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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.29.18 CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING CITY OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS LORRAINE H. MORTON CIVIC CENTER JAMES C. LYTLE COUNCIL CHAMBERS Monday, January 29, 2018 6:00 PM ORDER OF BUSINESS (I) Roll Call – Begin with Alderman Wynne (II) Mayor Public Announcements (III) City Manager Public Announcements Black History Month, February (IV) Communications: City Clerk (V) Public Comment Members of the public are welcome to speak at City Council meetings. As part of the Council agenda, a period for public comments shall be offered at the commencement of each regular Council meeting. Public comments will be noted in the City Council Minutes and become part of the official record. Those wishing to speak should sign their name and the agenda item or non- agenda topic to be addressed on a designated participation sheet. If there are five or fewer speakers, fifteen minutes shall be provided for Public Comment. If there are more than five speakers, a period of forty-five minutes shall be provided for all comment, and no individual shall speak longer than three minutes. The Mayor will allocate time among the speakers to ensure that Public Comment does not exceed forty-five minutes. The business of the City Council shall commence forty-five minutes after the beginning of Public Comment. Aldermen do not respond during Public Comment. Public Comment is intended to foster dialogue in a respectful and civil manner. Public comments are requested to be made with these guidelines in mind. City Council Agenda January 29, 2018 Page 2 of 4 (VI) Special Orders of Business SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS (SP1) Affordable Housing Work Plan Staff will update and present City Council with activities undertaken since January 1, 2018 related to affordable housing. Tasks were referred to committees during City Council’s discussion of the Affordable Housing White Paper on October 30, 2017. For Action: Accept and Place on File (SP2) Zoning Change to Allow Rental of Accessory Dwelling Units to Non-Family Members To address the need for affordable housing and to expand the availability of rental housing choices in R1 and R2 districts, staff recommends that City Council make a referral to the Plan Commission to change zoning to allow rental of existing accessory dwelling units to individual(s) who are not members of the family living in the primary dwelling unit. For Action: Refer to Plan Commission (SP3) Pilot Landlord Rehabilitation Assistance Program Staff requests consideration of the Pilot Landlord Rehabilitation Assistance Program to support improvements and repairs for rental units that are committed to be rented to households earning 60% of AMI. Staff recommends allocation of $200,000 for the 2018 fiscal year. At its meeting on January 8, 2018, the Administrative and Public Works Committee directed staff to develop a pilot rehabilitation assistance program for local landlords who currently provide rental units at affordable rates but need funds to improve their properties. Funding would be from the City’s Affordable Housing Fund, 250.21.5465.65535. The Affordable Housing Fund has a current uncommitted cash balance of approximately $800,000. For Action (SP4) Rooming Houses Research At its meeting on January 8, 2018, the Planning and Development Committee requested a white paper on rooming houses. Staff seeks direction on next steps. For Discussion City Council Agenda January 29, 2018 Page 3 of 4 (SP5) Steps Toward Homeownership: First-Time Homebuyer Programs, Mortgage Products and Other Strategies to Expand Homeownership for Moderate and Middle Income Households Staff is providing information requested by the City Council at the October 30, 2017 City Council and January 8, 2018 Administration and Public Works meetings about homeownership assistance programs that are currently available. Staff has prepared a memorandum that reviews mortgage products that combine acquisition and rehab of homes and first time homebuyers programs, and City of Evanston homeownership programs provided in past years. Staff also includes potential new strategies to expand homeownership for moderate and middle income households for consideration by City Council. For Discussion (SP6) Evanston Rental Program to Address Affordable Housing Needs At its meeting on October 30, 2017, City Council referred the Evanston Rental Program proposed by Alderman Rainey to the Administration and Public Works Committee. Staff provided a memo for discussion on January 17, 2018. Alderman Rainey stressed the importance of rental assistance as a strategy in the City’s Affordable Housing Plan, but that implementation of the program should be held until the City receives additional funding from developer contributions. At the January 22, 2018 Planning and Development Committee meeting, Alderman Revelle asked that work with McKinney-Vento families, who are homeless and have school age children, be included in the Affordable Housing Work Plan. Staff seeks direction on next steps for this program. Initial funding of $1,200,000 would be from developer contributions to the Affordable Housing Fund, 250.21.5465.65535. Subsequent funding could be from the AHF or other sources to be identified. For Discussion (VII) Call of the Wards (Aldermen shall be called upon by the Mayor to announce or provide information about any Ward or City matter which an Alderman desires to bring before the Council.) {Council Rule 2.1(10)} (VIII) Executive Session (IX) Adjournment City Council Agenda January 29, 2018 Page 4 of 4 MEETINGS SCHEDULED THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2018 Upcoming Aldermanic Committee Meetings 2/1/2018 7:00 PM Housing and Homelessness Commission 2/5/2018 6:00 PM Human Services 2/7/2018 6:00 PM Inclusionary Housing Subcommittee 2/12/2018 6:00 PM Administration & Public Works, Planning & Development, City Council Information is available about Evanston City Council meetings at: www.cityofevanston.org/citycouncil. Questions can be directed to the City Manager’s Office at 847-866-2936. The City is committed to ensuring accessibility for all citizens. If an accommodation is needed to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Manager’s Office 48 hours in advance so that arrangements can be made for the accommodation if possible.