 |
|
 |
 |
A
Printable Version
of the 2002 Mayor's Affordable Housing Task Force Action Plan is
available. For the printable version, you will need Adobe
Acrobat Reader. If you do not have a current copy of this free
software, you can download
it now.
In the year Two Thousand Two………………………………………………………………
Resolved by the City Council of the City of Burlington, as follows:
That WHEREAS, a safe, decent place to live is one of life's basic necessities
that enables families to meet other basic necessities and save for their future;
and
WHEREAS, an adequate stock of housing that is affordable to working families is
not just necessary to maintain stable families and vibrant neighborhoods, it's
also essential to the economic health of our city and region; and
WHEREAS, the National Low Income Housing Coalition's 2001 housing study found
that Vermont is among the top ten least affordable states when median wages are
compared with prevailing rents; and
WHEREAS, the vacancy rate for apartments in Chittenden County has been below 1%
for the past six years, yet most housing experts consider 5% to represent a more
balanced rental housing market; and
WHEREAS, many local employers report that they can't attract and retain good
workers because there's no place the workers can afford to live on the wages
prevailing in the marketplace; and
WHEREAS, the City of Burlington has been recognized as a national leader among
cities for its innovative and successful housing programs; and
WHEREAS, in spite of the significant housing accomplishments that the City
and its nonprofit and for-profit partners have made over the past two decades,
the current housing market is clearly not meeting housing needs of working
families; and
WHEREAS, in November of 2001, Mayor Clavelle appointed a politically diverse
group of stakeholders representing housing developers, builders, lenders, tenant
and landlord advocates, and planning and preservation professionals to serve on
the "Mayor's Affordable Housing Task Force" (Task Force); and
WHEREAS, the Task Force was charged by the Mayor with developing a set of
recommendations to the Mayor and City Council that further the following broad
housing goals:
1. Produce new affordable housing
2. Preserve existing affordable housing
3. Protect vulnerable populations
4. Promote affordable homeownership; and
WHEREAS, the Task Force held 15 meetings, including two public hearings between
November 2001 and June 2002 to gather public comments, assess Burlington's
current housing conditions, review regulatory impediments to creating more
housing and to explore changes needed at the local, regional, state and federal
level to encourage more affordable housing development and preservation
throughout the region; and
WHEREAS, the Task Force has issued a report, attached hereto and dated August 7,
2002, which includes sixty-seven individual recommendations that address the
four housing goals identified above;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and the City Council charge
appropriate City departments and request support from appropriate stakeholders
with the following actions as described in the Affordable Housing Task Force
Report and request that the following activities be priorities for Fiscal Year
2003:
| Goal 1: Preserve
Housing |
Action Steps |
Responsible
Person/Organization |
Target Date |
| 1.1 |
Adopt a flexible rehabilitation sub-code |
CEDO, DPW, Attorney, Ordinance Committee |
Winter 2003 |
| 1.2 |
Evaluate Housing Preservation & Replace Ordinance |
Planning, CEDO, Attorney |
2003 |
| 1.3 |
Increase use of tax sales of delinquent properties |
Attorney, Clerk/Treasurer |
2003 |
| 1.4 |
Secure affordability preservation agreements |
CEDO, BHA, VHFA |
Winter 2003 |
| 1.5 |
Enact Time of Sale Rental Housing Code Compliance
Ordinance |
ORdinance Committee, CEDO, Code Enforcement, Attorney |
2003-2004 |
| 1.6 |
Increase use of Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credit |
CEDO, Planning, Preservation Burlington |
Ongoing |
| 1.7 |
Maintain rental rehab program |
CEDO, Chittenden Bank |
Ongoing |
| 1.8 |
Promote housing rehab programs to other municipalities |
CEDO, CCRPC, COPC |
Fall 2002 |
| 1.9 |
Seek investigation of escalating insurance costs |
CEDO, Commissioner of Banking & Insurance |
2002-2003 |
| 1.10 |
Support statewide rental housing inspection program |
Vermont Tenants, Inc., Code Enforcement, Legislature |
2003 Legislative session |
| 1.11 |
Encourage sale of Section 8 projects to nonprofits |
CEDO, VHFA, BHA, Congressional delegation |
2003 session of Congress |
Top
of the Page
| Goal 2: Produce Housing |
Action Steps |
Responsible
Person/Organization |
Target Date |
| 2.1 |
Remove local barriers to housing production |
Planning Commission, Attorney, Planning, City Council |
2003-2004 |
| 2.2 |
Gather feedback from home builders and developers |
CEDO, Homebuilders & Remodelers of Northern VT |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
| 2.3 |
Implement recommendations of the 1990 Regulatory Review Task
Force |
Planning, DPW, Attorney |
Winter-Spring 2003 |
| 2.4 |
Examine impact of City fees |
CEDO, DPW, Planning, Treasurer |
Winter 2003 |
| 2.5 |
Train regulatory review boards |
Attorney, Planning |
2002-2003 |
| 2.6 |
Conduct "on-the-record" hearing |
Attorney, Planning |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
| 2.7 |
Explore "anti-snob" zoning |
Attorney, Planning, CEDO |
Fall 2002 |
| 2.8 |
Insist that UVM create 400 beds by Fall 2003 |
Mayor, Attorney, CEDO, City Council |
2003 |
| 2.9 |
Create database of housing development sites |
CEDO, Planning |
Fall 2002 |
| 2.10 |
Identify City-owned land for affordable housing |
CEDO, City Council |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
| 2.11 |
Evaluate Inclusionary Zoning ordinance |
CEDO, Planning, Housing Trust Fund Committee |
2003 |
| 2.12 |
Develop payment in lieu of creating Inclusionary units |
CEDO, Planning |
Fall 2002 |
| 2.13 |
CCRPC should deny plans lacking affordable housing component |
CCRPC, DHCA |
Ongoing |
| 2.14 |
CCRPC should facilitate voluntary "core compact" |
CCRPC, DHCA |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
| 2.15 |
Inter-municipal cooperation on infrastructure capacity |
CCRPC, Local Elected Officials Group |
Ongoing |
| 2.16 |
CCRPC should help update local zoning codes |
CCRPC, Municipalities, DHCA |
Ongoing |
| 2.17 |
Continue and expand State funding for housing production |
Governor's Office, Legislature |
Ongoing |
| 2.18 |
State prioritize capital funds for mixed income housing |
Governor's Office, Legislature |
Spring 2003 |
| 2.19 |
Identify state land for affordable housing |
DHCA, Commissioner of Buildings |
Spring 2003 |
| 2.20 |
Remove State barriers to housing production |
DHCA, State Courts, Legislature |
2003 legislative session |
| 2.21 |
State should discourage phasing |
DHCA, Legislature |
2003 legislative session |
| 2.22 |
State should review housing element of municipal development
plans |
DHCA |
Fall 2002 |
| 2.23 |
State should revise Chapter 117 |
DHCA, Legislature |
2003 legislative session |
| 2.24 |
Raise the standard for permit appeals |
Attorney, Legislature |
2003 legislative session |
| 2.25 |
Congress should continue and expand funding for existing
programs |
Congressional delegation |
Ongoing |
| 2.26 |
New rental housing production program |
Congressional delegation |
2003 session of Congress |
| 2.27 |
Federal incentives for homeownership |
Congressional delegation |
2003 session of Congress |
Top
of the Page
| Goal 3: Protect
Vulnerable Residents |
Action Steps |
Responsible
Person/Organization |
Target Date |
| 3.1 |
Enact No Cause Eviction Control measure |
Attorney, CEDO, Charter Change Committee |
Winter 2003 |
| 3.2 |
Allow charging of pet deposits |
Ordinance, Attorney, City Council |
Fall 2002 |
| 3.3 |
Require rental disclosure form |
Ordinance, Attorney, Code Enforcement, CEDO |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
| 3.4 |
Target code enforcement resources |
Attorney, Code Enforcement |
Summer 2002 |
| 3.5 |
Increase periodic inspections |
Code Enforcement |
Fall 2002 |
| 3.6 |
Analyze Life Safety code for existing rental units |
Ordinance, CEDO, Attorney, DPW, Code
Enforcement |
Winter 2002-2003 |
| 3.7 |
Send notice of violations to tenants |
Code Enforcement |
Fall 2002 |
| 3.8 |
Improve public access to inspection records |
Code Enforcement |
Fall 2002 |
| 3.9 |
Explore exempting all assisted units from registration
fees |
Ordinance, Attorney, Code Enforcement, CEDO |
2003 |
| 3.10 |
Conduct regional fair housing analysis |
CCRPC |
2003 |
| 3.11 |
Continue and expand state funding for the homeless |
State Economic Opportunity Office, AHS,
Legislature |
Ongoing |
| 3.12 |
Limit fees to third party charges |
Attorney, Legislature |
2003 session |
| 3.13 |
Explore using TANF for housing subsidies |
AHS, VT Affordable
Housing Coalition, BHA |
Fall 2002 |
| 3.14 |
Increase transitional housing & affordable assisted
living |
AHS, VHCB, DHCA |
Ongoing |
| 3.15 |
State funds for housing retention |
AHS, COTS, BHA |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
| 3.16 |
Enhance utilization of Section 8 |
BHA, Congressional delegation |
Winter 2003 |
| 3.17 |
Continue and expand federal funding for homeless |
VT Affordable Housing Coalition,
Congressional delegation, COTS |
Ongoing |
| 3.18 |
Federal funds for housing retention |
COTS, BHA, Congressional delegation |
Fall 2002 |
Top
of the Page
| Goal 4: Promote Homeownership |
Action Steps |
Responsible
Person/Organization |
Target Date |
| 4.1 |
Increase funding for the Housing Trust Fund for
homeownership |
Mayor, CEDO, City Council |
2003 |
| 4.2 |
Encourage owner-occupancy of small apartment buildings |
Ordinance, CEDO, City Attorney, Planning, |
Spring 2003 |
| 4.3 |
Encourage accessory apartments |
Ordinance, Planning, CEDO, City Attorney |
Winter 2002-2003 |
| 4.4 |
Continue financial support to BCLT and HomeOwnership
Center |
CEDO, Mayor, City Council |
Ongoing |
| 4.5 |
Support for Section 8 homeownership |
CEDO, BHA, Mayor |
Fall 2002 |
| 4.6 |
Develop an Employer Assisted Housing program for City
Employees |
Vermont Development Credit Union, CEDO,
Fannie Mae, VHFA |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
| 4.7 |
Promote the housing trust fund concept among neighboring
communities |
Community Outreach Partnership Center
and Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission |
Fall 2002 |
| 4.8 |
Maintain State funding for homeownership |
VT Housing & Conservation Board |
Ongoing |
| 4.9 |
Raise VHFA limits for home-buying in Burlington |
VT Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) |
Spring 2003 |
| 4.10 |
Reduce reliance on property tax |
State legislature, VLCT |
Winter 2003 |
| 4.11 |
Expand federal homeownership incentives |
Congressional delegation, VHFA |
Fall-Winter 2002 |
Top
of the Page
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Council wish to
express their gratitude to members of the Task Force for their time, energy and
commitment to improving the housing situation in Burlington; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council instructs each of
the above-named City departments and requests the above-named stakeholders to
submit a written report to the Community and Economic Development Office by
October 1, 2002 that
-
explains any reasons that any of the above recommendations
should not be implemented or cannot be implemented according to the target
dates included in this resolution; and
-
provides an estimate of the fiscal and human resources
impact of implementing these recommendations; and
-
describes if any departmental objectives will not get
accomplished due to re-assigning staff; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CEDO
present a consolidated implementation plan based on the written reports
submitted by City departments and stakeholders at the first City Council
meeting in November 2002; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Council request that the
above-named City departments and other stakeholders report on their
activities quarterly beginning in January 2003 and continuing until January
2004; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk-Treasurer's Office send copies of this
resolution to each of the above-named City departments and stakeholders.
Top
of the Page / Up
|
 |
 |