Minutes - Housing - 12/19/2011
BOULDER HOUSING PARTNERS
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
DECEMBER 19,2011,2:30 PM
4800 BROADWAY, BOULDER COLORADO
Commissioner Topping Betsey Martens Kathy Haddock CAO
Commissioner Eckert Jim Koczela Michelle Allen HHS
Commissioner McCormick Tim Beal Public:
Commissioner Ageton Willa Johnson Todd Bryan
Commissioner Holton Stuart Grogan
Commissioner Klerman Karen Kreutzberg
Robin Chavez (for Kevin Knapp
Commissioner Hempel) Shannon Cox-Baker
Commissioner Lawrence Penny Hannegan
Commissioner '14itchell
1. Call to order
Commissioner McCormick called the regular meeting of the Board of
Commissioners to order at 2:33 pm.
II. Determination of Quorum
A quorum was declared.
III. Public Participation
Todd Bryan, 4580 Broadway, read a statement to the Board about his
concerns about the 1175 Lee Hill development. Mr. Bryan's statement is
included at the end of the minutes,
fV. Board Announcements
COMMISSIONER TOPPING MADE A MOTION TO RECESS INTO
EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING AS PER
COLORADO STATUTE CRS-24-6-402 4(a) (f) TO DISCUSS TWO
REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION MATTERS AND ONE CUSTOMER
LIABILITY ISSUE. COMMISSIONER KLERMAN SECONDED THE
MOTION. The motion passed unanimously.
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Commissioner Klerman presented a $5,000 donation from the US Bancorp
Foundation to the BHP Foundation. The funds are designated to be used for
family self-sufficiency programming.
V. Board Development
Kevin Knapp presented the basics of New Markets Tax Credit financing.
VI. Board Committee Reports
Governance
Commissioner Lawrence, reporting for the Governance Committee,
stated that the committee has been working to identify potential
Board candidates with the skills identified in the board matrix as
essential to the Board's composition. The committee encourages
those interested in serving as a Commissioner to attend a Board
meeting prior to applying.
Finance
The Finance Committee met and reviewed the 2412 proposed budget and the
five year capital budget.
RRC
Robin Chavez, an RRC member reported for the Resident Representative
Council. The RRC will be meeting in January to discuss changes to its by-
laws and the possibility of changing its meeting time to encourage more
participation from interested working residents at the family sites.
Foundation
Commissioner Holton, reporting for the Foundation Board, stated that the
Board has begun its planning for its 2412 fundraiser.
Development
Commissioner Klerman, reporting for the Development Committee, stated
that the committee met to discuss several potential acquisitions and to debrief
the December 13th City Council study session focused on Housing First and
the 1175 Lee Hill development.
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VII. Approval of the Agenda
Consent agenda items:
1. Minutes from November 14, 2011
2. 2012 BHP Employee Handbook Changes
COMMISSIONER KLERMAN MOVED TO APPROVE THE
CONSENT AGENDA. COMMISSIONER MITCHELL SECONDED
THE MOTION. The motion passed unanimously.
VIII. Action and Discussion Agenda
Director's Report
2012 Board Goals for City Council
The Board discussed their recommended goals for City Council for 2012 and
agreed to the following:
1. Continued request for support with developing High Mar and Lee
Hill;
2. Request to keep the recommendations of the Affordable Housing
Task Force alive in their discussions, particularly the
recommendation about the creation of a Community Benefit
Ordinance;
3. Continued request for support in reducing regulatory costs and
speeding the development review process.
Proposed 2012 Meeting Dates
The Board approved the proposed 2012 meeting dates.
Management Report
Resolution #16: Approval of the Combined Operation and Capital Budget
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Jim K. presented and answered questions about the final draft of the budget
and focused on a detailed explanation of the MTW and five year capital
budget.
COMMISSIONER TOPPING MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION
#16: APPROVAL OF THE COMBINED OPERATION AND CAPITAL
BUDGET AS AMENDED. COMMISSIONER AGETON SECONDED
THE MOTION. The motion passed unanimously.
October 2011 Financial Summary
Jim K. presented the October financials and answered questions from the
Board.
Jim K. asked for authorization from the Board to pursue paying off the debt
on the existing loan for 4800 Broadway. After discussion the Board
approved the following motion:
COMMISSIONER TOPPING MOVED TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO
PURSUE THE OPTION OF PAYING OFF THE EXISTING LOAN
FOR 4800 BROADWAY. COMMISSIONER KLERMAN SECONDED
THE MOTION. The motion passed unanimously.
Midtown
Willa presented an update on Midtown and staff's recommendations for
future plans for this property. The Board concurred with the staff's analysis
to hold onto the property for the near term.
Development Report
1175 Lee Hill
The Board discussed the December 13 City Council study session and
amended staff's recommended next steps as follows:
1. Stay up to date with the Shelter's efforts to address neighborhood
concerns about homeless individuals in north Boulder;
2. Work with the City Manager's office to schedule a tour of Housing
First communities in Denver in early 2012
3. Encourage a meeting between members of City Council and the
neighbors to discuss the future of north Boulder's redevelopment; and
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4. Encourage a meeting with HHS staff and neighbors to discuss the
impact of the City's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO) policies
on the area.
High Mar
Shannon and Stuart discussed the options available for financing High Mar
and the timing for the March Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)
application. Shannon and Stuart agreed to bring their analysis and
recommendation for High Mar with a 4% LIHTC option to the February
Board meeting. The Commissioners gave their n.od of approval supporting
the possibility of a 4% LIHTC option.
Boulder Transit Village
Stuart and Kevin and members of the Development Committee
recommended that BHP withdraw from the Boulder Transit Village project
per the recommendation in the Board packet. The Board agreed with this
recommendation.
Resolution #17: Additional Private Activity Bond Authority
Stuart explained BHP's request for an additional allocation of Private
Activity Bond Authority from the State.
COMMISSIONER KLERMAN MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE
RESOLUTION #17: ADDITIONAL PRIVATE ACTIVITY BOND
AUTHORITY. COMMISSIONER TOPPING SECONDED THE
MOTION. The motion passed unanimously.
IX. Executive Session
The Board of Commissioners returned to regular session at 6:1 Opm and made
the following motion:
COMMISSIONER TOPPING MADE A MOTION TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATIONS FOR AND SIGNING OF A
PURCHASE OPTION AGREEMENT FOR 2625 VALMONT.
COMMISSIONER KLERMAN SECONDED THE MOTION. The
motion passed unanimously.
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X. Adjourn
COMMISSIONER ECKERT MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONER LAWRENCE SECONDED THE MOTION. The
motion passed unanimously.
The regular session of the Board of Commissioners adjourned at 6:13 pm
SEAL
DATE: 12/19/11.
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Boulder Housing Partners
BETSEY MARTENS
Executive Director
PENNY HANNEGAN
Recording Secretary
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BHP Board Meeting
December 19, 2011
My name Todd Bryan and I live at 4580 Broadway in North Boulder. I am here to
speak about the Housing First proposal. The last time I addressed the board I left
you with the following quote:
"It's not necessarily the decisions we make, it's how we make those decisions."
What that means is that while people obviously care about the decisions that are
made, they know and accept that those decisions don't always go their way. What
is of equal importance, and often more important, is the way they are treated in the
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decision making process and their ability to meaningtuiiy influence the decisions.
Most people assume that conflicts are about peoples' substantive needs when they
are more often about their procedural and psychological needs. For the residents
of North Boulder the substantive dimensions of the Housing First project are: 1) its
effects on the quality of life of residents and businesses and 2) the potential risks to
clients of placing them next to the existing shelter.
Before going further, let me say that the residents of North Boulder are supportive
of the Housing First model and want to see it work. They are not irrational bigoted
people. So why are they so opposed to the project? I think it has something to do
with violations of their procedural and psychological needs.
For the residents of North Boulder, the procedural dimensions of the project have
to do with: 1) the way in which residents learned of the project and 2) the process
for engaging residents once the project was made public.
First, residents learned of the project at a cocktail party in North Boulder in late
summer at which a BHP board member essentially spilled the beans. By this time,
however, the property had already been purchased, transferred, and designed.
BHP quickly followed up with the public meeting on September 29. And while
BHP told the community that it was in the beginning stages of the outreach
process, with plenty of opportunity to influence decisions, almost all of the
important decisions had already been made.
Since the meeting on the 29t`, several residents have discussed the project with
BHP affiliates. I am one of the residents who met with them. However, none of
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My comments are included in BHP's report to the City Council. Neither are many
of the comments of my neighbors.
Finally, a BHP affiliate told us that BHP very much wants neighborhood support
for the project. Yet BHP is now engaged in a power-based political process with
the City Council that will most likely result in winners and losers.
BHP has fallen far short of satisfying the community's procedural needs and has
violated their sense of procedural justice. So a ag in, it's not necessarily about the
decisions we make it's about how we make those decisions.
With regard to their psychological needs, residents are focused on: 1) the BSH
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shelter, 2) the absence of a mechanism for Planning Board oversight, and 3) the
fairness of placing another supportive housing facility here.
Many residents were involved in siting the BSH shelter on Broadway and recall the
promises that were made and subsequently broken by BS . Many of them feel
betrayed and are much less trusting this time around.
In addition, city planning officials lament that the city has no authori , to
intervene. BHP was given a pass, they tell us, when the City Council changed the
code in 2003 to avoid NIMBY battles. Unfortunately, the Council did not put a
mechanism in place to give neighbors a meaningful voice.
Finally, residents are exceedingly aware that they have more than fulfilled their
civic duty regarding the homeless. It is not a NIMBY argument, in their minds, to
ask that other Boulder neighborhoods share this responsibility. It is entirely a
matter of fairness. Arguments to the contrary seem totally disingenuous.
So once again, it's not necessarily about the decisions we make, it's about how we
make those decisions. Fortunately, BHP can change this. It is in everyone's best
interest that it does. Thank you.