A new city department focused on housing
Here's one thing this week to watch in city hall... a presentation in the General Government & Social Services Committee on the Mayoral Administration's proposal to create a new Department within LFUCG - the Department of Housing Advocacy.
Watch this presentation live during the General Government & Social Services Committee Committee on Tuesday, February 9th, at 1:00pm.
Why should you care?
Lexington's linked housing crises - affordable housing, homelessness, and evictions - have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. Housing prices are rising across Lexington; homelessness cases pose massive local public health challenges; and, despite a national COVID-related eviction moratorium, evictions are still a major issue in Lexington. These problems are rooted in a history of racialized housing policies that have exacerbated income and many other inequalities among non-white communities. Local government and policymakers can have a significant influence on creating more equitable housing policies. If you care about any of these housing issues, you should pay attention to this conversation.
What is being proposed?
The Gorton Administration proposes creating a new department of LFUCG focused on housing-related issues - called the Department of Housing Advocacy.
The department would absorb several offices and divisions from across LFUCG into one central body with a commissioner and a department's infrastructure.
This would include the Divisions of Code Enforcement, Grants and Special Programs, Historic Preservation, and Community and Resident Services; it would also absorb the Offices of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention and the Office of Affordable Housing.
These divisions and offices are located in different Departments across LFUCG. Bringing them all under one roof would theoretically lead to a more focused, coordinated, and strategic housing policy effort.
Currently, these divisions span the Chief Administrator's Office (Homeless Prevention and Intervention, Affordable Housing, Grants & Special Programs), Public Safety (Code Enforcement), and Social Services (Community & Resident Services).
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What would this new department do?
The department would focus on programmatic issues related to homelessness assistance programming, incentives for the development of affordable housing, emergency financial assistance, housing and utility repair support, and Code Enforcement and assistance.
This would include a proposed new code enforcement financial assistance program, which would help low-income residents address code enforcement policy violations, which have been a significant burden on many.
In addition to this programmatic focus, they will also oversee policy decisions related to housing, including housing advocacy, planning/zoning and neighborhood coordination, and other policy design and implementation.
In all, the department will have a quarter-million-dollar impact on the city's budget.
The cost for the Commissioner would be approximately $183k.
The cost for the Senior Administrative Officer (the second in command) would be $115k
The department would come with a new mission statement and purpose.
Mission: "To develop and implement strategies to build strong and equitable neighborhoods, provide needed guidance and assistance, and ensure sustainable growth and development to improve quality of life for Lexington residents."
Implementing recommendations from the Mayor's Commission on Racial Justice and Equality
In this presentation, the Administration is explicitly focusing on several aspects of the Mayor's Commission on Racial Justice and Equality.
Specifically, the Administration is designing the department to address four recommendations from the Housing & Gentrification Subcommittee, which can be summarized as:
Create a new Housing Advocate position within LFUCG to oversee housing issues city-wide.
Overhauling the Division of Code Enforcement into a Code Agency that prioritizes the health and well-being of residents over punitive fines.
Rewrite the city's Zoning Ordinance to allow for greater density, supply, and affordability of housing.
Match the city's investment in the Purchase of Development Rights program with a new program targeting gentrifying neighborhoods.
Updates - 2/15/21
After the presentation, Vice Mayor Steve Kay opened the discussion by explaining that he brought this item to the Committee at the request of the Mayor’s administration. The departmental realignment follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Commission on Racial Justice and Equality’s report, released in late October of 2020. The administration is eager to implement the report’s recommendations and this proposal is next on their list.
VM Kay, although supportive of the overall proposal, stated that he wanted Council to consider moving the Division of Planning under this new department, as well. Planning is now connected with Economic Development, and while they’re certainly related, Vice Mayor Kay argued that Planning and Housing are deeply connected and should be working in coordination. CM James Brown agreed, adding that this proposed reorganization goes beyond many of the Commission’s and the Neighborhoods in Transition Task Force’s recommendations.
CM Brown asked if there would be space for a housing advocate position, to which the presenter, Jennifer Wourenmaa, answered yes. Creating a specialized housing advocate or liaison to help residents connect to government housing services is also a Commission report recommendation, and a priority for the administration.
CM Jennifer Reynolds then asked if moving the Division of Grants and Special Projects would have an effect on its role within city government - the Division is responsible for all the city’s grants, not just housing-related funding. Jennifer Wourenmaa stated that the Division is supportive of the realignment and isn’t concerned about this causing any problems.
CM Fred Brown wanted Council to understand that this would be a major organizational change. He urged Council to fully research the proposal and what effects it would have on the different divisions and their programs. He recommended getting feedback from residents and presenting the proposal before the Committee of the Whole before making any decisions. He also asked whether a reorganization like this was allowed by the city’s charter. CM Lamb and the Law Dept. clarified that it was.
CM Richard Moloney spoke next, saying he supported the proposal but was worried that if Planning was moved to this Department it would create too much work for one person and would lead to staff burnout. He also argued that although housing is involved in Planning, economic development is its main concern.
Vice Mayor Steve Kay then stated that he wanted to be clear on the recommendation that it was for an Office of Housing Advocacy. He said this could function either as one person or a group of people possibly gathered from the Mayor’s Commission Housing and Gentrification Subcommittee and the Task Force on Neighborhoods in transition. He also talked about Planning being important to Housing and it making sense for the Division to be included. He said he heard CM Fred Brown’s concerns, though, and will gather input from the other CMs and bring this topic to the next quarterly COW or call a special one if needed.
CM Hannah LeGris said she supported the outward-facing liaison position and that it would help with trust building between government and residents. Jennifer said it was refreshing to hear so many Council members supporting the liaison position. The administration has researched other city’s programs and many that are successful have created an outward-facing office such as this to help connect residents with the programs and services the city can offer.
CM Susan Lamb closed the discussion, reminding Council the presentation was just for informational purposes that day. They will learn more once the Mayor releases her budget draft later this Spring. In summary, Council seemed generally supportive of this potential reorganization. Many expressed that it would help streamline the work and services these divisions are doing and offering by bringing them together under one Department. Council acknowledged that this would be a complex process if undertaken and is willing to research and discuss any potential changes further before making any decision.
Want to get involved? Here's how.
Reach out to relevant service organizations -good options for this issue would be: Lexington Fair Housing Council, Lexington Community Land Trust, and Habitat for Humanity.
Apply to be on a Board or Commission - good options with vacancies (as of 2/1) for this issue would be: Downtown Development Authority, Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board, Neighborhood Action Match Program Review Board, Social Services Advisory Board, & Vacant Property Review Commission.