TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
|
Planning and Community Development |
Carol Helland |
423-556-2107 |
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
|
Planning and Community Development |
Beverly Mesa-Zendt |
Deputy Director |
|
Planning and Community Development |
Brooke Buckingham |
Senior Planner |
TITLE:
title
Housing Action Plan Version 2 - Draft Strategy Review
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
Staff will provide a deeper dive into the strategies which are part of the Draft Housing Action Plan version 2 release. These draft strategies are the result of nine months of analysis of key findings from the Housing Needs Assessment and Public Involvement Report.
The strategies and actions included in the Housing Action Plan will guide the City’s housing actions over the next 20 years and will provide a roadmap for creating more housing, diversifying the housing that is built, and focusing on solutions that address issues of housing disparity and affordability. This presentation will address important City Council questions such as:
• What is the exact need for affordable housing?
• What is the cost for affordable housing?
• What have we heard from the community on the draft strategies - which do they think will be effective?
body
☐ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☐ Receive Information ☒ Provide Direction ☐ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
• Relevant Plans/Policies:
Redmond Zoning Code, Redmond Municipal Code, Redmond Comprehensive Plan
• Required:
N/A
• Council Request:
Council requested additional information at the Council Business meeting on January 5, 2021.
• Other Key Facts:
In Fall of 2019, the City of Redmond applied for grant funding through the Department of Commerce for development of a Housing Action Plan (HAP). On February 18, 2020, the City Council authorized the Mayor to execute a contract with ECONorthwest for development of Redmond’s HAP. The City continues to work closely with ECONorthwest, and the public involvement subcontractor Broadview Planning, to complete the following deliverables which include:
• A Housing Needs Assessment (completed),
• A Public Involvement Plan (completed),
• A Public Involvement Report (completed),
• Draft Strategies (completed),
• A Draft Housing Action Plan (completed and included as Attachment A), and
• A Final Action Plan/Implementation Plan.
OUTCOMES:
Release of the draft strategies and actions represents a key milestone in the development of a Housing Action Plan for the City of Redmond. The Housing Action Plan will ultimately provide Redmond appropriate actionable strategies together with an implementation plan that will assist the City in meeting its current and future housing needs. The Housing Action Plan will also assist the City in addressing the growing need for affordable housing and the need for more and diverse housing choices in the City. Finally, the Housing Action Plan will inform the Housing Element Update required as part of the Redmond 2050 Periodic Review.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
• Timeline (previous or planned):
Community Outreach involved two primary phases:
Ø Phase 1 - from May to July 2020
Ø Phase 2 - Community check-in on HAP from January 2021-through March 2021
• Outreach Methods and Results:
Ø Outreach efforts included stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and a community questionnaire. Additionally, documents were posted and available for comment on the city’s website and for public meetings with both the City Council and the Planning Commission. The results of these efforts are summarized in the Public Involvement Report <https://www.letsconnectredmond.com/6301/widgets/21590/documents/13215f> and were presented to the City Council on August 25, 2020.
Ø Staff have re-engaged with original stakeholders regarding the draft plan and posted a new questionnaire to identify community priorities for the strategies and implementation actions.
• Feedback Summary:
Phase 1 themes that emerged from public involvement efforts were:
Ø Redmond is a highly desirable place to live;
Ø Public Involvement affirms that housing affordability is an issue for many;
Ø Homeownership is preferred over renting but seems like an impossible option to many;
Ø Businesses have concerns over employee retention without affordable housing;
Ø New housing types could better reflect Redmond’s rich cultural diversity; and
Ø People face stigmas about their housing that are real, pervasive, and dehumanizing.
Phase 2 Community Outreach is ongoing and will be summarized at the City Council Study Session on February 9, 2021. Preliminary results are provided in Attachment C: HAP Questionnaire Summary Report.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
The city was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce in October 2019 to complete the Housing Action Plan.
Approved in current biennial budget: ☒ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
000248 Housing and Human Services
Budget Priority:
Vibrant and Connected
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☐ Yes ☒ No ☐ N/A
If yes, explain:
Enter the total cost of the proposal.
Funding source(s):
Grant funds received from State 2019 HB 1923 legislation and General Fund
Budget/Funding Constraints:
Grant disbursement is contingent upon preparation of deliverables required by the grant contract.
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
9/22/2020 |
Business Meeting |
Provide Direction |
|
12/8/2020 |
Committee of the Whole - Planning and Public Works |
Receive Information |
|
1/5/2021 |
Business Meeting |
Receive Information |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
|
3/2/2021 |
Business Meeting |
Receive Information |
|
3/16/2021 |
Business Meeting |
Approve |
Time Constraints:
The Housing Action Plan must be completed by April 1, 2021, to comply with contractual requirements and the Department of Commerce deadline.
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
Final disbursement of grant funds is contingent upon the adoption of the Final Housing Action Plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: DRAFT Housing Action Plan- Version 2
Attachment B: Housing Action Plan Presentation
Attachment C: HAP Questionnaire Summary Report