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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-11-30 HAC MIN MINUTES HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING Wednesday November 30, 1994 Conference 3 3:30 p.m. Public Services Building CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL PRESENT: Thomas Alonso-Massey, Vicki Madrid, Rosa Lopez-Gonzalez, Robert Flaugher, Kathryn Lembo (Ex-Officio), Jerry Mayfield (Ex-Officio) ABSENT: Maggie Helton, Evelyn Michela STAFF: Housing Coordinator Arroyo, Community Development Specialist I Shanahan, Administrative Office Assistant II Gonzalez,.Principal Planner Bazzel, Senior Planner Batchelder 1. INTRODUCTIONS - Mr. Arroyo introduced himself, Sheila Shanahan and Alicia Gonzalez to the Housin,� Advisory Commission Members. Mr. Arroyo stated to the members that they should give some Background of themselves. Mr. Jerry Mayfield (ex-officio) member, introduced himself and stated that he is a architect and planner, and has been involved in the development of affordable housing.. He is now the Executive Director of abitat for Humanity. He stated that their organization is very interested in affordable housing, es ecially at the lower income levels. Mr. Thoma Alonso-Massey is a Trial Attorney, married and owns a home in Eastlake-where he resides and has two rental units in San Diego. He stated that he volunteered because he wants to contribute to affordable housing and housing issues that this Commission embraces. Ms. Vicki Madrid currently works with the San Diego City Housing Commission. She has been employed there for fourteen years, during that time she has worked in just about every department. She is curXtly working in the Development Department. Vicki does a variety of tasks ranging from construction inspections and cost estimates to setting schedules and timelines and running data base report on projects. Ms. Rosa Lopez-Gonzalez works for Union Bank. Her interest in this Commission is to assist people P P P getting into low income housing. She has helped a lot of bank customers obtain their first home. In addition, she has done counseling in how to save money for first time home buyers. Ms. Kathy Lembo (Ex-Officio) is the Executive Director of South Bay Community Services which is a multi services agency. About 80 to 90% of the people that come to SBCS for services are very low income. Iso SBCS has a community development branch that is getting involved in affordable housing. SBCS runs the only homeless shelter for families in the South Bay. Mr. Robert Flaugher has been a resident of Chula Vista for 36 years and is retired from Civil Service. Mr. Flaugh r ns a organization called (MPAC) Mobilehome Political Action Committee. Over the past years�ie hu been helping mobilehome residents challenge excessive rents and to address other mobilehome issues. He stated that he is very interested in the production of low cost housing. Mr. Arroyo congratulated all Commission Members for their appointments. Mr. Arroyo reported that the Commission grew out of the Housing Advisory Committee which has been instrumental in the l development of many housing programs and policies and in the production of a number of important documents, such as the Housing Element and the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy for the City. Mr� Arroyo stated that the City Council decided to form a Commission that will also serve as an advisoiy body to the Housing Authority. As Commission Members, their role is to provide, advise, and rake recommendations to the Council, but also to the Housing Authority and Redevelopment Agency on issues that deal with housing. This Commission will be involved with reviewing housing policies, strategies, and also making recommendations by which to implement housing programs. The Commission will also be reviewing and making recommendations on important issues before they go to the Housing Authority and City Council for final approval. Also, the Commission will review and be involved with affordable housing projects that are requiring and/or requesting public funds. Today the Commission will be reviewing the EastLake-Affordable Housing program that is in process. Part of the reason why staff called for'a special meeting of this body was to begin to get Commission input on this program. Mr. Arroyo stated that the Commission Members will be drawing lots to determine their initial terms. He stated that the Commission is scheduled to meet every fourth Wednesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. Member Robert Flaugher picked 6-30-96 for his term. Member Rosa Lopez-Gonzalez picked 6-30- 98 for her term. Member Vicki Madrid picked 6-30-99 for her term. Member Thomas Alonso- Massey pic ed 6-30-97 for his term. The two Ex-Officios terms are for two years. 2. EAST LAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE REPORT - Mr. Arroyo gave a brief background the report that was enclosed in their packet. As indicated in the report the Council almost a year ago now, established the EastLake Affordable Housing Task Force with the overall objective to come up with an implementation plan to produce affordable housing in EastLake. The Housin6 Element stipulates as a housing policy that any development that is 50 units or more anywhere ir1 the City, is required to set aside 10% of those units to be at affordable housing level. Half of the units are required to be affordable to low income and the other half to moderate income households Low income is determined to be 80% of the median income for the area. Right now this means bout $36,000 for a family of four. Very low income is 50% of the median income which is $ 2,700 for a family of four. Moderate income is 120% of the median income or currently $54,500 fo a family of four. It is the City's intention to provide housing opportunities to as many low income and very low income households as possible. The Commission discussed the issue of counting Olympic Training Center (OTC) Athletic Housing, towards Affordable Housing Program (AHP) for the EastLake development. Commissioners expressed �oncern allowing these units to count as AHP credit since they won't count towards the City's Housing Element goals. Mr. BatchelJder from the Planning Department went over the report with Commission Members, outlining the major components. Referring to a map of the Eastlake project area, he provided a brief history of affordable housing activity, and then reviewed the Task Force process and how the proposed program structure was developed. That proposed program uses a two-phased approach to providing new affordable housing within the remaining development areas of EastLake. Phase I addresses she Greens project area, and is tailored to the fact that by prior action of the City Council, the project has been progressing through construction without having a specific affordable housing plan. He then briefly reviewed the regulatory history. Therefore, the Phase I program provisions are aimed at addressing the fact that we are dealing with a moving target, rather than starting from scratch beiore the project completes its regulatory approvals and begins construction. What the Task Force is trying to do with the Phase I program is accelerate completion of the affordable housing component within the Greens, since the balance of the development is already moving i forward. As a result, Phase I focuses on actions that need to occur to secure a site, or sites, on which the 160 low-income unit requirement for the Greens can be provided, and when in relationship to the rest of the project. EastLake and the City are currently working with two non- profit housing organizations on an affordable housing project proposal for the site west of EastLake Parkway and south of the high school. That multi-family project could provide somewhere between 120 and 160 low income affordable units. Phase II add lesses the balance of the EastLake community including the Trails, Woods, Vistas and Land Swap areas. It focuses on establishing progress benchmarks toward planning for and providing required affordable housing units, and which must be met at various stages of future developments approvals. It is more typical of how the City would like to see affordable housing approached with the large master planned developments. Member A[ nso-Massey raised the concern that all the sites seems to be right next to SR125. His concern is that the low income households will be right next to a environmentally unsafe part of the entire development. In referring �o the three potential sites near SR125, Mr. Batchelder briefly reviewed the planning history, indicating that two of the sites were fully evaluated at both the general and community planning levels and designated for multi-family residential development. The third site at the south- west quadrant of SR125 and Telegraph Canyon Road is presently designated for commercial office type development, and staff has been discussing if that is a good site or not for multi-family residential development. Designation as a potential site in the Affordable Housing Report is coming mainly from EastLake, and should EastLake eventually desire to use that site they would need to process a General Plan Amendment. Mr. Batchelder also indicated that the area in the vicinity of SR125 was Jintended as an "activity corridor" in the EastLake Master Plan, and within which multi- family densities and civic and commercial uses are planned due to the proximity to major roads, mass transit routes and other support services. Site 2 would be served by EastLake Parkway, and millions of dollars worth of infrastructure improvements would need to occur to extend EastLake Parkway to the south, and to bring water, sewer, and fall other utilities to make that site developable in the near term. If and when staff gets to the point where a project on site 1 does not become feasible or may not meet all the requirements for the Greens project, then one or both alternate sites would have to be considered. Member M�yfield asked what would stop staff from stopping the production right now and including the affordable housing in the Greens rather than on other sites. Mr. Batchelider responded that there are two main issues, one has to do with existing community fabric and the other is a factor of approved density and the ability to subside the units down to a level of low income affordability. Mr. Bazzel stated that the City Council did not support some of the originally proposed higher density areas within the core of EastLake Greens. The people living in the Greens in various areas were saying that they didn't want to see apartments across their view of the golf course. Mr. Alonsoj Massey stated that his understanding of high density is the same thing as affordable housing. So his question is why did City Council side against low housing by ruling against high density and now staff is backtracking and putting the high density that is low income housing back in. Mr. Bazzel responded that what the Council did was not taken as an attack against affordable housing, but rather they had some difficulties with density policies throughout EastLake Greens. Therefore, they brought down the overall density by focusing on certain sites that had higher density. In turn, they recognized that there wasn't as many opportunities to provide lower income housing. Member Madrid asked if there are any plans that are developed along the lines of what they perceive as far as the high density project. Mr. Arroyo �esponded no, not yet, but there are some projects already within the development that fall within the low income category. Member Mayfield's concern is the number of units and all the 150% median income households all grouped in one group. In other words the number of units in relationship to the rest of the complex. Mr. Arroyo stated that staff will bring this issue back for additional comments and review before staff takes it to Council. Mr. Arroyo suggested that they move ahead to the nomination of officers, but since not all members were present the Commission decided to carry over the matter until the next scheduled meeting. 3. OR�L COMMENTS - None 4. STAFF REPORTS - Mr. Arroyo stated to the Commission Members that there is a tentative grand openi g for the Park Village Apartments that are located on Third and Palomar. Staff will be sending out invitations to that event. It is a 28 unit complex, it combines with affordable housing for families, child care, and also it provides off-site job training opportunities. It was a combination of state, cit , and tax credit type of financing that made it happen. 5. MEMBERS COMMENTS - None 6. ADJOURNMENT - At 5:30 p.m. to the next regular meeting scheduled December 28, 1994 in the Public Services Building. al/,Z Recorder, Alicia Gonzalez [AG%C:1WP WIN111 30-94.M IN]