The meeting began with an acknowledgment of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee’s achievements over the past three years, including the creation of a Municipal Community Land Trust. The committee plays a role in establishing local policies for affordable housing, which are then approved by the city council before being forwarded to the state for final ratification. With state funds supporting these initiatives, the AHAC has focused on eliminating bureaucratic barriers for affordable housing projects, particularly those catering to very low-income families.

One of the most debated topics was density flexibility, aimed at allowing a greater number of units in affordable housing projects. This discussion referenced the state-level “Live Local” amendment, designed to facilitate the committee’s goals. However, concerns were raised about the potential for developers to exploit this amendment as a loophole to bypass community input. A council member emphasized the need for developments using this law to undergo similar administrative reviews and public hearings as other projects to ensure community voices are heard. They stated, “We don’t want any developer to take advantage of this and to shove something you know down the throat of our city that the people may not want.”

The conversation then shifted to strategies for managing the city’s land inventory, essential for the Live Local Act’s requirements. A council member sought clarification on the next steps and responsibilities, highlighting the need for accountability. It was noted that information on this topic was not yet available on the city website and should be published by December 2023. The urgency of establishing a timeline to ensure accountability was emphasized, with a request directed towards the administration to identify who was working on this task.

Further discussions focused on the availability of vacant land owned by the city that could be advertised for sale. It was revealed that only one notable piece of land was currently in city possession, previously given to a Community Development entity, while another piece was under contract for development and not available. A council member remarked, “Technically, we have one piece because the other one belongs to the C,” indicating a pressing need to identify potential land for future developments.

The council also discussed the importance of encouraging development around transit-oriented hubs, a strategy that has gained additional relevance with new transit options like Brightline. This approach aims to leverage existing and upcoming transit developments within the city to support affordable housing initiatives.

In the context of these discussions, the meeting also addressed several other policies, such as expedited permitting processes and impact fee waivers. The committee decided that no new recommendations were necessary for expedited permitting, as this issue had been previously addressed. The focus then shifted to reserving infrastructure capacity, where it was noted that the city did not currently have an incentive strategy in place, pending the completion of an infrastructure study linked to the comprehensive plan.

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) were another topic of discussion, with the committee deciding against new recommendations due to the existence of robust policies since the 1990s. Similarly, no new recommendations were made for the reduction of parking and setbacks or flexible lot configurations, as existing regulations were deemed sufficient.

The committee also reviewed modifications to street requirements and the oversight of existing policies, concluding that no new recommendations were needed. Emphasis was placed on the Community Land Trust established last year, where the city donates land to a nonprofit land trust.

As the meeting progressed, a motion was made to approve the discussed items, followed by a second and a vote in favor. There was also acknowledgment of the recent publication of a third report, with gratitude expressed for the support received from the committee and public members throughout the chair’s tenure, which is set to conclude in November.