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: October 10, 2023 PLACE OF MEETING: In Person (City Hall Dogwood Room) w/ Virtual Option MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY: Meredith Anderson at 6:35 p.m. THOSE PRESENT: Commission Members Guests Meredith Anderson – Chair Phil Duncan, Council Member (Virtual) Jordan Hicks – Vice Chair Gene Gresko Hannah Jordan Sara Ferrea Justine Underhill Pirouz Kahnmalek City Council Liaison Mikayla Edmunds, Student Rep Letty Hardi Joseph Cobucci, Student Rep Staff Kayleen Mark Brenden Woodley 1. Approval of Minutes – Chair Meredith Anderson a. Hanna motion to approve b. Jordan seconded 2. Public Comments – Chair Meredith Anderson a. Gene Gresko commented on Demographics Study and the consultant being used by City i. Suggests using current data that the City has with the rental survey updated recently  ii. Justine Underhill requested a list of apartments vs condos, house type and family sizes 3. Affordable Living Policy Committee Selection – Staff Brenden Woodley a. Selection Criteria i. Council member ii. Banking or mortgage industry representative iii. Developer iv. PTA member or League of Women Voters member v. Housing Commission member vi. Human Services Advisory Committee member vii. Senior tenant of an apartment in the City viii. Planning Commission member ix. Business Community - (Request for Business Owner) x. Works for a non-profit xi. Current or former participant of City Housing programs b. Hannah Jordan suggested having someone who represents the Falls Church Homeless Shelter (director) Barfonts Baldwin c. Meredith would like to include a discussion on housing priorities during the policy discussions 4. Housing Update – Staff Kayleen Mark a. Kayleen Mark is getting clients certified for the extended CCAU program b. Reached out to different properties in the City with market affordable rents to add the extra 3 units we lost for ADU to add to our affordable housing stock, however no units available c. Those units will be rented at 60% AMI and the City covers the difference in the market rent d. Spoke with Northgate and Tinner Hill to participate e. Application for the funds from the affordable housing fund is ready and the next step would be to have the affordable housing fund committee to meet to approve the use of the funds for this project. Request of $90,000 for FY 2024 for the current 3 CCAUs and the additional 5 units 5. Affordable Homeownership Program Update – Staff Brenden Woodley a. Primary Updates i. Two closings since last HC meeting ii. The City has sent out a Press Release to local publications iii. Program Interest: Increase in online submissions from 143 to 153, total increase of 10. iv. One new eligible buyer and two closings net decrease from 10 to 9 v. The City is preparing a SPARC policy so that people outside of the Homeownership Program can participate vi. NHP is touring 3 units and all new properties has they come on the market vii. Program flyers are being provided to the Housing Commission 6. VA Village Update – Staff Brenden Woodley a. Since last update: i. HHS prepared an update to the City Council at the 9/26 Regular meeting  ii. The City and Wesley to have a stakeholder meeting with Va Housing to discuss Loan closing iii. The City and Wesley are preparing to submit all loan paperwork to Va Housing iv. Once this loan submission is done, a closing date can be established. 7. Other a. Meredith mentioned a flyer that she created and passed out for more HC education 8. Adjourn - 8:06p a. Motion by Justine Underhill, seconded by Jordan Hicks