Agenda - Council - 11/27/1984 - Laserfiche WebLink

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GENERAL CONCERNS 1. COMMUNITY INDEX The AMM has major concerns relative to the Council's intent to introduce the Community Index concept into the housing and grant review process conducted by the Metropolitan Council. The effectiveness of any tool used to promote and produce more affordable housing within communities in the metropolitan area depends a great deal on its creditability and acceptance by local officials. Based on an extensive review of the written material describing the Community Index and discussions with the Council's Housing Staff, the AMM believes this concept is premature. To a large extent, the index is based on a "snap shot in time" of the existing housing already built in this area. Since the housing already in place will provide the bulk of the housing stock for at least the next ten (10) years, communities might be unfairly penalized because of this. The existing housing is largely a reflection of the market place and has little to do with the "good" or "bad" intentions of local officials and they should not be judged or held accountable for conditions over which they have little or no control. Also~ the exact same house in different areas might differ greatly in market Yalue because of the influence of the market place and other intangibiles. The AMM also questions the wisdom or fairness of judging every community by the same standards since much of the housing type, style and cost is a reflection of the market and has little to do with planning. It almost appears that the intent of this index is to make each and every city a microcosm of the region as whole and the AMM does not believe this is necessary, advantages, or even good public policy. The AMM does believe that the information (data) contained in the Community Index is useful planning information for city officials and should be useful for internal planning purposes on a city by city basis. However, the index should not be used as a "control technique" by the Metropolitan Council at this time because of its deficiencies and the many unanswered questions. Recommendations: If the Metropolitan Council decides to proceed with the "Community Index" concept, for a period of time (perhaps two or three years) it should be used only as a bilateral planning tool between the Metropolitan council and the local communities. That is, when the Council reviews a local housing project or proposal, the comments it makes based on the "Index"