FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
SUPPLEMENTAL STAFF REPORT
1 SUPPLEMENT TO SPECIAL AGENDA ITEM #5
MEETING DATE January 10, 2024
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Heather Abrams, Town Manager
SUBJECT Supplement to Agenda Item #5 Adopt Resolution Dissolving and Terminating the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
RECOMMENDATION
Minor corrections and additions were made to the Staff Report and Resolution.
ATTACHMENT
Staff Report
Resolution
FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 SUPPLEMENT TO SPECIAL AGENDA ITEM #5
MEETING DATE January 10, 2024
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Heather Abrams, Town Manager
SUBJECT Supplement to Agenda Item #5 Adopt Resolution Dissolving and Terminating the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council adopt the attached resolution and thank the former committee members for their volunteer service.
BACKGROUND
The Affordable Housing Committee (“AHAC”) was formed in 2008 to “…discuss affordable housing issues and to advise the Town Council, Town staff and the Planning Commission on related matters.” The original resolution establishing the AHAC is attached.
DISCUSSION
At the time when the committee was formed, approximately 16 years ago, the AHAC was made up of experts in the affordable housing field who were also Fairfax residents. Since then, the composition of the AHAC has changed and the needs of the Town have evolved. Maintaining the committee is not required and does not appear beneficial at this time.
Typically, affordable housing topics are handled by the Planning Commission. The Housing Element contains important affordable housing requirements and programs. The AHAC met with the Housing Element consultant early on. Fairfax’s 2023-2031 Housing Element has been recommended by the Planning Commission and then adopted by Council, and this did not necessitate input from the AHAC in recent years. If needed, the Council could consider reconstituting the AHAC for the next Housing Element cycle in approximately eight years. (Please note that other Town volunteers are needed. The Planning Commission currently has one opening and has struggled to maintain a quorum. In the near future, the Commission will need a new member, or the Council may need to consider reducing the Commission from its current seven seats to five seats).
There is currently one member on the AHAC, without professional experience in the field. The Town has been recruiting for this committee, but there has been only one application, which would not provide a quorum for the committee to meet. No Fairfax residents with professional experience have applied. The Committee has not met since November 2021 and the likelihood of having a quorum to meet in the next year is low.
2 Staff conducted a survey of Marin Managers and found that no other jurisdictions in Marin have an appointed AHAC. (Please note that there is a private group in Mill Valley that calls themselves the Affordable Housing Committee).
Town Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
Sausalito -
Tiburon -
Larkspur -
Corte Madera -
San Anselmo -
Ross -
Fairfax 1
Belvedere -
Mill Valley -
San Rafael -
Novato -
Marin County -
Total of 12 jurisdictions 1
Staff recommends thanking Mallory Geitheim and past members for their service and volunteerism to the AHAC and terminating inactive committees in order to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of the Town. The full Council always has the power to create a new committee, if the need arises.
FISCAL IMPACT
None identified; small savings in staff time to recruit, process, and renew AHAC members.
ATTACHMENT
A. Resolution 2555 Establishing the Affordable Housing Committee B. Proposed Resolution
ATTACHMENT B
RESOLUTION 24-__
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FAIRFAX
DISSOLVING AND TERMINATING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, the Town Council first established the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (“AHAC”) in 2008 pursuant to Resolution 2555-A; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the AHAC is to “…discuss affordable housing issues and to advise the Town Council, Town staff and the Planning Commission on related matters”; and WHEREAS, the Committee has met on an as-needed basis; and WHEREAS, currently there is only one member of the public (and two Council Members) on the AHAC; and
WHEREAS, the Committee has not met since 2021, during which it met five times to provide input to the current Housing Element Update; and
WHEREAS, given the critical role of the Planning Commission for housing matters, there is no need for the AHAC to be convened at this time; and
WHEREAS, in 2031 when the new Housing Element will be developed, it may then be appropriate to form a new AHAC with members of the public who have expertise in housing matters; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax as follows:
1. All of the members of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, past and present, are thanked for their dedicated service to the Town; and
2. The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee is hereby dissolved and terminated.
The foregoing resolution was adopted at a regular meeting of the Fairfax Town Council of the Town of Fairfax held in said Town on the __ day of ______ 2024, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
__________________________________
Barbara Coler, Mayor
Attest: _____________________________
Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk