Broomfield creates independent housing authority

Oct. 15—Broomfield's first independent housing authority was created Tuesday evening.

Members of the City Council have historically served as commissioners on Broomfield's Housing Authority Board, but councilmembers voted unanimously to pass governance to the newly-created board during Tuesday's council meeting. The idea of creating an independent board has been years in the making with the idea that it will increase the responsiveness to meeting Broomfield's affordable housing mission and goals, remove any liability on the city and county associated with owning or managing rental units, and allow the board to capitalize on money only available to independent housing authorities.

The intergovernmental agreement between the city and county and the housing authority takes effect Jan. 1, 2022.

The housing authority will be granted $3 million in January from the city and county, money from Bromfield's cash-in-lieu fund established from the Inclusionary Housing Zoning Ordinance. Director of Economic Vitality and Economist Jeff Romine told the Council on Tuesday that the money is intended to last the housing authority about three years, with its exact stretch dependent on the number of projects the board takes on.

"This will result in at least 100 affordable dwelling units being created or obligated at 30 to 60% (area median income)," Romine said of the $3 million grant, noting the 100 units are separate from any housing projects the Council has passed or plans to pass.

The current mission of the newly-formed Broomfield Housing Authority is "to work collaboratively with the public and private sectors creating attainable and sustainable housing options for the broadest spectrum of (city and county of Broomfield) residents."

The authority will collect, retain and utilize its own finances to maintain financial independence, Romine explained. The authority's executive director will be the authority's only full-time employee in 2022, and the director will technically work for the city and county of Broomfield, which Romine explained was for the sake of insurance and other benefits. Until the director is selected, City and County Manager Jennifer Hoffman will act as the director. The executive director is expected to be appointed in early 2022.

The housing authority may employ additional staff as needed, though the authority will be responsible for the compensation, benefits and expenses of the additional staff, the intergovernmental agreement reads.

Along with the executive director, the board will consist of five commissioners who will be staggered in four-year terms, and the initial term for two members will be two years to ensure the board is revolving regularly. The board will follow the same timeline for appointments as Broomfield's other boards and commissions, Romine noted. The members must all be Broomfield residents, and no more than three members can be from the same ward.

"It is preferred that all commissioners will have a range of the requisite knowledge and experience relevant and specific to developing and supporting affordable and market-rate housing," the intergovernmental agreement reads. "Additionally, it is preferred that at least one commissioner has life experience related to these efforts."

Romine added that the City Council will have the authority to remove a board member for "inefficiency, neglect or misconduct," something councilmembers asked about during a Sept. 21 study session when they reviewed the concept.

It's anticipated the commissioner application will be posted Oct. 28, and interviews will take place in November. The Council will select the five commissioners Dec. 14, and the second round of interviews for the director will also take place in December.

Councilmembers expressed gratitude for all the work that went into the proposed housing authority and celebrated the finale of what seemed like a never-ending journey.

Councilwoman Sharon Tessier, who has served on the Housing Advisory Committee for the past five years, thanked her council colleagues, city staff and Broomfield residents.

"To the community, thank you for your patience as we get our ducks in a row," she said. "This has been an incredible journey. We can't talk about housing without talking about our public health, about our educational health, about our intellectual health, occupational health, physical, mental, emotional, financial health. If you think about it housing intersects with every other priority.

"I'm going to listen to the 'Chariots Of Fire' after tonight because this has been a marathon. I think an ultramarathon."

In 2016, the City Council established and appointed the first members of the Broomfield Housing Advisory Committee, tapped to "examine housing issues in Broomfield, including the cost of rental and homeownership; the affordability hardships for different populations in Broomfield, including seniors and the workforce; review potential housing developments, and offer recommendations to the City Council on a variety of housing issues and opportunities," the memo reads.

An in-depth Housing Needs Assessment was authorized in 2017 to further understand housing options and gaps, and the assessment was presented to the Council in 2018. The consulting team who performed the assessment recommended the Council establish an independent housing authority board, the memo reads.