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Home My WebLink AboutORDINANCES-2012-061-O-12• Effective Date: October 21, 2012 6/14/2012 61-0-12 AN ORDINANCE Amending Portions of the City Code Relating to the Housing Commission, Hereafter Called the "Housing and Homelessness Commission" NOW BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSTON, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, THAT: SECTION 1: Title 5, Chapter 6 of the Evanston City Code of 2012, as amended ("City Code"), is hereby amended to read as follows: CHAPTER 6 - EVANSTON HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION 5-6-1: RATIONALE: It is hereby found and declared by the City Council that in order to protect and promote • the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens, it is necessary to provide for the planning, expansion, maintenance, conservation and rehabilitation of Evanston's housing stock and to be responsive to needs for change in housing related matters to the end of maintaining a diverse residential environment and to conserve property values within the community and to combat homelessness. It is further found that to achieve these goals, there should be an advisory commission so that citizens and housing/homelessness groups can bring housing and homelessness related concerns before a single group knowledgeable in the housing and homelessness interests of the citizens of Evanston. 5-6-2: ESTABLISHMENT OF BOARD: There is hereby created the Evanston Housing and Homelessness Commission ("Commission"), said Commission to consist of eleven (11) members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council. In making such appointments, the Mayor shall consider knowledge and familiarity with local housing and/or homelessness needs and problems, the different housing populations in Evanston, practical experience in Evanston and elsewhere in the area of housing and/or homelessness, and practical experience in dealing with the sources of assistance for housing and/or homelessness related matters. At least two (2) members of the Commission shall have experience dealing with homelessness issues. At least one (1) • member of the Commission shall reside in a rental unit in Evanston. At least one (1) member of the Commission shall be a landlord who owns at least one (1) multifamily 61-0-12 building in Evanston and resides in Evanston. One (1) member of the Commission shall be an Alderman. For purposes of this Section, "landlord" shall be defined as set forth in Subsection 5-3-2-(A) of this Title, as it may be amended. Members of the Commission shall be residents of the City and may serve for not more than two (2) full terms. Each term shall be three (3) years. 5-6-3: ORGANIZATION: The Commission shall select from its membership a Chair and Vice Chair on an annual basis. Such selection shall occur at the first meeting of the calendar year. Persons so selected shall serve for terms of one (1) year and may be reelected. The Commission shall adopt rules for the conduct of its meetings and keep written minutes. All meetings, minutes and other procedures shall be open to the public as required by the State of Illinois. The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair and at such other times as may be provided by its rules. Six (6) members shall constitute a quorum. No meetings shall be conducted and no actions shall be taken without a quorum present, except as provided in Section 4 of this Chapter. The Commission shall have the right to establish Subcommittees and provide for their operation. The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation. 5-6-4: SUBCOMMITTEES: The Commission may establish such Subcommittees as are necessary for the effective operation, to meet in accordance with the adopted rules and regulations. • 5-6-5: POWERS AND DUTIES: In carrying out its responsibilities and in meeting the purposes of this Chapter, the Commission shall set priorities related to homeownership and rental housing issues. The Commission shall have the following specific powers and duties: (A) To be concerned with all housing and homelessness related matters in the City. (B) To monitor and recommend coordination of existing City programs and services concerning housing and homelessness, to recommend changes in these programs and to recommend new programs, as appropriate. (C) To comment, through the Planning and Development Committee, on housing related matters before the City Council. (D) To act as the City's liaison to County, State and Federal housing and homelessness programs. (E) To act as a resource to other communities or agencies in housing and homelessness matters. • —2— 61-0-12 • (F) To provide an assessment of Evanston's present needs and future plans in the housing area, particularly as it relates to type and cost. (G) To receive citizen input on housing and homelessness comments. (H) To make appropriate recommendations to advance the housing and homelessness policies of the City. (1) To receive information on City services in housing and homelessness and to make recommendations or suggestions for changes in direction. (J) To comment on all housing related expenditures of the Affordable Housing, ESG, and HOME funds, revenue sharing funds and all other special and general funds relating to housing and homelessness. (K) To comment, through the Human Services Committee, on homelessness -related matters before the City Council. 5-6-6: STAFF: The Commission shall, on a regular basis, advise the City Manager of its needs for staff assistance, and it shall be the responsibility of the City Manager to provide such assistance to the Commission in accordance with budget approval. • 5-6-7: PERIODIC REVIEW OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The Commission shall prepare an action report and present said report to the City Council through the Planning and Development Committee at the time of the biennial review. These action reports shall contain: (A) Accomplishments of the Commission; (B) Future goals of the Commission including any change in functions or goals of the Commission; (C) Proposed programs of the Commission for the following twelve (12)-month period; (D) Staff needs. SECTION 2: The definition of "Affordable Housing Fund," set forth in Section 4-22-2 of the City Code, is hereby amended to read as follows: • The fund established by City Council which can only receive and expend monies dedicated to the creation, preservation, maintenance, and improvement of affordable housing for households whose income is one hundred percent (100%) or less of area median income, with no less than MGM 61-0-12 sixty percent (60%) of all monies reserved for households that earn less • than eighty percent (80%) of area median income. The City Manager or his/her designee may implement programs including, but not limited to: down payment and/or rental assistance; building rehabilitation and/or construction loans; property acquisition and disposition; and grants to nonprofit organizations that serve households that earn less than one hundred percent (100%) of area median income. Said programs shall be administered in accord with guidelines generated by the Evanston Housing and Homelessness Commission, reviewed by the Planning and Development Committee and/or Human Services Committee of the City Council, and approved by the City Council. SECTION 3: Subsection 6-15-13-11-(A)-5 of the City Code is hereby amended to read as follows: Inclusion of fifteen percent (15%) affordable housing units of residential total (affordable housing to be defined from time to time by the Evanston Housing and Homelessness Commission). SECTION 4: All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION 5: If any provision of this ordinance or application thereof to • any person or circumstance is held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this ordinance that can be given effect without the invalid application or provision, and each invalid provision or invalid application of this ordinance is severable. SECTION 6: This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval and publication in the manner provided by law. SECTION 7: The findings and recitals contained herein are declared to be prima facie evidence of the law of the City and shall be received in evidence as provided by the Illinois Compiled Statutes and the courts of the State of Illinois. • ME I 61-0-12 • Introduced:_�&-4- wkrbl 2012 Adopted: , 2012 • • Attest: zw� �z Ro�fiey G71ne, City Clerk Approved: ' l , 2012 Eliz eth B. Tisdahl, Mayor Approved as to form: W. Grant Farrar, Corporation Counsel a-Z