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2019-09-26 Citizens Housing Commission PacketOp E D o Agenda Edmonds Citizens Housing Commission snl,nyo COUNCIL CHAMBERS 250 5TH AVE NORTH, EDMONDS, WA 98020 SEPTEMBER 26, 2019, 7:00 PM I. CALL TO ORDER II. PUBLIC COMMENTS III. INTRODUCTIONS 1. Welcome -Mission -Process 2. Introductions IV. COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS & COMMENTS ON MISSION OR PROCESS V. TOPICS OF INTEREST FOR FUTURE MEETINGS 1. Topics of Interest for Future Meetings VI. FUTURE MEETINGS -SCHEDULE & LOCATIONS 1. Future Meetings —Schedule & Locations VII. UPDATES ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND CONSULTANT ASSISTANCE 1. Updates on Consultant Assistance and Community Outreach VIII. COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS & COMMENTS IX. ADJOURN Edmonds Citizens Housing Commission Agenda September 26, 2019 Page 1 3.1 Citizens Housing Commission Agenda Item Meeting Date: 09/26/2019 Welcome -Mission -Process Staff Lead: Shane Hope Department: Citizens Housing Commission Prepared By: Debbie Rothfus Background/History September 26, 2019 is the first meeting of the Citizens' Housing Commission. Staff Recommendation N/A Narrative Welcome We welcome you to the first meeting of the City of Edmonds Citizens' Housing Commission. The willingness of Commission members -and all who applied to serve -is greatly appreciated. We also welcome everyone who attends or otherwise observes this meeting and future Commission meetings. Special events and other opportunities for information and input will also be designed for the broader community. Mission The Housing Commission's mission, as adopted by the City Council in Resolution No. 1427, is: Develop diverse housing policy options for Council consideration designed to expand the range of housing (including rental and owned) available in Edmonds; options that are irrespective of age, gender, race, religious affiliation, physical disability or sexual orientation. While side issues may be interesting, the Commission's work should stay focused on the mission. Highlights of Overall Process The Citizens' Housing Commission was appointed under City Council Resolutions Number 1427 and 1428. Elected officials completed all their appointments by late August 2019 after reviewing 135 applications. Selection was a difficult task because so many qualified people applied. The Housing Commission is a temporary group, which "sunsets" (ends) on January 1, 2021. It will meet at least once a month while its work is being conducted, on a schedule to be determined. Note: The Housing Commission is subject to the Open Public Meetings Act. In part, this means that a quorum of members shall not engage in discussion of Housing Commission business (whether in person, by email, or any other manner) outside of the Commission's public meetings. Packet Pg. 2 3.1 Housing Commission members who cannot attend an upcoming meeting are asked to notify the City in advance at 425.771.0220 or devserv.admin@edmondswa.gov <mailto:devserv.admin@edmondswa.gov>. When a Commissioner cannot attend a meeting, the alternate for her/his district may serve as a substitute. Besides monthly Commission meetings, other public events and activities will be held. (This is a subject for later discussion.) Broad community input -not just from the Commission -is vital. Under Resolution No. 1427, the Housing Commission must report progress to the City Council at least once per quarter, beginning in the 3rd quarter of 2019. Because the Commission's first meeting could not be held until nearly the end of the third quarter, City staff plans for quarterly reports to Council to begin in the fourth quarter of 2019. The Commission's recommendations, per the mission identified in Council Resolution No. 1427, must be provided to the City Council by the end of 2020. Process for Current Meeting The September 26 meeting will include a time for the public to offer comments. No final decisions, other than the date of one or more future meetings, will be made at this time. Commissioners will be seated at the table and may fully participate in the meeting. Any alternate who is substituting for an absent Commissioner will also be seated at the table and may fully participate. Otherwise, alternates will be seated in a front row so they can be aware of discussions and ready to participate, as needed, at future meetings. During parts of the September 26 meeting, alternates will be asked to participate on specific topics. The meeting will be video -recorded and the video posted on a City webpage. Process for Future Meetings The exact format for future meetings may vary. Generally, meetings will have time for information to be provided, as well as for Commission discussion. It is likely that meetings in 1919 will be introductory, with more policy discussion in 2020. Generally, Commissioners will be seated at a table and may fully participate in the meeting. Any alternate who is substituting for an absent Commissioner will also be seated at the table and may fully participate. Otherwise, alternates will be seated in a front row so they can be aware of discussions and ready to participate, as needed, at future meetings. Commission meetings will be videotaped and the videos posted on a City webpage. Packet Pg. 3 3.2 Citizens Housing Commission Agenda Item Meeting Date: 09/26/2019 Introductions Staff Lead: Shane Hope Department: Citizens Housing Commission Prepared By: Debbie Rothfus Background/History N/A Staff Recommendation N/A Narrative At the meeting, each Commissioner and alternate will be asked to take one minute or less to introduce themselves and may identify something about their own or their family's experience with housing in Edmonds. Packet Pg. 4 5.1 Citizens Housing Commission Agenda Item Meeting Date: 09/26/2019 Topics of Interest for Future Meetings Staff Lead: Shane Hope Department: Citizens Housing Commission Prepared By: Debbie Rothfus Background/History All members of the Housing Commission are knowledgeable about their communities and they care about housing in Edmonds. Levels of understanding on specific housing issues and definitions may vary among members. Staff Recommendation Participate in the exercise Narrative Some common understanding of housing issues and definitions will be extremely useful for the Housing Commission to make progress on its mission to recommend "diverse policy options to expand the range of housing (including rental and owned) available in Edmonds". As part of a group exercise, Commissioners will be asked to add or comment on topic ideas for future meetings. The last part of this memo below identifies items that are on the "beginning list" of potential topics about which the Commission may want to know more. At the meeting, members may add topic ideas for the list. Future Commission discussions may also lead to the need for having information on other topics. (Note: "Homelessness" is not identified as a topic because it is being addressed separately by the City Council.) Both Commissioners and alternates will have an opportunity to vote on preferred topics through a "sticky dot" exercise during the meeting. Topics with the greatest number of votes will be prioritized for future agendas. Topics that have fewer votes may still be addressed but not necessarily early in the process. Beginning List of Topic Ideas related to the Housing Commission's Mission: Definitions of typical housing terms, such as: o Affordable o Low- & moderate- income levels o "Missing middle" housing Open government & legal issues for boards & commissions Accessory dwelling units Data about housing in Edmonds Packet Pg. 5 5.1 Available federal, state & regional housing programs & resources What is the Growth Management Act & how does it apply? What other state or federal laws apply? Recent state legislation What does the Edmonds Comprehensive Plan say? How does zoning affect housing? Information on housing types What are other cities doing about housing? Group tour of interesting projects in other cities Housing cost factors Needs of seniors, veterans, etc. Multifamily Tax Exemption & other incentive programs Meaning of "policy options" Community engagement Packet Pg. 6 6.1 Citizens Housing Commission Agenda Item Meeting Date: 09/26/2019 Future Meetings —Schedule & Locations Staff Lead: Shane Hope Department: Citizens Housing Commission Prepared By: Debbie Rothfus Background/History Resolution No. 1427 calls for the Housing Commission to have at least monthly meetings on a schedule it may determine. The Resolution does not speak to the location of these meetings, although it does call for special outreach events to be held quarterly in varying public locations in Edmonds. (Outreach events will be discussed briefly at the September 26 meeting under a different agenda item.) Staff Recommendation Decide on a regular monthly meeting schedule Optional: If any extra meetings are definitely desired in the next month or two, the Commission should decide on dates now. Narrative Monthlv Meetine Schedule Having a regular monthly meeting schedule makes it easier for the public, as well as Commission members, to keep track of Housing Commission meetings. It also simplifies the reservation of meeting rooms. All other City boards and commissions have regular monthly meetings (for example, second Wednesdays of each month) in a designated location. In addition, the City Council meets every Tuesday evening. Staff understands that daytime and weekend meetings are not desirable for regular meetings. Meetings on second or fourth Thursday evenings appear to be the easiest to schedule without conflicting with other City meetings. More information about potential conflicts will be shared at the September 26 meeting. Once decided, the Commission's regular meeting schedule will be posted on the City's webpage. Occasionally, a regular Commission meeting may need to be canceled. Cancellation will be done with as much advance notice as possible. In addition, "special" Commission meetings may be added on other days -again with as much advance notice as possible. If Commissioners agree that they want an extra meeting within the next month or two, this would be good to know now. Location of Regular Meetings Packet Pg. 7 6.1 Staffs assumption is that regular Commission meetings will be held in the Council Chambers, because this space has the right equipment and does not require dedicated use of a staff person to manage building entry in the evening. Packet Pg. 8 7.1 Citizens Housing Commission Agenda item Meeting Date: 09/26/2019 Updates on Consultant Assistance and Community Outreach Staff Lead: Shane Hope Department: Citizens Housing Commission Prepared By: Debbie Rothfus Background/History Consultant Assistance The City Council approved of additional resources, including assistance by one or more consultants/contractors, for the Commission's work. Community Engagement Council Resolution No. 1427 directs that the Commission host public outreach sessions (such as open houses and town halls) once per quarter at varying public locations in Edmonds "to provide updates on its progress in developing housing option policy recommendations." Staff Recommendation N/A Narrative Consultant Assistance The City Council approved of additional resources, including assistance by one or more consultants/contractors, for the Commission's work. The Development Services Department advertised for such assistance and conducted a process to select among interested parties. The status will be announced at the Commission's September 26 meeting. Community Engagement Part of the consultant team's work will be on community engagement -to help ensure that a broad range of people in the community know about the housing work that is being done and that they can/will provide input. Several months ago, an interim committee gave some ideas to share with the Housing Commission about community outreach. Their ideas included: Need for outreach to young families and others who don't necessarily attend City meetings Reaching out through Facebook and with local social media groups (such as Edmonds Moms) Reaching out to faith -based organizations, local business owners, neighborhood groups, Asian community, military families, seniors, and the Edmonds School District Using questionnaires Using small focus groups. Packet Pg. 9 7.1 Community engagement will be a continuing subject for the Housing Commission to consider and discuss. Packet Pg. 10