Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutApprovedMinutes_SKHHP_ExecutiveBoard_October_18_2024 SKHHP Executive Meeting October 18, 2024 MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Traci Buxton called the meeting to order at 1:04 PM. ROLL CALL/ESTABLISHMENT OF QUORUM Executive Board members present: Traci Buxton, City of Des Moines; Merina Hanson, City of Kent; Liz Stead, City of Burien; Layelah Wilson, City of Federal Way; Sean Kelly, City of Maple Valley; Carmen Rivera, City of Renton; James Lovell, City of SeaTac; Thomas McLeod, City of Tukwila; Xochitl Maykovich, King County. Others present: Claire Goodwin, SKHHP Executive Manager; Dorsol Plants, SKHHP Program Coordinator; Angie Mathias, City of Renton; McCaela Daffern, King County; Evan Maxim, City of SeaTac; Matt Torpey, City of Maple Valley; Victoria Schroff, City of Maple Valley Alternate. II. PUBLIC COMMENT No public comment was provided. III. APPROVAL OF AUGUST 16, 2024 MINUTES Sean Kelly moved to approve the August 16, 2024 minutes as presented, seconded by Thomas McLeod. Motion passed (8-0) IV. AGENDA MODIFICATIONS No modifications to the agenda were made. V. BOARD BUSINESS a. HOUSING CAPITAL FUND PROJECT APPLICATION REVIEW Claire Goodwin thanked the Executive Board for their work on the Housing Capital Fund and acknowledged that this was the first year that every SKHHP member city had contributed. The Advisory Board will make their funding recommendation at their November 7 meeting, and Claire Goodwin will provide the Executive Board with a detailed breakdown of the funding recommendation the week of November 11. An overview of each project was provided, and a summary report of each application is included in the Meeting Agenda Packet. Victoria Schroff asked if SKHHP staff could define a deferred contingent forgivable loan. Claire Goodwin responded that it did not need to be paid month to month and was forgivable at the end of the contract term so long as the awardee maintained the agreed-upon conditions in the contract. Carmen Rivera asked about the community connection policy for the Habitat for Humanity Miller Creek project, which requires residents to have a connection in the community within two miles of the project. Claire Goodwin responded that 25% of the units would be prioritized for households with a community connection within two miles, and the remaining units would be reserved for households with a connection to King County. Carmen Rivera asked what a connection to the community entailed and how one is expected to prove a community connection in an application. Claire Goodwin responded that she could answer part of the question and would follow up with the developer for more information. She continued that Habitat for Humanity is open to what the connection within two miles could mean, such as having family in the area or belonging to a community group like a church. Habitat for Humanity has a scoring system to rank applications based on their community connections. James Lovell joined at 1:45 PM Victoria Schroff asked for more information about the four market-rate units at the Homestead CLT Willowcrest Phase II and how it may impact a land trust model designed to secure affordability. Claire Goodwin responded that the market-rate units subsidized the lower AMI units, and the more public funds the project can secure may reduce the number of market-rate units. The decision is mainly about ensuring the project's financial feasibility with the resources available. Claire Goodwin added that the market-rate units would have agreements similar to those for upkeep and maintenance of the property to the income-restricted units. b. SKHHP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY FLYER Dorsol Plants provided a brief update on changes to the draft 2025 Legislative Priority Flyer based on the feedback from the August Executive Board meeting. SKHHP staff will finalize the flyer and provide suggested talking points to support it when meeting with legislators. SKHHP staff highly encourage cities to consider adding the SKHHP legislative priority as one of their priorities during their own city's development of legislative priorities to present a stronger, unified voice for additional funding for affordable housing. The changes to the flyer include adding SeaTac to the list of member cities in the header. SKHHP staff also included the City of SeaTac's demographics, which increased the percentage of residents of color to 55% in SKHHP member cities. The average household income of South King County was also updated and compared to that of the whole county. SKHHP staff also updated the data point around life expectancy in South King County to reflect the new data in the King County Health Need Assessment 2024-2025. Finally, the Housing Capital Fund section was updated to reflect the number of units supported, which was 550, and the funding pooled to $11 million. Xochitl Maykovich shared that King County has started to do data analysis regarding market rents and housing needs. King County has heard that housing providers have been struggling to lease studio or 1-bedroom apartments for 60-80% AMI due to the rent costs being so close to the market rate. Xochitl Maykovich suggested that it might be important to specify what AMI is being served or the need for family-sized units when speaking about workforce housing. Carmen Rivera supported making the change that Xochitl Maykovich suggested because workforce housing can be ambiguous. Xochitl Maykovich suggested adding “especially smaller units below 60% AMI and family-sized units at all income levels” after workforce housing in the legislative priority section. James Lovell asked if the SKHHP Executive Board could approve the flyer remotely and if Xochitl Maykovich could connect with SKHHP staff to make changes. Traci Buxton confirmed that there was still a quorum. Claire Goodwin confirmed a quorum and suggested making the change in the meeting. Claire Goodwin suggested removing workforce housing and replacing it with the phrase, “smaller units below 60% AMI and family-sized units at all income levels.” Carmen Rivera expressed desire to keep the term workforce housing as part of the description. Xochitl Maykovich stated that she had seen workforce housing defined for households earning up to 120% AMI, which is not affordable housing. That is why defining the term is essential if it remains in the flyer. James Lovell agreed and noted that the state delegation works in many different sectors and would likely need to ask how we define workforce housing. Dorsol Plants mentioned that James Lovell suggested at the August Executive Board meeting that a supplement document be created that defines the housing types that SKHHP supports in the flyer. If there are concerns about too much text on the flyer, a supplemental document might be a solution. Claire Goodwin added that talking points will be provided with the flyer, and definitions could be provided there. Xochitl Maykovich said that her concern is that not everyone may read an additional document. Traci Buxton added that the environment in Olympia is hectic and quick. A lot is going on for the state delegation, and they likely will only have time to look at a few things on the flyer. That is why she believes workforce housing should remain in the flyer with a little definition since legislators will be looking for keywords that they are supporting this session. James Lovell agreed that most folks don't read glossaries, but legislative assistants often review them. The assistants would then be able to clarify the terms in the flyer. Traci Buxton asked the Executive Board about the language added to the flyer. “Workforce housing; especially smaller units below 60% AMI and family-sized units at all income levels.” Carmen Rivera, James Lovell, Xochitl Maykovich, Thomas McLeod, and Sean Kelly expressed support for the updated language in the flyer. c. GENERAL UPDATES Claire Goodwin thanked Dorsol Plants and Jeff Tate for their tremendous support during her leave. Claire Goodwin updated the Executive Board that the King County Council had adopted the 2025 Work Plan and Budget on October 7 and was the last SKHHP member to take action. The 2025 Work Plan and Budget is now effective. The Q2 progress report that was presented at the August meeting was modified to correct a fund balance reporting error and was distributed to the Staff Work Group on September 25. The Affordable Housing Tour took place during the last meeting on September 20. Claire Goodwin thanked Dorsol Plants for organizing that outing and the participating developers: the Multi-Service Center, Habitat for Humanity, and Homestead Community Land Trust. SKHHP staff is working on a video of the tour to share soon. SKHHP hosted Sound Transit at the August South King County Joint Planners and Developers Meeting to discuss upcoming opportunities for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) housing in South King County. SoKiHo met on October 1 to discuss current STEP (Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Emergency Housing, and Permanent Supportive Housing) ordinance drafts as required under HB 1220, which requires jurisdictions to update their development regulations concerning shelters, transitional housing, emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing. The Staff Work Group also met on October 2. SKHHP staff has been reviewing the six project proposals received for the Housing Capital Fund you were briefed on today. The Advisory Board met on October 3 to review the Housing Capital Fund applications. At the November Executive Board meeting, in addition to considering a funding recommendation from the Advisory Board, the Executive Board will discuss how it would like to receive information when a project SKHHP awarded funds to changes and what that process should look like. VI.UPDATES/ANNOUNCEMENTS No updates or announcements were provided. VII.ADJOURN Traci Buxton adjourned the meeting at 2:14 PM. Program Coordinator-SKHHP