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Council asks staff to explore using affordable-housing sales-tax funds to help Acres of Diamonds with permit fees
Summary
A councilmember asked staff to research whether Duvall's affordable housing sales-tax fund could be used to waive or cover permit fees for Acres of Diamonds, a supportive-housing project expected to add about 26 beds; staff said legal review and policy work are needed and promised to report back.
A councilmember asked the Committee of the Whole on March 4 whether the city could use its affordable-housing sales-tax fund to offset permit fees for Acres of Diamonds, a supportive-housing provider planning roughly 26 additional beds.
The councilmember said the city cannot simply waive permit costs for a single applicant because fees reimburse city costs, but asked whether the affordable-housing sales-tax fund might pay those fees on the applicant's behalf. Community Development Director Laura Thomas told council the city has a planning calendar item to develop a policy for the use of that fund and that the question would require research and legal review. Thomas said staff will look into the matter and return with options.
A second councilmember who spoke in support of investigating the request described Acres of Diamonds as an established local partner that screens residents and has not generated police concerns; that councilmember said they would favor fee relief if legally and procedurally possible. Thomas said staff previously prepared a fee resolution for Acres of Diamonds and has granted limited fee waivers in the past, but that any broader program would require policy work.
Ending: Staff committed to return to council with a list of applicable fees, the amounts, and whether use of the affordable-housing sales-tax fund to cover the fees is legally permissible.
