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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-12-10 HRA regular minutesMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE EDINA HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DECEMBER 10, 2020 7:30 A.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Hovland called the meeting to order at 7:30 a.m. and noted the meeting was being held virtually to comply with the Governor's Stay at Home Order due to the COVID-19 pandemic then explained the processes created for public comment. 11. ROLLCALL Answering rollcall were Commissioners Anderson, Brindle, Fischer, Staunton, and Chair Hovland. Absent: None. 111. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IV. MEETING AGENDA APPROVED - AS PRESENTED Motion by Commissioner Brindle, seconded by Commissioner Fischer, approving the meeting agenda as presented. Roll call: Ayes: Anderson, Brindle, Fischer, Staunton, and Hovland Motion carried. V. COMMUNITY COMMENT No one appeared. VI. CONSENT AGENDA ADOPTED AS PRESENTED Member Brindle made a motion, seconded by Member Fischer, approving the consent agenda as presented: VI.A. Approve minutes of the Regular Meeting of November 12, 2020 VI.B. Approve 2021 Calendar of Meeting Dates VI.C. Approval and Authorization of Closing Documents for The Sound on 76th VI.D. Update to New Multi -Family Affordable Housing VI.E. Approve payment claims for Check Register Claims of HRA Check Register September 18-December 4, 2020, totaling $187,272.13 Rollcall: Ayes: Anderson, Brindle, Fischer, Staunton, Hovland Motion carried. VII. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS VII.A. ACCEPT THE HOUSING STRATEGY TASK FORCE REPORT —ADOPTED Affordable Housing Development Manager Hawkinson said the Housing Strategy Task Force had been meeting over 18 months to develop Goals and Strategies to address the housing needs in Edina. She said the report was a culmination of 45 meetings and a compromise that included the preservation of R I zoning for single-family houses and recognized the need for more multi -family housing production to accommodate growth. Ms. Hawkinson said the report was not prescriptive but a document to guide housing priorities in the City and to suggest strategies to achieve specific goals. She said the hope was the report would encourage the City to proactively enable, support and facilitate quality housing development that met the evolving needs and thanked the Task Force for their work to create this report. Page 1 Minutes/HRA/December 10, 2020 Housing Strategy Task Force Co -Chair Hunt thanked the members of the Task Force for the culmination of debates that resulted in this report. Housing Strategy Task Force Member Brown shared the executive summary that outlined how housing had changed in Edina and appeared on course to continue or outpace growth. He spoke about limited ability to collect input due to the pandemic and civil unrest then community drivers that included quality of life, goals and strategies that promoted life cycle housing, amended land use regulations to enable a more diverse housing mix, reduced building costs, and encourage sustainable design and technology. They reviewed five housing priorities that included the creation of 992 new affordable housing units, 900 new market rate rental housing units, 360 new senior independent living units, 250 new multi -family units, and 200 new senior assisted units then outlined recommended next steps. They thanked Members Brindle and Fischer for their years of service to the City and Ms. Hawkinson for her work on this project. The Commission thanked Task Force members for the comprehensive report and commented about the level of dedication to this project and need for focus then asked about potential racial covenants and steps to remove. Ms. Hawkinson explained how the Task Force did not want to negate history but that racial covenants still existed on titles and outlined the work by the Human Rights and Relations Commission to remove. City Attorney Kendall added this work would be a process and while the City would assist to remove them from property titles the covenants were unenforceable. The Commission spoke about the importance of the missing middle and referred to the Edina Housing Foundation's work to balance high land cost in the City and not compromising materials in order to lower housing costs. They inquired about the report that referred to a matter of personal opinion regarding exclusionary housing policy and whether active zoning should be implemented and commented about not downsizing but more of rightsizing. The Commission spoke about current challenges with the MN Builders Association and the ongoing debate about permitting costs that increase housing costs and suggested the report be received with direction to create an implementation plan for formal consideration. Co -Chair Hunt responded to the building and land costs discussion and said there was a need for balance between increased requirements and the City's high standards to ensure affordability. The Commission agreed that as policy makers there has to be standards in place as well as appropriate price points and thanked the Task Force for their great work. Motion by Commissioner Staunton, seconded by Commission Fischer, to adopt the Housing Strategy. Task Force Report and direct staff to create an implementation plan for formal consideration. Roll call: Ayes: Anderson, Brindle, Fischer, Staunton, and Hovland Motion carried. VII.B. ACCEPT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICY COMPLIANCE REPORT — RECEIVED Ms. Hawkinson said the Affordable Housing Policy for new multifamily residential developments had been in place since 2015 with the intent to ensure that affordable units would be included in market rate developments and rented to income qualified tenants. The affordable units would remain affordable for a predetermined period of time, which for some was 15 years and for new developments was 20 years. She shared that Affordable Housing Connections (AHC) was hired as a compliance consultant to confirm and verify the affordable units were affordable and rented to income eligible tenants then reviewed the requirements in detail to ensure affordable housing occurred. Ms. Hawkinson reported that after review with Avidor, Aurora, Aria, and Nolan Mains and based on the areas of compliance that included income eligible tenants and affordable rent levels, Page 2 Minutes/HRA/December 10, 2020 only The Aurora was in compliance as presented in AHC's first compliance report. She summarized that staff and AHC believed all owners and property managers had every intention of compliance but that compliance could not be confirmed at this time. She added early agreements were not prescriptive and while the Policy Guide was provided to managers the four developments not in compliance were approved prior to the Guide's creation and that work was still needed to achieve compliance. The Commission asked how the Guide applied to the earlier developments and how while the development agreement was the controlling document for compliance language could be considered vague with regard to garage rent and utilities and how the four earlier projects should be treated differently to adjust and hopefully achieve compliance, Ms. Hawkinson explained most direction was outlined by resolution but that property owners had agreed to begin offering affordable units until 2035 or a certificate of occupancy was received and while the City had no formal recourse staff would work to address separately, Mr. Neal outlined the goal of generally accepted terms and how everyone was working to meet the Commission's commitments to affordable housing. The Commission reiterated the goal was to provide affordable units within balance. Motion by Commissioner Brindle, seconded by Commission Anderson, to receive the Affordable Housing Policy Compliance Report. Roll call: Ayes: Anderson, Brindle, Fischer, Staunton, and Hovland Motion carried, Vill. CORRESPONDENCE — Received IX. HRA COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS — Received X. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS — Received X1. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Brindle, seconded by Commissioner Fischer, to adjourn the meeting at 8:47 a.m. Roll call: Ayes: Anderson, Brindle, Fischer, Staunton, and Hovland Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, "---s6t't Neal, x ecutive Director V, Page 3