HomeMy WebLinkAbout062617_ra01JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Philip Morley, County Administrator
DATE: June 26, 2017 49
RE: BRIEFING re: Home Opportunity Fund
STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Staff and a number of a housing and service providers will brief the
Board of County Commissioners on a proposal to create a Home Opportunity Fund to create or
rehabilitate affordable housing throughout Jefferson County for residents with low and very
low incomes.
ANALYSIS: Jefferson County confronts a growing crisis in the availability of affordable housing.
The University of Washington's Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies reports that compared to
last year, first quarter 2017 median resale home prices in Jefferson County increased 19.1
percent. Many people — especially families with children, seniors, vulnerable people, and low-
income workers — cannot find affordable homes to rent or buy. As a result, over 100 children
enrolled in local schools are homeless. One in five children in our schools are in families living in
poverty, and their housing is insecure as rents and property values rise. Many seniors living on
Social Security face similar insecurity in their housing, as do many our most vulnerable residents
who are veterans, people with disabilities, and victims of violence. Local businesses struggle to
attract and retain talented young people, because there often is no affordable housing available.
On January 26, 2017 the Annual Point in Time Count for Washington State and US HUD found
189 people in Jefferson County who were homeless. At the same time, OlyCAP counted an
additional 43 people couch surfing or living in conditions unfit for human habitation. Both of
these figures are higher this year than last.
During the last several months, representatives of local health, mental health, and housing
providers have studied affordable housing issues, challenges, and possible solutions. They found
that affordable housing stocks are inadequate and shrinking, despite the best efforts of local
organizations and citizens. Local organizations have the capacity and the desire to create more
affordable housing, but they lack the funding.
A proposal to create and preserve affordable housing in Jefferson County — the Jefferson
County Home Opportunity Fund — is modeled after successful affordable housing programs in
Bellingham and Vancouver, Washington.
If approved by a majority of voters, the Home Opportunity Fund will be funded by a seven year
limited -term property tax levy in years 2018-2024, set initially at 36 cents per $1,000 assessed
valuation in 2018. The Home Opportunity Fund will raise a total of $13-13.9 million during the
seven-year period, all of it dedicated to creating and preserving affordable housing in Jefferson
County for low and very low income households.
A nine -member Home Opportunity Fund Board would be appointed by the County
Commissioners. The Fund Board will issue requests for proposals each year to non-profit and
for-profit affordable housing developers for projects that will create or preserve affordable
housing. The Fund Board would evaluate proposed projects based on formally adopted criteria,
and make funding recommendations to the BOCC. Recommended awards of loans and grants
from the Home Opportunity Fund would ultimately be subject to approval by the BOCC.
Housing projects will be completed by the awardees and monitored by the Fund Board and
County staff.
FISCAL IMPACT: None from the briefing itself. If a ballot proposition is subsequently submitted
to and approved by the voters, a seven-year levy for the Home Opportunity Fund would
generate approximately $1,900,000 each year in 2018 through 2024.
RECOMMENDATION: Hear the briefing, ask clarifying questions as appropriate, and direct staff
on whether to prepare materials for a public hearing to be scheduled for July 24, 2017.
REVIE ED BY:
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Philip Morl ,Ooug�
Date
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