Subject:
Title
Presentation on Developing Affordable Housing on City-Owned Land
Body
Presented By: Liz Webb, housing coordinator
Recommendation and Review
Next steps for developing affordable housing on city-owned land, including next steps at Central Avenue and Neff Avenue, and lays out a framework to guide decisions when evaluating public land for affordable housing.
Using city-owned land to support affordable housing development is a a strategy that can promote mixed-income neighborhoods and foster residential growth based on identified needs. When land is made available below market value for affordable housing, this can foster greater affordability and support feasibility of housing projects that would not be possible otherwise.
Evaluating city-owned parcels that are deemed “surplus” involves assessing site conditions and circumstances and analyzing value for affordable housing or other uses in consideration of different market-rate or subsidized disposition scenarios. City-owned land where residential development is feasible can be conditioned based on affordability goals and targets, though site-specific expectations should be realistic, and the request for proposals (RFP) process should include clear timelines, expectations, targets, and contingencies.
City-owned parcels on Central Avenue and Neff Avenue have been evaluated for affordable housing development. Affordable residential uses are feasible at both sites. Next steps are proposed based on each location’s identified opportunities and constraints.