AGENDA DATE: 1/10/2018
TITLE:
Title
Action Plan on Redevelopment of Southwood Mobile Home Park in Partnership with Habitat for Humanity
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: County staff, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, presents the recommended action plan for the redevelopment of Southwood Mobile Home Park.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Graham, Shifflett K, Nedostup, White
PRESENTER (S): Kristy Shifflett, Sr. Project Manager for Strategic Planning, and Dan Rosensweig, Habitat for Humanity
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Southwood Mobile Home Park (Southwood) is located on Hickory Street south of I-64 and east of Old Lynchburg Road in the Southern Urban Neighborhood and is located in one of the County’s Development Areas. Southwood currently has 341 mobile homes and more than 1,500 residents and is the County’s largest concentration of substandard housing. Habitat for Humanity (“Habitat”) purchased Southwood in 2007 with a stated intention of redeveloping the site into a 700-800 unit, mixed income, mixed-use development, removing all 341 mobile homes and replacing them with a variety of housing unit types including site-built homes. Habitat has already invested more than $2 million on deferred and emergency maintenance, including road improvements, sewer system upgrades, and emergency repairs.
County staff from multiple County operating departments, including Community Development, Economic Development, Housing, Social Services, Parks and Recreation, Facilities and Environmental Services and the County Executive’s Office, have actively engaged with representatives of Habitat on creating a partnership to address the needs and opportunities in Southwood. This work includes preliminary identification of infrastructure needs in and around the Southwood project area. Due to the unique nature of this project with Habitat in the role as developer and for the good of the County and the collaborative effort, the Board adopted a Resolution (Attachment A) supporting a collaborative approach regarding the redevelopment of Southwood. This Resolution provides a clear and compelling indication of the Board’s support for staff’s proactive involvement with Habitat in the preparation of development plans and specific land use proposals associated with the Southwood project.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Revitalize Aging Urban Neighborhoods: By January 2018, adopt an action plan in partnership with private, non-profit interests to partner on redevelopment of Southwood for both affordable residential uses and business uses.
DISCUSSION: Since May 2017, County staff and representatives of Habitat have been collaborating on the development of an Action Plan. A cross-departmental and multidisciplined team was formed to bring a depth of knowledge and expertise to the complex issues related to this innovative redevelopment project. This project, as envisioned by Habitat as indicated in its Action Plan Narrative and Design (Attachment B), represents a unique opportunity to make a distinct and meaningful lasting improvement in the health and welfare of the largest concentration of people living in substandard housing in the County. Habitat’s plan to remove 341 mobile homes and replace them with safe and affordable structures, while advocating a community vision and non-displacement of current residents, would be transformative.
The County team worked with Habitat and Southwood residents to assist in the master planning process to identify the location and engineering/financial feasibility of Phase 1. The proposed Action Plan (Attachment C) outlines the schedule and respective responsibilities of each partner entity identified thus far.
County staff and Habitat are ready for the Board of Supervisors to review and consider endorsement of the proposed Action Plan that is intended to advance the redevelopment of the Southwood community. Due to the size, complexity and creativity involved in this project, Habitat requests leveraged funding support from the County to assist them with the implementation of the project. This funding request is tied directly to performance milestones in the Action Plan and is identified as follows:
1) Habitat requests a total of $675,000 in calendar year 2018. Of this amount, $400,000 has been identified to support the work effort in FY18 to include the submittal of the rezoning package to the Community Development Department, community engagement, and land development. The remaining $275,000 would support FY19 rezoning deliverables, Phase 1 application plan, code of development and resident and leadership development. Details of this request can be found in Attachment D. Attachment E is the proposed performance agreement reflecting the County’s commitment to the project and the expected benefits to eligible County residents, while ensuring that the County’s contribution will result in the desired transformative redevelopment and affordable housing outcomes.
2) County staff has identified the need for part-time project management and part-time neighborhood planner resources in FY19 to act as the dedicated points of contact and key facilitators for the many departments, outside agencies and Habitat process owners to ensure successful collaboration, planning, scheduling, and coordinating of all work related to the Southwood Redevelopment. Staff and Habitat agree that these dedicated resources are key to a successful partnership and commitment to achieving the desired outcomes as represented in the proposed Action Plan. Alternatively, limited staff capacity with existing resources will require the County to shift from a proactive partnership with Habitat to a more responsive and reactive role that is typical with land development projects. In this scenario, staff and Habitat anticipate a longer timeline for redevelopment, which in turn, may affect the success of the project and diminish the overall return on investment for the County.
BUDGET IMPACT: The $675,000 in funding over FY 18 and FY 19 is recommended to be provided from the General Fund’s fund balance. The Two-Year Fiscal Plan presented to the Board in November and December included $1,000,000 in General Fund fund balance to establish a Housing Fund that could support a variety of housing initiatives, such as this request. If approved, staff will prepare an appropriation request for approval at a subsequent Board meeting for the FY 18 amount of $400,000. The FY 19 amount of $275,000 and additional funding needed for project management and planning services would be included as part of the FY 19 County Executive’s Recommended Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Board adopt: 1) the attached Phase 1 Action Plan (Attachment C) as presented or as modified by the Board; and 2) the attached Resolution (Attachment F) supporting the performance agreement.
ATTACHMENTS:
A: Resolution of Partnership
B: Habitat for Humanity Action Plan Narrative & Design
C: Phase 1 - Action Plan Timeline
D: Habitat for Humanity Funding Request
E: Proposed Performance Agreement
F: Resolution