pages: CityCouncil/2022-05-17.pdf, 8
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CityCouncil | 2022-05-17 | 8 | Councilmember Knox White stated the plan proposes a significant increase in the number of townhomes; inquired the percentage of units, which are visitability and universal design compliant. The Planning Building and Transportation Director responded staff has been discussing the plan with APP; stated City ordinances require 30% of every project to have universally designed units where someone with a disability could live; 100% of the units must be visitable where someone with disabilities can comfortably visit the units; City ordinances recognize the requirement and establishes a process by which Council and the City can grant waivers; townhomes are particularly difficult and are a product type that does not lend itself to universal design or visitability due to the amount of stairs; there are ways to modify townhome units to meet the visitability standard; Site A has a lot of multi-family housing that is elevator served and is doing well with universal design standards; APP will be able to meet and exceed the universal design standard by 100%; Site A has almost doubled the requirement for universal design; the visitability standard has been a problem for every project with a large number of townhomes; APP believes a 70% compliance rate can be reached by modifying the townhome design; Council may choose to include terms in the Development and Disposition Agreement (DDA). Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired how Council will know the affordable housing will be built; and whether the cost for affordable housing is significantly higher than $50,000. The Community Development Director responded one of the milestone schedule requires is that the affordable housing provider has to be identified fairly early in the planning process; the provider will be able to work with the development partner to plan for the affordable housing project; $50,000 will be paid by APP incrementally throughout the project and will not be paid as a lump sum; the incremental payments help assure investment in the affordable housing project; the provider will be in a position to apply for and raise funding; the $50,000 provides great assistance. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired the cost per unit. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director responded the cost varies from site to site; stated the affordable units are part of land and infrastructure that had been provided for free; the developer is providing a finished pad; the site has many advantages; discussed a housing project near Eagle Avenue and Everett Street with separate buildings and lower density with a higher cost per unit; stated building the units cost $900,000 each. The Community Development Director stated the Eden Housing project cost was approximately $700,000 per unit. Councilmember Herrera Spencer stated the City previously tethered the affordable housing units to ensure affordable units were built before market rate units; inquired whether Site A was the first project to untether the affordable housing units from the market rate units, to which the Community Development Director responded in the affirmative. David Doezema, Keyser Marston Associates, stated the $700,000 per unit cost is a good number; a portion of the cost would be paid by the project's operating income; the cost does not necessarily need to be covered by a subsidy source; rents can cover some of the costs for amortizing a mortgage; tax credits are generally able to help offset a portion of the costs; the Regular Meeting Alameda City Council May 17, 2022 8 | CityCouncil/2022-05-17.pdf |