Affordable Housing Fund Advisory Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026
Affordable Housing Fund Advisory Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026
The Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) Advisory Committee met on August 11, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in Room 307 of the Civic Center Complex. Acting Vice Chair Melissa Stinson called the meeting to order and led the roll call. The committee approved the minutes from July 14, 2026, received a financial report showing limited available funds, discussed significant updates to program guidelines, reviewed the status of existing projects (including a delinquent loan to TrueVest), and deferred new pre-approvals.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approval: The minutes from the July 14, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously on a motion by Gwendolyn Wagner, seconded by Ruth Metzger.
Discussion Items
- Financial Report: Melissa Stinson reported that total funds available for grants and loans stood at $46,403.16. This figure includes the previously committed $250,000 to Echo (expected to be needed in 2027) but does not account for four home repair pre-approvals from July (bids not yet received). Stinson advised against new commitments until the City Council adopts the 2027 budget in October, noting the committee is in a “limbo” period. Some loan repayment from TrueVest is anticipated.
- Guidelines Discussion: Attorney Aaron Allen presented a comprehensive update to the AHTF guidelines, comprising two major changes and many smaller ones:
- Right of First Refusal: New provisions require developers who receive AHTF funds to offer properties to the city (or partner affordable housing organizations) before selling to a market-rate buyer, preserving long-term affordability. Tenants in single-family rentals would also get a right of first refusal to purchase their home.
- Strengthened Loan Enforcement: A formal delinquency and default process was introduced, with escalating notices (15, 40, 60, and 90 days past due) and referral to legal counsel. Additional covenants will be recorded on property titles.
- Interest Rate for For-Profit Developers: Guidelines now specify that for-profit developer loans shall bear interest at the Wall Street Journal prime rate minus 0.25%, measured on the date of Board of Public Works approval. This was previously unwritten.
- Late Charges: Section 7 of the proposed policy sets a late charge of $10. Committee members questioned whether this is appropriate for businesses (vs. homeowners) and suggested a higher amount for for-profit developers; no change was adopted today.
- Update on Current Projects:
- TrueVest Loan: Stinson reported that TrueVest is approximately eight months behind on loan repayments. TrueVest is partnering with Champion Homes for modular construction to accelerate completion and sale of existing properties. The Land Bank recently granted a 12-month extension. Stinson asked the board to consider aligning with the Land Bank’s extension. Members expressed concerns about modular homes’ insulation standards and market fit. Stinson recommended requiring TrueVest to appear in person at the next meeting and to present a written repayment plan. No formal vote was taken.
- Other Projects: Ravenswood rehab (Memorial) is ongoing; Hope’s down payment assistance program has spent its full $60,000 grant; Advantics’ scattered-site project is stalled due to lack of an investor; Grandview Towers is expected to close soon with construction starting this month; Mina’s Place continues; four pre-approved home repairs are awaiting bids.
Key Outcomes
- No New Pre-Approvals: Due to limited budget and pending 2027 funding clarity, the committee skipped pre-approval of new home repair projects.
- Guidelines Review Ongoing: The committee will receive a redlined version of the updated guidelines via email and will discuss feedback and potential adoption at the September 2026 meeting.
- TrueVest Extension Held: The board did not vote on extending TrueVest’s loan due date but agreed to consider aligning with the Land Bank’s extension. TrueVest must send a representative to the September meeting with a detailed plan, including specifics on modular construction, repayment terms, and progress checkpoints.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. I am calling to order the August 11, 2026 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee meeting. I'm Melissa Stinson. I'm acting as the vice chair. I am calling the meeting to order, and I would like to do a roll call starting at my left. Aaron Allen, legal counsel. Corey Kempf, DMD. Ruth Metzger, come and get a community land trust. Jamie Herman. Would we rob in this? Woody Vanover. Ann Wagner. Gwendolyn Wagner. All right. We're gonna go ahead and uh go through the agenda. The next thing on the agenda is the approval of the minutes uh from July the 14th of 2026. Madam President, excuse me a minute. Some of them don't have those minutes up here. Thank you. I didn't know where there was now that everybody has the minutes. Um if you all have reviewed them, do um I have a motion to approve those minutes. I offer a motion that the minutes be approved as received. All right, I've got a motion by um Sister Gwendolyn Wagner and um a second by Ruth Metzger. Uh are there any um opposed or abstentions? All right. If you all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. The motion is passed. The minutes are approved. The next thing on the agenda is the financial report. All right. So the first page you see on the financial report, that is going to be uh what everyone's interested in. The total uh available for grants and loans. That's the second to last line item on there is 46,403 and sixteen cents. It does include the 250,000 commitment to Echo that was made last month. Uh it does not include the um the the four home repairs that were approved. Um sorry, pre-approved because those have not received bids yet, um, which is why um I'm jumping ahead a little bit, but uh we will not have uh any for pre-approval this month. One, because uh we're still working through those four, and two um because I don't think that there's gonna be anything left. So until that uh 250,000, well the part of the problem is um that 250,000 that we committed to to Echo. We know it's not gonna be needed until next year, but we don't know how much money we're gonna get next year. That's why I've I've kind of removed it from that. Uh what's available for grants and loans because it's committed, but it's it's we know it's not gonna be needed this year, but we also don't know if we will need it next year. So until we really know what we're getting next year, I don't think it's wise to to start committing any more money when we've only got 46,000 that's showing as available, and all of that's probably gonna go towards those uh for home repairs that were pre-approved last month. Um right now we're kind of in limbo until I think October is when they when city council approves the uh 2027 budget. But we might know before then what what to expect at least. I think September we might have a better idea, I'm hoping. Does anybody have any questions about the budget or the financial report? Not really. I will also mention that we are uh knock on wood expecting uh loan payment from True Vest soon.
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