HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HOUAB_05.19.2010
City of Georgetown
Housing Advisory Board
Minutes
May19, 2010, at 3:30 p.m.
Glasscock Conference Room—Georgetown Municipal Complex
300‐1 Industrial Ave., Georgetown, Texas 78626
Members present: Tim Todd, Chair, Betty Craig, Vice‐Chair, Janis Cowman‐Arteaga, Lalena
Parkhurst, Patsy Williams
Members absent: Debbie Hoffman, Morris Greenberg, Dollene Thompson
Staff present: Jennifer Bills, Housing Coordinator; Candice McDonald, Recording Secretary
This is a regular meeting of the Housing Advisory Board of the City of Georgetown. The Board,
appointed by the Mayor and the City Council, makes recommendations to the City Council on
affordable housing matters.
Regular Session ‐ To begin no earlier than 3:30 p.m.
The meeting was called to order at 3:38 by Todd, Chair.
Agenda
1. Consideration and possible action to approve minutes from the April 21, 2010 meeting.
Motion to approve the minutes, with corrections, by Cowman‐Arteaga. Second by
Williams. Approved 5‐0 (Hoffman, Greenberg, Thompson absent)
2. Discussion and possible action on the schedule for the Housing Element adoption.
Bills discussed taking the draft Housing Element to a City Council workshop in the fall. If
the Board decides to take the draft Housing Element to City Council for adoption, there is
required notification a month before the Board holds a public hearing. Another option is to
update City Council at workshop session and ask for direction to either bring back the
current draft for adoption or update the Housing Element.
Todd discussed that the current Housing Element provides a lot of background to
understand the underlying housing issues. By modifying past power point presentations
that has already been developed, the Board can bring all of the Council members up to
speed on the Housing Element progress.
3. Discussion and possible action to review Chapter 11: Policy Recommendations to retain,
remove, or add recommendations.
Cowman‐Arteaga discussed that a few years back the Chamber of Commerce did a leakage
report. The report was trying to get a grasp on each individual product that the city was
losing. The study showed that citizens were spending their money in surrounding cities and
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counties and not in Georgetown. She suggested that looking at economic factors such as
consumer spending to be gained from people living and working in Georgetown. She also
suggested the Element could include more comparison of rental cost between Georgetown
and other surrounding cities, as she has noticed that Georgetown’s price of rental property
is one of the highest in the area.
Bills discussed that there was a labor force analysis in the study but it did not focus on
consumer economics. If citizens live and work in the same town they will generate revenue
for the city.
Todd discussed about asking City Council to form a subcommittee to work with the
Housing Advisory Board to finalize the Housing Element. When the subcommittee idea was
brought up in the past the City Council was not forming any subcommittees. However, to
move forward the priorities and objectives will need the support of City Council.
Cowman‐Arteaga discussed breaking up the Housing Element into different sections. The
Housing Element can be moved around and bring the top 3 or 5 recommendations to the
City Council.
Bills discussed the way the recommendations were prioritized into high, medium, and low
priority. This would give Council a short term focus
The first 5 years of the Housing Element, the primary focus would be the high priority
recommendations. Every five years the 2030 Comprehensive Plan calls for the Housing
Element to be updated and amended.
Williams discussed putting the incentives on why moving and living in Georgetown is a
good environment. Some incentives would be walking in the parks, good schools, and
growing business.
4. Discussion and possible action on future meeting dates.
The Board discussed having the regular meetings for June and July. There will not be a
meeting in August and will resume again in September.
5. Update from staff on current projects.
a. Community Restore volunteer project week: June 21‐25, 2010.
Currently there is one application that has been received for the project. The Community
Restore volunteer project is where volunteer contractors and supervised teenagers from
local churches help repair the exterior of homes.
6. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Williams. Second by Cowman‐Arteaga. Approved 5‐0 (Hoffman,
Greenberg, Thompson absent)
Adjourned at 5:00 pm.
__________________________________ _______________________________________
Approved, Tim Todd, Chair Attest, Dollene Thompson, Secretary