Regular Meeting
This is a meeting of the Housing Advisory Board. The Board, appointed by the Mayor and the City Council, makes recommendations to the City Council on affordable housing matters.

Regular Session - To begin no earlier than 3:30 p.m.

The meeting was called to order at 3:38 by Chair Hoffman.

Agenda

1. Consideration and possible action to prioritize the list of Policy Recommendations of the Housing Element of the 2030 Plan.


Bills opened the meeting by distributing the list of priorities as it had been ranked by the board. She divided the list according into categories depending on the amount of time given to reach each priority, i.e. five years, ten years and as resources permit. Bills also gave an example to each of the board members of the staff report for city council that was accompanying the list.

Crawford responded that he only ranked his top six priorities since he feels the city already has too much land zoned for multi-family use based on the total percentage of the land being used today. Bills explained that the numbers Crawford has, and that are printed in the draft report are not accurate in portraying the amount of acreage that is truly available for building multi-family structures.

There was further discussion of the rankings and how to go about possibly changing the element. It was discussed that the categories of the ranked priorities should change. They should now be items 1 – 4 should be High Priority with target completion of 1 – 5 years, items 5 – 8 should be Medium High Priority with target completion of 6 – 7 years, items 9 - 12 should be Medium Priority with target completion of 8 – 10 years and items 13 – 15 should be Low Priority with target completion over 10 years. Motion by Walker to change the categories in the Housing Element as listed. Second by Tom. Approved 8 – 0.

2. Consideration and possible action to send the draft Housing Element to City Council for adoption in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan.

Bills stated she spoke with the Mayor and he has agreed to add an addendum item to the Council agenda for the Council to form a subcommittee of council members and board members to work together to review and possibly revise the Housing Plan that will meet City Council’s goals. There is another item also considered for their possible action in regards to prioritizing the list of Policy Recommendations. Bills will include the recommendations of this board and the new rankings and categories. The Board is invited to attend that Council meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

Motion by Walker, second by Gavurnik to send the two items to City Council, priorities re-ranked and the request for the subcommittee and Bills submitted. Approved 8 – 0.

Chair Hoffman opened the floor for nominations and volunteers for the subcommittee. Gavurnik volunteered. Walker suggested perhaps the subcommittee should be formed of the newer board members. There was further discussion of the purpose of the subcommittee and the entire Board. Crawford questioned the need for the Board.

Motion by Todd for Todd, Craig and Crawford to form the subcommittee. Crawford declined. Tom volunteered. Second by Gavurnik. Approved 8 – 0.

Bills distributed Board notebooks to the new members.

Walker invited members to a tour of downtown Austin called “Spotlight on Design” at which she is a speaker. It is being held on June 10 at the Long Center and put on by Housing Works Austin. An invitation will be emailed to all. City Council members were invited also.

3. Adjournment
Motion by Gavurnik, second by Walker to adjourn at 4:15 p.m.