Town of Chapel Hill header
File #: [22-0200]    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Information Items Status: Filed
File created: 2/15/2022 In control: Town Council
On agenda: 3/9/2022 Final action: 3/9/2022
Title: Staff Update: Expedited Review of Affordable Housing.
Attachments: 1. Staff Report, 2. Petition
Related files: [21-0854], [22-0648], [22-0406]

 

 

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Staff Update: Expedited Review of Affordable Housing.

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Staff:

Department:

Colleen Willger, Director

Planning

Judy Johnson, Assistant Director

 

Corey Liles, Planning Manager

 

Sarah Viñas, Director

Affordable Housing & Community

Nate Broman-Fulks, Affordable Housing Manager

Connections

Emily Holt, Affordable Housing Development Officer

 

 

Overview: On September 22, 2021, Council members submitted a petition calling for strategies to rapidly promote increased production and availability of affordable and missing middle housing. An initial update, with a draft Work Plan to address the full range of interests in the petition, was provided to Council on November 17, 2021. This item provides further details on a specific petition interest, the creation of an expedited application process for projects with a substantial amount of affordable housing.

 

Recommendation(s):

That the Council receive this update on considerations for an affordable housing expedited review process.

 

Key Considerations:

                     The pilot of expedited application review for projects proposing 100% affordable units will continue through the spring and will provide insight on what could work well for subsequent reviews.

                     Staff have identified other research and study topics to inform policy solutions.

                     A successful review process must balance elements such as timeliness, complexity of application materials, and number of meetings. Improving performance on timeliness requires tradeoffs.

                     Staff is exploring high-level policy options responsive to these tradeoffs such as simplified application materials, consolidated Advisory Board review, and additional staff capacity.

                     As this effort moves forward, qualifying affordability criteria and performance metrics will also be solidified.

 

Where is this item in its process?

 

 

Next Steps

Over the next few months, staff proposes:

1.                     Continued pilot of expedited application review of Trinity Court, Jay Street, PEACH Apartments, and Gattis Court

2.                     Council discussion of high-level policy options to determine preliminary direction

 

A more detailed Proposed Project Schedule is provided in the Staff Report.

 

Attachments:

 

Staff Report

 

Petition

 

 

 

The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting.

 

presenter

By accepting this report, the Council acknowledges receipt of this update on Expedited Review of Affordable Housing.