Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Authority topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Summit County adopts resolution to create housing authority; council requires implementing ordinance by Jan. 31, 2025
Summary
Council adopted Resolution 2024‑30 to create a Summit County Housing Authority, keeping findings that unsafe dwellings and a shortage of affordable housing exist; the council struck several statutory sections from the resolution and directed staff to return an implementing ordinance by Jan. 31, 2025 for final governance details and appointments.
Summit County Council voted to adopt a resolution declaring the need for and authorizing the creation of a Summit County Housing Authority, a first step the council said will allow the county to form an independent body focused on affordable and attainable housing.
Jeff Jones (speaker 15), who presented the resolution, told the council the resolution must include two legal findings under state law: that unsafe or unsanitary dwelling accommodations exist and that a shortage of safe, affordable housing exists for medium‑ and low‑income residents. He outlined preliminary work products envisioned for the authority — a strategic plan, policy manual, financial‑incentive policies with an eastern‑county focus, a public data dashboard, and an employer‑assisted housing exploration — and said staff had proposed reserving $250,000 in the overall budget for start‑up needs, of which $81,500 had been requested in the packet and about $168,500 remained unallocated.
Council members debated whether the resolution should adopt specific state code sections and governance language now or leave those details to a follow‑up ordinance. Councilmember Roger moved to adopt the resolution with amendments: keep the required findings in sections 1 and 2, strike sections 3–5 (which would have incorporated governing code text), and add a new section directing the Summit County Housing Director to return to council with a proposed implementing ordinance by Jan. 31, 2025. The motion passed on a voice vote after a second. A council attorney confirmed the council has flexibility about how to structure the authority, including options for independent commissioners and liaison roles.
Why it matters: A county housing authority can exercise powers under state law to pursue housing projects, administer programs and coordinate funding that the council and staff said could accelerate local affordable‑housing efforts. Councilmembers stressed the authority should be seeded as an independent body while retaining a council liaison role to preserve oversight.
What’s next: Staff will draft an implementing ordinance specifying appointment terms, eligibility, quorum and reporting and present it to council no later than Jan. 31, 2025. The council will then consider the ordinance and any appointments.
