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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing Strategies.Attach 1.InitiativesPROPOSED HOUSING STRATEGY INITATIVES 1. Preserve and Rehabilitate Housing The quality of the City of San Bernardino's Housing stock is based on the age and condition of the structure. Approximately 67 percent of City's entire housing stock is over 30 years old (built before 1980) and potentially in need of rehabilitation. Many low- and moderate -income households, particularly seniors and disabled residents, may be unable to afford the needed repairs for their homes. Recommendations/Strategies a. Implement a Single Family Residence (SFR) Rehabilitation Program i. Program Components 1. Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program 2. Exterior Paint/Beautification Program. (Exterior only) 3. ADA Improvements ii. Rehabilitation Program Target Areas — Adjacent to Infill Housing Projects 1. HP1 Infill Housing Project a. Potential Project sites i. Eleven (11) Housing Asset Transfer Plan (HAT) properties ii. Ten (10) NSP- 1 properties iii. Funding 1. CDBG and/or HOME Programs a. Types of Financing i. Loans ii. Deferred Loans iii. Grants b. Leveraging Resources i. FHA Programs 1. FHA streamline/401(k) rehab loans iv. Accomplishments (Since 2010) Fiscal Year Activity Housing Units Single Family Exterior Home Beautification Loan/Grant Program 116 Mobile Home Grant Repair Program 26 Old Timers Foundation Emergency Repair Program homes owned by seniors or disabled persons only) 109 Waterman Gardens Housing Project 76 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 1 ATTACHMENT 1 2. Improve Neighborhood Conditions In addition to the housing needs, the City also has a number of infrastructure needs. Various public facilities, streets, and sidewalks are in need of improvements, renovations, and accessibility -related modifications in order to ensure that critical services and facilities remain safe and accessible to all residents of the community. Recommendations/Strategies a. Neighborhood Clean -Up activities i. Target Areas —Adjacent to Infill Housing Projects ii. Potential Source of Funds — CDBG b. Rehabilitation/Reconstruction/Construction of Blighted Housing Units as identified by Code Enforcement i. Target Areas 1. City Low and Moderate Income Areas ii. Potential Source of Funds a. Program Income from sale proceeds of vacant Successor Agency properties b. CDBG and/or HOME funds c. Continue to support Code Enforcement and Demolition programs that meet the standards of federal regulations i. Target Areas 1. City Low and Moderate Income Areas a. Funding Sources: CDBG, Program Income b. Housing Units in Low Mod Areas that are primarily residential in nature 2. Accomplishments a. Demolitions i. FY 2015 — 14 housing units ii. FY 2016 (YTD) — 5 housing units b. Board Ups i. FY 2015 — 888 housing units ii. FY 2016 (YTD) — 5 housing units 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 2 HOME Acquisition, Rehabilitation Resale Program 13 Single Family Rehabilitation Loan Program 11 HOME Owner Occupied Mobile Home Rehabilitation Grant Program 96 NSP1 Acquisition, Rehabilitation Resale Program 8 NSP1 Acquisition, Rehabilitation Rental Program 8 CDBG Exterior Beautification Grant Program 14 2. Improve Neighborhood Conditions In addition to the housing needs, the City also has a number of infrastructure needs. Various public facilities, streets, and sidewalks are in need of improvements, renovations, and accessibility -related modifications in order to ensure that critical services and facilities remain safe and accessible to all residents of the community. Recommendations/Strategies a. Neighborhood Clean -Up activities i. Target Areas —Adjacent to Infill Housing Projects ii. Potential Source of Funds — CDBG b. Rehabilitation/Reconstruction/Construction of Blighted Housing Units as identified by Code Enforcement i. Target Areas 1. City Low and Moderate Income Areas ii. Potential Source of Funds a. Program Income from sale proceeds of vacant Successor Agency properties b. CDBG and/or HOME funds c. Continue to support Code Enforcement and Demolition programs that meet the standards of federal regulations i. Target Areas 1. City Low and Moderate Income Areas a. Funding Sources: CDBG, Program Income b. Housing Units in Low Mod Areas that are primarily residential in nature 2. Accomplishments a. Demolitions i. FY 2015 — 14 housing units ii. FY 2016 (YTD) — 5 housing units b. Board Ups i. FY 2015 — 888 housing units ii. FY 2016 (YTD) — 5 housing units 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 2 ATTACHMENT 1 d. Commercial Buildings i. Commercial Fagade Rehabilitation Program 1. FY 2016-2017 Substantial Amendment a. Award - $250,000 b. 10 businesses to be assisted during FY 2016-2017 e. Sewer Lines and Street Repair Improvements i. Coordinate with the San Bernardino Water Department and Water Board to identify residential areas (i.e. Infill Housing Project sites) where sewers pipe lines and streets are in need of repair or replacement. ii. Funding Sources: Water Department / Board Grant funds 3. Expand Home Ownership Opportunities Housing affordability is a critical component of creating opportunities for healthy families and neighborhoods. The ability to afford adequate housing is of importance to all households. The inability to afford adequate housing can contribute to unwanted situations such as overcrowded conditions, housing cost burden and deterioration of housing stock due to deferred maintenance. The most common housing problem is cost burden (e.g. paying more than 30% of your income for housing). Approximately 77 percent of all owner -households and 67 percent of all renter -households were affected by housing cost burden. Recommendations/Strategies a. Establish Infill housing projects within targeted neighborhoods using city - owned parcels (Housing Asset Transfer Plan). i. Infill Housing Project (MCC Approval — September 19, 2016) 1. FY 2014-2015 HOME Award - $625,000 b. Implement a HOME -funded Down Payment Assistance (DPA) program i. Loan Terms 1. 10 years/ 0% Interest 2. Loan position: 2nd position 3. Principal amount due upon sale, transfer, or end of the term. c. When approving/underwriting Infill Housing Program mortgage loans, encourage local banks to utilize CRA credits in low income and/or red- lined neighborhoods. d. Collaborate with the County Housing Authority to identify Section 8 rental assistance program participants living within the city that may be eligible to participate in the Section 8 Mortgage Assistance Subsidy program. i. Convert rent subsidy payments to mortgage assistance payments for a period of up to five years for families and/or Section 8 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 3 ATTACHMENT 1 participants that are currently enrolled in a Housing Authority self- sufficiency program. e. Accomplishments (Since 2010 i. To promote affordable homeownership opportunities for its residents, since FY 2010, the City has provided 30 income qualified first time home buyers with down -payment and closing cost assistance (via the First -Time Homebuyer Program) using HOME funds. ii. Additional 263 households were provided homebuyer education and financial counseling. iii. The City has also enjoyed a long partnership with the County of San Bernardino Housing Department and the County Housing Authority. As a result of that partnership, a total of 1,752 units consisting of multi -family, senior housing and mobile home units were assisted with mortgage revenue bond financing or other forms of bond financing. 4. Provide Assistance to Renter Households The availability and affordability of rental housing is important to meet the housing needs of several segments of San Bernardino's population. According to statistics from the 2007-2011 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), approximately 67 percent of all renter -households were affected by housing cost burden. Rental housing provides a broad range of housing types to support a variety of housing needs such as housing those who are not ready for or choose to avoid homeownership, seniors seeking less costly and lower maintenance dwellings, and families who benefit from the lower cost of rental housing. Recommendations/Strategies a. Establish a City -operated Housing Authority i. Implement a City administered Section 8 Rental Assistance Program ii. Develop quality rental housing for all segments of the population 5. New Affordable Housing Construction The availability of funding for affordable housing has been severely affected by the dissolution of redevelopment agencies. Prior to 2012, redevelopment activities and funding was the City's primary tool for assisting with neighborhood revitalization efforts and production of affordable housing. The loss of this funding 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 4 ATTACHMENT 1 represents a constraint for San Bernardino's efforts to continue to support neighborhood revitalization. Recommendations/Strategies a. City Housing Authority / Housing Division i. Successor Agency Assets 1. Identify parcels that can be used in the development of multi- family and single family (SFR) affordable housing through the Infill Housing Program. 2. Sell vacant City -owned parcel and use the proceeds to: a. Assist private developers in construction last resort housing (i.e. high quality Mobile Home Parks). b. Construction and/or rehabilitation of single family residences that have been cited by Code Enforcement. b. Veterans Housing Project i. Develop, design and implement a City sponsored "Veteran Housing" project with sufficient support services (i.e., employment, education, mental health, medical, etc.) for homeless veterans. 1. The City has committed $350,000.00 of FY2016-2017 of CDBG funds toward this end. A Request for Proposals for the development of this center is scheduled to be published. RDA Successor Agency vacant property has been identified for the location of the Veteran Support Center Project ii. Utilize other Local/State/Federal funding sources to leverage project costs. 6. Streamline Permit Process: The City of San Bernardino periodically reviews its applications processes for potential amendments that would result in decreased permit processing times and cost to the City and applicant. Although the City's current permit process is not considered to be a constraint, additional streamlining of the permit process can decrease the amount of time it takes for a project to move forward into rehabilitation or construction. The saving in time reduces the financial burden an applicant must bear. The City will continue to explore ways of streamlining residential and mixed-use project permits. Recommendations/Strategies a. Implement a one-stop building and planning permit process for developers working with City Housing staff in an effort to meeting the goals of the Infill 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 5 Housing Program in coordination with the building/planning department. Planning and building fees should be adjusted under this effort to ensure sound quality construction and pass on savings of construction permit fees for the benefit of first time home buyers. b. Amend/adjust building codes to encourage modular housing infill housing development with strict building and exterior design requirements for FHA approved built/constructed multi -family and SFR's. c. Develop a housing replacement program for housing units red -tagged for demolition as a result of building safety code violations. 7. Fair housing Choice As a recipient of HUD funding, the City is obligated by law to reduce barriers to fair housing, so everyone can access affordable, quality housing. Every five years the City prepares an document called the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) that analyzes the City's fair housing landscape and sets locally -determined fair housing priorities and goals. The City is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing choice throughout the City. Recommendations/Strategies a. Through its collaboration with the Inland Fair Housing Mediation Board, the City will continue to affirmatively furthering fair housing choice throughout the City. 8. Administration Administration relates to the planning, implementation and monitoring of the federal programs. Activities include but are not limited to preparing various planning and performance documents, contracts, grant applications and HUD reports, overseeing and managing individual projects and programs, conducting public meetings, and assisting in the fiscal management of the CDBG program. Recommendations/Strategies a. FHA Loan Product Outreach to San Bernardino Home Owners i. Loan Products 1. FHA streamline/401(k) rehab loans & 2. Energy Efficiency Mortgages (EEM"s). b. Neighborhood Watch Program i. Initiate or play a more active role in Neighborhood Watch Programs within Infill Housing Projects. c. Eliminate CDBG Funding for Public Services 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 6 ATTACHMENT 1 i. Eliminate CDBG Public Service funding for the next five fiscal years (July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022). ii. Redirect CDBG Public Service funds to Public Facility/Infrastructure activities. d. Target Neighborhoods i. Factors in identifying target neighborhoods 1. Low Income Population 2. Age of Housing Stock 3. Crime Rate 4. Homeless Population e. Reformat Police Crime Incident Reports to include questions that may identify people (or their invited guests) who are receiving public assistance through the Section 8 Program or any other HUD funded rent subsidy program. i. Per the Federal regulations, the Housing Authority may terminate any rental assistance to program participants or their invited guests who are found to be participating in unlawful/criminal activities. 9. Homeless Issues The City of San Bernardino recognizes that homelessness is a regional issue that impacts every community in the region. As the largest community in the County, the City also serves as a hub for service providers. The City supports the efforts of this network of agencies in ending homelessness through the Regional Continuum of Care Strategy. The Continuum of Care Strategy involves four key components: 1. Homeless Prevention - Provision of preventative services will decrease the number of households and individuals who will become homeless and require emergency shelters and assistance. The City seeks to prevent homelessness by funding emergency assistance for families and households at -risk of being homeless. Educating residents about available services is a key component in reducing homelessness. 2. Homeless Outreach and Needs Assessment - The homeless require a broad spectrum 'of services from transportation assistance to life skills to childcare to prescriptions. The City works with homeless providers to identify gaps in assistance and fund these identified gaps on an annual basis. 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 7 ATTACHMENT 1 3. Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing - The City provides funds to service providers offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, motel vouchers, food, and a variety of other services which address basic subsistence needs. Based on discussions with homeless advocates and providers, permanent housing and support services are priorities for addressing the immediate needs of the homeless population. 4. Homeless Transition Strategy - Providing emergency services without complementary transitional and permanent housing services creates a situation where the homeless remain in San Bernardino for services but are trapped in an emergency housing situation or lack shelter due to inadequate resources for transitional and permanent housing. The City will emphasize services providing transitional and permanent housing assistance through case management, life skills, rental support and job assistance for homeless families and individuals transitioning to permanent housing. The City uses ESG and CDBG public service grants to assist agencies that provide preventive services, emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive services for the homeless and those at -risk of being homeless. Accomplishments: During FY 2010 — FY 2014 the City of San Bernardino utilized its ESG and CDBG funds, along with private resources, to assist 921 homeless persons through the Central City Lutheran Mission Winter Shelter and provide over 35,000 meals through Mary's Mercy Center. Transitional housing assistance was also provided to 395 homeless persons or persons at -risk of homelessness. The Inland Fair Housing and Meditation Board (IFHMB) provided fair housing services to San Bernardino residents on behalf of the City. Since 2010, IFHMB has assisted 11,045 San Bernardino residents with their fair housing issues and concerns. Recommendations/Strateaies i. Hire a Homeless Coordinator within the City Administrator's Office 1. Funding Source: HESG Admin and General Fund 2. This position will: a. Represent the City on a local and regional basis working with other local and regional homeless service providers (i.e. government agencies, non- profit organizations, etc.) to coordinate homeless services and activities within the Continuum of Care. 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 8 ATTACHMENT 1 b. Seek and prepare applications for funding from other local, state and federal organizations to support the City's initiatives to end homelessness in San Bernardino. c. Encourage private sector business participation in addressing homelessness within the City. d. Coordinate resources that will: i. Help move homeless persons from homelessness to permanent housing. 1. Recognize the need and support the development of emergency shelters; transitional housing and permanent housing for homeless persons. ii. Provide support services to help the homeless become more self-sufficient and work toward meaningful employment. 04/24/17 Housing Strategy Initiatives Page 9