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Resolution to Order Election and to Determine Ballot Question for Charter Amendment for the 2021 Affordable Housing Millage (7 Votes Required)
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Whereas, City Council has adopted the strategic goal of being a warm, welcoming, and safe community and providing affordable housing options is essential to that goal;
Whereas, Ann Arbor's efforts to develop, maintain, support, or acquire sufficient affordable housing have not created an adequate supply of affordable housing;
Whereas, The market’s efforts to develop, maintain, support, or acquire sufficient affordable housing have failed to create an adequate supply of affordable housing;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor adopted the Housing Affordability and Economic Equity Analysis in 2015 that establishes a goal of supporting 140 new affordable units each year;
Whereas, The City’s current annual investment of $880,000+ in the Affordable Housing Fund does not meet the financial need to develop and/or acquire a meaningful number of affordable units or to provide necessary supportive services; and
Whereas, The City Council wants to adopt policy guidelines for the use of the funds if the Affordable Housing Millage is approved by the voters at the November 3, 2020 election and wants to inform the voters of those policy guidelines;
RESOLVED, It is the City’s intention that it will continue to contribute General Fund and County Public Safety and Mental Health millage money to the affordable housing fund regardless of any additional millage money;
RESOLVED, That the following amendment to the City Charter be placed on the ballot and submitted to the voters at the next general city election:
SECTION 8.25. In addition to any other amount which the City is authorized to raise by general tax upon real and personal property by this Charter or any other provision of law, the City shall, in 2021 through 2041, annually levy a tax of up to one mill on all taxable real and personal property situated within the City for the purpose of building, maintaining, and acquiring new affordable housing units which are permanently affordable to low-income households making no income up to 60% of area median income and providing social services, not to exceed 20% of the millage revenues over the entire term of the millage, for the residents of such housing. No money collected pursuant to this millage shall be spent on building, maintaining, or acquiring new units located in the floodplain or floodway.
RESOLVED, That November 3, 2020 is designated as the day for holding an election on the proposed Charter amendment;
RESOLVED, That the City Clerk shall transmit a copy of the proposed amendment to the Attorney General and the Governor of Michigan and shall perform all other acts required by law for holding the election;
RESOLVED, That the following amended charter provision shall appear on the ballot in the following form:
PROPOSAL 3
ANN ARBOR CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT
TAX FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, ACQUISITION, AND MAINTENANCE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Shall the Charter be amended to authorize a new tax up to 1.000 mills for construction, maintenance, and acquisition of new affordable housing units for low-income individuals and families making less than 60% Ann Arbor Area Median Income, and for providing social services for the residents of such housing for 2021 through 2041, which will raise in the first year of levy the estimated revenue of $6,550,505. In accordance with State law, a portion of the millage may be subject to capture by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.
__ Yes __ No
RESOLVED, That the proposed Charter amendment and proposed ballot question shall be published in full not fewer than two times in the Washtenaw County Legal News;
RESOLVED, That the City Clerk is directed to publish the proposed Charter amendment in full, together with the existing Charter provisions amended as required by law and in accordance with resolution of Council, post the proposed Charter amendment in full together with the existing Charter provisions to the City’s website;
RESOLVED, That if the amendment is adopted, it shall take effect on January 1, 2021; and
RESOLVED, That City Council adopt the Affordable Housing Millage Guidelines as specified in Attachment A.
Sponsored by: Mayor Taylor and Councilmembers Nelson, Smith, Ramlawi and Griswold
As Amended and Approved by Ann Arbor City Council on July 27, 2020