, VERONICA, IF A FEE IN LIEU OF DEVELOPMENT OPTION IS EXPLORED, LIKE YOU ALL MENTIONED, I APPRECIATE THAT WE'LL BE GIVING SOME THOUGHT ABOUT HOW TO DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDING. BUT THEN ALSO WOULD THERE BE A WAY OF DISCUSSING HOW MANY FEES IS TOO MUCH TO WAIVE? SO LIKE HOW MANY -- OR WHAT IS -- WHAT WOULD BE COUNTERINTUITIVE TO THE PURPOSE OF THIS? JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. I DON'T KNOW IN WHAT, THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER THING THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE CONSIDERS. I WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT THOUGHT YOU
HAVE GIVEN TO IT. >> THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THIS BECAUSE IT IS MUTUAL BENEFICIAL TO PRODUCE THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS. SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD CONSIDER AND OF COURSE PROPOSE FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION TO HELP DETERMINE WHAT IS THE
APPROPRIATE FEE. >> GARCIA: OKAY. WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN WE WILL GET ON WITH COUNCIL COMMENTS.
AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, WHO IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS CCR.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, VERONICA TO THE PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS TO THE FOLKS WHO GAVE COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AS WELL AS THE TIERED AFFORDABILITY CCR. I THINK NADIA GAVE A GREAT ARGUMENT TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED IN THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND THEN LEANING ON THE DATA OF THE OPPORTUNITY HOME WAIT LIST. ERIN ALSO SHARED SOME STATISTICS AS WELL AS THE LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY TO DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR US TO FOCUS ON 30% AMI PLUS 50% AMI. AGAIN, JUST RELYING ON THAT DATA THAT'S TELLING US WHERE THERE'S A GAP. AND THEN IN TERMS OF RELAXING OR INCREASING RESTRICTIONS, I WOULD STRESS THE NEED TO INCREASE DEEPER LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE HIGHLIGHT THE STATE OF HOUSING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND WE SEEM TO SHOOT THINGS DOWN BEFORE THEY GROW AND THE NEED TO ACCELERATE BONUS PROGRAMS LIKE THIS SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD. SIMILAR TO THE CHAIRWOMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE REMOVING BARRIERS COMMITTEE DELVE INTO THE FEE IN LIEU OF DISTRIBUTION.
FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THE FEE IN LIEU SHOULD PRIMARILY COME FROM THE DOWNTOWN REGIONAL CENTER AND THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD BONUSES.
THAT WAY THE REVENUE FROM THE FEE IN LIEU OF CAN SUPPORT THE AFFORDABILITY AND THE ETHICAL TRANSIT ORIENTATION BONUSES AS WELL. I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THE REMOVING THE BARRIERS COMMITTEE TO COME BACK TO PCDC WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT TO TEASE OUT HERE.
ULTIMATELY IN TERMS OF AMI, LOOKING AT WHAT THE SHIP HAS IDENTIFIED, WHAT NEEDS TO BE PRIORITIZED. AND THEN OF COURSE WITH THE FEE IN LIEU OF SELECTED THROUGH THE TOD. JUST REALLY EXCITED FOR US TO BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD.
[00:25:01]
IT'S VERY TIMELY NEEDED AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU. I THINK ALL OF US AGREE THAT HOUSING IS IN A CRISIS SITUATION ACRO ACROSS THE COUNTY AND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AS WELL. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO HAVE AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS CITY. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF HOME KIND OF FINANCIAL SECURITY. BUT OTHERS SEEM TO BE MOVING INTO HOMELESSNESS AND OTHERS SEEM TO BE STRUGGLING TO FIND AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S INDIVIDUAL HOMES OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTIFAMILY HOMES, MY EXPERIENCE IS -- AND I WAS IN REAL ESTATE FOR 12 YEARS IN THIS CITY. AND I'VE SAT ON THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST WITH SEVERAL OF MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE PROBLEM IS IT'S MONEY. IT'S THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION AND THE COST OF DISCOUNTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD IN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CLT WAS REFERRING TO OUR HOUSING SHIP PROGRAM.
WE SAY WE WANT TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE LOWER INCOME LEVEL WHO CAN AFFORD MAYBE 30% OR 40% OR 50% FIND UNITS. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW UNITS GOING ON IN THE CITY, WHEN WE ONLY DEVELOP 10% OF THOSE UNITS AT 30%, THEN WE'RE NOT MEETING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S REALLY GOING TO TAKE A HEAVIER INVESTMENT WITH FINANCIAL DOLLARS TO UNDERWRITE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS CITY OF MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT I FOUND IS A LOT OF TIMES IN PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS FOR DEVELOPMENT, THEY STILL RUN INTO PROBLEMS WHERE PART OF THAT PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT IS ASKING FOR RETURNS ON THEIR PART OF THE INVESTMENT AT 10 OR 12 OR 15% RETURN.
USUALLY IT'S CLOSER TO 15% ON MONEY THAT THEY LEND TO GO AHEAD AND CREATE THIS.
AND THAT REALLY IS A BARRIER TO PROVIDING LOWER INCOME OR LOWER-LEVEL UNITS THAT SOMEBODY AT 30% OR 40% OF AMI CAN AFFORD. I PROPOSE THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO CONSIDER A HEAVIER INVESTMENT IN THIS. I THINK WE NEED TO BE INVESTING BY FLOATING A HOUSING BOND FOR THIS CITY OF A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.
$500 MILLION THAT WOULD BE DEDICATED TO HELPING BUILD MORE AFFORDABILITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAD THAT MUCH AVAILABLE, THE CITY COULD BE THE LEA LENDER OF CHOICE AND LEND AT 5%, 6%, 7%, HALF THE COST OF WHAT A LOT OF COMMERCIAL LENDERS ARE ASKING FOR WHEN THEY BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR ANY KIND OF HOUSING.
WE COULD CREATE HOUSING VOUCHERS THAT WE COULD USE AS A CITY TO HELP SUBSIDIZE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD A THOUSAND DOLLAR A MONTH RENT BUT MAYBE COULD AFFORD 600 OR 700 AND WITH THE CITY'S VOUCHER ON TOP OF THAT, IT COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE OF GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO LIVE SOMEPLACE AT A DECENT STANDARD.
SO WE BECOME THE LENDER OF CHOICE, THE PARTNER OF CHOICE IN DEVELOPING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S SINGLE-FAMILY OR MULTIFAMILY IN THIS CITY.
I HOPE THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WE CAN EXPLORE. I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL THAT WE'RE HEARING THIS MORNING. BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY ALL ABOUT MONEY. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD THINGS AND FOR PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THIS KIND OF BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN THE HALL AND SITTING AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE WANT AND I WAS PROUD TO SIGN THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S NECESSARY THAT WE BEGIN THE CONVERSATION WITH THIS FIRST AND THAT WE LOOK AT WHAT HUD IS BRINGING DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO OFFER TO US. BECAUSE I WANT TO BE WORKING WITH THEM AND WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME. I DO THINK THAT THE KEY IS GOING VERTICAL AND I CONTINUE TO SAY THIS. WE DO HAVE -- OPPORTUNITY HOME DOES HAVE FACILITIES THAT GO VERTICAL AND I THINK THAT IN MOVING FORWARD
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OFFERS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT -- ONE, THAT DEEPER AFFORDABILITY THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. AND THEN ALSO TO HAVE THE 80% AND MARKET RATE POSSIBLY IN THERE SO THAT IF SOMEONE IS IN READY TO WORK, STARTS MAKING THE FUNDS THAT THEY NEED, THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO LEAVE THAT MULTIFAMILY BUT THEY CAN JUST UPGRADE TO A NICER APARTMENT AT A HIGHER FLOOR. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NORMALLY HOW HIGH-RISE APARTMENTS DO IT. THE HIGHER YOU GO THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT GETS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO KIND OF GET CREATIVE.I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE BRINGING ME. WHAT HUD IS OFFERING.
I THINK WE NEED TO ALSO SEE WHERE THAT NEED IS. SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST HAS THE UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY OR ULTRA UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY THAT THEY'RE PRIORITIZING AND SEE HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEET THAT DEEPER AFFORDABILITY NEED. WHO IS IT THAT NEEDS THAT HOUSING? IS IT OUR SENIORS? IS IT THOSE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME SORT OF DISABILITY OR THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A CRISIS. MEDICAL ISSUES ARE THE OTHER THAT CAUSE PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO POVERTY A LOT FASTER THAN NORMALLY WOULD, IF THEY WERE JUST STRUGGLING WITH BAD ECONOMY. SO I THINK THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. WHETHER Y'ALL TAKE IT TO THE COMMITTEE THAT COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA SUGGESTED, I THINK WE HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE.
I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE REGIONAL CENTERS AND WE DO NEED TO START A CAMPAIGN THAT IS CITYWIDE SO THAT OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS UNDERSTAND JUST HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TO POSSIBLY MEETING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE THAT ONE ACCIDENT. IT DOES TAKE THAT ONE CRISIS , IT DOES TAKE THE LOSS OF A JOB WHERE YOU'RE AT THAT POINT AND IF YOU ENTER INTO THAT REALM, WHERE DO YOU GO? BECAUSE THE FIRST THING CREDITORS COME AFTER IS YOUR HOME. SO LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE KIND OF LOOK AT THAT EFFORT ALONG THE WAY IN COMMUNICATING TO OUR HOMEOWNERS AND OUR OTHER APARTMENT, MARKET-RATE APARTMENT DWELLERS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE AND WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND THIS IS A CITY THAT WE DO NOT PAY VERY HIGH WAGES HERE.
AND THE OTHER THING IS WE DO SIT AT A 20% POVERTY RATE AND THAT DOES INCLUDE WOMEN AND CHILDREN. SO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND. SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE DISCUSSIONS ON THIS AND I'M WILLING TO HELP WHEREVER I CAN BUT I DO THINK THE KEY IS LOOKING TO GO VERTICAL AND SEEING HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE OUR DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS TO DO THAT. THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. I JUST LOVE THE POINT THAT YOU MAKE. AND I AGREE AND I FEEL LIKE MOST OF US ARE ONE JOB LOSS AWAY FROM BEING IN THE SAME SITUATION. AND SO WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO CONTINUE. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO WANTS TO CHIME BACK IN.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILWOMAN. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
IN TERMS OF THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION, I AGREE AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THERE TO BE AN IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN THE FEE IN LIEU OF DEVELOPMENT MODEL. PARTICULARLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME'S MAINTENANCE OR MODERNIZATION FUND AS WELL AS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST.
I THINK MY COLLEAGUE HIT ON A GREAT POINT THAT WHEN PARTNERING WITH THE HOUSING TRUST THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE ACCESSIBILITY DESIGN.
THE HOUSING TRUST HAS ADOPTED THE KELSEY MODEL STANDARDS SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PRODUCE MORE DEEPER AFFORDABILITY AND DENSITY AND ALSO ENSURE WE'RE HAVING MORE ACCESSIBLE DESIGN AND UNITS AVAILABLE TO SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE FOUND THAT THERE IS A GAP IN OF AVAILABILITY OF ACCESSIBLE UNITS AND THAT'S WHY I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF THE HOUSING TRUST FOR TAKING THAT ON AND ENSURING THAT IT IS SOMETHING IMPLEMENTED IN THE PROJECTS THAT WE APPROVE. FURTHER, IN TERMS OF WHERE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PRIORITIZE -- I WANTED TO THANK JASMINE GILBERT FOR GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT.
BUT THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITIES THAT THESE BONUSES SUPPORT INFILL DEVELOPMENT SO MORE FAMILIES CAN FIND HOUSING IN THE INNER CITY.
IT'S BECOMING VERY EXPENSIVE. AND TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS CAN CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT THERE ARE AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THOSE TWO POINTS IN TERMS OF THE FEE IN LIEU OF AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH BOTH OPPORTUNITY HOME AS
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WELL AS THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST. THANK YOU, CHAIR.>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED ACTION ON THIS, RIGHT? SO IT'S JUST A BRIEFING.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NO. 3. BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A SPECIAL AUDIENCE MEMBER TODAY. DAYJA GREEN IS HERE AND SHE IS A STUDENT ON SAN ANTONIO POLICIES AND POLITICS IN LORI HOUSTON'S CLASS AT UTSA.
I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE SHE IS LISTENING TO US IN THE FRONT ROW.
WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE TODAY, OUR FUTURE LEADERS ARE WATCHING US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. ITEM 3 IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION DIVERSIFICATION. THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY
OUR CITY CLERK, DEBBIE RACCA-SITTRE. >> MY NAME IS DEBBIE RACCA-SITTRE AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND AMIN TOMAZ AND LOGAN WHO ARE HERE TODAY WHO WORKED WITH ME ON THIS PRESENTATION.
THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST REQUEST TO DIVERSIFY THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN ON JUNE 18, 2024. THE CCR REQUESTED THE CITY CLERK INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ELICIT APPLICATIONS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY AND ESTABLISH A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE DIVERSE REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION. THE CCR WAS PRESENTED TO GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AUGUST 16, 2024 AND THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE ASSIGNED THE CCR TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
CURRENT OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE LED JOINTLY BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT THAT OVERSEES THE BOARD, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK GENERALLY REVIEWS INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOARD VACANCIES AND FORWARDS THOSE TO COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THESE LARGE PLANNING COMMISSION VACANCIES THAT MIGHT BE OCCURRING AT THE SAME TIME DUE TO THE TERMS. WE POST THESE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. THE DEPARTMENT ADVERTISES AS WELL AND THEY GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA -- THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH HAS A BROAD OUTREACH.
BUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES GOES AN EXTRA MILE AND THEY WORK WITH REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO NOTIFY ABOUT VACANCIES.
I WANTED TO GO OVER THE AT-LARGE COMMISSION APPOINTMENT PROCESS IN BRIEF BECAUSE IT'S PERTINENT TO THIS PARTICULAR BOARD. THE AT-LARGE APPOINTMENT PROCESS IS DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THEY ARE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT APPOINTMENTS BY EACH COUNCILMEMBER. WHEN THERE'S AN AT-LARGE COMMISSION APPOINTMENT PROCESS, A CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IS RELEASED BY THE CITY CLERK THROUGH THE COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. AND THEN WHATEVER APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED, THEY'RE VETTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENSURE THOSE FOLKS ARE ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD. IF MORE THAN TEN APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE THAT IS ASSIGNED OVERSIGHT OF THAT BOARD WILL CREATE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. IN THIS CASE, THE ASSIGNED BOARD FOR REPORTING IS PCDC. BUT THE ASSIGNED BOARD FOR OVERSEEING THE APPLICATIONS AND THE INTERVIEWS IS GOVERNANCE. AND THAT IS BECAUSE THIS IS A MORE THAN ADVISORY BOARD, IT IS A CHARTER BOARD. THEN THOSE AD HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHORT LIST TO NO MORE THAN TEN APPLICANTS AND THAT BOARD, THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS THE APPLICANTS AND MAKES A NOMINATION TO CITY COUNCIL AND FULL COUNCIL AND WOULD THEN APPOINT THE NOMINEES. SOME LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THAT.
CITY CHARTER -- THIS IS THE CITY CHARTER-APPROVED BOARD. IT'S IN ARTICLE IX SECTION 117 THAT THERE WOULD BE NINE COMMISSIONERS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION .
AND THEY WOULD BE FROM VARIOUS AREAS OF THE CITY WITH OVERLAPPING TWO-YEAR TERMS. THERE'S ALSO EX OFFICIO REPRESENTATION BY THE CITY MANAGER, ONE CITY COUNCILMEMBER, THE ZONING COMMISSION CHAIR, AND THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS CHAIR. STATE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE
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CITIES TO HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSION. THEY ONLY REQUIRE CITIES TO HAVE A ZONING COMMISSION BUT STATE LAW DOES LIMIT THE MEMBERS THAT THEY MAY NOT HOLD ANY OTHER PUBLIC OFFICE WHICH COMPENSATION IS PAID BY THE STATE OF TEXAS OR ANY OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CITY ORDINANCE THAT EXPANDS AND FURTHER CLARIFIES THE PLANNING COMMISSION. LEGAL ANALYSIS NOTICE THAT CHANGES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION STRUCTURE COULD REQUIRE CHANGES TO THE CITY CHARTER AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE A VOTE OF THE CITIZENS.AND IF ANY PROPOSITION -- AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP NOVEMBER 5, VERY SOON. HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE VOTING.
IF ANY OF THOSE CHARTER AMENDMENTS PASS AND THE CHARTER IS CHANGED IN ANY WAY, THE CITY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CHANGE ITS CHARTER FOR TWO YEARS.
AND THERE IS A NOTE THAT FISCALLY ELECTIONS COST US APPROXIMATELY $850,000, SO THEY'RE QUITE EXPENSIVE. THE CURRENT PLANNING COMMISSION COMPOSITION IS IMPORTANT TO REVIEW FOR THIS COMMITTEE. AND I PUT THE SIX MEMBERS THAT ARE -- SORRY. FIVE MEMBERS WHOSE TERMS HAVE EXPIRED VERY RECENTLY AT THE TOP SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE WOULD BE THE SEATS THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR DIVERSIFICATION. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE FOUR MEMBERS, AT-LARGE MEMBERS, THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR TERM.
WE DO HAVE SOME APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BUT WE'LL NOTE THAT MOST OF THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE FROM DISTRICT 1. WE HAVE RECEIVED FOUR APPLICATIONS FROM DISTRICT 1 THAT ARE AVAILABLE. ONE EACH FROM DISTRICTS 4, 9, AND 10. AND WE DO RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE MORE OUTREACH ON THIS EFFORT. WHAT I WANTED TO DO TODAY IS BRING THIS TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND ASK IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE THE CCR CAN BE CONSIDERED. WHAT OTHER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE TO OUTREACH MORE APPLICANTS? I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THE TIMING FOR THOSE FIVE POSITIONS THAT HAVE EXPIRED AND ARE CURRENTLY IN HOLDOVER. THEY WILL SERVE IN HOLDOVER UNTIL THEY ARE REPLACED.
WE WILL STILL HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY WILL BE DOING THEIR IMPORTANT WORK. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY
SUGGESTIONS FOR MEETING THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CCR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, DEBBIE, FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL REVIEW OF THIS. AND ALSO TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN FOR SUBMITTING THIS. TO TALK ABOUT THE REPRESENTATION, OR LACK OF REPRESENTATION ON SOME OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT COMMISSIONS.
IF YOU CAN PLUG SLIDE 6 BACK UP, I JUST THINK THAT THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE POINT THAT OFTEN DECISIONS FOR THE SOUTHSIDE ARE MADE BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 90. IN PARTICULAR, EVERY SOUTHSIDE COUNCILMEMBER IS LACKING REPRESENTATION ON DISTRICTS 3, 4, AND 5. THERE'S NOBODY FROM DISTRICTS 3, 4, AND 5. THE ENTIRE LACK OF REPRESENTATION FOR THE SOUTHSIDE WAS THE CAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN OUR DISTRICT.
I SAY "OUR" BECAUSE WE SHARE AN AREA, DISTRICTS 3 AND 4. AND SO AN ENTIRE PLANNING EFFORT THAT HAD TAKEN YEARS WAS PRETTY MUCH HIJACKED BY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT LIVE IN THE AREA COMING IN AND CONVINCING PEOPLE IN OUR AREA, THROUGH FEAR TACTICS.
AND SO AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST --Y IMPORTANT TO ME IS WHAT I'M SAYING THAT WE LOOK AT THE REPRESENTATION, NOT JUST ON THIS COMMITTEE BUT ON SEVERAL COMMITTEES AS WELL.
I KNOW THERE'S AN ONGOING APPOINTMENT CONVERSATION NOW THAT THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE HAD TAKEN UP. DEBBIE, IF YOU CAN COME BACK UP AND EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS.
SO LET ME GIVE THE CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
SO WE CREATED -- WE HAD ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST STARTED ON COUNCIL, WE HAD A SUNSET COMMISSION OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE THAT LOOKED AT THIS.
WE ALSO AT THE TIME WERE TASKED WITH LOOKING AT REPRESENTATION OF THE COMMITTEES. AND SO WE LOOKED AT HOW WE CAN INCREASE PARTICIPATION, INCREASE REPRESENTATION. ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT CAME OUT OF THERE WAS A CHILDCARE, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS PROPOSED, I BELIEVE BY COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES AT THE TIME.
THERE WERE TWO MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE THAT WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND MYSELF. WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT.
WE LOOKED AT THE REPRESENTATION. WE LOOKED AT HOW TO INCREASE AND REALIZED THAT, YES, ABSOLUTELY IT'S RIGHT. WE NEED SOME ADDITIONAL
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CHILDCARE. WE NEEDED FREE PARKING. SO THAT COMMITTEE WAS TASKED WITH ADDITIONAL -- NOT JUST SUNSETTING BUT OTHER. THAT'S THE ONLY COMMITTEE THAT I SEE ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY STRUCTURE WHICH WOULD HAVE SOME TIME TO DISCUSS.AND WE DIDN'T DO THAT UNILATERALLY. WE DIDN'T MAKE THAT DECISION. WE PRESENTED IT TO THE FULL COUNCIL IN A B SESSION AND TOOK THESE UP FOR A VOTE. BUT IT STARTED WITH A COMMITTEE.
IS THAT THE ONLY COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES THAT, DEBBIE? I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED AT THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE THAT THAT COMMITTEE HADN'T BEEN RECONSTITUTED IN SEVERAL YEARS BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO, BY CITY ORDINANCE, MEET EVERY TWO YEARS. CAN YOU MAYBE SHARE THAT FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT WERE NOT ON THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, JUST KIND OF TO SEE IF THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY THAT WE
ALSO LOOK AT THIS? >> CLERK: CORRECT. CITY CODE CALLS FOR A SUNSET COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL TO BE CREATED AND TO LOOK AT ESSENTIALLY SUNSETTING AND THE ROLES OF -- OR MAYBE COMBINING COMMISSIONS TOGETHER. IT DOES NOT GO INTO THE DIVERSIFICATION COMPONENT IN THE CITY CODE. BUT AS YOU MENTIONED DURING THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, THERE WAS A MOTION MADE AND IT WAS APPROVED TO CREATE A SUNSET COMMISSION OF THE COUNCIL THAT WOULD INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SCOPE OF LOOKING AT DIVERSIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIPS OF DIFFERENT BOARDS. AND THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT. AND THE MAYOR COMMITTED TO DOING THAT.
>> GARCIA: NOW, IS THAT THE ONLY COMMITTEE THOUGH THAT LOOKS AT THIS LIKE ACROSS THE CITY? IS THAT THE ONLY TIME THAT A COMMITTEE IS CONSTITUTED TO LOOK AT THIS AND HOW HAS IT BEEN DONE BEFORE, IS MY QUESTION.
>> CLERK: RIGHT. SO IN THE CITY CODE, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT THAT EACH BOARD REPORT. AND THERE'S A REPORTING STRUCTURE WHERE EACH AND EVERY BOARD REPORTS. I ALLUDED TO THIS.
EACH BOARD REPORTS TO A COUNCIL COMMITTEE. AND ANNUALLY MY OFFICE COLLECTS A BOARD REPORT FROM EACH BOARD LIAISON THAT INCLUDES WHAT ACTIVITIES THAT BOARD HAS BEEN DOING, INFORMATION ABOUT HOW OFTEN THEY'VE MET, THEIR MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AS WELL AS THE ATTENDANCE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THAT IS PROVIDED TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL. IF A COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM A SPECIFIC BOARD, I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO PRESENT, ALONG WITH THE
DEPARTMENT THAT OVERSEES THAT BOARD. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR DIFFERENT COMMITTEES ARE LOOKING AT THAT? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE DIVERSIFICATION HAPPENS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT IF THERE WAS ALREADY SOMETHING ESTABLISHED THAT REQUIRES US TO DO THAT. I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING ESTABLISHED THAT REQUIRES US TO SUNSET AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE HAD THE ORIGINAL CONVERSATION A FEW YEARS AGO WAS, HEY, NEXT TIME THE SUNSET COMMITTEE MEETS, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT HOW TO DIVERSIFY ALL OF THE BOARDS. BUT THEN IT NEVER HAPPENED.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT DICTATED THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS EVERY CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD CLARIFICATION POINT.
THIS ONE COMES THROUGH OUR COMMITTEE BUT WHAT HAPPENS, RIGHT, IN THE OTHER COMMITTEES, AND WHO KEEPS THAT LIST AND MAKES SURE THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DIVERSIFICATION. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT QUESTION.
I'LL GO ON TO THE AUTHOR OF THE CCR. THAT'S COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
YEAH. SO THIS REALLY DID COME FROM A TREND THAT I SAW WHERE PLANNING AND ZONING WERE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE. THE OTHER WAS THE PRESUMPTION OF THIS COMMITTEE KNOWING WHAT WE HAD IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO. IT WAS OBVIOUS THEY HAD NOT BEEN LISTENING TO SOME OF OUR MEETINGS, THIS MEETING IN PARTICULAR, AND THINGS THAT I HAVE SAID FROM THE DAIS. BECAUSE I HAD STRESSED WE DO NOT HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOME OF THESE AREAS YET. I HAD STRESSED WE DO NOT HAVE THE GROCERY STORES.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE CHILDCARE CENTERS AND YET THEY WERE INSISTENT ON DEVELOPMENT CAN JUST GO ANYWHERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE. AND THAT WAS VERY TROUBLESOME. IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE AREAS OF TOWN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THIS CCR CAME FROM. BECAUSE AS I LOOKED AT WHO WAS APPOINTED AND WHAT AREAS OF TOWN THEY CAME FROM, IT'S ALWAYS TELLING WHEN YOU'RE
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LIKE I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER MET THIS PERSON. YOU TELL YOURSELF THAT.AND, SECOND, THEY'RE NOT FROM THE DISTRICT OR THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
SO HERE WE ARE TODAY AND I THINK WHETHER IT'S -- I APPRECIATE ONE INITIATIVE THAT I THINK HAS BEEN MET IS THE OUTREACH. THANK YOU, DEBBIE, FOR CONTINUING THAT OUTREACH TO MAKE SURE WE GET MORE APPLICANTS TO APPLY FOR THESE FIVE POSITIONS. BUT I THINK WE DO NEED A CUTOFF TO SAY, OKAY, LET'S DO A BIG PUSH. THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO WHEN WE MARKET IS YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO LIVE ON THE SOUTHSIDE BUT WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO THE SOUTHSIDE. IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR CITY, IF YOU HAVE DRIVEN OUT TO MITCHELL LAKE. IF YOU HAVE DRIVEN OUT TO SOUTHTOWN ON THE SOUTHSIDE, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS THERE. I THINK THAT IS THE OTHER THING WE LOOK AT, THAT WE DON'T NEED TO GO TO THE CHARTER TO CHANGE BUT WE CAN ASK KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THIS AREA WHEN WE PRESENT. IF THEY'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THEY'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT ONE PERSON SAYS AND CLAIMS TO BE AN EXPERT. THAT'S ONE THING WE NEED TO DO. DIVERSITY, UNDERSTANDING YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUSIVITY OF THOSE IS KEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY TRUSTS OUR COMMISSIONS AND OUR BOARDS WHEN THEY BRING DECISIONS TOWARDS US. I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE NEED TO GO TO COUNCIL-APPOINTED MEMBERS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WOULD STRUCTURALLY CHANGE. AS WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND THE NEW MAYOR COMES IN AND MAKES THE COMPOSITION OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE THAT WE MAKE SURE IT'S A BALANCED LOOK AT THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE OR WE HAVE A SUNSET COMMITTEE THAT HAS DIVERSITY ON IT. I BELIEVE ON GOVERNANCE THE ONLY ONE THAT TRULY SITS SOUTH THAT SITS ON THERE IS COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA. BUT I BELIEVE THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE SITS ON THERE AND HE DOES A GOOD JOB OF ADVOCATING FOR US WHEN HE SEES SOMETHING THAT ISN'T WORKING. THE OTHER THING, DEBBIE, THAT I COULD ASK. DO WE HAVE A STUDY ACROSS ALL OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OF -- AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE. WHERE DO CANDIDATES MOSTLY COME FROM IN TERMS OF WHAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL? WHERE DO THEY NORMALLY SERVE? I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN PERRY
SERVED ON PLANNING. OR WAS IT ZONING? >> CLERK: I BELIEVE HE WAS A ZONING COMMISSIONER? NO? HE WAS ON THE BOARD OF
ADJUSTMENTS. >> VIAGRAN: I REALLY THINK AS WE LOOK AND WE TALK ABOUT SUNSETTING IS WE'RE LIKE UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES, WHETHER IT'S PLANNING, ZONING, SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THAT SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT THAT AS THIS IS MY -- THIS IS ME ENTERING INTO POSSIBLY RUNNING TO SERVE.
AND THAT'S FINE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RULES THAT IF THEY DECIDE TO RUN THEY HAVE TO STEP OFF COMMISSION. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF LOOK AT AS WE LOOK AT MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT REPRESENTATION, PEOPLE WITH KNOWLEDGE AND PEOPLE WANTING TO ACTUALLY BE PUBLIC SERVANTS AND NOT POLITICIANS. NOT THAT ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOT ELECTED CURRENTLY WERE USING THAT AS A MEANS BUT JUST AS WE MOVE FORWARD I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY PRESENT THAT TO FUTURE COUNCILS ABOUT THIS IS WHAT IT IS TRADITIONALLY BEEN OR THIS IS HISTORICALLY WHAT WE HAVE. SO, YES, THANK YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES' INPUT AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY GET MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. AND IF WE NEED TO RECREATE OR RECONSTITUTE A SUNSET COMMITTEE AND COMBINE THE COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS TO THIS, I HAVE VARIOUS OPINIONS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS MORE EQUITABLE.
THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
YOU KNOW, I CONCUR WITH WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, AND THAT'S MORE DIVERSIFICATION AND BETTER REPRESENTATION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I SAT ON THE COMMISSION FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS AND SOMETIMES I WAS PRETTY FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT THE COMMISSION WAS AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
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ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS I HAD HOPED IT MIGHT BE. I'M WONDERING IF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION EVER INCLUDED THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE SOME KIND OF EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING OR DEVELOPMENT OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. HAD THAT EVER BEEN PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO SERVE ONTHAT? >> CLERK: THE CITY CHARTER DOES NOT HAVE ANY OF THOSE
REQUIREMENTS IN IT. >> COURAGE: WAS THERE ANY ORDINANCE SET UP THAT WAY?
>> CLERK: AMIN CAN TALK ABOUT HOW THEY PROVIDE EDUCATION TO THE PLANNING
COMMISSION WHEN THEY COME ON. >> COURAGE: I DON'T NEED THAT BECAUSE I AGREE THAT WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT STAFF AT DSD.
THEY DO A GREAT JOB WHEN IT COMES TO, I BELIEVE, BOTH PLANNING AND ZONING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE EVER NEED TO HAVE A SPECIFIC INDUSTRY REPRESENTED ON THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE THE KIND OF STAFF THAT EDUCATES, TRAINS, ADVISES US ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF DECISIONS WE MAY BE MAKING OR THE RESULTS OR, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT I WASN'T SURE BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW HAVE SERVED ON THAT BOARD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INVESTED IN BUILDING, DEVELOPMENT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I THINK AS YOU'RE SAYING NOT REALLY INVESTED IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY, THE SOUTHSIDE, EASTSIDE, WESTSIDE.
I KNOW A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN NORTHSIDE OR DOWNTOWNERS .
SO I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DIVERSIFY IT AND POSSIBLY MAKE A CHANGE TO THE CHARTER SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE IF WE DON'T SEE GOOD RESULTS IN RECONSIDERATION OF HOW WE STAFF THOSE COMMITTEES TODAY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SUNSETTING SOME OF THOSE OR COMBINING SOME OF THOSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE HAVE CHARTER COMMITTEES WHICH COULD ONLY BE CHANGED BY AN ACTION ON THE CHARTER. BUT WE ALSO HAVE COMMITTEES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE AND WE HAVE COMMITTEES ESTABLISHED BY THE MAYOR AD HOC.
SO COULD ANY OF THOSE BE CHANGE THROUGH SUNSET COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
THE COUNCIL? >> CLERK: SO I BELIEVE THAT THE IDEA WOULD BE THE SUNSET COMMITTEE WOULD DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT ALL OF THOSE BOARDS AND BRING THOSE BACK TO COUNCIL FOR FULL CONSIDERATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL. CITY COUNCIL COULD CHANGE ANY OF ITS ORDINANCES.
CAN'T CHANGE THE STATE LAW AND CAN'T CHANGE THE CHARTER WITHOUT A VOTE.
>> COURAGE: BUT COULD INITIATE THOSE KINDS OF CHANGES IF THEY THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE EXPLORING. WELL, I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE BETTER REPRESENTATION OF EVERY PART OF THE COMMUNITY ON EVERY BOARD AND COMMISSION. AND WHERE WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE SOME OF THOSE COMMITTEES BY ORDINANCE OR THROUGH OTHER ACTION, YOU KNOW, I HAVE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN THE PROFESSIONALISM OF OUR STAFF AT EVERY LEVEL OF THIS CITY AND I THINK ANY CITIZEN, JUST LIKE I WAS A REGULAR CITIZEN WHEN I RAN FOR COUNCIL. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SERVE ON ANY BOARD OR COMMISSION SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO DO SO AND RELY ON THE CITY STAFF AND PROFESSIONALISM TO HELP THEM ALONG WITH WAY IN MAKING THEIR DECISIONS. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I SEE, THOUGH, IS THE AVAILABILITY OR THE INITIATIVE OF PEOPLE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT HAVEN'T STEPPED UP. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO MORE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE, TO STEP UP AND VOLUNTEER.
BUT THERE ARE CHALLENGES. SOMETIMES IT'S ECONOMIC. SOMETIMES IT'S CHILDCARE.
SOMETIMES IT'S TRANSPORTATION. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN OVERCOME SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR ANYBODY ANYWHERE IN TOWN TO VOLUNTEER. AND THEN I THINK IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL TO LOOK FOR BALANCE WHEN WE START LOOKING AT FILLING THESE POSITIONS.
SO, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST SUNSET COMMITTEE -- BY THE WAY, I THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF IT. MAYBE A DIVERSIFICATION COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING.
IT WAS ABOUT ACCESS AND ONE OF THE OTHER ACCESS POINTS THAT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE WAS ALSO TIMING FOR MEETINGS. BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS THE PARTICIPATION OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEY CAN COME AND ENGAGE.
OR THEY SEE IT'S A BIG TIME COMMITMENT AND THEY CAN'T TAKE AWAY FROM WORK.
BUT, THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, DEBBIE FOR THE PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN FOR INITIATING THIS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST.
I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS AND THINGS THAT NEED TO MOVE PARALLEL.
[01:00:03]
ONE WHAT HAS BEEN PUT FORTH IN THE CCR IS TO IDENTIFY THE LACK OF DIVERSITY WITHIN CERTAIN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND IF WE ARE NOT RECEIVING APPLICATIONS FROM THESE SPECIFIC DISTRICTS, HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY. I THINK ONE REALLY GOOD OUTREACH STRATEGY THAT I SAW WITH THE HORSE AND CARRIAGES WAS THE USE AND THE QR CODES THAT WERE ACCESSIBLE EVERYWHERE FOR FOLKS TO TAKE THAT SURVEY. HAVING THOSE SMALL QR CODES TO HAND TO CONSTITUENTS TO CONDUCT THE SURVEY AND THEY TOOK IT RIGHT THEN THERE AND, I THINK WAS VERY EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT. SO I THINK BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS APPLICATION QR CODE FOR EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO HAVE AND DISPERSE WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL. I UNDERSTAND NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO A SMARTPHONE BUT I THINK THAT QR CODE COULD INCREASE ACCESS TO APPLICANTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO ACCESS.WHEREAS SOMETIMES GOOGLING AND ACCESSING THE CITY WEBSITE, YOU CAN GO DOWN A MAZE AND END UP ON A DIFFERENT PAGE. THAT'S ONE POINT.
ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT, THE SOUTHSIDE IS EXPERIENCING SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH.
THE INNER WESTSIDE IS BECOMING MORE DESIRABLE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PLANNING DECISIONS BEING MADE WITHOUT REPRESENTATIONS. THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, IF A CHARTER AMENDMENT PASSES THIS ELECTION CYCLE, WE CAN'T REALLY MAKE ANY CHANGES.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE IS VALUE IN LOOKING AT ALL THE COMMITTEES WHERE COUNCIL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE SUNSET COMMITTEE AND THEN ALSO TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I, COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA AND COUNCILMAN WHYTE HAVE INITIATED TO TALK ABOUT THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN WHICH COUNCIL HAS NO DISCUSSION OVER WHO GETS APPOINTED.
BECAUSE IN THE SAME WAY THERE'S NO REPRESENTATION ON PLANNING, THERE ARE DECISIONS IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY AROUND THE CITY WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, CONVERSATIONS AROUND INCREASING OR DECREASING THE UTILITY RATES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY THAT ARE BEING MADE AND DISCUSSED BY NON-ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DRASTICALLY IMPACT AND SHAPE OUR CITY AND I THINK IT MERITS DEBATE AND DISCUSSION OF WHO THESE APPLICANTS ARE.
I UNDERSTAND EACH OF THE COMMITTEES HAVE THEIR OWN GOVERNING ORDINANCE, STATE STATUTE, AND/OR POLICY BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN EACH OF THESE COMMITTEES TO TALK ABOUT WHERE CHANGES CAN BE MADE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN FOR INITIATING THIS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE SIMILAR TO DISTRICTS 4 AND 3, D5 HAS NO REPRESENTATION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND, AGAIN, WE'RE EXPERIENCING SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH AND REVITALIZATION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT HAVING THE LENS AND PERSPECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THE DISCUSSION. BUT JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB AROUND GATHERING PUBLIC INPUT ON THE HORSE AND CARRIAGES AND I THINK THERE CAN BE VALUE OF FOLLOWING THAT IN TERMS OF GETTING FOLKS TO APPLY FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK DEBBIE, BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND A BOARDS AND COMMISSION EVENT WHERE YOU INVITED ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THEN CONDUCTED SURVEYS. I THINK IF YOU COULD SEND THOSE RESULTS TO THE COMMITTEE TO SEE WHERE FOLKS SHARED THERE WAS DIFFICULTY GETTING TO AND FROM -- I DON'T REMEMBER THE QUESTIONS EXACTLY WHAT YOU RAISED BUT THEY WERE REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS THAT I THINK CAN GIVE COUNCIL GOOD DIRECTION ON WHERE WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR FOLKS TO SERVE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE. THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY -- SO THERE'S NO ACTION. THIS IS ALSO A BRIEFING ITEM.
SO, DEBBIE, DID YOU HAVE ENOUGH FROM WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY?
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OF US? >> CLERK: I'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WE'LL LOOK AT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE AND THE SUGGESTIONS FROM EVERYBODY. AND WE WILL RETURN BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING.
WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHEN THAT'S APPROPRIATE. BUT WE'LL RETURN BACK WITH
SOME MORE INFORMATION. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT THAT IT IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS POSSIBLE ACTION BUT IF YOU ALL JUST WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THAT SORT OF DIRECTION AND THENUP REQUEST, THAT'S FINE. >> COURAGE: CAN I JUST ASK, ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE US TO TAKE A LOOK AT AS YOU DO THE RESEARCH, WE HAVE OUR ZONING COMMISSION, WHICH IS INDIVIDUALLY APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE HAVE OUR PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH ISN'T. AND THEN OFTENTIMES WHEN ISSUES COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, I SEE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS ONE
[01:05:03]
RECOMMENDATION YEA OR NAY. THE ZONING COMMISSION HAS A DIFFERENT ONE YEA OR NAY.AND THEN THE CITY STAFF HAS AN EVEN DIFFERENT ONE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE HISTORY OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THOSE THREE BODIES TO HELP US MAYBE UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THEY
WHAT'S THE THIRD WAY? >> COURAGE: AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> RIGHT. >> COURAGE: YEAH. IF WE CAN SEE A LITTLE
HISTORY OF THAT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. >> MELISSA IS HERE.
>> CLERK: I'M NOT REALLY SURE. I WOULD KIND OF RECOMMEND THAT THAT SEPARATE FROM THE CCR. THAT THAT SEEMS TO BE A
BROADER DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE THREE BOARDS. >> I THINK SHE CAN ANSWER
THE QUESTION NOW. >> COURAGE: I WOULD RATHER NOT GET INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. I WOULD RATHER SEE SOME RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH.
>> UNDERSTOOD. WE CAN DO THAT FOR YOU, SIR. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. EVERY BOARD OR COMMITTEE OR COMMISSION HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ZONING, THEY'RE LOOKING AT OUR ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND HOW THAT PLAYS OUT IN OUR CITY. AND THEN FOR PLANNING COMMISSION, THEY'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR LAND USES AND HOW THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT IS ALREADY ADOPTED.
IF FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, THEN STAFF IS GOING TO RECOMMEND DENIAL. WE'RE REVIEWING ALL OF THESE APPLICATIONS BASED OFF OF OUR ZONING OR PLANNING PRINCIPLES.
SO, YES, THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAT COME TO THE TABLE.
BUT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU MORE DETAIL. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU.
>> YES, SIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR THE DISCUSSION. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NO. 4, WHICH IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION RELATING TO THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST POLICY AND THAT WILL BE BY THE OTHER VERONICA.
VERONICA GARCIA, IT'S ALL YOURS. >> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. TODAY'S ITEM IS ON OUR PROPOSED COMMUNITY LAND TRUST DESIGNATION POLICY. HERE WE GO. SO WHAT IS A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST? A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST STARTS WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF OWNING AND CREATING PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE CLT MODEL IS USED WIDELY FOR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND REALLY HELPS PREVENT DISPLACEMENT AND PROMOTE WEALTH BUILDING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PRICED OUT OF THE TRADITIONAL SPECULATIVE MARKET. THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 250 TO 300 COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WE DO HAVE SOME HERE IN TEXAS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF CLTS BUT TYPICALLY THEY HAVE A DEFINED SERVICE AREA. THAT COULD BE A FEW BLOCKS OR AN ENTIRE CITY OR COUNTY. THEY HAVE A CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP AND A BOARD MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN THE LAND TRUST, INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN THE AREA OR HAVE A PUBLIC INTEREST SUCH AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OR NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND FUNDERS. EACH OF THESE GROUPS HAVE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF SEATS TYPICALLY TO ENSURE ALL INTERESTS ARE HEARD BUT NOT PREDOMINATE THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE INITIATIVES THAT ARE MADE.
SO CLTS WORK -- THE EASIEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS TO COMPARE THE CLT MODEL HOME OWNERSHIP TO THE TRADITIONAL MODEL. IN THE TRADITIONAL MODEL WE BUY THE HOME AND LAND TOGETHER. AND THE HOMEOWNER IS ABLE TO MAXIMIZE SALES PRICE WHEN THEY RESELL. THEY ALSO PAY PROPERTY TAXES BASED ON WHATEVER THE ESTIMATED SALES PRICE IS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
IN THE CLT MODEL, WE'RE REALLY SEPARATING THE HOME FROM THE LAND.
THE HOMEOWNER BUYS THE LAND FROM THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND THEY LEASE THE LAND FROM THE CLT WHO CONTINUES TO BE THE LANDOWNER.
THIS RELATIONSHIP IS CODIFIED BY A GROUND LEASE WHICH ALSO DETERMINES THE RESELL PRICE. THE HOMEOWNER IS TAXED BASED ON THE TERMS OUTLINED IN THAT GROUND LEASE. SO THE GROUND LEASE IS TYPICALLY -- IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS TRANSACTION TYPICALLY FOR 99 YEARS.
IT ALSO OUTLINES WHAT THAT ANNUAL CAPITALIZATION RATE, WHICH DETERMINES THE AMOUNT OF EQUITY THE HOMEOWNER WILL EARN. THIS IS TYPICALLY SET ANYWHERE BETWEEN HALF A PERCENT UP TO 3%. AND THEN THE GROUND LEASE ALSO OUTLINES WHAT THE MONTHLY FEE FOR RENTING THE LAND WILL BE.
WITH THIS MODEL, THE CLT MEANS THAT THERE IS A LOWER PRICE AT THE INITIAL SALE.
THERE'S LOWER ANNUAL COSTS FOR OWNING THE HOME. THERE'S A LOWER PRICE AT THE RESALE AND THIS HAPPENS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. OVER TIME THE AFFORDABLE
[01:10:02]
HOUSING WITHIN CLTS IS MUCH LOWER COMPARED TO THE MARKET PRICING.THIS MODEL IS CRITICAL FOR ENSURING LASTING AFFORDABILITY FOR HOMEOWNERS AND IT'S IN LINE WITH ITS OWN SHIP STRATEGY WHERE WE ARE WORKING TO HELP AN EXISTING CORPORATION LAUNCH A CLT. THE CLT MODEL IS DICTATED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND IT REQUIRES THAT THE CITY WITHIN THE AREA, THE MUNICIPALITY, WHICH IN THE CLT HOPES TO OPERATE, MUST GET THAT DESIGNATION FROM THE CITY. THIS IS WHAT ENTITLES THEM TO THAT SPECIAL TAX APPRAISAL METHODOLOGY, WHICH WE'LL COVER SHORTLY. WE DO HAVE CLTS IN AUSTIN AND HOUSTON AND HOPEFULLY COMING SOON TO OUR AREA. FOR LOCALLY, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THE DESIGNATION PROCESS IS AS FOLLOWS: A NONPROFIT GROUP THAT'S SEEKING DESIGNATION WILL APPLY TO THE CITY WHENEVER THEY ARE READY.
THERE IS NOT A SET APPLICATION WINDOW. WHEN THEY APPLY, OUR STAFF WILL REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND THE AFFORDABILITY THAT'S PROPOSED WITH THE STRUCTURE. WE WILL THEN TAKE APPLICANTS THAT MEET THIS CRITERIA TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FORMAL DESIGNATION.
IF APPROVED, THAT NONPROFIT CAN TAKE THE DESIGNATION TO OUR LOCAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WHICH WILL THEN ENSURE THAT THEY GET THAT TAX APPRAISAL METHODOLOGY SET. THE INITIAL DESIGNATION DOES REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL BUT DESIGNATIONS MUST BE RENEWED ANNUALLY AND THAT CAN BE DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY. SO OUR GOALS WITH THIS POLICY FIRST AND FOREMOST IS TO SUPPORT LASTING, AFFORDABLE, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THESE LOCAL CLTS TO GET THE TAX TREATMENT THAT THE STATE LAW PROVIDES. AND THEN FINALLY WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR LOCAL CLTS WHO DO GET A DESIGNATION HAVE THE CAPACITY CONTINUE TO BE PROPER STEWARDS OF THEIR ASSETS. TO DEVELOP OUR PROPOSED POLICY, WE STARTED BY LOOKING AT THE CITIES IN TEXAS THAT ALREADY HAVE THESE IN PLACE. THAT'S AUSTIN AND HOUSTON. DALLAS ALSO HAS AN ADOPTED POLICY BUT THEY DON'T YET HAVE ANY OPERATING CLTS. AFTER THAT RESEARCH, WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH LOTS OF LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS. AND MANY, MANY THANKS TO THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE TIME THAT LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE PURSUING THIS DESIGNATION SPENT AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK WITH OUR TEAM.
THAT DOES INCLUDE CULTURE LINGUA, BCL OF TEXAS, AND THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER. WE TALKED WITH OTHER LOCAL ENTITIES AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO FINALIZE OUR FIRST DRAFT. AND THIS WAS THEN SHARED WITH ALL OF THEIR STAKEHOLDERS. IT INCLUDED BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER CITIES AS WELL AS ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.
WHAT WE HEARD BACK WAS IT STILL NEEDED TO BE STREAMLINED AND EASIER FOR NONPROFITS TO APPLY, SO WE DID THAT. WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO ADD A 50% CITY TAX EXEMPTION OPTION THAT CLTS COULD UTILIZE. THE SECOND DRAFT WAS SHARED AND THAT BRINGS US TO TODAY'S CONVERSATION. AGAIN, WORKING TO MAKE SURE THE PROCESS IS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO ADDING AN ONLINE APPLICATION TO MAKE IT EASIER.
THE COMPONENTS OF OUR POLICY, WE STARTED WITH THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS WHICH OUTLINES FIRST THAT THE ENTITY MUST BE A NONPROFIT. WE LOOKED AT INCLUDING THE AFFORDABILITY THRESHOLDS THAT ARE SET BY THE STATE. THEY ARE ALSO IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR SHIP AND OUR HOUSING BOND. SO CLTS THAT ARE SERVING RENTERS MUST FOCUS ON HELPING HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOMES UP TO 60% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND CLTS THAT SERVE HOMEOWNERS, WHICH IS THE MORE TRADITIONAL MODEL, THEY MUST FOCUS ON HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOME UP TO 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. IF THEY DO HAVE AT LEAST SIX UNITS THAT ARE CLOSE TOGETHER, THEY CAN HAVE UP TO 10% OF THOSE -- 20% OF THOSE SERVING HOUSEHOLDS THAT GO UP TO 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME. AGAIN, THOSE ARE THEY ALSO MUST PROVIDE A LISTS OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE WITHIN THEIR INVENTORY SO WE UNDERSTAND WHICH PROPERTIES WILL BE SUBJECT TO THIS APPRAISAL METHODOLOGY.
AND IF THEY ARE SEEKING OUR LOCAL CITY TAX EXEMPTION, THEY MUST ALSO PROVIDE AN AUDIT. THAT'S PER THE STATE CODE. THE LOCAL REQUIREMENTS WE ARE MANAGED IS JUST ENSURING THAT THE PROPERTIES ARE IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE CITY CODE. SOME NON-PROFITS MAY BE ACQUIRING HOMES THAT NEED SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS AND THAT'S FINE, WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR THEM TO EXPLAIN THEIR PLAN AND TIME LINE AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE DONE BEFORE RESIDENTS MOVE IN.
[01:15:05]
ALSO COMPLYING WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS, PLUS ARE ACCEPTING HOUSING VOUCHERS SO THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LOCAL POLICY IF THEY ARE RENTALS.FINALLY, ALTHOUGH UNLIKELY CLTS ARE CAUSING DISPLACEMENTS, WE ARE REQUIRING THAT'S NOT TO BE ALLOWED. THE BIGGEST CHANGE FROM OUR INITIAL DRAFT TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS ENSURING THAT WE ADD THIS PROPOSED OPTIONAL 50% CITY TAX EXEMPTION. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THEY DO GET AN ADDITIONAL HELP ON THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY SO THIS TAX EXEMPTION ONLY APPLIES TO THE PROPERTY THAT IS HELD BY THE NON-PROFIT. SO IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THE HOME STRUCTURE THAT'S MAYBE OWNED BY THE HOMEOWNER. INSTEAD IT WILL APPLY TO THE LAND, ANY PROPERTY NOT YET SOLD AND THEN, OF COURSE, IF THEY HAVE AN OFFICE OR SOMETHING ON LAND. AND IF THEY DO WANT TO APPLY FOR THIS 50% CITY TAX EXEMPTION, IT DOES REQUIRE A FULL AUDIT. SO FINALLY, THE TIME LINE FOR ADOPTING THIS POLICY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS EFFORT SINCE JANUARY WHILE WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY ENTITIES WHO HELP ADVISE US TO CREATE IT. WE WERE AT HOUSING COMMISSION YESTERDAY PROVIDING A BRIEFING. AFTER TODAY'S BRIEFING WE ARE PROPOSING TO GO TO FULL CITY COUNCIL NEXT WEEK AND IF THE POLICY IS APPROVED WE WOULD LAUNCH AND BEGIN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS IN JANUARY. THAT CONCLUDES THE BRIEFING
AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERONICA, FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK IT'S A GREAT START TO START LAND TRUST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY. I ALSO HOPE THE DESIGNATION SHOULD BE REVETTED BY COUNCIL OR SOMEHOW INCLUDE US ALL IN THE PROCESS. THAT'S THE ONLY INPUT FOR TODAY. I'LL GO ON TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I'LL START
WITH COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
I DO LIKE ANYTHING THAT HELPS US MEET OUR SHIP GOALS.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITY WHICH I'M EXCITED ABOUT.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF TIME LINES WITH THE GROUPS THAT ARE APPLYING. BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A TIMELY MANNER AND IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE JUST WAITING ON -- THAT THEY ARE JUST HOLDING ON TO LAND WHILE IT COULD BE USED TO -- FOR OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE OTHER ASPECT IS I THINK WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY. SOME OF THESE HOMES, AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO CAME AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR LEGACY HOMES.
SOME OF THESE HOMES THEN RUN INTO FOR A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST THAT HISTORIC DESIGNATION, BUT YET THERE IS NOTHING -- THEY ARE BEYOND WHAT IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR WOULD JUST BE A BURDEN ON THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND THE HOMEOWNER -- OR THE PERSON WITH THE LEASE. SO I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE AND WHAT IS KIND OF NOT COST EFFICIENT IN TERMS OF PRESERVATION. AND WE HAD THIS CASE COME UP WITH MY DISTRICT REGARDING A PROPERTY THAT HAD TWO SHOTGUN HOMES ON IT AND ONE OF THEM WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, BEYOND REPAIR. AND I THINK THAT AS WE LOOK AT HOMES, AND I'LL SPEAK TO MY HOME IN PARTICULAR, IT IS AN OLDER HOME, BUT IT HAS SIDING ON IT NOW. SOME OF THE WINDOWS HAVE BEEN CHANGED.
TO GET IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WOULD JUST NOT BE COST EFFECTIVE AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT SPECIALLY AS SOME OF THESE LAND TRUSTS WILL GO INTO OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS WITH OLDER HOMES IS REALLY HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WHAT CAN BE PRESERVED AND WHAT CAN WE KIND OF JUST REHAB OR REMODEL IN THAT ASPECT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF, I THINK, A LOT OF FIVE, A LOT OF THREE, A LOT OF TWO AND SOME OF FOUR ALSO, AND THEN PARTS OF SIX AND SEVEN. SO AS WE LOOK AT THAT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND KIND OF TALK WITH THEM ON THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING BEFORE WE TAKE IT TO COUNCIL THAT WE CAN PUT
[01:20:04]
IN THERE THAT WE WILL BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ON THAT IN TERMS OF AS WE GIVE THE DESIGNATION TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, WHAT SORT OF HELP WILL WE GIVE THEM WITH THE PERMITTING ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.SO OTHER THAN THAT, I THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.
I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK ON THOSE TIME LINES AND THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT GROUPS THAT WANT TO HELP AND THEN AS WE MAKE THIS OFFICIAL, I THINK WE'LL SEE OTHER GROUPS COME IN THAT -- FOR CLT DESIGNATION THAT WANT TO HELP SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS
AND PARTS OF TOWN. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I KNOW THAT WE HAD A VERY LONG CONVERSATION YESTERDAY AND I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I FELT I RECEIVED THE KIND OF SATISFACTORY ANSWERS. IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T APPRECIATE THE CONCEPT AND IT'S NOT I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE MORE NON-PROFITS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TAKE UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP IN THAT AREA. BUT THERE WERE JUST -- SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE TAXES. YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE VALUE OF A PROPERTY THAT'S IN THE CLT THAT GOES UP AT ONE PERCENT A YEAR VALUE WHILE THE OTHER PROPERTIES AROUND THERE GO UP X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS IN VALUE BECAUSE OF REAPPRAISALS. AND HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE PEOPLE AROUND THAT PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE PROTECT THE ENTIRE VALUE OF A COMMUNITY.
IF YOU HAVE A STREET WHERE THREE OR FOUR HOUSES ARE ALL PART OF THE CLT AND TWO OR THREE AREN'T, DOES THAT TAX DIFFERENCE AFFECT THE TAX VALUE OF OTHER HOMES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ON THAT STREET. INSURANCE WAS ANOTHER CONCERN.
YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO AN INSURANCE COMPANY IS NOT GOING TO SAY, WELL, OKAY, YOU'VE GOT THAT HOUSE AT 150,000, BUT WE KNOW THAT IF IT BURNED TO THE GROUND IT WOULD COST 250,000 TO REBUILD THAT HOUSE. HOW DO YOU ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE'S COST FOR INSURANCE TO PROTECT THEIR INVESTMENT. YOU KNOW, WHEN -- LET'S SAY A CLT WANTS TO ACQUIRE A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND IT NEEDS SOME WORK.
ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE CITY AND SAY CAN WE GET MONEY FROM UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM, CAN WE GET MAJOR REPAIR DOLLARS, MONEY FROM CPS ENERGY TO MAKE THE HOUSE MORE EFFICIENT. SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND ARE THOSE PART OF WHAT THIS PROCESS COULD BE OR HOW IS THAT CLT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT IF THEY AREN'T ELIGIBLE. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF US ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO EARN GENERATIONAL WEALTH. WELL, IF A HOUSE ONLY GOES UP ONE PERCENT A YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CLT SET AS ITS GOAL, I'LL GIVE YOU A EXAMPLE. I BOUGHT MY HOUSE FOR $130,000.28 YEARS AGO.
IT'S PAID HE HAD OFF NOW. IT'S GONE UP 300% IN VALUE. IF SOMEBODY ELSE BOUGHT A HOUSE AB IT WENT TO ONE PERCENT OR TWO PERCENT A YEAR OVER THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME IT WOULD BE GOING UP 60% IN VALUE, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND IT WENT UP A LOT MORE. HOW DOES THAT HELP PEOPLE EARN GENERATIONAL WEALTH IF THAT'S ALL THE PROPERTY VALUE IS GOING TO GO UP FOR THE OWNERSHIP.
AND HOW IS THAT TRANSFERRED UPON DEATH. AND IS THERE GENERATIONAL WEALTH THAT DEVELOPS OUT OF A CLT PROJECT. SO I THINK THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE PROGRAM WORK, I JUST WANT TO KNOW BETTER HOW IT WORKS, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO SAYS YES, TAKE MY PROPERTY AND PUT IT INTO THE CLT, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO THE FAMILY LONG TERM.
WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THE CITY IS GOING TO INCUR OR WHAT ARE THE TAX LOSSES THAT THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT ARE ALL GOING TO SACRIFICE FOR THESE PROJECTS TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND IT'S ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT ONE CLT THAT HAS ONE HOUSE HERE, TWO HOUSE THERE, 50 HOUSES. BUT IF WE START GETTING 100 HOUSES OR MORE, WHAT IS THE
[01:25:06]
IMPACT OF ALL THAT IN A COMMUNITY. THOSE ARE QUESTIONS I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANSWERED THAT I HAVEN'T HEAD UP ON SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND TAKE IT TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK, TO MY WAY OF THINKING IT'S PREMATURE.THANK YOU. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IN NEW ORLEANS. I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED JAMES PLACE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THINS THEN WIFE BEEN ABLE TO --N ABLE TO TOUR OTHERS AND I WILL CHALLENGE THIS IS PREMATURE.
I BELIEVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS KIND OF LAGGED AND GRATEFUL FOR THE POSITION TAKEN SINCE JANUARY TO GET US TO THIS POINT TO ENSURE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN NOW HAVE REAL ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, AND AGAIN, WE HAD FOLKS GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST THROUGH ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER. EACH NON-PROFIT HAS THEIR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PARAMETERS. THE ONE IN ATLANTA, THEY DID HAVE OTHER FAMILIES THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST TO BUILD THAT EQUITY BASED ON THE VALUE OF THE HOME GOING UP, WHEREAS OTHERS THEY DON'T -- THEY CAP IT. JUST EMPHASIZING EACH NON-PROFIT HAS THEIR OWN GOVERNING MODEL, BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE AND WITH THAT I MOVE TO ADOPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST DESIGNATION AND SEND IT TO FULL COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
>> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND.
AND SO WHEN WE ARE -- WHEN WE'RE -- WHAT IS THE EXACT DATE IT WOULD COME TO FULL
COUNCIL? >> ON HALLOWEEN, NEXT THURSDAY.
IF I MAY ANSWER SOME OF THE COUNCILMAN'S QUESTIONS. THE HOMEOWNERS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR HOME REHAB PROGRAMS GO UP TO 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME WHICH IS THE MAX FOR ALMOST ANY HOME PARTICIPATING, MAYBE A FEW EXCEPTIONS THAT COULD GO UP TO 120%, BUT MOST WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HOME REHAB PROGRAMS. THE CONCEPT OF PEOPLE PUTTING THEIR HOMES IN A CLT, ALL ALTHOUGH IT DOES HAPPEN, IT'S FOR NEW HOMEOWNERS AND HELPS PEOPLE REALIZE HOMEOWNERSHIP IN AN AREA THEY MAY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY PRICED OUT. WHENNER BUYING THE HOME EITHER FROM THE CLT FOR THE FIRST TIME MARKET PRICES, THOSE LOWER PRICES. IT'S REALLY HELPING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE SEEING GENTRIFICATION ALLOW HOMEOWNERS TO STAY THERE OR HOMEOWNERS, YOU KNOW, IF THEIR KIDS LEFT AND THEY WANT TO COME BACK AND LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL THE HOUSES ARE 400,000, MAYBE THERE'S A CLT THEY CAN BUY FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER. AS COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO SAID, DIFFERENT NON-PROFITS HAVE DIFFERENT GOALS, BOUNDARIES. THE BOUNDARIES THEY ARE OPERATING IN, THE GOALS OF THEIR PARTICULAR, ALL THAT IS PART OF THE APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS THAT OUR TEAM DOES AND ALL OF THAT IS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
SO ALL THIS ITEM IS DOING IS SAYING WE HAVE A WAY FOR ENTITIES TO APPLY TO COUNCIL TO BE CONSIDERED AS A CLT AND WE'RE HAVING THEN THEIR APPLICATION AND THAT STILL HAS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR FORMAL ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF EVERY SINGLE
ENTITY THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE. >> GARCIA: I THINK ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IS MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE FINANCIAL COUNSELING TO THESE FAMILIES FOR THE MONEY THEY ARE SAVING HOW THEY CAN BEGIN TO BUILD WEALTH.
WE THINK OF THE EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE IN APARTMENTS AND THEY ARE NOT BUILDING MUCH GENERATIONAL WEALTH THERE EITHER, BUT WE DO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S FINANCIAL LITERACY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO LEARN MORE. SO MAYBE AS AN ADDITIONAL STEP LIKE MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER AS WELL.
ANYWAY, JUST MY TWO CENTS. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, THE BUILDING -- THE BUILDING OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH I THINK IS SOMETHING POSSIBLE THE CLTS COULD OFFER BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY BE IN HOMES.
ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE HOMES I'M THINKING ABOUT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK THE OTHER OPPORTUNITY IS THAT THAT GENERATIONAL HOME, THAT LEGACY HOME IS WHAT I'M THINKING IN PARTICULAR IS THAT THERE'S A FAMILY THAT
[01:30:05]
HAS A PROPERTY, THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN LIVE THERE AND MAINTAIN THE HOME, IT'S JUST THE LAND USE THAT MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT TO WORRY ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO YEAH, I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY.THAT'S WHY I WANT TO MOVE IT FORWARD, AND THEN AS WE LOOK AND DETERMINE WHERE THE CITY STEPS IN REALLY LOOKING AT ARE THEY PROVIDING THEM FINANCIAL LITERACY, ARE THEY PROVIDING LEGAL KIND OF INHERITANCE STEPS FOR THE FAMILIES, THE LEGACY FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN THAT COMMUNITY, AND ARE WE MOVING FAMILIES BACK INTO HOMES OR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY HAD BEFORE. SO YEAH, I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE THAT I THINK THIS IS BEING DONE IN OTHER CITIES AND I DON'T WANT SAN ANTONIO TO FALL BEHIND. AND I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THE NORTHERN PROFITS THAT ARE READY -- NON-PROFITS READY TO FORK -- READY TO WORK AND IT WILL BE ON THE REVIEW OF THE APPLICATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND I THINK IT WILL IMPACT SOME OF OUR UDC CODE AS WE MOVE FORWARD ALSO.
THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. GO AHEAD. >> PELÁEZ: SO WHAT -- I LOOKED AT THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS MANY, MANY YEARS AGO AND WHEN I FIRST JOINED CITY COUNCIL, AND THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY VOICES OUT WHO WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA OR SEEMED LIKE TOO INTERESTED IN CHASING IT DOWN. THEN WE GOT COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO JOINED US AND WHEN SHE SAYS THINGS, EVERYBODY PERKS UP AND PAYS ATTENTION AND SAYS YES, MA'AM. I'M SO HAPPY THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE TABLE AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR SUPPORT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS -- IF I REMEMBER ON CORRECTLY, COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS WERE INVENTED BY GROUPS OF BLACK FARMERS TRYING TO PROTECT FARMLAND IN GEORGIA FROM, YOU KNOW, BEING TAKEN FROM THEM AND FROM BEING -- AND THEN THEY BEING PRICED OUT OF -- BY OTHER WHITE FARMERS AND BY WHITE BANKS. AND IT WAS A REALLY INNOVATIVE WAY TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO ON THEIR OWN WERE UNABLE TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES, BUT AS A GROUP WERE ABLE TO CREATE THOSE MUCH NEEDED PROTECTIONS.
THE ONE THING WE KNOW ABOUT LAND TRUSTS IS THAT THEY WORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO COMBAT GENTRIFICATION SINCE TIME IN MEMORIAM AND THE ONE CONSISTENT IS LAND TRUST.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS EXPERIMENTAL, BUT THEY ARE HARD TO PUT TOGETHER AND TAGS -- AND TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE. SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE THOSE KINDS OF PEOPLE HUNGRY FOR THIS AND ALSO REQUIRES A CITY WILLING TO HELP OUT.
I THINK WE'VE GOT ALL THE RIGHT PLAYERS, WE'VE GOT ALL THE RIGHT MOTIVATION AND BEST OF INTENTIONS AND I'M ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT WORKING.
AND BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GOT MY
SUPPORT. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: I WANT TO REITERATE I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE TO PROVIDE MORE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THE CONCEPT, I'M JUST NOT SOLD THAT I'VE BEEN INFORMED WELL ENOUGH AND I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS IN MY MIND THAT I THINK COULD BE CHALLENGING FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
SO I WANT TO EDUCATE MYSELF SOME MORE AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ABSTAIN ON THIS VOTE
THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE ON THIS. SO ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
WE HAVE ONE ABSTENTION. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ITEM NUMBER 5, UMBRELLAING ON CREATING THE LAND TRUST TIERED AFFORDABILITY POLICY.
[01:35:01]
>> THANK YOU. THE THE COMPLEXITY AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL HAS A GOOD TRANSITION TO THIS ITEM.
THE BACKGROUND FOR THIS ITEM, IT WAS REQUESTING THE CONSIDERATION OF CREATING A FORMALIZED POLICY OF DISPOSING OF CITY-OWNED LAND TO CREATE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE CCR WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PRESENTED TO GOVERNANCE ON AUGUST 15 AND THEN PCDC.
PROPERTIES ACQUIRED OVER TIME. NHSD IS CREATING A POLICY, SPECIALIZING IN LAND BANKING COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS TO ASSESS OUR EXISTING ACQUISITION TOOLS AND RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES FOR ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION. THAT'S ONGOING RIGHT NOW. THE CCR ALSO MENTIONED THE SAN ANTONIO AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOUSING, INC. ENTITY.
NHSD REGULARLY WORKS WITH THE PROPERTY AT PUBLIC WORKS AND RECOMMENDS DISPOSITION TO SAWS IN LAND IS SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE LOOK AT INCLUDING LOCATION, UTILITIES, WHETHER IT'S IN THE FLOODPLAIN.
SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES CAN BE CHALLENGING TO DEVELOP, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS ON PROPERTIES THAT HAVE THE BEST OUTLOOK. THE ORDINANCES CONVEYING PROPERTY TYPICALLY SPECIFIES DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS. CURRENT SAWS WAS MOST -- SAA H FOR EIGHT PROPERTIES. ONE WAS A PAST PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT.
WE ARE GOING TO PLAN TO UTILIZE THOSE TO PARTNER WITH HOUSING DEVELOPERS TO BUILD A VARIETY OF INFILL AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS. DOES THIS ALIGN WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS AND PRIORITIES? YES, IT DOES.
AND THIS IS IN ALIGN WITH DEPARTMENT'S GOALS. I THINK WE IDENTIFIED IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION IT ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENT PLAN THAT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIES CLTS AND OTHER BE IT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ACCESS TO VACANT LAND. FROM A LEGAL ASSESSMENT, THE DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY IS HANDLED BY BOTH THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 253 AND 272 AND THEN LOCALLY CHAPTER 37 THAT DEALS WITH ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF CITY PROPERTY. THE ANALYSIS CONCLUDES CITY COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DISPOSE OF CITY PROPERTIES. AS AN EXAMPLE WHEN PROPERTIES ARE TRANSFERRED TO SAAH, THEY ARE ■AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT CERTAIN AMI LEVELS.
FUNDING, DOES THE POLICY REQUIRE FUNDING THE REQUEST. THE POLICY ITSELF WOULDN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE FUNDING. LIKE I SAID, THERE IS SOME CITY SURPLUS PROPERTY THAT DOES EXIST. NOT ALL OF THAT IS NECESSARILY DEVELOPABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. FUNDING WOULD BE REQUIRED IF ANY OF THOSE PROPERTIES NEEDED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR SITE PREPARATION AND CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS TYPICALLY THE CASE. SOME OF THOSE DEVELOPERS WILL WORK WITH APPLYING FOR LOCAL FEDERAL FUNDING, PARTNERING WITH SAAH IF WE HAVE FUNDING TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTIES. IN ADDITION, THE SUPPLY OF PROPERTIES IS PRETTY LIMITED. WE WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO SCAN THAT LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT DOESN'T CHANGE VERY OFTEN TO SEE WHICH PROPERTIES ARE DEVELOPABLE.
IF ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES WERE NEEDED TO BE SECURED FOR THIS PURPOSE, THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING. HOW MUCH FUNDING IS NEEDED WOULD VARY BY PROJECT. PARCELS CAN BE IN DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT STATES THAT MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. THE PROPOSED TYPE OF PROJECT WOULD ALSO IMPACT THAT FUNDING NEED. IS THERE ANY FUNDING AVAILABLE IN THE CURRENT CITY BUDGET? THERE'S NOT A DEDICATED SOURCE FOR THIS SPECIFIC USE, BUT WE COULD USE A VARIETY OF SOURCES INCLUDING THE HOUSING BOND AND OTHER LOCAL FUNDING SUCH SUCH AS TIRZ. CLTS ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DEVELOPING PROPERTY. THERE'S A LOT OF -- DEVELOPERS FOR DEVELOPING INFILL AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THOSE INCLUDE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH CONSTRUCTION, THEIR DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE SITE AND THEIR TIME LINE. ANOTHER QUESTION IS WHICH PROPERTIES, I THINK WE
[01:40:03]
TALKED ABOUT CLTS OPERATE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN DEPENDING ON MISSION AND GOALS. WHICH PROPERTIES, LOCATION AND SIZE MAY BE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR USE. WHAT OTHER INCENTIVE TOOLS MAY BE NEED TO DO ENSURE THE PROPERTIES ARE SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.AND HOW SHOULD PRIORITY AFFORDABILITY TIERS DIFFERENCE OWNER-OCCUPIED, I THINK THE COUNCILWOMAN IDENTIFIED NEED FOR THOSE. STATE LAW AS WAS JUST MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION DOES ALLOW CLTS TO OPERATE 60% FOR RENTAL AND 80% HOMEOWNERSHIP WITH ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS IF THERE IS A LARGER NUMBER OF UNITS BEING PUT INTO A CLT. BUT GENERALLY UP TO 60% FOR RENTAL AND UP TO 80% FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP. SOMETHING WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST WITH OPERATION REBUILD DIVERSION IS CREATE A PILOT PROGRAM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT A NEW PROCESS MAY POTENTIALLY REQUIRE IN THE LONG TERM GIVEN THE VARIETY OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO CERTAIN COMPLICATED PROJECTS LIKE CL TS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, I APPRECIATE YOU.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM. BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT WITH COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO SO NORMALLY I WOULD START WITH HER.
AS WE EXPLORE SOME OF THESE LAND TRUSTS AND GIVING AWAY ACCESS LAND THAT THE -- EXCESS LAND THE CITY OWNS, WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE THE AMI LEVELS.
I FEEL LIKE THE SHIP WAS CLEAR ON THE GOALS AND WE'RE STILL BEHIND ON THE 30% AND BELOW AS WE HEARD EARLIER FROM THIS COMMITTEE MEETING. WE DO DEFINITELY NEED TO PRIORITIZE THOSE AREAS AS WE ARE ABLE TO. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THIS ITEM BACK TO A FUTURE PCDC FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION BUT I'LL START WITH MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WHILE WE GET COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO ON.
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, IAN.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH --S IS FROM WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING, BUT IF IT FORMALIZES THAT CONGRATULATIONS. -- THAT'S GREAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A LIST AND THE ONE LIST I'M INTERESTED IN IS THE LIST OF LAND THAT THE CITY HAS THAT HAS TCEQ ISSUES. THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT I THINK -- I THINK I KIND OF NEED TO SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT -- AND I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE FIRE STATION IN MY AREA AND SOME OTHER LOCATIONS THAT POSSIBLY BELONG TO THE CITY IN MY AREA. THE OTHER THING IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS AND ROLL IT OUT, WE NEED TO REALLY COMMUNICATE WHAT THE CITY OWNS AND THAT THE CITY ISN'T PURCHASING OTHER PROPERTIES BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT THAT I GET FROM THE RESIDENTS, AND YOU KNOW THIS TOO BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN OUT IN DISTRICT 3, THEY ARE JUST HAVE THE CITY BUY IT. LIKE WE HAVE THIS UNLIMITED FUND TO BUY PROPERTIES THEY WANT TO KEEP AS GREEN SPACE. I THINK WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THIS PROPERTY AND THIS IS WHY WE DON'T NECESSARILY GO OUT AND PURCHASE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT US TO PURCHASE.
SO THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU IAN FOR THE PRESENTATION. SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS ITEM, AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES STATED, IN THE IMPLEMENTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AND I KNOW KNOW IS SHARED EXPECTATION BETWEEN COUNCIL AND NHSD, WE'RE WORKING WITH SOUND DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND OTHER PIECES THAT HELP GIVE CITY COUNCIL CONFIDENCE THE LAND WILL PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND QUALITY ACCESSIBLE HOUSING T GOAL OF THE CCR IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT -- ALREADY PRODUCING. REASON AS WE'VE MENTIONED IS JUST THE DATA WITHIN THE SHIP, THE COMMUNITY -- AND I KNOW I'M BEING A BIT REPETITIVE, BUT THESE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE. WITHIN THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THE AFFORDABILITY PARAMETERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE HOUSING BOND PARAMETERS, COMMUNITY ESTABLISHED PARAMETERS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SHIP AS WELL. IN TERMS OF LOCATION AND SIZE, I'M GRATEFUL TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE WORKED OR SERVED WITH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST OR HAVE AN INTEREST FOR EXPRESSING AFFORDABILITY.
[01:45:03]
IT DEPENDS ON THE MISSION OF THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE WE'RE ALSO PRODUCING AT THE DEEP AFFORDABILITY IN TERMS OF RENTAL VERSUS HOMEOWNERSHIP.I BELIEVE IT'S ALSO WITHIN THE SHIP THE SO I WOULDN'T WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM WHAT STAFF HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE SHIP. BUT AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO THE LOCATION, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PARTNER OR IDENTIFY, RATHER, WHICH IS WORK I KNOW ALREADY BEING DONE WITHIN NHSD AROUND THE PROPOSED TRANSIT ORIENTED LINES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE FUNDING AND THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITING FOR THE POTENTIAL 2027 HOUSING BOND TO INCREASE THE FUNDING THERE TO BE ABLE TO PUT FUNDING BEHIND THESE POLICY IDEAS AND INITIATIVES. ULTIMATELY THIS CCR CAME ABOUT WITH CONFERENCE WITH A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY LAND TRUST PARTNERS AND RACHEL DIGGING INTO RESEARCH HOW WE CAN ENSURE WE'RE NOT JUST HANDING OVER CITY-OWNED PROPERTY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING. ULTIMATELY I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CONVERSATION ON THE 31ST WITH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST POLICY BUT PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO ASSURE WE'RE CHIPPING AWAY AT HOUSING GOALS. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR HAVING CITY PROPERTY GO INTO BETTER USE IN THE WAY OF HELPING WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL.
I'M GLAD TO SEE WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT USING CITY PROPERTY AND DESIGNATING IT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PRIMARILY MAYBE GRANTING IT TO CLTS OR ARE WE ALSO CONSIDERING SETTING UP A CITY LAND BANK. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USING THE
LAND IN THOSE DIFFERENT WAYS. >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE ENGAGED A CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
I WILL SAY CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW OUR PROCESS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, IDENTIFYING PARCELS THAT MAKE SENSE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THOSE SMALLER IN NATURE, INFILL LOT, WE UTILIZE SAN ANTONIO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE ISSUE AN RFP FOR THOSE LOTS, PARTNER WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS. WE PRIORITIZE LOWER AMIS DEPENDING ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF TOWN AND MARKET CONDITIONS.
WITH LARGER PIECES OF PROPERTY WE LOOK AT PARTNERING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST WHEN A MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT MAY MAKE MORE SENSE.
>> COURAGE: IF WE PUT THIS INTO A LAND BANK, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, HOW CAN IT BE
USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING LATER DOWN THE LINE? >> SO A LAND BANK WOULD JUST INVOLVE A NON-PROFIT RENT IT THAT IS NOT TAXED HOLDING THE LAND AND ISSUING THEIR
OWN RFP FOR DEVELOPMENT FURTHER DOWN THE LINE. >> COURAGE: VERY SIMILAR.
>> IF WE WERE TO PARTNER WITH A CLT SPECIFICALLY, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE DEVELOP THE PLANT BE IT SINGLE-FAMILY OR OWNERSHIP OR RENTAL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, AS WHERE LAND BANKING COULD BE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, MAYBE IN AREAS NOT CURRENTLY
DEVELOPMENT BUT WHERE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT MAY BE. >> COURAGE: WITH THE LAND BANK WOULD WE HAVE OWNERSHIP OF THAT PROPERTY 99 YEARS AS A CITY OR LITERALLY SELL IT
OR GIVE IT AWAY TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION? >> ALL OF THOSE ARE POSSIBLE. THAT'S WHAT OUR CONSULTANT IS LOOKING AT.
IF WE PARTNER WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE THAT PROPERTY DEVELOPED WITHIN AN ARENA TIME FRAME, BUT WHEN THEY DO DEVELOP PARTNERS
IT'S USUALLY 989 YEARS TO ENSURE THE AFFORDABILITY. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. EXPECT, DO YOU HAVE
ANYTHING? >> PELÁEZ: NO, OTHER THAN I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS CCR.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> GARCIA: DO YOU WANT TO
MAKE THE MOTION -- >> IT'S JUST A BRIEFING. IT'S LISTED FOR ACTION BUT
DEPENDS WHAT YOU ALL WANT TO DO. >> I THINK THE INTENT WAS TO --.
WE WOULD WORK ON SOMETHING, HAVING HEARD EVERYBODY'S FEEDBACK AND COME BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. >> GARCIA: AND I THINK COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO HAS
ANOTHER QUESTION. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. YES, I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE IN TERMS OF LOCATION, SIZE FOR FOCUS ON OR NEARBY AREAS
[01:50:08]
THESE FACILITATORS THAT WE KNOW ACCELERATE GENERAL IF I INDICATION AND COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT AND A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES IN DISTRICT 5 WOULD BE ALONG THE GREENWAY TRAILS, THE SILVER LINE AND WHERE WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THESE MUCH NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. ESTABLISHING A RUBRIC AROUND SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY ASSETS THAT INCREASE VALUE AND DESIRE TO LAND SPECULATE WOULD BE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT I WOULD HOPE WE CAN EXPLORE FOR LOCATION AND SIZE.THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
YOU HEARD IT HERE, IAN, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, THE TIME
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.