Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/03/2007 Blue Sheet Honea Heights Neighborhood Redevelopment Project TOWN COUNCIL MEETING INFORMATION TOWN OF MARANA MEETING DATE: April 3, 2007 AGENDA ITEM: I. 1 TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL FROM: T. VanHook, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Resolution No. 2007-47: Relating to Community Development; approving and authorizing the reallocation of existing affordable housing funding from the Employer Assisted Housing Program to hire consultants to facilitate the master planning process for the Honea Heights Neighborhood Redevelopment Project. DISCUSSION The Town of Marana Employer Assisted Housing program is a shared equity plan allowing the Town to invest with the employee in the employee's home, and help make homeownership possible for Town employees. The Town contributes five percent of the purchase price of an employee's home within Town limits up to $12,500. Repayment of the Town's investment is made as a percentage equal to the investment at the time of sale and or conversion of the home as a rental property or second home. During the 2006-2007 budget process $100,000 was allocated for the Employer Assisted Housing Program. During the summer of2006 staff worked with representatives from Pima County, Fannie Mae, the Tucson Association of Realtors, and the Old Pueblo Community Foundation to develop program protocols, the required documents, and Horne Buyer Education class content and scheduling needed to launch the program in October. More than 20 staff members attended and graduated from the round of Home Buyer Education class and received HUD certificates. Although several staff members attending the classes have since purchased homes, to date only one qualified buyer has purchased a home within the eligible area using only a small portion of the funding ($10,495). Three other employees are currently in escrow and planning to use program assistance two with purchases scheduled to close before June 30, 2007 and one scheduled to close in late July or early August 2007. With only $42,245 in funding encumbered for FY 2006-2007 and pressing needs in other affordable housing programs the remaining balance could be used to help expedite other projects. Staff is requesting that $50,000 be reallocated from the Employer Assisted Housing program to hire a planning firm to develop a specific plan completing the zoning and platting process for the Honea Heights Neighborhood Revitalization Area. The Honea Heights Project will be a mixed-income affordable neighborhood with 75 - 100 new homes with a high percentage of the homes marketed to low- to moderate-income families. All of the houses will meet the new design standards with the infrastructure and parks system exemplifying the Town's commitment to creating market-rate housing that can be sold to qualified buyers at an affordable rate by leveraging local, state, and federal funding. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends reallocating $50,000 in Affordable Housing funding from the Employer Assisted Housing Program to the Honea Heights Redevelopment Project as a one-time transfer during FY 2006-2007. SUGGESTED MOTION I move to adopt Resolution No. 2007-47. MARANA RESOLUTION NO. 2007-47 RELATING TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT; APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE REALLOCA nON OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING FROM THE EMPLOYER ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAM TO HIRE CONSULTANTS TO FACILITATE THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE HONEA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT. WHEREAS, the Town of Marana recognizes the need to provide safe and affordable housing, neighborhood infrastructure, and parks for its citizens; and WHEREAS, the Town of Marana owns three parcels in the Honea Heights Neighborhood equaling 37.7 acres of developable land know as the Honea Heights Redevelopment Area being planned as a mixed-income affordable housing neighborhood and extension of the Marana Heritage River Park; and WHEREAS, the Employer Assisted Housing Program established on July I, 2006, has not encumbered all of the allocated funding for the current fiscal year and is projected to have an excess of $50,000; and WHEREAS, a concept plan for the Honea Heights Redevelopment Area has been completed and funding is needed to begin the master planning and platting process; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MARANA, ARIZONA, reallocating $50,000 dollars from the Employer Assisted Housing Program to fund master planning and platting activities for the Honea Heights Redevelopment Area. PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MARANA, ARIZONA, this 3rd day of April, 2007. Mayor Ed Honea ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: Jocelyn C. Bronson, Town Clerk Frank Cassidy, Town Attorney