Housing Commission

MINUTES HOUSING COMMISSION PURPOSE OF MEETING: The five-member Commission is appointed by the City Council for three-year terms. The Housing Commission maintains awareness of housing needs and opportunities, including affordable housing; proposes housing policy initiatives and changes; investigates fair housing complaints and conciliates these complaints; mediates conflicts relating to the Virginia Residential Landlord & Tenant Act and offers reconciliatory services in conflicts relating to other housing laws. DATE OF MEETING: ___January 8______, 2013 PLACE OF MEETING: The Oak Room, East Wing, City Hall MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY: ___ Steve Sprague _____ AT ___6:40 PM _______ (time) THOSE PRESENT: Commission Members Staff Steve Sprague, Chair ___x___ Dana Lewis: ___ __________ Julio Idrobo, Vice-Chair__ __x___ Sue Richter _________ Don Brobst___x____ Kevin Denton ___x_____ Tori McKinney____x___ M.T. Gutmanis_______x____ OTHERS PRESENT: Phil Duncan – City Council member and Jim Garrett – Falls Church Housing Corporation liaison TOPICS OF DISCUSSION: ______________________________________________________ Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the 11/13/2012 were approved with one change. On the template add Steve Sprague as Chair and Julio Idrobo as Vice-Chair. • Affordable Housing Policy Work Group Update and Comments – Commissioner Sprague passed out the draft Housing Commission letter/comments that he prepared on behalf of the Commission. Question #1 – Should there be a preference for stand alone or scattered-site affordable housing? o No preferences. Question #2 – How much sustainable revenue should be dedicated for affordable housing o Put the 1% back in the policy Question #3 – Should 6% be the amount that developers concede with regards to ADU development? o Commissioner Brobst says we should be getting more ADUs. Commissioner McKinney says that real estate taxes are the City’s bread and butter and we must see affordable housing as an aggressive piece of that. Brobst and Sprague say that they want to later address the way that City negotiations could be more aggressive. Gutmanis concurs with the draft that Lewis sent out. Don made a motion for agreement, Julio seconded and then the vote passed.  o The agendas were passed out for the two community forums. Sprague gave an overview of the agenda discussion. Julio shared that businesses are interested in attending. He would like copies to pass out to businesses. He is hoping teachers, police and Kaiser Representatives will come. He also invited a person who is a participant in a CDBG funded program. One question asked was what are the City’s affordable housing programs? Garrett asked if the group will need a Vietnamese translator. He also would like to receive an agenda. • ADU Rents Discussion - The 2013 ADU rents were passed out and the group approved with Don making the motion and Tori seconding. • FCHC Cooperative Agreement – Sprague asked that everyone review the Cooperative agreement. Steve will draft a positive letter on behalf of the group. • CDBG quarterly reports – The group would like an overview of CDBG quarterly reports at the next meeting. Next meeting will be February 11, 2013 Time and location to be announced. MEETING ADJOURNED AT: __________________7:44 PM SIGNATURE OF RECORDER: ______________________________________ The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703 248-5005, (TTY 711). DATE: ______________________________ MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: PLEASE SIGN IN FOR THE RECORD. Thank you. 1 16 2 17 3 18 4 19 5 20 6 21 7 22 8 23 9 24 10 25 11 26 12 27 13 28 14 29 15 30