HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HOUAB_06.20.2016City of Georgetown, Texas
Housing Advisory Board
Minutes
June 20, 2016, at 3:30 p.m.
Historic Light and Waterworks Building, 406 W. 81h Street
Georgetown, Texas 78626
Members present: Richard Glasco, Chair; Brenda Baxter, Vice Chair; Nikki Brennan, Joseph
Gonzales, Randy Hachtel and Harry Nelson
Members absent: Marion Goforth
Staff present: Jennifer Bills, Housing Coordinator; Wayne Reed, Assistant City Manager;
Conchita Gusman, Economic Development Program Manager; Karen Frost, Recording Secretary
Call to Order by the Chair at 3:30 p.m. with reading of the opening remarks.
A. Welcome to guests. Welcome Karen Sheldon, President, Chamber of Commerce and
Walt Doering, past Board Chair.
Legislative Regular Agenda
B. Consideration and possible action to approve the minutes from the May 16, 2016
meeting.
Motion by Gonzales, second by Brennan to approve the minutes as presented.
Approved 5 - 0 - 2. (1 absent and Glasco abstained because he was absent at that
meeting.)
C. Discussion and possible action to recommend approval of a Resolution of Support for
4% Housing Tax Credits and a Two Times Resolution for the renovation of the Oaks at
Georgetown Apartments, located at 550 22nd Street.
Simon Fraser, of Highridge Costa Housing Partners, LLC and Tom Erikson presented
their project. They are asking for a Resolution of Support for the rehabilitation of 192
units of the Oaks at Georgetown, located at 550 W. 22nd Street. This is an existing
apartment complex since 1997 and the tax credits would allow the owners to upgrade
appliances with energy efficient units, change out windows to higher efficiency
windows, replace all HVAC units, and other upgrades. The estimated cost will be
$15,000 per unit for a total of approximately $26 million.
Motion by Hachtel to recommend approval to City Council of a Resolution of Support
for 4% Housing Tax Credits and a Two Times Resolution for the renovation of the Oaks
at Georgetown Apartments. Second by Brennan. Approved 6 - 0 -1 (1 absent).
D. Discussion with Karen Sheldon, President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce
and Conchita Guzman, Economic Development Program Manager for the City of
Georgetown.
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Minutes June 20, 2016
Ms. Sheldon and Ms. Guzman gave a report of data they had collected that shows what
the larger employers in Georgetown are paying on average and where their employees
live.
• Radiation Detection -most employees making $13 - $15 hourly, 17 live in
Georgetown and 27 live in surrounding areas. Of the 17 in Georgetown,
seven of those have a spouse that is earning a higher level salary in the
company.
• Chatsworth - 206 employees, $16.87 per hour is average, 18% live in
Georgetown.
• Manitex - 85 FTE's, starting wages are $13 - $15, 52 employees are hourly
and 33 are salaried. Of the 52 hourly employees, 18 live in Georgetown.
Of the 33 salary employees, 11 live in Georgetown.
• Tasus - most employees live outside of Georgetown. They start
employees at $10.50 hourly.
Ms. Sheldon and Ms. Guzman stated that the City and Chamber look at recruiting new
businesses with these numbers in mind. The Board asked that they also consider the
education levels between workforce housing and affordable housing. Sheldon invited
the Board to the Developer's Alliance which is held the last Wednesday of each month at
the Chamber.
The Board discussed different ways to educate students to become good employees for
these businesses. They discussed that there is an emerging trend to find and keep good,
quality employees. There is a shortage of eligible workers for a lot of the businesses. It
was discussed that wages here are actually better than many places but still only about
50% of the workforce lives in Georgetown. There was discussion of the many reasons
people are moving into and out of the area. The discussion was summarized by stating
that the Board and all entities need to continue to discuss housing and how to
accommodate the needs of the workforce, being consistent with the message.
E. Discussion of the schedule for the 2016 Housing Advisory Board Work Plan.
Based on the City Council workshop, the Board has three project areas to work on.
Those are: 1. Revise the Housing Tax Credit Resolution process, 2. Update the Housing
Element and the draft Workforce Multifamily Locations Study and 3. Study the
Feasibility of Housing Tools. Bills presented and reviewed the proposed schedule which
was attached to the agenda. No action was taken.
F. Discussion on the current process for Housing Tax Credit Resolution requests and the
upcoming revision of this process.
Bills provided a printed copy of the City of Georgetown process, as well as the 2016
Qualified Allocation Plan for Housing Tax Credits for the 2016 state process.
Chair Glasco asked for a larger map and full size plan for the next meeting.
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Minutes June 20, 2016
Bills explained the Housing Element would also be reviewed and that it was to be done
in conjunction with the Planning Department's update of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
The Feasibility Study of the Housing Tools would be completed next spring if it is
funded. No action was taken on this item.
G. Update on the 9% Tax Credit applications for Georgetown
Bills stated that all three applications from Georgetown are still in the running since
Austin only has one application going forward. The Merritt Heritage application is the
only one to have a letter from a Senator and is to be for senior living. Merritt Heritage
and Live Oak are still in the rezoning process and if they get approved zoning from City
Council, all three projects could still receive the 9% tax credits. Kia Pointe, the third
application already has the correct zoning district for their property.
H. Video viewing and discussion: Why Mixed Income Housing? David Fink at
TEDxBushnell Park
The Board watched the video provided by the Chair. He suggested taking it to City
Council for discussion. Other Board members felt the situation in the video was too
idyllic for this area and that it shouldn't be taken to Council.
I. Upcoming items:
• The next regular meeting of the HAB will be July 18, 2016 at 3:30 p.m.
The Board will discuss possible revisions for the Georgetown Housing Tax
Credit process.
Motion by Gonzales, second by Baxter to adjourn. Meeting was adjourned at 5:39 pm.
Approved, Richard Glasco, Chair
Housing Advisory Board
Minutes June 20, 2016
Attest, Nikki Brennan, Secretary