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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/18/2006 Blue Sheet Workforce Housing Presentation TOWN COUNCIL MEETING INFORMATION MEETING DATE: July 18, 2006 TOWN OF MARANA AGENDA ITEM: E.1.1 TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL FROM: James R. DeGrood, P.E. Assistant Town Manager SUBJECT: Workforce Housing Presentation DISCUSSION The Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Budget includes $100,000 for the establishment of an Employer Assisted Housing (EAH) program for Marana Staff. This program will be available for all existing and future full-time employees that meet the income eligibility requirements. Town staff must expand as the Town continues to grow in order to meet the service needs of the public. This is particularly true ofthe police, parks and operations and maintenance departments, where staff growth is proportionate to community growth. These departments have difficulty recruiting adequate numbers of qualified candidates due to a tight labor market and competition with the other communities in the region. Most of these positions have salaries which are below the median family income, and with high housing prices and limited rental units available in Marana, the Town has difficulty competing for these potential new employees. Providing a housing benefit to assist Town employees in the purchase a home within the Town provides a benefit that other communities in the region do not provide and helps employees become members of the community they work for. Employee home ownership within the Town reduces commute time and travel costs for the employee. For "on-call" employees, ownership within the Town reduces the response time and costs to the Town when off-duty employees are called to work. The program will be available for permanent Town employees making less than $50,000 per year or whose family income falls below 120% of the median income for their household size in the area (see table below). Family Size 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maximum Income (AGI) $50,280 $56,640 $62,880 $67,920 $72,960 $78,000 $83,040 The EAR program is proposed as a shared equity plan. In this way the Town is investing with the employee in the employee's home, and also hopefully making homeownership possible for more Town employees. The Town will contribute a percentage of the purchase price of an eligible employee's home and will be repaid the same percentage at such time as the employee sells the home. No repayment of money to the Town will be required while the home is owned and occupied by the employee. The maximum benefit amount per employee is the lesser of $12,500, or 5% of the purchase price of the employee's home. The employee will be required to execute an agreement at the time of closing the purchase to establish the Town's interest in the property. This will be recorded as a lien against the property. The Town will fund the benefit at the time of closing. The EAR program will be available to eligible employees wishing to purchase a home within the Town of Marana or: any islands of unincorporated Pima County surrounded by the Town. New, resale and manufactured homes may be purchased using this program. The homes must be owner occupied and the employee must have at least a $1,000 down payment and good credit. The Town's EAR program is being developed in cooperation with Fannie Mae and the Tucson Association of Realtors. As part of the program, educational classes on preparing for homeownership, purchasing a home and maintaining a home will be presented for staff and employees of interested businesses. ATTACHMENTS New EAR plan form. RECOMMENDATION Presentation only. SUGGESTED MOTION Presentation only. -2- NEW EAH PLAN FORM Region WRO PO Arizona Fannie Mae Contact Name Daniel Thompson Announcement Date July 2006 Employer Name Town of Marana Industry Type I Public # All Employees wi Employer Approximately 350 City Marana County Pima State Arizona Employer Contact Name James DeGrood Employer Phone Number 520.382.1900 Employer Fax Number 520.382.1902 Employer Email Address idegrood@marana.com Partner Name 2 Chicanos por la Causa, Family Housing Resources, Tucson Association ofREALTORS@ Partner Phone Number 520.882.0018, 520.318.0993, 520.327.4218, respectively Administrator Name j TBD B to B Referral - Y or N 4 Y Benefit Type ~ Shared Appreciation; Education; Counseling EAH Benefit Description For Marana employees earning up to $50,000 Iyear or having family incomes up to120 percent ofthe Area Median Income (AMI), a deferred repayable loan of up to $12,500 will be provided. The total amount of loan available per employee is not to exceed five percent of the purchase price of the home. For all eligible employees, the EAH loan will be due and payable upon either (a) voluntary repayment of the deferrable loan, with appreciation; or, (b) eventual sale of the property with repayment at same percentage of the original purchase price, regardless of sales price. Maximum Benefit Amount $ $12,500 or 5% of purchase price, whichever is less. Funding Limits (if any) $100,000, year 1 Use of Funds Down payment/closing cost assistance I e.g. Private, Public, Health, University, Non Profit, Business Consortium, Quasi Public 2 i.e. if this EAR was done in partnership with another entity 3 i.e. if someone else is administering the EAR for the Employer 4 i.e. can another employer contact them 5Forgivable Loan, Deferred Repayable Loan, Repayable Loan, Forgivable Grant, Grant, In-Kind, Shared Appreciation, Education, Other -specify Employee Eligibility Limits6 All employees earning up to $50,000 / year or having family incomes of up to 120 percent of AMI. Must be in good standing, not on corrective action and not on probation. Geographic Limits (Y or N) Y -- Homes purchased must be located in the corporate limits of Marana. Property Restrictions? None 6 e.g FTHB, at or below 100% AMI, etc