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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-16-20 Public Comment - T. Menuz - HRDC Progress ReportFrom:Tanya Andreasen To:Agenda Subject:FW: HRDC progress report Date:Thursday, July 16, 2020 11:50:53 AM Attachments:HRDC workplan progress report July 2020.pdf From: Tracy Menuez <tmenuez@thehrdc.org> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2020 7:51 AM To: Tanya Andreasen <TAndreasen@BOZEMAN.NET> Subject: HRDC progress report Good morning - Was hoping to have this to you yesterday, so I hope I'm not too late. Thanks for keeping us inthe loop! t -- Tracy MenuezAssociate Director She/Her/HersHRDC IX, Inc. 406.585.4890 HRDC City Affordable Housing Workplan Progress report July 2020 HRDC supports the City’s objectives for meeting community housing needs through providing programming, services, and development that addresses the following: • Income Levels. Community housing should serve the full range of incomes without losing sight of safety net programs. The primary focus should be on: o Ownership housing from 80% to 120% AMI, while also incentivizing the production of missing middle housing up to 150% AMI; o Additional resident and employee rentals up to 80% AMI; and o Safety net rentals below 30% AMI. • Jobs-Housing Relationship. Produce community housing at a rate that exceeds, or at least matches, job growth at income levels and ratios being earned by Bozeman employees. • Community Housing Built and Preserved. Strive to produce community housing at a rate that matches the spectrum of community housing needs, while also preserving what we have through a target of no net loss of existing community housing stock. Dashboard – July 2020 Safety Net: Shelter, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Subsidized rental preservation The COVID pandemic has helped many better understand that which has always been true: ensuring that all members of our community have access to safe, decent housing benefits our whole community. HRDC continues to provide emergency shelter opportunities for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Warming Center at Industrial Drive was closed 2 weeks early, during which time HRDC staff worked to safely house community members, eventually master-leasing a local hotel for the purposes of housing community members during the stay-at-home order. Upon the expiration of that order, HRDC has continued to provide housing to COVID-vulnerable individuals through hotel rooms, while continuing to providing case management and service navigation to achieve permanent housing solutions. In addition to housing COVID-vulnerable community members experiencing homelessness, HRDC has, in partnership with the Gallatin County Health Department, led efforts to provide Quarantine and Isolation (Q&I) housing to community members with COVID exposure and/or positive tests without safe spaces to quarantine. In recognition of increasing community needs for emergency shelter and Q&I housing, HRDC has secured a hotel to continue providing Q&I housing and meet shelter de-concentration requirements. To meet current and growing community needs for emergency shelter, HRDC has leased and is commencing with City-assisted improvements at the Wheat Drive facility. This facility was designed to shelter 120 people, pre-COVID. With COVID social distancing requirements being implemented in shelters nationwide, it is anticipated that capacity will be reduced to 60 guests. The above-mentioned hotel will be a key component of providing adequate shelter space that meets social distancing constraints. In addition to our efforts to provide emergency shelter, our organization continues to provide robust case management and service navigation to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness secure permanent, sustainable housing. These services also extend to our youth population, where we provide a safe environment through our Blueprint home. For our customers working to exit homelessness and secure safe, affordable homes, a sufficient stock of affordable rentals is critical, along with service supports that ensure that housing stability can be maintained. In an effort to identify those members of our community that will most benefit from Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), HRDC, with support from the Montana Healthcare Foundation, has engaged local partners in a Frequent User Systems Engagement (FUSE) initiative. The first year of our FUSE initiative was based around creating partnership data-sharing agreements and scoping initial need. As we enter year 2, our focus shifts to working with partners to develop programming and units for PSH. One such PSH development is Housing First Village (HFV), for which land has been purchased near our Wheat Drive facility. The first phase of HFV, consisting of approximately 15 homes will be completed by June 2021. HFV is one of four projects selected nationally to be part of the Fannie Mae Sustainable Communities Innovation Challenge, which focused on the intersection between housing and health outcomes. In order for PSH to be successful, it is critical to preserve subsidized rentals where PSH tenants are likely to live. Bozeman has a limited supply of subsidized rental units – that is, units where a tenant only pays 30% of their income toward their rent. Preserving rental units with subsidies is an acute need. In the previous year, HRDC has stepped in to provide emergency preservation assistance for 140 units in Bozeman. In the coming year, HRDC will complete the acquisition and rehabilitation of these units, improving the physical properties and securing 20-year rental assistance contracts that preserve community affordability and protect our most vulnerable citizens. Housing Choice vouchers (HCVs) that achieve the same are also in limited supply. HRDC staff works with customers to ensure that valuable HCVs can readily be placed within the community. Rentals up to 80% AMI Since subsidized units are in short supply, and new subsidized units are no longer funded, most new rental development will be created using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. These units typically have restricted rental rates ranging from 40-80% AMI, so while more affordable than market rate rentals, tenants may still experience difficulty securing a unit for less than 30% of their income. A limited number of tenants will use Housing Choice Vouchers within LIHTC or community rentals to secure an affordable payment of 30% AMI. In the previous year, HRDC has partnered with Summit Housing to receive tax credits for Timber Ridge, which will provide apartments for seniors, and is currently partnering with GMD to develop Arrowleaf and Perennial Park, which will provide over 200 units for families and seniors. Ownership housing In the previous year, HRDC has completed 12 permanently affordable homes in our Community Land Trust – the Willow Springs Townhomes phase 1. The second phase of this project, consisting of an additional 12 units, is scheduled to be completed by February 2021. Willow Spings townhomes are priced to be affordable to households earning 70% AMI, and can be sold to households earning up to 120% AMI. HRDC also continues pre-development work on the Bridger View neighborhood, which will provide 62 homes, 31 of them affordable to missing- middle households.