Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	Thomas M. Markus, City Manager
FROM:	Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Scott McCullough, Planning and Development Services Director
DATE:	May 10, 2016
RE:	Recommended Role for the Affordable Housing Advisory Board in the 2017 Budget Process

Summary

Unless otherwise directed, the Affordable Housing Advisory Board will not make a recommendation for funding streams as part of the City’s 2017 budget process.  Instead, the Board recommends that for 2017, the City Commission determine a significant amount of funding to be placed in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the sources of that funding.  The Board would develop an application process to be administered following adoption of the budget.  Applications would be reviewed by the Board and funding recommendations would be forwarded to the City Commission.  This will address the short-term issue of funding for 2017 but will also allow more time for the Board to develop their recommendations for longer term funding strategies and funding streams. 

Background

According to Ordinance No. 9129, one of the purposes and duties of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board is, “to make recommendations to the Governing Body regarding the expenditures of money from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in order to fund projects, as reviewed and approved by the Board, that are consistent with the purpose of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.” 

Another purpose of the Board is, “to make recommendations to the Governing Body regarding the cultivation and maintenance of steady and various streams of income to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.”

Since their first meeting in November of 2015, the Affordable Housing Advisory Board has focused their efforts on recommending how existing funds in the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund should be spent.  They have also been learning about options for funding streams and successful programs in other communities.   

Recommendations Regarding Expenditures

Recommendations regarding the expenditure of money from the Affordable Housing Trust fund include:

· $100,000 for a housing demonstration project.  The Board solicited Requests for Proposals for a housing demonstration project.  The Board’s recommended proposal was approved by the City Commission, and that project is now underway.  The project is expected to leverage $400,000 of additional dollars toward the important goal of affordable housing.     

· $100,000 for a transitional housing voucher program.  The Board worked with the Lawrence Douglas County Housing Authority to develop recommended parameters for a transitional housing voucher program in order to assist families currently living at the Lawrence Community Shelter.  That program was approved by the City Commission and is also underway. 

Recommendations Regarding Streams of Income

Given the time spent related to these expenditure recommendations, the Board has just begun discussions about potential funding streams to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.  Additional research is needed before the Board will be able to formulate recommendations to the City Commission. 

Action Requested

The Board requests the City Commission approve the following recommendations regarding the process for funding affordable housing in the 2017 budget:

· The City Commission will determine a significant amount and sources of funding to be placed in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. 

· The Board would develop an application process for funding to be administered in the fall of 2016.  Applications would be reviewed by the Board and funding recommendations would be forwarded to the City Commission for their consideration.