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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-03-17 Info Packet1 - 1 4:1:1 I I 400110. ..1 -.7,06.rimiocaa I REP CITY OE IOWA CITY www.icgov.org City Council Information Packet March 17, 2022 IP1. Memo from City Clerk: City Council meeting location & Council Tentative Meeting Schedule March 22 Work Session IP2. Work Session Agenda [REVISED] IP3. Memo from City Manager: Forest View Relocation Proposal IP4. Pending City Council Work Session Topics Miscellaneous IP5. Article from Councilor Thomas: Not Just Bikes - Where we've been living this whole time IP6. Invitation: Community Police Review Board Community Forum -April 20 IP7. Invitation: An Evening with Judy Neumann: Intemationalljr Renowned Disability Rights Advocate Draft Minutes IP8. Board of Adjustment: March 9 IP9. Ad Hoc Truth & Reconciliation Commission: March 3 March 17, 2022 City of Iowa City Page 1 I 1 Atkiallie-frar.461 "17111141714116.1112711r CITY OE IOWA CITY v vw.icgov.org City Council Informati ■ n Packet IP1. Mem from City Clerk: City Council meeting location & Cou Sched e March 22 Work Session IP2. Work Sessio ` genda IP3. Memo from City anager: Forest View Relocati IP4. Pending City Coun• Work Session Topics Miscellane IP5. Article from Councilor Tho ' as: N whole time IP6. Invitation: Community Police R IP7. Invitation: An Evening with Jud Rights Advocate us n Proposal March 17, 2022 cil Tentative Meeting of J .t Bikes - Where we've been living this vw Board Community Forum - April 20 umann: Internationally Renowned Disability Draft M IP8. Board of Adjustment: arch 9 IP9. Ad Hoc Truth & Re utes nciliation Commission. arch 3 March 17, 2022 City of Iowa City Page 1 Item Number: 1. March 17, 2022 Memo from City Clerk: City Cou n cil meetin g location & Council Ten tative Meetin g Sch edule AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Memo from City Clerk: City Council meeting location & Council Tentative Meeting S chedule City Council Tentative Meeting Schedule Subject to change March 17, 2022 Date Time Meeting Location Tuesday, March 22, 2022 3:00 PM Special Formal Meeting The Center, Assembly Room Work Session 28 S. Linn Street 6:00 PM Special Formal Meeting Tuesday, April 5, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Monday, April 18, 2022 4:30 PM Joint Entities Meeting TBD Hosted by Iowa City Community School District Board Tuesday, April 19, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, May 3, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, May 17, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Monday, June 6, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, June 21, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, July 12, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Monday, July 18, 2022 4:30 PM Joint Entities Meeting TBD Hosted by City of Coralville Tuesday, August 2, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, August 16, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, September 6, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, September 20, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Monday, October 3, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Monday, October 17, 2022 4:30 PM Joint Entities Meeting The Center, Assembly Room Hosted by City of Iowa City 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, October 18, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, November 1, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, November 15, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Tuesday, December 6, 2022 4:00 PM Work Session The Center, Assembly Room 6:00 PM Formal Meeting 28 S. Linn Street Item Number: 2. March 17, 2022 Work Session Agen d a AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Work Session Agenda P gr ZrANCillito • nrYiQar�� CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City. Iowa 52240-1826 (319) 356-5000 (319) 356-5009 FAX www.icgov.org Special Formal Meeting 3:00 PM - separate agenda posted Iowa City REVISED City Council Work Session Agenda March 22, 2022 - 3:00 PM The Center- Assembly Room 28 S. Linn Street www.icgov.orq Following the 3:00 PM Special Formal Meeting You can watch the meeting on cable channel 4(1182 QAM) in Iowa City, University Heights and Coralville, or you can watch it online at any of the following websites: ■ hitpsf/citychannel4.comilive • https://www.youtube.comluser/cifychannel4Jlive • https://facebook.com/CityoflowaCity • Forest View Relocation Proposal • Clarification of Agenda Items • Information Packet Discussion [March 3, March 10, March 17] Council direction needed on the following items: 1. (3/17) IP1 Memo from City Clerk: City Council meeting location • University of Iowa Student Government (USG)Updates • Council updates on assigned boards, commissions, and committees P. 1 siesaniaxar CITY OF 10 A CITY ‘110 East Was niton Street lowVa Citi xiva 52240-1826 (319) , ii 5000 (319 356-5009 FAX .W v:icgov.org 'al Formal Meeting 3:00 PM - separate . • . nda posted Iowa City C ' Council Work Sews'' n Agenda arch 22, 2022 - :00 PM rater- µ mbly Room 8 S. Li Street The .tcgOv.orq Following the 3: Special Formal Meeting You can watch the ng on •-, • le channel 4 (118.2 QAM) in Iowa City, University H = ghts and Cora ' le, or you can watch it online at any of the followin , websites: • https://citychanne com/live ://www.youtube.com/use itychannelMive • https://facebook.com/Ciity • ' owaCty Fore View Relocation Proposal CI. 'fication of Agenda Items formation Packet Discussion [March 3, March 10, March 17] Council direction needed on the following items: 1. (3/17) IP1 Memo from City Clerk: City Council meetin• location Council updates on assigned boards, commissions, and committees Item Number: 3. March 17, 2022 Memo from City Man ager: F orest View Rel ocation Prop osal AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Memo from City Manager: Forest View Relocation Proposal Date: March 17, 2022 To: Mayor and City Council From: Geoff Fruin, City Manager Re: Forest View Relocation Proposal Introduction This memo intends to provide a succinct background on the Forest View redevelopment project that has been planned and discussed over the last approximately seven years. It further provides information on the current situation and makes a recommendation for the City to offer voluntary relocation assistance to residents of the manufactured housing park. The idea for a City funded relocation plan first was presented to the City Council in September of 2021 when discussing preliminary uses for the American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (ARPA) that Iowa City was awarded earlier in 2021. As City staff began to work through the federal rules and develop a proposal, we stayed engaged with the Forest View Tenants Association and the Center for Worker Justice. Meetings were held on November 9th and January 19th so that staff could better understand the current situation and so that residents could better understand our views on the project status and need for relocation. Furthermore, a draft of this memo was provided to the Center for Worker Justice on February 11, 2022 to share with the Tenants Association and provide comment back to staff prior to finalizing the memo and forwarding to the City Council. Staff received feedback in the form of the attached letter from the Center Worker Justice on March 10th, 2022. Staff would like to acknowledge the positive, collaborative approach that the Tenants Association has demonstrated. While there may be disagreements on specific matters associated with this complex issue, there continues to be a shared desire to work together toward a positive resolution. This continued collaborative approach will be critical when executing any future relocation effort. Background Forest View is the name of a long-established manufactured housing park located south of Interstate 80 and west of Dubuque Street in Iowa City. In recent years, the term Forest View has also been used to describe a larger 73-acre area that not only encompasses the existing manufactured housing park but also includes large areas of undeveloped land in the same general vicinity. On the following page there is an aerial image showing the existing manufactured housing park and larger surrounding area Page 2 of 12 In 2017, the City adopted an amendment to the North District Plan that included updated housing, transportation and design goals along with commercial, single-family and multi-family uses for the larger Forest View area. In 2019, the City approved a conditional zoning agreement for redevelopment of approximately 73 acres and reviewed a preliminary plat that included commercial, multi-family, and single-family lots along with nine outlots. The conditional zoning agreement requires, among other conditions, that the development team provide relocation assistance. Since that time, the owner of the property, North Dubuque, LLC, has not been able to commence construction on the redevelopment project. Further, in the last several months it has been communicated to the City that the project will not proceed as originally planned and new buyers and/or project partners are actively being sought. Due to significant changes in market conditions over the last few years, particularly in the commercial and hospitality sectors, it is unlikely any future plat submission will mirror prior proposals. The condition of the manufactured housing park, as well as individual housing units within, have continued to deteriorate in recent years. The number of households residing in the park has dropped precipitously from approximately one hundred at the time of rezoning to less than sixty today. With the hope of redevelopment looming, North Dubuque, LLC has not invested to any great extent in the infrastructure and common spaces. As lot rents have stayed flat and the number of renters has diminished, it is likely that the overall financial viability of maintaining the park has long passed. Furthermore, households living in the Forest View neighborhood have likely been hesitant to pursue needed repairs to individual units due to talks of redevelopment as well as financial pressures directly related to the pandemic. This collective lack of investment has accelerated deterioration of the neighborhood and mobile homes, putting occupying households at a heightened risk of housing instability and significantly impacting their health, safety and quality of life. For the last two years, the City has used emergency housing funds to partner with non-profit agencies and the labor community on critical repairs to individual housing units in the Forest View neighborhood before each winter season. At the urging of remaining residents, the City Page 3 of 12 has also worked with the owner to remove abandoned trailers and eliminate safety hazards. Residents have also reported deteriorating private infrastructure, including roadways and utilities. It appears that temporary repairs are frequently being made to the private infrastructure in the manufactured housing park. In September of 2021, staff proposed using a portion of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to relocate remaining residents to safer and more stable housing situations. The relocation effort is intended to prevent an increasingly likely situation of sudden displacement that could be caused by a significant private infrastructure failure or a future decision by an owner to close the manufactured housing park. The relocation effort is intended to proactively provide upfront financial support and connections to social service resources to assist remaining households with relocating to areas of higher economic opportunity and safer housing alternatives of their choosing. Project History and Current Status Conversations surrounding the redevelopment of the Forest View manufactured housing park and surrounding properties started to gain traction in 2015 and 2016. A sampling of milestone dates showing the evolution of this effort are summarized below: • December 2016: The Forest View Mobile Home Park Relocation Plan completed. The plan was prepared by HBK Engineering, LLC in partnership with North Dubuque, LLC, the residents of Forest View Mobile Home Park and the Center for Worker Justice. • August 2017: The City adopted Resolution 19-90, an amendment to the North District Plan that included updated housing, transportation and design goals along with commercial, single-family and multi-family uses for the larger Forest View area. • February 2018: North Dubuque, LLC and Forest View Tenants Association jointly applied for a rezoning and preliminary plat covering approximately 73 acres of land. • May 2018: A revised Forest View Mobile Home Park Relocation Plan was completed. The Plan was prepared by HBK Engineering, LLC in partnership with North Dubuque, LLC, North Dubuque Developer, LLC, the residents of Forest View Mobile Home Park and the Center for Worker Justice. • June 2019: The City Council approved Ordinance 19-4794 – Rezoning 73.15 acres to OPD/RS-12 for 50.82 acres and OPD Highway Commercial (OPD/CH-1) for 20.45 acres and Neighborhood Public OPD/P-1 for 1.88 acres. The applicants included North Dubuque, LLC, and the Forest View Tenants Association. The rezoning was subject to a Conditional Zoning Agreement (CZA). Key next steps before building permits could be approved include a detailed affordable housing agreement and an updated traffic study. The owner also began the process of requesting Tax Increment Financing (TIF) support for the public infrastructure components of the project. The preliminary plat application, however, was incomplete, thus was not approved. • March 2020: Onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic impacts on households, businesses, and commercial property markets. • June 2021: The OPD Plan expired per City Code standards as no building permits were issued within two years of the plan approval. • Current Status: The City has received no indication that the development will move forward as previously planned. Communications on the implementation of the relocation plan and the required affordable housing agreement stalled back in November of 2019. Page 4 of 12 Portions of the 73-acre site have been listed for sale. Staff has fielded a few infrequent inquiries from prospective buyers but does not have information to suggest that a sale is imminent. At this time, especially with the continued impact of the pandemic on commercial markets, staff does not see any immediate movement toward redevelopment of this property. Should interest emerge, it will likely be at least a year before a new plan could be prepared, reviewed, approved and commenced. It is not uncommon for projects of this magnitude to take several years to move into a construction phase. Overview of Conditional Zoning Agreement (CZA) The existing CZA, which constitutes part of the zoning code regulating development of this property, imposes conditions on the development necessary to meet public needs created by the rezoning application. One of those public needs created is the need to relocate the current residents upon redevelopment. The CZA requires, among other things, the owner to execute an affordable housing agreement detailing the terms of the relocation assistance before a building permit is issued. The provisions of the agreement shall be guided by the principles of the aforementioned Forest View Mobile Home Park Relocation Plan dated May 2018 attached to the CZA. That plan was prepared by HBK Engineering, LLC in partnership with North Dubuque, LLC, North Dubuque Developer, LLC, the residents of Forest View Mobile Home Park, and the Center for Worker Justice. The affordable housing agreement must be reviewed for compliance with the CZA and approved by the City. Significant points of the Relocation Plan include: • All persons who were residents on the day the CZA was signed (6/4/2019) are eligible for the assistance outlined in the plan. Eligible means any resident that is in good standing with the property and abiding by a current lease (if one exists). • 57 new modular homes were to be built in a new Forest View neighborhood based on the number of income-eligible residents and their desire to remain in the new development. The CZA also outlined several conditions related to the design of the homes. • The owner was to provide the opportunity for income-eligible residents to participate in a lease-to-purchase pathway to homeownership. • Each resident was to receive at least one-year advance notification of the date they must move. • Three replacement housing options were outlined including, (1) moving to a new modular home in the Forest View neighborhood if income-eligible (lease-to-own option), (2) relocating to housing outside the development, or (3) relocating to new multi-family buildings to be constructed within the development (with lease-to-own option). • Units were to be similar in size, function, and location and be decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable. Affordable is not defined in the Relocation Plan. However, conversations at the time anticipated residents being able to start with rent that was comparable to their current lot rent with an annual inflationary factor. • The owner was to hire a relocation coordinator to assist with the relocation activities and options available. • For those moving to a different location or living situation, a maximum replacement housing payment was limited to a maximum of $7,200 per household. This expense was to be covered by the owner. Page 5 of 12 • Moving expenses paid per the Fixed Resident Moving Cost Schedule for Iowa based on number of rooms with furniture. The intent of the affordable housing agreement that is required by the CZA, and yet never finalized, was to move from these general principles to detailed mechanics for satisfying the City Council’s intentions. Because the overall development is stalled and unlikely to ever move forward as it was envisioned in 2019, the conditions of the CZA are likewise unlikely to be satisfied. Realistically, staff anticipates a future rezoning will be necessary to move forward with any development and, with that, a new conditional zoning agreement will be needed. Current Site Conditions and Emergency Winter Repairs The current Forest View neighborhood continues to suffer from a lack of investment. The property owner is not reinvesting into the private infrastructure and common areas. Most tenants are similarly not reinvesting in their individual units. This disinvestment cycle will only continue in the coming months until either individual units or the entire manufactured housing park is no longer sustainable. Absent other actions from the owner or City, it is likely that the park’s private infrastructure and common areas will continue to rapidly deteriorate and eventually get to the point where there is no other option than to close the manufactured housing park. This eventual course leaves residents with no support resources and risks that they will face sudden and unplanned displacement. State law only requires sixty days of notice to terminate a month-to-month lot lease at a manufactured housing park, and it is staff’s understanding that there are not any long- term lot leases in place. Over the last two years, the City has worked to support volunteer-led mobile home repair programs aimed at making individual units in Forest View safer heading into the winter months. In September of 2020, the City approved a $5,000 request by the Iowa City Federation of Labor to support the purchase of materials and volunteer efforts by the local labor community to assist twenty-four households with mobile home repairs. In September of 2021, the City entered an agreement with Habitat for Humanity for $17,500 to provide home repair and weatherization services to Forest View residents. Habitat has commenced work on a number of units and will complete the project and report back to the City on the use of our funds by March 30, 2022. While these emergent home repair programs have provided some relief, they are best thought of as temporary fixes to household units that have for the most part exceeded their intended lifespan. A yearly home repair program is simply not a viable long-term solution for this situation. Relocation Justification and Overview of Possible Scenarios The City of Iowa City does not have a legal obligation to intervene in the current situation at the Forest View neighborhood. Rather, the City’s interest is in assisting our residents in relocating to safer and more stable housing and to do so in a way that provides households time to plan and potentially access support resources. Without intervention at this time, there is a substantial risk of sudden displacement, which can be incredibly disruptive and difficult for households to navigate. Sudden displacement situations often do not allow for adequate time to coordinate with needed support services and resources and thus the risk of housing insecurity is greatly increased. Page 6 of 12 While the City is not obligated to offer relocation assistance, the City Council can voluntarily offer such a program. In recent years, Iowa City has twice directed such relocation assistance voluntarily: 1. Rose Oaks (2016): In 2016 a new owner of this multi-family property embarked on a redevelopment and rehabilitation project resulting in the current branded housing development named The Quarters. No rezoning was necessary and no federal or state law triggered mandatory relocation assistance. The City Council directed staff to make a one-time payment of $250 to each household that had a valid lease at the time. A check was mailed to the last address on record for the tenant. This assistance totaled $34,000. The City also funded translation services and contracted with Shelter House for an amount not to exceed $15,000 in HOME funds to assist tenants to secure and rent other units in Johnson County. The City further assisted with some project coordination by placing the property manager in contact with local non-profits, including the United Way, to assist with moving, helping locate units and other assistance. 2. Hawkeye Trailer Court (Prairie Du Chien Road - 2018): The City Council approved a rezoning request in July of 2018 to redevelop an existing mobile home park at 1705 Prairie Du Chien to a multi-family residential property. As part of the Conditional Zoning Agreement, the developer was required to provide a nine-month transition period for the residents to vacate and $2,000 in financial assistance. In addition, an agreement was entered with Shelter House to provide relocation services to the park residents. Shelter House provided $14,958 in direct relocation assistance (up to $2,000 per household) to eight households. Case management expenses from Shelter House totaled $2,598. Total assistance provided by the City through the Shelter House contract was $17,557. In addition to looking at these past examples, the City can craft a program based on the framework required by the federal government when relocation results from federal or federally assisted projects. That regulatory requirement is the Uniform Relocation Act (URA). The purpose of URA is to ensure that persons displaced as a result of federal or federally assisted projects are treated fairly, consistently, and equitably so that such displaced persons will not suffer disproportionate injuries as a result of projects designed for the benefit of the public as a whole. Furthermore, the purpose is to ensure that agencies implement these regulations in a manner that is efficient and cost effective. Under the URA, “displaced persons” (as defined in the regulations) shall receive three types of assistance: 1) replacement housing assistance payments, 2) moving expenses payments, and 3) relocation advisory services. Displaced persons must also receive at least a 90-day written notice to vacate prior to requiring possession. Regulations for relocation are found at 49 CFR Part 24. Replacement housing assistance payment for a tenant is based on the following formula: 42 months x {(lesser of x or y) – (base monthly rent)}. • X = Average rent and estimated utilities of comparable replacement dwelling • Y = Rent and estimated utilities of a new dwelling occupied by tenant • Base monthly rent = lesser of a) average monthly cost of rent and utilities for reasonable time at current unit prior to relocation, or b) if person is low income (under 80% median income), then it is 30% of “average monthly gross income” (as defined in the regulations). Page 7 of 12 Whatever the total calculated from the above formula, the maximum assistance is capped at $7,200. In practice, low-income households almost always reach the maximum assistance level of $7,200. It should be noted that the 2019 Conditional Zoning Agreement for the Forest View project also utilized the cap of $7,200 when contemplating replacement housing assistance to an off-site unit. To aid in the understanding of this URA calculation, below is an example scenario: Current rent + utilities $750 Rent + estimated utilities of comparable unit x value = $900 $900 (lesser value of x and y) Rent + estimated utilities of newly leased unit y value = $925 Calculation: 42 x {(900-750)} = $6,300 If the household is low-income, a second calculation is necessary: Average gross monthly household income $2,000 Calculation 42 x {900 - (.30*2,000)} =$12,600 Assistance capped at $7,200 Under this scenario, if the household did not qualify as low income, they would receive $6,300 in replacement housing payments, plus moving expenses. If the household is low income, it would receive the maximum of $7,200 in replacement housing payments, plus moving expenses. Tenants have the option of being reimbursed for the actual cost to move or to receive a fixed amount. It has been staff’s experience that tenants move themselves and opt for the fixed amount which is based on the number of rooms with furniture. The federal Fixed Moving Cost Schedule for a mobile home with six rooms is $1,100. While the City does not have household information for residents currently living in Forest View, we do understand the base lot rent to be $310. Given the cost of leasing a comparable unit in Iowa City, it is safe to assume the assistance would likely by capped at $7,200 per household, plus moving expenses, under the federal standards. In summary, the City Council has a number of options to consider. As a reminder, there is no legal obligation to pursue a relocation package. However, in staff’s view such action is prudent. Thus, the City can look to recent past examples or the commonly used federal standard. A unique opportunity that presents itself with this scenario, is that the City has recently received funding under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). While the City has a plethora of potential options for use of these funds, intervening in this situation to help residents relocate to safer housing that will provide a greater chance for stability and upward economic mobility seems appropriate and consistent with the guidance and intent of this law and the established strategic goals of the City. Key Issues As the City considers an approach to relocation, there are several key factors that must be considered. A brief explanation of these critical issues is addressed below: • Amount of assistance: As discussed above, the amount of assistance to be provided is flexible. While the assistance provided in the Rose Oaks and Prairie DuChein cases provided some benefit to those tenants, the overall amount likely only addressed very short-term, urgent matters and was not intended to provide longer-term stabilizing solutions. The federal URA cap that was also explicitly noted in the Relocation Plan that Page 8 of 12 was jointly developed by tenants and the owner has a cap of $7,200, plus a moving expense allowance. This level of assistance would be more meaningful given the extremely low lot rents in Forest View but would not stretch as far as it may in other relocation situations involving higher existing rental rates. • Funding source: The City budgets $50,000 per year for emergent housing issues including displacement scenarios. Anything beyond the $50,000 will have to come from an unbudgeted source or from other funded City initiatives. The City Council previously signaled support for using federal ARPA funds to facilitate this relocation. U.S. Treasury guidance has recently provided clarification that such a program would be an eligible use of ARPA funds. Utilizing this grant source will spare the City from using unbudgeted funds but will also bring some potential limitations. • Eligibility: The City will need to determine who is eligible for relocation assistance. This includes making decisions on income-levels and current residency versus residency from a date in the past, such as the date of the Conditional Zoning Agreement. Defining eligibility will have significant impacts on overall costs and eligible funding sources. • Timeframe: Once a relocation payment is offered, there will need to be an established timeframe to accept the benefits and vacate the current property. The federal URA standard requires a tenant to be given ninety days before being required to move. Considerations must take into account the park ownership’s ability to keep it functioning, as well as key dates including the start of the school year and onset of winter weather. It is important to note that the City cannot force anyone to move, and any relocation payment predicated on a move date is a voluntary matter for residents. • Future affordable housing on the property: Separate from but related to the relocation discussion, staff is working with the current owner to ensure that any future development has a significant affordable housing component. While the City cannot compel land dedication, staff is having conversations surrounding the potential dedication of land to the City that would be banked for future publicly controlled affordable housing. The size of dedication would be approximate to the area on the 2019 preliminary plat that contained the 57-lot new Forest View residential neighborhood. If a land dedication is not able to be worked out with the owner, staff will lean on the 2019 Conditional Zoning Agreement to ensure any future buyer knows that the community expects a significant affordable housing development to be pursued with the eventual redevelopment of this property. Under either scenario, the future of affordable housing on this site is unknown and could be several years away from materializing. City Staff’s Relocation Proposal After careful consideration of the current site conditions, the funding opportunity with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, and the lack of any foreseeable progress on site redevelopment, staff is recommending that the City move forward with a relocation package to current residents in the Forest View neighborhood. Based on the March 10th feedback from the Tenants Association through the Center for Worker Justice, staff recommends expanding the pool of eligible residents from current residents (approximately 50-60 households), to households that resided in the Forest View neighborhood when the City staff first proposed the concept of relocation assistance, or September 1, 2021. This would effectively capture any households that moved out in anticipation of the 2021-22 winter months. Page 9 of 12 While the 2019 Conditional Zoning Agreement contemplated assistance to households that lived there at the date of signing (approximately 100 households), broadening that eligibility will significantly increase costs and require alternative, non-grant, funding sources as using ARPA funds for all residents no longer living in the neighborhood is not possible. The development as approved in 2019 is not moving forward and the benefits in that plan will not be realized by anyone. City staff is recommending the City Council focus on the critical, acute need of those that are current residents or moved from the neighborhood since September 1st of 2021. ARPA rules enumerate relocation assistance as an eligible use and presumes eligibility when provided to a disproportionately impacted community. To simplify administration of programs provided to households, the Treasury permits a maximum household income of $40,626 to be considered disproportionately impacted (households can also qualify if they meet certain federal assistance program eligibility limits). Thus, to be eligible for relocation assistance, the City will need to certify households meet this income threshold. The U.S. Treasury encourages self- certification to ease administration and limit barriers and staff concurs with this approach. In addition, staff would aim to create a simple method to satisfy proof of residency requirements. In their March 10th, 2022 response letter, the Center for Worker Justice advocates that the City treat Forest View as a class of households that were disproportionately impacted by COVID. This would allow a few households to receive relocation assistance even if their income is higher than the $40,626 threshold. Proving a disproportionate COVID impact requires quantitative and qualitive data collection and thus could be potentially more intrusive for residents. Essentially, the City would have to show how COVID impacted this neighborhood more than other neighborhoods. It is unlikely that generally stating that loss of employment, educational hardships or other struggles were disproportionally evident in Forest View will satisfy federal requirements. In order to avoid having to satisfy this burden of proof and the associated data collection from residents, staff recommends that self-certification of income (or prescribed federal assistance program eligibility) remain a necessary component of the relocation assistance package. Staff’s proposal is modeled after the federal URA standard but recognizes the $7,200 cap, plus moving expenses, in the URA and also detailed in the Conditional Zoning Agreement is likely not sufficient enough to assist households that are only currently paying $310 in monthly lot rent. To determine a relocation amount, staff is proposing using a standard two-bedroom unit size, calculated as follows: Unit Size Fair Market Rent (FMR) Utility Allowance (-) Max Rent (=) Current Lot Rent (-) Monthly Subsidy (=) 24 Months (x) Federal Moving Allowance (+) Total Assistance Per Eligible Household 2 BD $1,036 $116 $920 $310 $610 $14,640 $1,110 $15,750 The formula takes the difference between what is paid today versus the federal Fair Market Rent for our area and multiplies that gap by 24 (months). After adding the federal moving allowance, the total relocation assistance for each household would be $15,750. For the purposes of this relocation program, staff is recommending that each mobile home unit strictly represents one household, regardless of the number or relationship of adult occupants. The $15,750 amount is more than double the federal URA and contemplated 2019 Conditional Zoning Agreement maximum replacement housing amount of $7,200, plus moving expenses. With an estimated 50-60 households living in Forest View today, the total investment from the City will be between $787,500 to $945,000 in household relocation payments plus expenses for Page 10 of 12 partner agencies to provide support services. This number may increase slightly if the City expands eligibility to households that resided in Forest View back to September 1, 2021. It is staff’s understanding that disaster assistance funds, including ARPA funds, are not taxable per IRS guidance. However, if the City uses another funding source the payments could indeed be considered taxable income. Relocation assistance of this nature is typically paid in a single lump sum payment. The beneficiary of the assistance has full discretion on how to use the funds and has no obligation to report such use to the City going forward. Thus, it could be used for future rent and utilities, a down payment on a new home, or other needs as determined by the household. Based on feedback from the Tenants Association through the March 10th letter from the Center for Worker Justice, staff recommends that participating households be able to access 25% of the assistance prior to relocation (moving expenses, security deposit, etc.) and the remaining 75% upon move out from the Forest View neighborhood. Staff recommends requiring all households accepting the relocation to vacate the manufactured housing park by December 9, 2022. Avoiding another winter season will greatly reduce the risk of an unplanned, forced displacement. It will also help ensure that persons find safer, more suitable housing opportunities for the cold weather season. Assuming the relocation assistance could be ready by June 1, 2022, the December 9th date provides households six months to find and relocate to safe, quality housing in areas with greater economic opportunity. This exceeds the federal minimum of 90 days and the state landlord/tenant law minimum of 60 days. As we aim for a date beyond the state minimum amount, it should be noted that the owner could move to closure sooner than agreed upon in any relocation plan. If the City Council initiates a relocation program, staff will begin to work with area non-profits that can be resources for residents through this process. The City would offer technical assistance funds to the non-profits in exchange for services to help residents relocate to new neighborhoods of their choosing that provide for higher economic opportunity. Such assistance is encouraged in the ARPA regulations and will help ensure compliance with the final U.S. Treasury rules. As previously noted, the City will continue to work with current owner on the possibility of a land dedication for future affordable housing. The City cannot compel such dedication, but to date the owner has expressed interest in further exploring this partnership. If the City is able to obtain land in this redevelopment area, either from current or future owners, it will be able to oversee the development of an affordable housing project. Typically, the City would take time to determine any goals for the site (level of affordability, permanency of affordability, neighborhood design elements, etc.) and then issue a Request for Proposals to seek development partners. The City would then explore such proposals and determine the feasibility of each and the preferred path forward. This process could take up to a year or more based on past experiences. Furthermore, proposed funding sources could take a while to secure and may limit eligibility of future residents. Realistically, any development of land that may be dedicated to the City is likely several years down the road at best. Knowing that a process like this can be extremely complex, staff does not support making any commitments providing existing Forest View residents any rights of first refusal to undefined affordable projects in the future. Doing so could prove misleading to residents who have already been counting on redevelopment for over five years. Setting up further expectations that the City cannot guarantee may provide additional false hope and may influence decisions on immediate housing choices associated with this relocation effort. Further, any commitments or guarantees may constrain the feasibility of future affordable housing efforts. Some residents may not be eligible to reside in units utilizing certain funding sources due to income levels, citizenship status Page 11 of 12 or other complicating factors. For all of these reasons, staff does not recommend that the City Council make any firm commitments to residents on future affordable housing opportunities in this area. This does not mean that the City cannot vigorously pursue affordable housing on the site and explore scenarios in the future that may prioritize former residents. However, it should be made clear that no guarantees can be made and that the prospect of any future housing should not influence household relocation decisions needed this year. Conclusion There is a long, complicated history with the Forest View redevelopment project. While the best intentions were focused on providing new housing opportunities for residents of the manufactured housing park, the project proved to be infeasible. Unfortuantely, the years of no progress were layered with slowly fading hope which has led to a significant deterioration of the neighborhood and individual housing units. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the issue. Waiting for a private market solution is no longer an option and the City must decide whether to intervene or simply wait for the inevitable closure of the manufactured housing park. The latter would be a lose/lose situation for all involved, including the residents, property owner and greater Iowa City community. Staff is attempting to find a solution that provides meaningful resources for current residents to find new housing in areas of their choosing that will be safer, more stable and provide for greater future economic opportunity. At the same time, we are working with the current owner to try to ensure that broader affordable housing goals that were set forth in the Relocation Plan and the 2019 rezoning are able to be achieved with any future development proposal from a new owner. While these efforts fall short of the lofty expectations that were unable to be achieved from the past redevelopment proposal, they would result in a benefit to current residents, the property owner and the greater Iowa City community. Unfortunately, current site conditions and economic challenges create a situation where time for action is critical. All stakeholders need to work together, and balance drawn out debates on the specifics of this effort with the expediency of a solution. A failure to work together toward a workable, albeit imperfect, solution will increase the likelihood of the aforementioned lose/lose outcome. Staff is happy to answer questions and guide Council through any changes you might wish to pursue to this proposal. City Council Discussion To assist the City Council with discussion on this complex topic, staff has prepared several optional guiding questions with the assumption that there is agreement to proceed with crafting a voluntary relocation program for the Forest View neighborhood: 1. Staff has proposed offering relocation to households that were established in the Forest View neighborhood as of September 1, 2021, the month in which pursuing a relocation was first recommended. Other options include, but are not limited to: a. Current residents b. Residents established in Forest View as of March 3, 2021 c. Residents established as of the date of the Conditional Zoning Agreement (June of 2019) If the Council opts for option (c), consideration should be given to non-ARPA funding sources and potentially limiting assistance to $7200 per household, as was contemplated in the Conditional Zoning Agreement for off-site relocation. Page 12 of 12 2. Does the Council agree that self-certification of income (or eligibility in a prescribed federal assistance program) is a preferred approach over collecting data and information from residents that could potentially show the neighborhood was disproportionality impacted by COVID? The latter may allow those with incomes over the eligible threshold to access relocation funds paid through ARPA. 3. Is the Council comfortable with staff’s proposal for a total relocation amount of $15,750 and the plan to offer 25% in advance of moveout and 75% upon moveout? 4. Is there agreement that in order to access the funding households must voluntarily vacate the property by December 9, 2022? 5. Staff intends to contract with a few non-profit organizations to provide relocation support for those needing such services. Accessing support services will be optional for households and not required to access relocation benefits. Is this City Council comfortable with this arrangement or is a strict case management approach preferred? 6. Staff recommends against any guarantee or first right of refusal related to future affordable housing on the 73-acre redevelopment site. We are comfortable exploring these possibilities should they arise. Is the Council comfortable with this approach? It is possible that the City Council may need more time to process these issues and make final decisions. Once final decisions have been reached, staff will prepare a resolution to formalize the voluntary relocation program. Attachment: March 10, 2022 Letter from the Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa Item Number: 4. March 17, 2022 Pen d ing City Cou n cil Work Session Topics AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Pending City Council Work S ession Topics PENDING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION TOPICS March 16, 2022 April 5, 2022 1. State required presentation of the Historic Preservation Certified Local Government Annual Report Other Topics: 1. Consider a plan for rubberized surfacing at park playgrounds and develop strategies to address equity gaps noted in the Parks Master Plan and plan for the equitable distribution of destination parks within an easy and safe distance of all residents. 2. Discuss possible changes to residential zoning classifications to allow and/or require a greater diversity of housing types (i.e. missing middle) 3. Consider establishing a cost of development framework that can help guide decisions on how best to accommodate future growth 4. Review low-income fare free transit options 5. Review Sunday transit service operational proposal 6. Discuss low-intensity commercial use allowances in residential zones 7. Discuss long-term planning work group priorities 8. Discuss Local Option Sales Tax 9. Discuss a land acknowledgement for City Council meetings 10. Strategic Planning sessions 11. Update from the local childcare coalition 12. Review of Senior Center Master Plan 13. Review of Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan Item Number: 5. March 17, 2022 Articl e from Cou n cilor Th omas: Not Ju st Bikes - W here we've b een livin g th is whol e time AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Article from Councilor Thomas: Not J ust B ikes - W here we've been living this whole time 3/15/2022 Not Just Bikes: Where We've Been Living This Whole Time (New Video) https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2022/3/8/where-weve-been-living-this-whole-time 1/2 Not Just Bikes: Where We've Been Living This Whole Time (New Video) John Pattison · March 8, 2022 There’s a funny scene in the TV show The West Wing in which the White House press secretary C.J. Cregg reluctantly takes a meeting with a group called the Organization of Cartographers for Social Equality (OCSE). The OCSE wants the president to support legislation that would require public schools to replace the traditional Mercator map with something called the Peters Projection Map. The presentation starts with the Mercator, the map many of us grew up with. This map made it easier for 16th- century sailors to cross an ocean, but it also dramatically distorted the size of continents. (For example, the Mercator map depicts Greenland as roughly the same as Africa, when Africa is actually 14 times larger than Greenland.) Then the reps from OCSE put the Peters map on the screen. “It has fidelity of axis,” they say, “fidelity of position, east-west lines are parallel, and intersect north-south axes at right angles.” C.J. is in disbelief. Leaning forward in her chair, she points at the new map and to the unfamiliar world it depicts: “What the hell is that?” The lead cartographer replies, “It’s where you’ve been living this whole time.” Article from Councilor Thomas 3/15/2022 Not Just Bikes: Where We've Been Living This Whole Time (New Video) https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2022/3/8/where-weve-been-living-this-whole-time 2/2 city’s revenue and expenses, Urban3 creates 3-D maps that show which parts of the city are financially productive and which are a net revenue loss. Time and again, Urban3 has found that neighborhoods built according to a traditional development pattern financially outperform those built along a suburban development pattern. From Eugene and Indianapolis to Kansas City and Fayetteville and beyond, the pattern is the same. In fact, in many places, poor neighborhoods built according to that traditional pattern end up subsidizing the more affluent, suburban-style neighborhoods. Consider the example above from Lafayette, Louisiana. Green equals profit and red equals loss. The higher the block goes, the larger the amount of profit or loss. What I love about Urban3’s visualizations is that they make the financial effect of our development choices so clear while bypassing our common assumptions and misconceptions.  Me: “What the hell is that?“ Urban3: “It’s where we’ve been living this whole time.” Urban3 + NJB: The Ultimate Mash-up? The folks at Urban3 combine keen analysis with powerful visual storytelling. They are master communicators. Imagine my delight when I learned that another of my favorite storytellers, Jason Slaughter of Not Just Bikes, was releasing a new video featuring Urban3. You know Not Just Bikes, right? Based in the Netherlands, this wildly popular YouTube channel—530,000 subscribers and growing!—talks about some of the things that make the Netherlands such a great place to live (hint: it’s not just the bikes). Since November 2020, Not Just Bikes has been producing a series based on the work of Strong Towns. (Check out the playlist here.) This latest installment explains why the ROI on the auto-oriented suburban development pattern falls short, who is subsidizing whom in North American cities, and what can be done to make communities more financially solvent. After you watch the video, we encourage you to share it with friends, family, and colleagues so they can see where they’ve been living, too. Together, we can make that place stronger and more financially resilient. Suburbia is Subsidized: Here's the Math [ST07]Suburbia is Subsidized: Here's the Math [ST07] Here are the seven videos so far in the Not Just Bikes ’ Strong Towns series: 1. “Introduction to Strong Towns & Financially Insolvent American Cities” 2. “How Suburban Development Makes American Cities Poorer” 3. “How America Bankrupted its Cities - The Growth Ponzi Scheme” 4. “How Bankrupt American Cities Stay Alive - Debt” 5. “The Ugly, Dangerous, and Inefficient Stroads found all over the US & Canada” 6. “The Wrong Way to Set Speed Limits” 7. “Suburbia Is Subsidized: Here’s the Math” I had a similar experience the first time I saw a value-per-acre map from Urban3. After conducting an analysis of a <-- Click bold letters for video. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2022/3/8/where-weve-been-living-this-whole-time Item Number: 6. March 17, 2022 Invitation : Community Pol ice Review Board Commu n ity F oru m - April 20 AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Press Release: C P R B Community F orum - A pril 20 6:00 PM DATE April 12, 2017 TIME WHERE Electronic Zoom Meeting The forum is being held via Zoom due to concerns presented by COVID -19 COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW BOARD COMMUNITY FORUM The Community Police Review Board will be holding a Community Forum for the purpose of hearing views on the policies, practices and procedures of the Iowa City Police Department. The Board will attempt to address all correspondence received. The forum will be taped for rebroadcast . QUESTIONS & COMMENTS: Send your questions or comments you ’d like addressed at the forum to the following by Monday, April 11, 2022: Please include full name and address. (All correspondence is public) CPRB Or e -mail to: City of Iowa City CPRB@iowa -city.org 410 E Washington St, 52240 APRIL 20, 2021 6:00 p.m. You can participate and comment during the forum by going to the Zoom meeting registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eE4MscDRTRywOisMlfCXaw Meeting ID: 816 3855 9389 COMMUNICATING WITH THE CPRB — WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO Item Number: 7. March 17, 2022 Invitation : An Evenin g with Ju d y Heu mann: In tern ation ally Renowned Disab ility Rights Ad vocate AT TAC HM E NT S : Description I nvitation: An E vening with J udy Heumann: I nternationally Renowned Disability Rights A dvocate UI LECTURE COMMITTEE PRESENTS: An Evening with Judy Heumann: Internationally Renowned Disability Rights Advocate With Special Guest Appearance by Senator Tom Harkin March 30, 2022 7:30 p.m. Hancher Auditorium FREE – but tickets are required! Tickets available March 21: https://hancher.uiowa.edu/2021-22/judy- heumann SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING UNIVERSITY OF IOWA SPONSORS: STUDENT GOVERNMENT, HEALTH AND HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY, LIVEWELL, COUNCIL ON DISABILITY AWARENESS, DIVISION OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, PUBLIC POLICY CENTER, DONNA PARSONS ARTS AND POLICY LECTURE SERIES, CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND THE CITY OF IOWA CITY. UI DEPARTMENT OF THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PRESENTS: Crip Camp Documentary Film Scree ning Followed by Q&A, receptio n, and book signing with Judy Heumann March 29, 2022 6:30 p.m. FilmScene at the Chauncey Tickets: https:// www.icfilmscene.org/film/crip-camp INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND ALL UNIVERSITY OF IOWA-SPONSORED EVENTS. IF YOU ARE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO REQUIRES A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM, PLEASE CONTACT BRI SWOPE IN ADVANCE AT (319) 331-8278/BRI-SWOPE@UIOWA.EDU ASL INTERPRETATION WILL BE PROVIDED. Item Number: 8. March 17, 2022 Board of Ad j u stmen t: March 9 AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Board of Adjustment: March 9 Item Number: 9. March 17, 2022 Ad Hoc Truth & Recon ciliation Commission: March 3 AT TAC HM E NT S : Description Ad Hoc Truth & Reconciliation Commission: March 3