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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/02/2025 - Regular Minutes - Housing Plan Advisory CommitteeMinutes Housing Plan Advisory Committee July 2, 2025 Committee Members Present: Chairperson Geralyn Nolan, John Nesmith, Ivas Garcia, Brian Yung, Valen Cepak, and Aaron Shipp (via teams) Committee Members Absent: June Martin City Staff Present: Community Development Administrator David Brower, Community Development Analyst Raney Whitwell, Planning & Development Services Director Anthony Armstrong, Planning & Development Services Assistant Director Molly Hitchcock, Planning Administrator Chrisine Leal, Staff Planner Ashley Klein, Intern Angel Johnson, Intern Lauren Richter and Staff Assistant II Tiffany Romero Visitors Present: Charles and Whitney Coats from Habitat for Humanity Call meeting to Order and consider absence request. Chairperson Nolan called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. Hear Visitors No visitors spoke. Agenda Items Consideration, discussion, and possible action to approve meeting minutes. May 28, 2025 Committee Member Yung, motioned to approve the minutes, Committee Member Cepak seconded the motion, the motion passed 5-0. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding recent legislation as it pertains to housing. Community Development Administrator David Brower shared the following new legislation that will apply as of September 1, 2025. SB 1567 – Prohibits occupancy limits based on factors like familial status or relationship status. SB 2835 – Encourages more construction of smaller apartment complexes with single staircases. These complexes can have a smaller footprint, which means more properties can be potential sites of what is also called “gentle” density. Building needs to be no more than six stories and no more than four dwelling units on any floor. HB 24- Raises the petition threshold for property owners objecting to re-zoning for new development from 20% to 60%. City Council needs only a simple majority to approve the rezoning over a petition instead of a super majority that was required before. As of September 1st these three bills will impact housing in College Station. Administrator Brower also mentioned the following laws will apply when the population reaches 150K, which we expect to occur in the next five to seven years. SB 2477 – Makes it easier to convert vacant office buildings into housing. In addition to requiring administrative approval if requirements are met, the law says a city cannot require a wide range of things with buildings proposed for conversion to mix-use residential or multifamily use. SB 15 – Allows greater density (cannot require over 3000 square foot lots) on a tract of land that has no recorded plat, that will be platted and located in an area zoned for single-family homes and is five acres or more. SB 840 – Requires allowing apartments and mixed-use developments in more places. There was general discussion amongst the Committee regarding the new laws. Chairperson Nolan requested more clarification on SB 840. Director Armstrong clarified SB 840 stating that anything zoned single family would stay that zoning classification, but any property zoned non-residential would have to allow for multifamily as a buy right use. Director Armstrong discussed how the City can address where we want to locate affordable housing that there are several things in the plan about where the right places are to target. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the housing discussion at the June 12, 2025, City Council Meeting and the Housing Plan Advisory Committee’s prioritization of the Plan’s Goals, Strategies, and Actions. Development Services Director Anthony Armstrong shared the housing discussion that was presented at Council. He stated that there is interest from City Council to waive building fees, impact fees, and parkland fees. City Council has strong interest in trying to accelerate some level of affordable housing conversation. He mentioned that affordable housing is primarily 30% of your income being spent on housing. He asked how can we approach affordable housing for the masses, not the standard definition of HUD or ami of 80% area median income 50% etc. He stated that from City Council’s perspective, they want to know how to provide ownership opportunities to everybody and make it more appealing for all. City Council is wanting to see the different ideas the Committee develops, including assessing and setting a rate of housing, as well as the type of housing product the Committee is wanting to target. There was general discussion amongst the Committee. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the City’s proposed 2025 -2029 Consolidated Plan and FY2026 (PY2025) Annual Action Plan. Community Development Analyst Raney Whitwell presented the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan, stating that some of the grants listed could work with what the Committee is working on. CDBG and HOME Grant Background Housing and Urban (HUD) Allocation Formula Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – $1,229,672 1974 – to date $43,788,792 Uses – Administration, Public Services, Housing, Public Facilities, Economic Development Home Investment Partnership Grant (HOME) - $475,718 1994 – to date $16,634,327 Uses – Administration and Housing National Objectives Benefit Low/ Moderate Income Person Elimination of Slum and Blight Meet an Urgent Need CDBG is much more flexible with less regulations, whereas HOME is a very narrow scope of what you can use the funds for. But both must meet one of the national objectives, so they have to benefit low to moderate income persons, eliminate slum and flight and meet an urgent need. She continued, stating that The majority of our funds would be used to benefit low to moderate income persons. She stated that they have used these funds occasionally for slum or blighted areas, but that they do not have many of those in College Station area. An urgent need would be something like a Hurricane where we would need to respond right away. Analyst Whitwell presented the 2025-2026 Development Budget, sharing the following details. Housing -$2,100,343 Minor Home Repair - $160,000 7 new projects at 20,000 each ($140,000) $20,000 for current and ongoing projects Minor Home Repair Admin - $80,000 Housing Services - $85,680 Administration of the Home Share Program Section 108 Loan Financing Activities - $170,000 LULAC Interest Payments Down Payment Assistance - $810,000 8-10 Down Payment Assistance CDBG - $160,000 HOME - $650,000 Tenant Based Rental Assistance - $810,00 Approximately 70 households assisted – Maximum $850 each Rental Housing Rehab - $734,263 3 housing units Includes Acquisition, Rehab, and Relocation cost Analys Whitwell stated that she will be taking this budget and plan to council on July 10th. There was general discussion amongst the Committee regarding the budget. Discussion and possible action of future agenda items. Administrator Brower asked the Committee what their recommendation was for how the city should waive fees for the two kinds of scenarios discussed. Director Armstrong stated the intent is for the Committee to come up with something to bring to council. Adjourn Committee Member Cepak motioned to adjourn the meeting. Committee Member Yung seconded the motion, the motion passed 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 5:27. Approved: Attest: / / Geralen Nolan, Chairperson Tiffany Romero, Board Secretary