Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Attorney's Office

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager Toni R. Wheeler, City Attorney
FROM:	Randall F. Larkin, Senior Assistant City Attorney
DATE:	June 29, 2015
RE:	Affordable Housing Advisory Board

At its June 16, 2015, regular public meeting, the City Commission directed staff to amend Chapter 1, Article 18 of the City Code to establish a new board to oversee the existing Housing Trust Fund. To that end, proposed Ordinance No. 9129 (revised 07/07/15) amends Chapter 1, Article 14 to remove current oversight of the Housing Trust Fund from the Social Service Funding Advisory Board. It also repeals existing Chapter 1, Article 18, which created the existing Housing Trust Board. In its stead, Ordinance No. 9129 creates the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. The Affordable Housing Advisory Board shall be composed of nine (9) members from the community, the composition of which is established in the ordinance. The Affordable Housing Advisory Board shall oversee the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (the reminted Housing Trust Fund) and is charged with seeking out and recommending to the Governing Body income streams to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The Board is also charged with making recommendations to the City Commission regarding comprehensive methods for providing affordable housing in the community and the appropriation and expenditure of money from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in order to acquire, rehabilitate, and develop affordable housing and supportive services so that all persons in the community have access to independent living with dignity.

It should be noted that there currently is approximately $120,000 in the Housing Trust Fund, but it does not have an identified or permanent income stream by which to maintain it at a consistent level. And, except for the Step Up To Better Housing strategy, the Board does not have a City Commission approved strategy by which to guide their decisions regarding affordable housing.   

Action Requested:

Staff requests the City Commission adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 9129, creating the Affordable Housing Advisory Board to oversee and to make recommendations to the Governing Body regarding the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.