SUBJECT:
Title
A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Erie Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Boulder for Regional Affordable Homeownership and Rental Compliance Program Services
Body
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Development Department
Department
PRESENTER(S): MJ Adams, Affordable Housing Manager
First Name Last Name, Title
POLICY ISSUES:
The proposed resolution supports efforts to implement the Council’s previous policy decisions to encourage the development of a variety of housing types and levels of affordability through an efficient management approach. Contracting with the City of Boulder, which has a long-standing program with experienced staff, will help the Town efficiently promote greater diversity of living opportunities for households in a broad range of incomes and types-families, households without children, and individuals-and enable them to call Erie home. This will in turn make it easier for local businesses and organizations to hire employees who live in Erie, enable more people who have grown up in Erie afford to move back home, make it possible for more parents to afford to relocate to Erie to be near their children who live here, and help reduce traffic associated with commuting to jobs in Erie.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Approve the Resolution on the Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Boulder.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
In 2020, the Erie Board of Trustees (now Town Council) passed Resolution 20-140 adopting the Boulder County Regional Housing Partnership’s priorities and strategies for expanding access to diverse housing for the Town of Erie, which included:
• a goal of 12% of the housing stock to be affordable housing by 2035; and
• supporting regional actions while implementing local strategies that address the housing needs of Erie.
In 2023, the Town committed to the Proposition 123 goal to increase the number of affordable housing units in Erie by 3% a year (5 units). Additionally, the Town also acquired two parcels of land for affordable housing development:
• The Cheesman property, for which the Town selected a developer to build 35 affordable for sale homes; and
• The Page property, a parcel acquired by the Town and reflecting collaboration between the Parks and Recreation Department, OSTAB, and the Planning and Development Department, to be split between housing and open space/recreation uses.
Under this IGA, the Town of Erie intends to engage the City of Boulder to provide compliance assistance as affordable housing projects are implemented. Boulder County allocated $1,259,549 in ARPA funding to the City of Boulder to provide services to support the creation of a regional affordable homeownership and rental compliance program.
For over two decades, the City of Boulder has operated a Rental and Homeownership Program that includes administrative and compliance processes. The Program includes resources to market affordable homes and process applications, verify eligibility of applicants, and provide monitoring and record-keeping. The Program focuses on training, technical assistance, monitoring, and record keeping, but does not act as a property manager. Contracting with the City of Boulder is an efficient and cost-effective way for the Town to manage the units the Town will soon be adding to our inventory of affordable homes. The IGA with the City of Boulder outlines the scope of services to be provided to the Town by the City of Boulder.
TOWN COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
ü Effective Governance
ü Fiscally Responsible
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Resolution
2. Intergovernmental Agreement Establishing Regional Affordable Homeownership and Rental Compliance Program Services