Housing Opportunities Commission adopts 2025 work plan, replaces "regional housing conference" with biannual "regional housing meetings"

The Housing Opportunities Commission on Jan. 8, 2025, voted to approve its 2025 work plan and directed staff to change the work-plan line item naming a "regional housing conference" to a more flexible "regional housing meetings," with a starting frequency of twice per year.

The change follows discussion among commissioners and staff over whether a conference format best serves the ordinance’s requirement to convene regional stakeholders “regularly, but no less than annually.” Council member Jess Shone read the ordinance language during debate, noting it requires an annual convening but does not explicitly require a conference. "[It says] convene a regional meeting of industry and community stakeholders to share the commission's progress and direction on strategies for affordable housing, and to receive feedback,” she said verbatim during the meeting.

Commissioners said the meeting format gives the commission more flexibility and reduces staff burden. Commissioner Scott Rogers and others argued that smaller, more frequent stakeholder roundtables could be more productive and avoid duplicating existing local forums. Director Aaron White told commissioners staff will revise the wording and update target dates that still referenced 2024, then submit the plan to city council for final approval. "We can make that adjustment on the regional housing meetings," White said during the discussion.

The motion to approve the work plan passed by voice vote; no opposition was recorded during the public meeting. The commission also directed staff to set an initial frequency of two stakeholder meetings per year (biannual) and to include social service providers and other identified partners on outreach lists.

The change is procedural but matters for how the commission will engage the county, state representatives and other partners: commissioners emphasized avoiding duplication with existing forums (for example, the city-hosted public forum on Oct. 28, 2024) and suggested the new meetings could be more frequent and accessible, including virtual options.

Staff said the revised wording and updated target dates will be forwarded to Eau Claire City Council for final approval; the commission’s action modifies the commission’s recommended work plan only. The commission also asked staff to begin assembling a list of stakeholders and to propose scheduling targets for the first two meetings.

Minutes and formal documents for the adopted plan will be included with the board packet submitted to council. The commission voted to approve other routine items at the same meeting, including the November 13, 2024 minutes.