Public Participation Housing Plan
Public Participation Purpose
This document guides the public involvement activities conducted by the Flagstaff Housing Section. The purpose of public participation is to ensure a proactive process affording the opportunity for the public to be involved in all phases of the creation of Flagstaff’s 2021 Housing Plan. The Housing Section will provide complete information, timely public notice, sufficient periods for comment, full access to key decision points, and early and continuing engagement in developing the plan and policies. The Housing Section encourages active public participation in identifying and commenting when creating Flagstaff’s 2021 Housing Plan.
Multiple versions of this document will be created throughout the process to track progress and allow for incorporation of new ideas and lesson learned. Evaluation of the quality of input received and the achievement of diversity and inclusivity will be key drivers of the changes to this participation plan.
For a printable version of the current draft of this page, click here (PDF).
Dear Neighbors,
Affordable, accessible and decent housing is of critical importance to a community’s health and viability. On December 1, 2020 City Council declared a Housing Emergency in Flagstaff, prioritizing affordable housing with City operations to create safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities for all community members.
Are you interested in learning more about Flagstaff’s affordable housing needs and creating policies to reduce Flagstaff’s Housing Emergency? If so, the City of Flagstaff’s Housing Section would like to add you to the 2021-2031 Housing Plan’s Stakeholders List. By providing your contact information, you will receive emails regarding public participation opportunities and updates specific to the Housing Plan. Your contact information will not be shared with others. The Housing Section encourages active public participation in identifying and commenting when creating Flagstaff’s 2021 Housing Plan and would appreciate your input. In order to be added to the stakeholders list, please complete the survey monkey below.
SurveyMonkey.com/r/FLGHousingStakeholders
Want to learn more about the 2021-2031 Housing Plan?
The Housing Plan will consolidate existing housing documents and augment with additional planning efforts to create a 10-year plan. The Plan will define the housing emergency in Flagstaff and will provide policies and strategies to reduce the emergency. The Housing Plan will identify affordable housing needs, revise an existing list of affordable housing, identify affordable housing units underway, engage partners, and compile research on best practices.
Altogether, these components will help identify specific policies and educational and advocacy strategies that can be implemented within our community to substantially increase the number of affordable housing units. As the City implements the Flagstaff’s 2021 Housing Plan, the goal is to substantially increase the number of available and affordable housing options for all Flagstaff residents at all income levels.
Overall Public Participation Objectives
To educate the community of Flagstaff’s affordable housing needs in order to garner quality public input and to create a strong consensus regarding specific policies to reduce Flagstaff’s Housing emergency.
Public Participation Objectives
- Create trust in a fair and inclusive decision-making process.
- Educate community about affordable housing needs and impacts.
- Endorse possible solutions through the creation of specific policies to reduce Flagstaff’s housing emergency.
- Include people from throughout the region in the discussion. Gather quality feedback and input from stakeholders and the public in general.
- Reach as many people as possible to create an inclusive environment for dialogue.
- Recruit a stakeholder group of diverse and interested people. Community meetings could be led by staff and subcommittee Housing Commission members.
Working Group Objectives
- The Affordable Housing Gap Analysis Working Group will create the quantifiable goal for the plan.
- The Policy Working Group will match existing policies from other plans and documents, create specific policies, and advocacy and education strategies as needed. This working group will create policies to reduce Flagstaff’s affordable housing emergency.
- All other Working Groups will research community needs and affordable housing impacts. This information will assist with the creating of the Housing Plan.
Community Outreach Communication Objectives
- Educate the community regarding Flagstaff’s affordable housing needs.
- Involve community in the development of policies to reduce Flagstaff’s Housing emergency.
- Engage the community members in the 10-year housing plan and seek endorsement.
- Create a clear understanding of opportunities for and challenges to policies implementation. [JC1][LB2] Some things will be easier to accomplish than others. For example, many policies will require public and private partnerships and/ or possibly a dedicated affordable housing funding source. Some may need Council action.
Establish Stakeholders List
- As appropriate, utilize the 2018 Housing Bond Outreach Stakeholders List
- Internal City Departments and Leadership
- Other City Commissions
- Developers/Builders
- Neighborhoods
- Community members
- Current and future beneficiaries
- Nonprofit organizations
Evaluation
- Have we reached the right people?
- Have we created an expectation of inclusivity and emotional safety for all participants?
- Do we have consensus that the process going forward is clear and fair?
- If the answer to a, b, or c is no, what do we need to do to achieve these objectives?
2021 Public Participation Schedule
January - June | Informal working groups with commissioners, staff and stakeholders (monthly meetings). |
January - August | Housing Commission Meetings (share invitation for public input via listserv). |
February | Meet with City Manager Office. |
February | Provide overview Council on February 9. |
February - August | Inform City Leadership. |
April | Present findings to the Housing Commission for approval of draft (need, gap analysis and draft policies). |
April - May | Presentation to relevant boards and commissions. |
May | Virtual community meetings (3) with presentation and question/answers for receiving feedback. |
June | Council update on process and progress. |
June | Provide a 30 day public comment period for narrowed draft housing plan and online public forum to solicit comments. Community Forum Platform. |
July | Review all comments received on draft Plan and assess feasibility and viability. |
August | Reach consensus with internal staff what alternatives are feasible for final document. |
August | Seek endorsement of the final documents, with public’s alternative and written policy from the Housing Commission (public meeting). (online system notification). |
September | City Council Work Session and presentations to for discussion and consideration. |
Advertising Public Participation
- Coconino County Continuum of Care listserv
- Community Forum
- Email project notifications to stakeholders list
- Facebook post
- Advertise commission meetings
- Council Meetings
- Virtual Community Meeting
- Daily Sun
- Postcard mailings
- Press Release and media outreach with newspaper and radio
- Community Newsletters
- Housing Authority
- Nonprofits
- ECONA
- Chamber
- Neighborhood groups
Housing Plan Timeline
Housing Plan Purpose
Affordable, accessible and decent housing is of critical importance to a community’s health and viability. The Housing Plan will consolidate existing housing documents and augment with an additional planning effort to create a 10-year plan that seeks to define the housing emergency in Flagstaff and to provide policies and strategies to reduce the emergency. The Housing Plan will help identify needs, create an existing list of affordable housing, identify the affordable housing units underway, engage partners, and compile research on best practices. Altogether, these components will help identify specific policies and educational and advocacy strategies that can be implemented within our community to substantially increase the number of affordable housing units. As the City implements the Flagstaff’s 2021 Housing Plan, the goal is to substantially increase the number of available and affordable housing options for all Flagstaff residents at all income levels.
Housing Plan Goals
- Identify Affordable Housing Need (Goal)
- The City of Flagstaff currently has an estimate XX% gap between the number of affordable housing units available and the number of affordable housing units needed. The goal is to create or preserve X,XXX homes by 2031, and increase the overall supply of market, workforce and affordable housing through the implementation of the policy initiatives.
- Refine the List of Existing Affordable Housing
- Identify Housing and Homeless Activities Currently Underway
- Review City Properties Appropriate for Affordable Housing Development
- Create Affordable Educational and Advocacy Strategies and Specific Housing Policies
City of Flagstaff Funding and Planning Documents
- 2021 Consolidated Plan
- 2021 Analysis of Impediments
- Housing Authority (5 yr. & Annual Plan)
- City of Flagstaff Regional Plan
- 2018 High Occupancy Housing Specific Plan
- 2018 Bond Survey
- Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
- Neighborhood Plans (La Plaza Vieja, Southside)
Other Community Documents
- Flagstaff’s Lived Black Experience: A Forgotten People Forging a Path Forward
- 2017 Housing Attainability for the Flagstaff Workforce (ECONA)
- Housing Phoenix Plan
- 2021 Community Needs Assessment, Coconino County, AZ
- ADOH at a glance
Step 1: Commission Visioning (Commission Meeting Agenda)
The first Commission Visioning Meeting will be held on January 28, 2021. The purpose of the meeting is to:
- Building Relationships and Inclusive Dialogue.
- Approve Timeline for the creation of the plan.
- Create Informal Working Groups (Groups will include Commissioners, City Staff, Community Members)
- There will be one “Main Policy Working Group” – The objective of this WG is to ensure a consistent voice in policy creation, and advocacy and education strategies when taking suggested policies from the below working groups. – This working group will have one representative from the below five working groups.
- Affordable Housing Gap Analysis
- Connection between health and affordable housing
- Connection between housing and sustainability
- Neighborhood Context - Redlining, Historical data, Generational Wealth
- Zoning and Land Use
Step 2: Conduct Research, Establish Community Needs & Create Policies
- Combine information from other plans and documents
- Refer to City of Flagstaff Funding and Planning Documents and other community documents (above)
- Develop stakeholders list
- Internal
- Housing Authority
- Community Development
- Sustainability
- Economic Vitality
- Legal
- City Manager Office
- Leadership – Presentations or updates
- City Council
- Other?
- External
- 2018 Housing Bond Stakeholders list
- Coconino County Continuum of Care
- Neighborhoods – Target Neighborhoods
- County (Belmont, Kachina, Doney Park etc.)
- Presentation to Board Of Supervisors – effective partnership is (land, resources etc.)
- ECONA – Workforce Housing Group
- Community members
- Current and future beneficiaries
- Nonprofit organizations
- Internal
- Develop a list of existing affordable housing already available (appendix to update annually)
- Identify Existing City Owned/Restricted Affordable Housing:
- Housing owned and operated by Housing Authority
- Housing Section – Land Trust Housing
- Housing identified as Affordable with Planning and Development
- Identify Existing Non-City Owned Affordable Housing: (appendix to update annually)
- Utilize Community Planning and Development (CPD) Maps to identify area wide affordable housing – Con Plan
- Obtain information from outside agencies:
- Arizona Department of Housing (LIHTC)
- Non-Profits – TGC, Catholic Charities, Anew, HSNA, Habitat, - would Vouchers go here? Health Choice Integrated (NARBA), TGC etc.
- Identify affordable housing need – separate them from rental to homeownership and focus on the housing continuum.
- Use the following documents to establish need– separate the need from rental to homeownership and focus on the housing continuum.
- Front door numbers (rental)
- Attainability report (rental)
- ECONA – workforce (rental and ownership)
- Average first-time homebuyer’s data (ownership) – Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona
- Identify demographics of need for: (con plan and stakeholders)
- Homeless
- Special Needs Populations
- Extremely Low Income (30% of Area Median Income (AMI)
- Very Low Income (50% of AMI)
- Low Income (80% of AMI)
- Median Income (100% of AMI)
- Workforce Housing (80% - 120% of AMI)
- Identify Existing City Owned/Restricted Affordable Housing:
- Identify City properties appropriate for affordable housing development
- Discuss RAD RFP
- Review city owned parcels
- Revisit with real estate, parks, open space, sustainability, planning, economic vitality etc.
- Identify ideal parcels for affordable housing development – are there anymore?
- Identify housing and homeless activities currently underway (appendix to update annually)
- Obtain list of City projects underway from:
- Housing Section
- Sustainability
- Police – Crime free multi housing (rental)
- Address what the city does as a best practice
- Examine crime free multi housing impacts on the community
- Obtain list of City projects underway from:
- Continuum of Care
- Developers and Non profit community partners
- CDBG Documents
- Obtain list of City projects underway from:
- Create and finalize Affordable Housing Policy Recommendations: - Research successful affordable housing programs in other jurisdictions
- Identify similar or exemplary cities/ jurisdictions
- Develop Housing Needs Assessment and Market Analysis and start establishing policies to accomplish the housing goal – Look at 2020 ACS data and compare Flagstaff’s Needs Assessment Infographic
- Follow-up with identified cities/jurisdictions
- Discuss policy execution
- Best practices
- Opportunities for improvement
- Develop Proposed Policy Recommendations
- Review proposed policy recommendations with stakeholders.
- Prepare and adopt a plan
Step 3: Community Outreach & Partnerships - Project Schedule
Public participation and timeline schedule below. Public participation schedule is highlighted yellow.
1. Commission Visioning Meeting
January 2021 – February 2021 | Use data from already created plans - Combine information from other plans and documents |
January 2021 – February 2021 | Combined goals from other documents – provide to each working group to begin creating policy. |
January 2021 – February 2021 | Establish Working Groups (WG) with Commission Members
|
January – June | Informal working groups with commissioners, staff and stakeholders (monthly meetings or as needed) |
January – August | Housing Commission Meetings (share invitation for public input via listserv) |
February | Meet with City Management Office |
February | Provide overview Council on February 9 |
2. Create Stakeholder List (internal and external)
January 2021 – February 2021 | Identify external stakeholders - Refer to 2018 Housing Bond list |
January 2021 – February 2021 | Develop Internal City of Flagstaff Chartering Collaboration List |
January 2021 – February 2021 | Develop project notification email list (ongoing) |
February - August | Emails and possible presentation to leadership (ongoing)
|
3. Refine the List of Existing Affordable Housing
Have for the Gap Analysis and Housing Needs Working Group
February 2021 | Refine City Owned/Restricted Affordable Housing |
April 2021 | Identify Existing Non-City Owned Affordable Housing |
4. Identify Affordable Housing Needs
Informal Working Groups will assist
February 2021- March 2021 | Research waitlists and documents to understand Housing demands, needs and types (rental & homeownership) – Affordable Housing Gap Analysis Working Group
|
March 2021 | Identify demographics of need for affordable housing: (con plan and stakeholders)- Connection Between Health and Affordable Housing Working Group - Use Numbers found by Affordable Housing Gap Analysis Working Group
|
5. Create Affordable Housing Policy Recommendations
January 2021 – April 2021 | Research Policy Examples |
January 2021 – April 2021 | Reach out to similar communities |
January 2021 – April 2021 | Develop Proposed Policy Recommendations |
January 2021 – April 2021 | Present findings to the Housing Commission for approval of draft (need, gap analysis and draft policies) |
January 2021 – April 2021 | Presentation to relevant boards and commissions |
6. Review City Properties Appropriate for Affordable Housing Development (underway)
February - May | Discuss RFP – Review City Parcels with Housing Commission
|
April - May | Review City owned parcels with internal stakeholders |
April - May | Identify ideal parcels for affordable units (real estate and appropriate city divisions) |
7. Identify Housing and Homeless Activities Currently Underway
April - May | Identify City Activities |
April - May | Identify Non-city Activities |
8. Finish Writing Document
April | Draft Housing Plan Document |
May | Virtual community meetings (3) with presentation and question/answers for receiving feedback. |
June | Council update on process and progress. |
June | Provide a 30 public comment period for narrowed draft housing plan and online public forum to solicit comments through community forum. |
July | Review all comments received on draft document for feasibility and viability. |
August | Reach consensus with internal staff what alternatives are feasible for final document. |
August | Seek endorsement of the final documents, with public’s alternative and written policy from the Housing Commission (public meeting) |
9. Finalize document for approval
September | City Council Work Session and presentations to for discussion and consideration of adoption. |
Step 4: 30 Day Public Comment Period
The 30-day public comment period will occur in August. Submit public comments through Community Forum platform.
Step 5: Prepare and Adopt a Plan
Housing staff will present at a Flagstaff City Council Work Session in September for discussion, proceeding to consideration of adoption to follow based on Council input and feedback.