Housing Committee

Lower San Antonio Collaborative
Housing Committee
Meeting Minutes
6/26/02

Present: Owusu Amoakohene, Urban Strategies Council; Eric Cone, SACDC; Don Davenport, SACDC; Catherine Firpo, CEDA; Mariano Jauco, EBALDC; Jennie Mollica, LFCD; Fred Blackwell, Annie E. Casey Foundation; Gus Newport, Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The meeting was called to order at 3:40 at Urban Strategies Council.

I. Welcome

II. Review of PolicyLink Meeting

Fred gave a brief summary of the meeting with PolicyLink on June 13, which was attended by Fred, Catherine, Mariano, Jennie, Kalima of PolicyLink and Dwayne of PolicyLink. PolicyLink is helpful in identifying long-term, policy-oriented strategies. The Housing Committee also has shorter-term concerns, particularly related to the issues raised by housing developers at our April meeting. PolicyLink did have the helpful suggestion that we survey the neighborhood housing needs and desires, as a step toward setting threshold housing goals and policy-oriented strategies to get there. PolicyLink will be willing to work with us on this sort of long-term project.

III. Review of Committee Mission and Goals

Jennie read the Housing Committee Mission and Activities defined initially by the Committee members. The April meeting exposed us to many of the multiple challenges faced by housing developers in meeting housing goals; we learned that although this Committee cannot address all of these, there are steps we can take to make the neighborhood more attractive for development.

IV. Discussion of Possible Strategies to Achieve Mission and Goals

Committee members discussed numerous strategies (listed below). Consensus was that it would help to have more information on best practices in these areas, to learn what other communities have tried and what has worked. There was agreement that a list of information needs should be prepared and submitted to TARC (Casey Foundation) as a technical assistance request. This request might come from the Collaborative along with the City. The request for T.A. might be accompanied by some more specific requests, i.e. specific local consultants to prepare a physical plan, or a staff position created to do some of the brokering/planning work.

It was agreed that Jennie will prepare a first draft of this proposal to TARC for discussion at the next Housing Committee meeting in July.

The possible strategies discussed included:

• Demonstration project with developers, supported by City bond, negotiated with the City for a designated geographic area.
• Program-related investment for land acquisition, possibly by Casey Foundation, possibly into a revolving loan fund.
• Staff position of Broker to talk with owners, assess the feasibility of acquiring properties, work on planning and project development, conduct resident/merchant organizing for community support.
• Brownsfields funding for testing, analysis, plan for mediation.
• Strategy for City or other entity to approach owners and encourage sales.
• Source of funds for closing costs and holding costs for site assembly project.
• Models for the participation of banks in providing soft second loans for closing costs, to bridge the typical 20% affordability gap, and to increase the LtV ratio, or the use of a revolving loan fund to guarantee so that banks are willing to lend 100%. [ Unity Council has established a $100,000 revolving loan fund for site purchase, through a donation by PMI.]
• A comprehensive plan for site assembly by an autonomous entity (possibly a non-profit, or the Collaborative?), acquisition by a land trust, and development of affordable housing by developers. (A wholistic approach, but the site acquisition work is costly.)
• Development of a physical plan encompassing all the related work of the Collaborative, including work around housing, retail, schools, open space, culture, etc., in order to envision a balance rather than ghettoized housing. The plan could be prepared by AIA, UCBerkeley, BAE or another.
• Plan for building up, possibly over retail space, possibly as co-op housing.

V. Next Steps and Next Meeting Date/Location

The next meeting of the Housing Committee will take place Wednesday, July 12 at 3:30 at Hisman Hin-Nu.