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DECEMBER 16, 1998 MINUTESDATE: December 16, 1998 City of Virginia Beach INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Department Directors, Constitutional Officers, City Manager's Staff Andrew Friedman, Director~.~//'~ Department of Housing an~U-~l'~.borhood Preservation (h I. Presentation to Council on Housing and Neighborhood Quality Attached for your information is the text of the presentation made to Council on this subject on December 15. Council members were not opposed to any of the goals or ideas presented. As a consequence, we are initiating processes to create action proposals for this year or for the 1999-2000 budget. I will be presenting these ideas to you at the January 7 Department Directors meeting and welcome your feedback now or at that meeting. Thank you. Enclosure Presentation to City Council Creating a Sustainable Community - Preservation of Housing Quality and Strengthening Neighborhoods Andrew Friedman Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation December 15, 1998 1. Reason for this briefing: Staff has been working on developing a response to this top priodty item for Council. We are seeking your feedback prior to developing final proposals through the budget process. In Council's 1998-1999 Action Agenda, item #1 is: Housing Quality Strategy Identify Problems: Current and Future Areas Explore Realistic Options for Virginia Beach, Including Code Enforcement Define city's Role Develop Strategy with Action Plan Decision: Policy Direction 2. What we Ask of Council: We are asking that you consider the following questions: Are we aiming for the correct goals? Have we missed anything? Are there any "red flags" - items that should be deleted or changed? We are not asking that you endorse any of the proposed actions at this time. 3. What's Next? Based on your responses, staff will develop a series of proposals as part of the 1999- 2000 budget process. The City Manager will include those items which are the best, and which can be funded, in the budget proposal for your review. 4. What are the Foundations of These Ideas? Our proposals today do not come out of a vacuum. City Council has stated goals and directions in the past, and current programs already exist to address some of these goals. It is important that our proposals for future work be based on what we have said and done before. Therefore, in addition to your agenda for this year, we have reviewed the guidance that you have given us over the years. Listed below are directions and ideas from prior Council Retreats: 1994 Neighborhood Vitality Strategy Maintain/enhance housing values Safe Place for Families Stable neighborhoods - maintaining income level Preventive approach Mixed neighborhoods Differential service responsive to neighborhood needs Tolerance level defined for neighborhoods Citizen awareness and responsibility Actions Neighborhood Education State legislative changes Active public information Street light expansion Code Enforcement Rental Occupancy Permit- more neighborhoods City Wide comprehensive Neighborhood assessment Identify Conditions/problems Define Areas Determine Programs/Services Availability Work with civic leagues/neighborhood groups 1995 Service quality to support Urban living Trash pick-up Drainage Well-maintained infrastructure Police Services Quality affordable housing - range of opportunities Preventive approach- Maintain and upgrade housing stock 1996 Clean green city Private Sector partners in making properties attractive Preserving Housing Stock Neighborhood lighting Reducing abandoned vehicles City control over building codes Redevelopment authority We also base our approach on Council's Six businesses - the fact that all must be successful to have a successful City and therefore successful neighborhoods. In addition, we follow the Manager's Strategic Plan to achieve Council's destination points - and specifically the "core strategies", which address how we should approach all of our work. These include: Taking a long term view Being pro-active Engaging in dialogue, developing relationships, and engaging in partnerships Using a systems/comprehensive approach Finally, the adopted Comprehensive Plan has identified goals for our city and its neighborhoods. Everything we propose should be judged by the guidelines identified above, so that our future actions are consistent with our adopted plans and policies. 5. Who did we consult with as we developed these ideas? As an important part of our process of responding to Council, we consulted with many groups and individuals that are interested in housing and neighborhoods. These included Realtors, builders, developers, civic and business groups, senior citizens, non- profit organizations, and others. 6. What are our Goals, and What Do We Propose to Do to Achieve Them? Each of the following tables identifies one of the key neighborhood-focused goals that we believe are critical to achieve; identifies a key issue relating to that goal; and identifies some possible actions or categories of action that we believe should be considered. Your feedback on these will determine where we put our efforts as we develop more detailed proposals. A:~2outline.doc Goal Develop a comprehensive understanding of the situation of our Key Issue We have a lot of data but it is based on many different types of geographic boundaries. Types of Possible Actions Conduct surveys and collect and analyze data that will allow more fact-based neighborhoods, including boundaries, physical conditions, trends, and what their residents think. decision-making regarding neighborhood needs and proposed investments. Key Issue Goal Increase citizen involvement in neighborhood improvement efforts. Lack of, or ineffectiveness of, community structures in many neighborhoods (no civic league, condo association or home owner association) Types of Possible Actions 1. Create more formal city/neighborhood relationships based on mutual accountability. 2. Help to create, or create, homeowner or condo associations. 3. Expand direct city liaison/facilitation function to neighborhoods. Goal Promote good housing and property maintenance through enforcement Key Issue Current inspection capability is insufficient to deal with the ongoing occurrence of housing and property maintenance violations Types of Possible Actions 1) Increase effectiveness of current programs 2) Create new inspection capacity 3) Develop a significant volunteer inspection program Goal Assist moderate income property owners with housing repairs Key Issue Home ownership is a key positive force. Some moderate-income homeowners have limited capabilities to repair their housing. Very few current resources are available to assist them. Current Federal programs cannot be used for this purpose. Types of Possible Actions Develop appropriate resources that can be used for this purpose. Goal Maintain the availability of housing opportunities that meet the diverse needs of citizens in varying situations and life stages Key Issue Housing opportunities for special populations (seniors and the disabled) with limited incomes is expensive to provide and maintain. Types of Possible Actions Continue and expand assertive actions to seek Federal and State support for housing for special populations Goal Increase the percentage of rental properly that is well managed and maintained Key Issue Owners of rental properties must have the means, skills and knowledge to manage and maintain properties effectively. Code enforcement must be able to identify and inspect properties that do not comply with the Rental Inspection ordinance. Types of Possible Actions 1. Increase purchase and management of properties by VBCDC and other non-profit or private owners who consistently manage well. 2. Expand grant incentive and training programs for non- professional owners. 3. Enhance Rental Inspection program to identi~y and inspect more eligible properties. Goal Expand the availability of housing opportunities for incoming Military families, both Iow and moderate income. Key Issue Families moving from Cecil Field may find financial obstacles to home ownership in Va. Beach due to differenCes in housing stock and costs. Types of Possible Actions Develop/modify down payment assistance program or other forms of assistance to help families become successfully housed in Va. Beach. Goal Ensure that all neighborhoods reach and maintain a level of public safety that supports neighborhood success. Key Issues Changes in the reality and perception of safety can occur quickly. Some neighborhoods may need long-term intervention to maintain adequate levels of actual and perceived safety. Types of Possible Actions Ensure that the capacity exists to respond to declines in safety and to intervene as long as required. Actively plan and coordinate neighborhood improvement and policing efforts. Maintain ongoing community ~artnership efforts. Goal Have public infrastrudure and maintenance set the standard for property owners in all neighborhoods. Key Issue Good quality public infrastructure, as well as well maintained public infrastructure, is a key to good neighborhoods. We need to be able to improve and maintain public facilities to the same level that we ask private owners to. Types of Possible Actions Establish a "Neighborhood Investment" category in the CIP. Utilize appropriate currently funded projects as opportunities to create comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans around them. Prioritize projects based on neighborhood assessments. Goal Address long-term blighted properties (housing or otherwise) that have a significant negative impact on surrounding properties. Key Issue Current practice is to either board-up or fix up vacant housing. Authority exists to acquire property by eminent domain on a spot (one property) basis. Types of Possible Actions Council could authorize staff to bring forward possible "spat blight' cases for consideration. Goal Plan for the eventuality that all other tools may someday not be sufficient to revitalize some neighborhoods Key Issue A redevelopment and housing authority is the only available tool that can address this over the long term. In addition, there are some neighborhood issues such as density, land ownership and layout that could be improved by an RHA without totally redeveloping an area, but usually cannot be improved without an RHA. Types of Possible Actions Develop and conduct a long-term council/staff/citizen dialogue and education process on these issues prior to any possible future referendum.