The Office of Housing's Multifamily Lending Program is considering options for the timing and structure of its 2011 funding round and would like your feedback (see specific opportunities below).

 

In 2011, OH will publish the availability of roughly $20 million for multifamily rental housing development. Based on early information, OH estimates that this amount will provide the ability to fund approximately eight projects. We have already identified more than $40 million in possible requests to the City, representing $90 million in total requests for public funding for affordable housing development likely to be submitted to the City, King County and Washington state.

 

Leverage continues to be a critical factor in allocating OH funds. The State Housing Trust Fund represents a potential important leverage piece. Governor Gregoire's budget has $40.8 million dedicated to housing, so although the trust fund is in jeopardy, advocates remain optimistic. OH is committed to continued alignment with the state Department of Commerce to the greatest degree possible. Commerce plans to issue a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) as soon as there is a clear message from the legislature as to the amount of the Housing Trust Fund. Our estimates to align with this timeline are as follows:

 

Proposed 2011 Funding Round

Pre-applications: March-April

NOFA issued: May

Applications due: July 29

Announcements: October

 

We are working closely with King County and understand that they too are considering adopting the above timeline.

 

In addition, HUD has issued a NOFA for Section 202 program funding with applications due June 1. This could be a critical leverage source for City funds. OH is conducting research on prospective applications to HUD for this funding and is considering holding an expedited review process for these projects.

 

We'd like to hear from you:

•  If you are considering making application to OH in 2011 and have not submitted a state Stage 1 application for your project, please notify us at your earliest opportunity.
• OH will hold a meeting for prospective 2011 applicants for multifamily funding on Friday, March 25 at 12:30 p.m. in the Washington State Housing Finance Commission Board Room, 1000 2nd Ave., 28th floor. (Note this meeting precedes a stakeholder meeting on the 2012-2013 Levy Administrative and Financial Plan.) If you are considering making an application this year, please plan to attend this meeting to offer your input on timing and structure. A decision regarding the 2011 funding round will be made shortly thereafter and announced publicly.
• To declare your interest in applying, schedule a pre-application meeting, or to provide feedback on the structure and timing of the funding round, please contact Debbie Thiele, OH's Multifamily Lending Manager, at debbie.thiele@seattle.gov.

Distribution of Seattle Housing Levy funds is guided by an Administrative & Financial (A&F) Plan, and although the current plan is in effect until the end of 2011, it is already time to begin the process of updating it. The updated plan, expected to be adopted by City Council early this summer, will guide use of levy funds for 2012-2013.

 

Opportunities for Community Input

The updated A&F Plan will contain a new section with policies for the Rental Assistance Program, which is administered by the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD). In 2010 and 2011, federal stimulus funds supported this program. Beginning in 2012, Housing Levy dollars will fund rental assistance. HSD staff have been working with program participants and the larger community to evaluate the current program and prepare levy policies. For more information, contact Judy Summerfield with HSD at judy.summerfield@seattle.gov.

 

OH is now reviewing the A&F Plan policies for the other Levy programs and is seeking public comment. We will discuss the Rental Housing Production & Preservation Program at a community meeting on Friday, March 25, from 1:30-3 p.m. (immediately following the discussion of the 2011 NOFA schedule; see article above), at the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, 1000 Second Ave., 28th floor. To receive materials in advance, please RSVP to judy.habben@seattle.gov.

 

Mark Ellerbrook, Homeownership Program Manager, held a meeting with stakeholders on March 10 to discuss the Levy A&F Plan policies for the Homebuyer Assistance Program. If you could not attend or if you would like to make comments on the A&F Plan policies for this program, please contact Mark at mark.ellerbrook@seattle.gov.

 

Legislative Schedule

Following these community meetings, OH and HSD staff will prepare recommended A&F Plan amendments for review by the Housing Levy Oversight Committee and the Mayor. We expect the City Council's Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee to review the proposed legislation in June.

Welcome to the Hard Hat Zone, where we provide updates on the construction of affordable housing developments that receive Office of Housing funding. This month we're highlighting Brettler Family Place, Solid Ground's latest permanent affordable housing development for formerly homeless families at Sand Point.

 

Brettler Family Place

On April 7, Solid Ground will be celebrating the grand opening of Brettler Family Place and the official naming of the Lowry Community Center. Speakers will include Solid Ground Executive Director Cheryl Cobbs, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, David Bley of the Gates Foundation, and Dan Brettler, CEO of Car Toys and co-chair of the governing board of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County.

 

Brettler Family Place, located on the former Sand Point Naval Base in Magnuson Park,

Brettler Family Place, with Magnuson Park playfields and Lake Washington in the background

will be the new home to 51 formerly homeless families. It is well served by transit and close to many amenities, including playfields, Lake Washington, excellent local schools, shopping and medical/dental care for families. The units are designed specifically for families, with 32 two-bedrooms, 14 three-bedrooms and 5 four-bedrooms. All units are restricted to families earning up to 30% AMI (about $20,600 for a two-person household, $25,700 for a four-person household). Support services and access to resources will be provided as needed by a team of onsite case managers. The program will emphasize employment/education growth and children's services to increase family stability and self-sufficiency.

 

Homeless families in Seattle and King County face a wide array of barriers to finding affordable housing including the lack of affordable housing options, lack of sufficient income to afford the housing that does exist, inability to secure a family-wage job, inability to afford child care, a history of domestic violence, mental illness, disabilities and a history of chemical dependency. Lack of affordable housing options makes it difficult for families to provide a stable environment for their children so they have a chance to thrive in school and in their communities. In order to afford the average rent of a two-bedroom apartment in King County, a single parent with two children working 40 hours per week at the current minimum wage would have to use every dollar from each paycheck to cover rent, leaving no income for utilities, food, child care, transportation, health care or other basic needs.

 

Brettler Family Place represents the beginning of Phase II of the homeless housing component of the Sand Point Reuse Plan. As with all military installations closed under the Base Realignment and Closure process, when the Sand Point Naval Base closed, the federal government required homeless housing to be part of the reuse plan. The Sand Point Reuse Plan, adopted in 1993 with much neighborhood input, called for "up to 200 units of housing with appropriate services for homeless and low-income (up to 80% of median) persons and families." In the late 1990s, Phase I saw the creation of 94 units of transitional housing in renovated Navy buildings. Solid Ground now is building 106 new units (which includes Brettler Family Place) of permanent housing with support services for hardworking families and individuals overcoming homelessness to reach the 200-unit total by 2012.

 

For more information about the housing at Sand Point, please visit www.solid-ground.org/programs/housing/sandpoint/pages/default.aspx or check out Solid Ground's blog post about the first tenants moving into Brettler Family Place at http://solidgroundblog.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/first-tenants-move-in-at-brettler-family-place/.

  

Home Base is published monthly by the City of Seattle Office of Housing. OH funds affordable workforce housing, both rental and ownership, as well as supportive housing that helps vulnerable people achieve stability and move along a path toward self-sufficiency. Office of Housing initiatives also help stimulate housing development, allowing families to thrive and neighborhoods to provide a full range of housing choice and opportunity. The mission of the Seattle Office of Housing is to build strong healthy communities and increase opportunities for people of all income levels to live in our city.

  

For more information on our programs, visit our website. If you have questions about this newsletter, please contact Julie Moore via email or at (206) 684-0604.