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1. Community Land Trusts201 1st Avenue East Kalispell, MT 59901 406.758.7740 Fax: 406.758.7758 City of Kalispell • www.kalispell.com Office of Community & Economic Development TO: Honorable Mayor Kennedy; City Council Members CC: Myrt Webb, Interim City Manager; Kellie Danielson, Director of �! Community and Economic Development FROM: Katharine Thompson, Community Development Manager DATE: May 19, 2009 RE: Community Land Trust partnership and Neighborhood Stabilization Program application BACKGROUND: City Council has listed moderate to low income housing as a priority of the City of Kalispell and included this in the Growth Policy 2020 planning document. Following this direction and in response to the national Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funding opportunity, the Community and Economic Development (CED) Department has worked to establish an action plan to increase workforce and affordable housing in Kalispell. CED has been meeting informally with community individuals and organizations to gather information on workforce housing models that would fit with the needs of this community and the known potential funding sources. The community land trust (CLT) model was researched and found to offer the best mechanism for providing housing affordability in perpetuity and thus allowing the best stewardship of public and private dollars. Again, the CLT model removes the land from the purchase price of a home so that the land stays in the CLT and is leased at a nominal monthly cost to the home buyer. The home buyer is then able to have all the benefits of homeownership (including accumulation of assets) at a substantially lower cost making it affordable to those at moderate to low -incomes. This model allows qualifying homeowners a leg up on the ladder of homeownership which is particularly important in our community where housing costs are far out of reach even to those earning the area median income. In December 2008 the City held a joint public meeting with Community Action Partnership (CAP) of Northwest Montana (formerly Northwest Montana Human Resources) to solicit public input on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program in preparation for a potential application for funds. To pursue its viability study the City, with some private contributions, worked with CAP to contract nationally recognized community land trust expert, Michael Brown of Burlington Associates. Kalispell City Council gave its approval to CED to proceed in its exploration of the CLT model and NSP funding source. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program was signed by the Bush Administration in August 2008 and Montana's state plan for administering its $19.6 million allocation was approved March 19, 2009. The emphasis of NSP is on addressing the widespread and debilitating problem of high rates of foreclosure on homes across the nation. NSP funds offer a one-time opportunity to purchase homes at below appraisal cost to place into a community land trust and therefore address the needs for affordable and workforce housing in Kalispell in a meaningful way over the long term. NSP funding is unique from other housing funding in that it offers the opportunity to assist families whose income is above 80% and below 120% of the area median income, i.e. workforce families. We anticipate submitting application for NSP in July 2009. Only units of local government are eligible to apply for NSP funds and local governments may contract with a non-profit to provide services under the grant. While leveraging funds makes a more competitive grant, no match is required. Flathead County is evidencing the highest rates of foreclosed homes and unemployment in the state and therefore Kalispell will be highly competitive in a grant application. SUGGESTED STRATEGY: The CED Department suggests that a partnership be created with Community Action Partnership to develop a community land trust and apply for Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant monies to fund the purchase of foreclosed homes in Kalispell for the purpose of placing in the CLT. CED would follow through with one-time funding to support CAP's work as benchmarks are achieved and leverage these dollars with funds from CAP and, if funded, the NSP. CAP would administer the NSP grant if funded. The CLT would be created as a subsidiary to CAP with the goal of spinning off the organization to its own non-profit organization status within three years of selling homes in the CLT. A partnership between the City of Kalispell and CAP is a win on multiple levels for this community: • Creates home ownership opportunities for families whose income is moderate to low as compared to the area median; • Allows the City to pursue its priorities on the issue of housing by leveraging resources: • Facilitates local housing experts in public -private partnership • With an NSP award, potentially brings millions of dollars into Kalispell to address foreclosed homes. FISCAL IMPACT: Several years ago CED earmarked $20,000 toward a CLT "project." The balance of the earmark is $18,000. If CAP and CED are successful in winning funding from NSP, CAP will need the $18,000 for implementing the land trust project. The $18,000 would come from the CED Operations Fund as a one-time contribution to the CLT. CAP has committed $24,000 to the project. CED anticipates the $18,000 would be expended fiscal year 2009/2010. In addition it has been proposed that a local mill be pursued to support the on -going operations of the CLT. Respectfully Submitted: Housing Statistics and Projections for each county in Montana This data has been collected by the Housing Coordinating Team for this White Paper in an effort to document the housing affordability problems experienced by County: Montanans in 2006 and to predict the potential face of the problem in 2020, if no Flathead changes are made to current practices and trends. Housing Affordability) Gap for Flathead County $500,000r, RP 4 $450,000 �a E $4o0,OCtr1 Median Home Cost $350,000-- $300,000 - - - --- y � Home Affordable to $250,000 �4 rl. Median Household ' $200,000 �.,�q_ Income $150'006'` - � Median Household $100,000!- �--- fit• Income $50,000 -- $0 -- 2000 2006 2020 Select Occu ations Relative to the AffordabilityOf Housing in Flathead County 2006 2020 i Horne %of Income to ' Herne % of Income to Aver.,tor Annual Mprlian. Horne Affordability rent 2-bedroom A. ,,age Annual Wdian Home Affordability rent 2-bodroom Pay Cost Excesstshwttalt apartment Pay Cost Excess/Shortiail apartment All Wage Earners $30,004 $234,900 i S I =P 'I9f>:, 27.6% $28,446 $465,086 66.6% Licensed Practical Nurse $30,120 $234,900 t$128,8871 27.4% $39.615 $465,086 i$325,392) 47.8% Pulice Officer $96,180 $234,900 2Z.8% $47,555 $46S,08b 5297 28t 39.8% Elementary School Teacher $35,860 $234,900 i it 23.1% $47,164 $465,086 4298,77E1a 40.2% Retail Salesperson $18,970 $234.900 43.6% $24.950 $465,086 4 177,ILI 75.9% Senior on the average S51 1 $13,483 $234,9001 ci I F. ">! 1 61.3% $19.658 $465.086 ,x iy ,.Oi71 96.4% (red) indicates shortfall 6/o of Median Renter Income Housing Units and structure -type data for Flathead County to rent a 2-bedroom apartment Homeownership rate in 2000 = 73.3% Dent Households in 2006 = 34,170 Rent 49.2% • 31.3°70 change in population, 2006 to 2020 =29.4% • change in households, 2006 to 2020 =32.5% Estimated Housing Units needed by 2020 In Flathead Coun Income = $ 26,411 Income = $ 38,507 2006 2020 2006 Units in Housing Units Units In Poor 2006 Housing Good that must be 0/6 of Income of a Senior on average by soya Housing units cUeaiu�r, u�st condition, still U.H.y 2020 bunt or available in ' o2° ronovated by SSI to rent 1-bedroom apartment 2020 2020 Rent Rent TOTAL 8,533 45,883 52,020 6,137 48.8% 914% Single, -family 2,140 34,288 7 Multi -family 285 4,063 ? Manufactured Home 6,108 7,532 ? income = $ 13,483 Income = $ 19,658 The data in the table gives a rough estimate of housing needs and some options for the county 2006 2020 in meeting those needs in the future. One option is to focus on rehabilitating the units in poor condition. This will reduce the number of new units needed. The type of new units wlli be 1e generally accepted sbndard definition influenced by whether they will be owned or rented. The higher the housing costs relative to incomes, the more expensive both rental and homeownership housing will be and the lower new of Affordable Housing Is that housing homeowners will be created between the years i00fi and 2020. costs do not exceed 3011/o of income. Montana Department Of Commerce, Housing Coordinating Team, White Paper, August 2008 revision 38 Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana -formerly Northwest Montana Human Resources, Inc. - Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana was incorporated in 1976 as Northwest Montana Human Resources, Inc., with the articulated mission of helping disadvantaged citizens achieve self-sufficiency, and a four -county, 13,375 square mile service area. The board and staff began a year -long evaluation and planning process in February of 2008, beginning with a two - and ending with a one -day retreat, with significant survey and committee work in between. Among other changes, the agency's name and mission were changed to better reflect its present activities and vision, as well as its roots in the War on Poverty declared by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964_ The new mission now reads: Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana provides services and advocacy to improve lives and strengthen communities. Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana is expected to simultaneously be both an agent of change and a source of relief for people in poverty and communities in need. Its vision of economic opportunity and justice requires that the agency's efforts and resources be directed concurrently —if not always equally- to ameliorating both the causes and the effects of poverty. Thus, all agency activities must have both service and advocacy components if they are to truly further the agency's mission. Partnerships are the key to CAP's past and future successes. They range from formal agreements with valued partners such as Rural LISC (who are holding their annual national Seminar here in Kalispell in June 2009), to informal agreements with area churches to host financial classes, and from federal agencies and elected officials to county governments. CAP has developed and/or administers programs in the following areas: • Energy Assistance • Mutual Self -Help Housing (MSH) • Weatherization • Employment & Training • Senior Home Rehabilitation • Case Management • Emergency Shelter Assistance • Personal Care Services • Transitional Homeless Apartments • Financial Education/Empowerment and • Comprehensive Housing Counseling Asset Building • Section 8 Rental Assistance 0 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) CAP is proud of its record of success. It has developed several multi -family housing projects, and over 100 units of MSH homeownership. It has taken the lead in developing the Community Land Trust model here in Kalispell. It has received many awards and accolades for exemplary programs, and for innovative new ideas. Most importantly, though, CAP is proud of always looking for creative ways to further its mission, and better serve its communities and neighbors.