City of Brisbane Affordable Housing Strategic Plan

BACKGROUND

In 2021, aligned with the launch of the 2023-2031 Housing Element update, the City Council authorized preparation of an Affordable Housing Strategic Plan (AHSP) to guide the City's financial planning and priorities related to development of new affordable housing and preservation of existing affordable housing. After a competitive Request for Proposal process, the City hired economic consultants ECONorthwest to prepare the AHSP.

Guided by the Affordable Housing Subcommittee (Council Members Madison Davis and Cliff Lentz), with periodic check-ins with the full Council, the draft AHSP was published in August for public review and subsequently revised in September and finally October 2023.

The City Council considered the revised draft AHSP on November 16, 2023 and adopted it with minor revisions (see Files below).

AHSP PURPOSE AND CONTENTS

The AHSP is a strategic planning document that provides a menu of actions for the City to consider when programming funds to support its affordable housing goals. The four sections of the AHSP are described in more detail below.

1. Introduction: Provides context for AHSP and presents the guiding pillars of the AHSP to:

Increase production of affordable housing.
Preserve existing housing stock.
Provide access to housing for persons with special needs.
Leverage private and outside investment.
Increase implementation capacity.

2. Summary of Housing Needs: This section summarizes the City's need for affordable housing, consistent with the 2023-2031 Housing Element.

3. Analysis of Funding Alternatives: This section evaluates existing and potential revenue sources to fund the City's affordable housing production, preservation, and management goals.

4. Strategies and Actions: This section is an action plan for the City's affordable housing goals. This action plan complements and expands upon programs in the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element.

5. Appendices: The three appendices provide additional resources on potential development funding sources, an evaluation of the City's inclusionary and density bonus policies, including case studies pf recent inclusionary housing projects in nearby cities.