Housing Commission

City of Falls Church Housing Commission MINUTES 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: March 9, 2021 PLACE OF MEETING: Virtual MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY: Chair Joshua Shokoor at 6:31 PM THOSE PRESENT: Commission Members Staff Jordan Hicks, Vice Chair Dana Lewis Joshua Shokoor, Chair Noha Osman Peter Davis Planning Commission Liaison Kristina Martinez Andrea Caumont Meredith Anderson Student Liaison FCHC Liaison Jessie Cummings Thom Vaccaro Jillian Kendrick Council Liaison Guest: Letty Hardi Phil Duncan- Council Member Debbie Hiscott Mansur Abdul-Malik Grace Rissetto Minutes from the February 9, 2021 meeting were Approved Proceedings: Meeting and Roll called to order – Chair Shokoor at 6:35 PM Reading of Virtual Meeting Notice – Staff Lewis Approval of Minutes – Joshua Shokoor One motion to approve by Jordan Hicks and seconded by Meredith Anderson. Status - 2021 Housing Commission Annual Report – Chair Shokoor  Will be sent following meeting  Annual Report to be presented to the council  Any highlights/topics to be added to the 2020 report  To be completed within the next month  Send email recommendations to Joshua Shokoor Housing Project/Virginia Village Update – Staff Lewis  Economic Development Authority EDA looking to purchase the Quad and add to affordable housing stock  Four residents currently residing (affordable and leases to continue)  Fairfax Redevelopment and Housing Authority or Virginia Housing as alternative funding source (positive outlook)  EDA would still be the owner  Closing on Friday (March 12, 2021)  Several vacant ADU units (Read Building and West Broad) some looking to lower rents Amazon Award and NHP Partnership Presentation – Mansur Abdul-Malik - Vice President of Development, The NHP Foundation  Received notice but have not gotten agreement about when the project will start  Finding a mixture of single-family homes and condominiums to meet the Virginia housing requirements  Allow residents to be able to use down payment assistance  Relatively minimum repairs expected on the properties  Priority list of people/lottery for who would be eligible  Sales price expected to be $100k lower than the original price  Produce approximately 18 houses/condominiums at or below 80% AMI  Covenants put in place to maintain a certain level of affordability in the community  Target time frame of first purchase is still unknown until we receive the agreement Tenant Response Update Demonstration– Staff Noha Osman  Office of Communication is putting it up  Distribute to rental buildings manually and put it on website  Tenants@fallschurchva.gov up and running with automated response being sent out  Working on getting it translated COVID-19 Vulnerable Populations Update - Staff Lewis  City receiving $13k from the VA Department of Housing and Community Development to assist residential/nonresidential customers to pay for utilities  CDBG funds will be utilized in March (1.5 months) after that we will no longer have funds  VA Rent Relief Program (CARES funds distributed to larger localities) new program scheduled to start in March ($520 million). City residents will utilize. o Each person is eligible for 15 months of rent assistance regardless of background/citizenship o Advocating that property managers apply for their residents o Anticipating shorter wait times  City funds still available for utilities and food if needed  Preparing transition to send residents to the state rental assistance program Affordable Housing Fund - Work Group Membership & Next Steps – Chair Shokoor  Recommendations made on Affordable Housing Fund Policy regarding prioritizing scoring system/affordable housing as a whole  Dedicate annual funding to the Affordable Housing Fund (can’t just rely on cash in lieu or ADU sales)  Council might be hesitant to put money into a fund with no projects identified  Applicants complete application with supporting documentation, Housing Commission convenes an Affordable Housing Fund workgroup  Recommendations for workgroup members to be emailed to Dana Lewis Other  Letty Hardi - $100k towards affordable housing budget, but what will the funds be used for exactly? Meeting Adjourned – 8:09 PM Recorder – Noha Osman