Title
Affordable Housing Task Force - For the purpose of establishing a Task Force charged with assessing the current and projected future landscape of housing affordability in the City of Annapolis; evaluating current programs and initiatives to produce new affordable housing and preserve existing ones; and making recommendations of policy to the Mayor and the City Council
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Resolution R-19-20
Introduced by: Alderman Gay and Mayor Buckley
Co-sponsored by: Alderwoman Tierney
A RESOLUTION concerning
Affordable Housing Task Force
FOR the purpose of establishing a Task Force charged with assessing the current and projected future landscape of housing affordability in the City of Annapolis; evaluating current programs and initiatives to produce new affordable housing and preserve existing ones; and making recommendations of policy to the Mayor and the City Council.
WHEREAS, the shortage of decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing creates significant challenges for very-low-income and extremely low-income households, especially for those who pay more than half of their income on housing costs, and this severe cost burden makes many households vulnerable to health hazards, eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness; and
WHEREAS, much of Annapolis’s existing affordable housing stock is both concentrated and oftentimes isolated in high-poverty and low-opportunity areas where individuals have diminished access to jobs, public transportation, and educational opportunities, which circumstances inadvertently perpetuate cycles of poverty; and
WHEREAS, affordable housing is one piece of a system of comprehensive housing policies and programs and must be considered as a part of, and integrated with, the whole to achieve feasibility and effectiveness; and
WHEREAS, the City of Annapolis desires to attract new residents, retain existing residents, and prevent potential displacement of existing residents due to rising housing costs; and
WHEREAS, before initiating a policy response to potential displacement, the City of Annapolis desires to study existing conditions, project future needs, evaluate current programs and initiatives, and study nationwide best practices in order to determine appropriate solutions; and
WHEREAS, the City of Annapolis, wishes to address housing needs holistically, and aims to work closely with partners at the county, state, and federal levels to better coordinate affordable housing funding, programs, and initiatives to maximize opportunities; and
WHEREAS, in order to effectively achieve these goals the City of Annapolis will seek guidance and expertise from a diverse group of stakeholders inside and outside of government, by creating an Affordable Housing Task Force charged with making specific recommendations to the City Council.
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that establishment of an Affordable Housing Task Force commissioned to assess the current and projected future landscape of housing affordability in the City of Annapolis, evaluate current programs and initiatives to produce new affordable housing and preserve existing ones is hereby approved.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Affordable Housing Task Force shall be formed and function as follows:
1. All members of the Affordable Housing Task Force shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Task Force shall be comprised of the following individuals:
2 members of the Housing and Human Welfare Committee
1 member of the Housing and Community Development Committee
2 individuals from the Mayor’s Office, namely, the African American & Hispanic Liaisons
2 individuals from the Annapolis Planning & Zoning Department
2 individuals from the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, namely, 1 individual from the Executive Director’s Staff and 1 individual of the Board of Commissioners
2 individuals representing Anne Arundel County Government
1 individual designated by the 30A State Delegation
1 individual from the Annapolis Office of Economic Development
3 individuals who are each members of a non-profit organization focused on affordable or fair housing
1 individual from the Annapolis Department of Transportation
1 individual from the Annapolis Finance Department
3 individuals who possess a Maryland State Real Estate License and who each have a minimum of 5 active years of real estate experience
3 individuals from development companies with a concentration in affordable housing, which do not have an interest in current or future development in the City limits
4 community leaders residing in the City of Annapolis
16 residents from the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, 2 from each of the Public Housing and Mixed-Income Properties
2. Task Force members shall serve without compensation.
3. The Task Force shall elect from among their appointed membership a chair, vice-chair, and a secretary.
4. The Task Force shall have at least 3 meetings at which the Task Force takes public testimony about housing affordability, the needs and desires of residents, and to share their findings.
5. The Task Force may adopt rules of procedure as it deems necessary and appropriate for the conduct of its meetings and activities. The Task Force shall publish a report by July 31, 2020, to include its findings and recommendations concerning the existing landscape of affordable housing options and projected future needs, current programs and initiatives to create and preserve housing affordability, and recommended policy response to ensure a vibrant mix of accessible housing options for all City residents.
6. The Task Force shall have 4 separate committees - Policy and Recommendations, Community Engagement, Needs Assessment, and Feasibility:
- The Policy and Recommendations Committee shall be tasked with assessing a variety of housing policies, for both short- and long-term implementation. It will analyze the best practices nationally and locally, focusing on preserving affordability, building mixed-income communities, and measurers for anti-displacement.
- The Community Engagement Committee advises the Task Force on the most comprehensive method to include the community in the Task Force recommendations. The committee shall be comprised of community organizations, elected officials, and other representatives. This committee shall organize the outreach campaign to include Annapolis residents.
- The Needs Assessment Committee will be tasked with studying and analyzing data, trends, and market demands associated with local and county housing markets. It will review the existing housing conditions in the City of Annapolis and perform demand analysis, identify gaps within the market, and provide scenario studies. This Committee’s report will detail the City of Annapolis's existing housing market and trends.
- The Feasibility Committee shall be tasked with studying the implications and impacts associated with the various policies and programs being reviewed by the Task Force. They will assess the legal, financial, and organizational capacity to support new policies and programs aimed at building mixed-income communities and preserving affordability.
7. The specific tasks and deliverables of the Task Force shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
- a definition or definitions of ‘affordable’, as it relates to housing (rental and for-sale), which shall inform future policymaking;
- a housing study which includes current and projected future housing market conditions, an inventory of existing affordable housing, and a projected inventory of affordable housing through at least 2024;
- an analysis and evaluation of current policies, programs, and initiatives related to affordable housing production and preservation
- recommendations for the creation of new policies, programs, or initiatives and the expansion of existing ones to increase the supply of affordable housing in the City of Annapolis commensurate with current and projected future needs.
8. The City Council, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office, the Finance Department, and the City Manager shall make financial resources available to the Task Force for professional and technical services in an amount not to exceed $5,000 should these resources become necessary in order for the Task Force to complete its work.
9. The Affordable Housing Task Force shall present its findings and recommendations to the City Council at a meeting to be held no later than September 30, 2020.
10. The City Council, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office, shall take action on the Task Force’s recommendations no later than December 31, 2020.