Council narrows housing priorities; calls for staff reports and a housing commission

Council members at a June 17 goals workshop agreed on three top tactics within the affordable-housing goal: research and establish a housing trust, identify opportunities to create workforce housing, and explore creating a housing commission to support research and community engagement.

Council member Leslie Ruhl (speaking during the prioritization exercise) said she favored establishing a housing trust and mapping tactics so staff could produce prioritization, timelines and cost estimates. City Manager Benjamin Harvey summarized staff’s approach to convert multiple housing-related financial tactics into a single research item for council review and said staff would return reports that detail potential structures, legal options and partner roles.

Council members repeatedly flagged deed-restriction programs (buying deed restrictions to keep units affordable in perpetuity) as one model to research. One council member noted examples from other towns where deed-restriction purchases have been used to preserve affordability. Members also favored creating a housing commission made up of community volunteers, with staff liaisons, to research and convene stakeholders and to relieve staff workload.

Direction to staff was to prepare staff reports and recommendations that identify next steps, estimated costs and proposed timelines (for example: six months, one year) and to return with suggested commission composition and bylaws if the council prioritizes a housing commission. The council agreed these items should be brought back as prioritized tactics so staff could develop a workplan for the coming fiscal year.