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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-11-13; Housing Commission; Resolution 2025-012RESOLUTION NO. 2025-012 A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT AND APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 HOUSING TRUST FUND ANNUAL REPORT Exhibit 1 WHEREAS, Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC) Section 2.40.060 delineates the functions of the Housing Commission; and WHEREAS, City Council Policy No. 90 requires an Annual Report of the Housing Trust Fund be reviewed by the Housing Commission prior to the City Council; and WHEREAS, the Housing Commission considered the Housing Trust Fund Annual Report for the 2024-25 fiscal year at their Nov. 13, 2025 Regular Meeting. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Housing Commission of the City of Carlsbad, California, as follows: 1. That the above recitations are true and correct. 2. That the Housing Commission accepts and recommends that the City Council approve the FY 2024-25 Housing Trust Fund Annual Report, attached hereto as Attachment A. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the Housing Commission of the City of Carlsbad on the 13th day of November, 2025, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NAYS: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Chang, Horton, Berger, Ydigoras. None. None. None. CHIH-WU CHANG, Chair cJ$-~ MANDY MILLS, Director Attachment A 1 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2023-24 Annual Report Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Background The city’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance was established in April 1993 and requires that all residential developments greater than six units restrict 15 percent of the total number of homes in a project as affordable to low-income households. Some developments have the option to satisfy a portion of or all of their affordable housing obligation through payment of inclusionary housing in-lieu fees or affordable housing credit purchases. For the city to receive and use these fee payments, the Housing Trust Fund was established to confirm that fees collected were applied only towards the affordable housing needs of lower-income households. The Housing Trust Fund receives revenue from a variety of sources, including interest from loans, housing credit purchases, housing impact fees, and interest earned on the fund balance. The Fund is intended to aid in the production, acquisition, rehabilitation and preservation of housing affordable to extremely low-, very low- and low-income households, and those experiencing homelessness. Reasonable costs of administration of the fund, programs and projects are allowed. The Housing Trust Fund significantly contributes to the success of the city’s inclusionary housing program. The Housing Trust Fund has been an indispensable tool to attract other funding sources to affordable housing projects, leveraging the city’s investment up to five times with outside funding sources. With its diversity of revenue sources, the Housing Trust Fund has provided sustained support for the inclusionary housing program, resulting in approximately 2,300 affordable homes in Carlsbad. On Dec. 12, 2020, the City Council adopted City Council Policy No. 90 which outlines the priorities, expectations and policies for Housing Trust Fund administration. The Policy calls for an Annual Report that shall be reviewed by the city’s Housing Policy Team, composed of representatives from Finance, Community Development, Housing Services and the City Attorney’s Office, and the Housing Commission. This report includes information regarding the Housing Trust Fund for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Summary of loan terms The Housing Trust Fund has been used over the years to assist an array of new housing construction, land acquisition, first-time homebuyer loans, shelter and services serving low income households and persons experiencing homeless. Historically, the Housing Trust Fund is predominantly used to subsidize the construction of new affordable housing in Carlsbad. Money from the Housing Trust Fund is often leveraged by other local and non-local sources of subsidy: Community Development Block Grants, the HOME federal funding program, the Redevelopment Agency’s Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund, federal and state low income housing tax credits and others. 2 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Loan repayment requirements will vary by type of assistance. Financial assistance from the Housing Trust Fund is typically made in the form of long-term loans of 55 years at an interest rate of generally not more than three percent. Repayments on loans to multi-family rental projects are amortized over the loan term, and are usually required as a share of surplus cash, that is, annual gross revenue minus annual operating expenses, referred to as residual receipts. A list of outstanding multi-family project loans is provided as Exhibit 1. Financial assistance to specific homebuyer units from the Housing Trust Fund is typically made in the form of a long-term loan recorded against the property to recapture principal and interest upon sale or transfer of the property. For example, repayment of principal and interest of first-time homebuyer loans are usually deferred for 15 or even 30 years, unless the home is sold. At the end of the loan term or upon sale or transfer of the property, any remaining principal and accrued interest becomes due and payable at that time. A list of outstanding homebuyer loans is provided as Exhibit 2. The City of Carlsbad City Council often chooses to repurchase affordable units being sold because the city can then maintain the unit in the affordable housing inventory for new buyers. When the City of Carlsbad acquires existing units for resale, the expenditure is identified and described in the “Affordable Housing Resale Program” section below. When they are resold, there is corresponding revenue to offset the expense. Therefore, the net proceeds impact fund balance. Summary of use of funds During FY 2024-25 there were the following expenditures and commitments: Category Expenditures Encumbrances (Prior Year Commitments already removed from Fund Balance) New Loan Commitments Construction of new affordable housing 310,000 2,970,6211 0 Affordable Housing Resale Program 269,1762 Homeless Services 86,152 Administration 199,613 TOTAL $864,941 $2,970,621 $0 1) Includes commitments for projects not yet started as well as underway. 2) Expenditures only Affordable Housing Resale Program, offsetting revenue was also received which offsets some expenditures 3 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report FY 2024-25 Housing Trust Fund uses by category The FY 2024-25 expenditures are further described by category: Construction of new affordable housing-$310,000 The new construction affordable housing projects underway in FY 2024-25 were: Marja Acres Senior Apartments The project is a 47-unit, 100% affordable senior housing project located on the west side of El Camino Real, just south of Kelly Drive being developed by USA Properties. As an approved density bonus project, Marja Acres is required to provide 46 senior apartments affordable to lower-income seniors. According to City Council Policy Statement No. 90, money from Housing Trust Fund is not to be used to satisfy a development's requirement to provide affordable housing in accordance with the city’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, but may be used to assist in exceeding the requirement. In 2021 and 2022 the City Council approved a total of $715,000 in financing from the city’s Housing Trust Fund for the Marja Acres Apartments project to deepen the affordability of five of the units to extremely low-income levels. The funds were expended in earlier fiscal years with most of the loan expenses at the beginning of construction, but the project was completed in FY 2024-25. Aviara Apartments Aviara East Apartments is a 70-unit affordable housing project located on Aviara Parkway south of Palomar Airport Road and north of Laurel Tree Lane. The overall Aviara Apartment project is required to provide 79 units affordable to lower- income households. According to City Council Policy Statement No. 90, money from the Housing Trust Fund is not to be used to satisfy a development's requirement to provide affordable housing in accordance with the city’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, but may be used to assist in exceeding the requirement. The City Council approved a $3,100,000 loan from the city’s Housing Trust Fund in 2021, to deepen the affordability of 7 units to serve very low income households. Construction commenced during fiscal year 2022-23, with most of the loan expenses at the beginning of construction. Construction was completed and residents moved in during the 2023-24 fiscal year. The $310,000 retention payment was expended in FY 2024-25 when the construction loan converted to a permanent loan. 4 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Affordable Housing Resale Program-$269,176 As part of the city’s affordable housing efforts, the city has purchased existing affordable housing units when the owner wishes to move with the intent to resell them to eligible lower- income buyers, thereby preserving, extending and enhancing the existing affordable housing stock in Carlsbad. Some of the units utilized Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, but several units have been purchased and rehabilitated with the Housing Trust Fund. Costs of acquisition and some related costs (improvements and homeowner association fees) were incurred in FY 2024-25. When they are resold, proceeds return to the Housing Trust Fund. During the fiscal year, 4 units were sold and 1 purchased. Homeless Services-$86,152 The Housing Trust Fund has also been used to support a variety of services for low income and homeless individuals and families. For example, the Housing Trust Fund has provided funding each year for the Carlsbad Service Center, which provides temporary day labor employment services, employment training and readiness, access to benefits, basic needs, rental assistance and case management. The Housing Trust Fund also supports a Housing Navigation program and the year-round Bridge-to-Housing network coordinated by the Alliance for Regional Solutions. Administration-$199,613 Housing Trust Fund dollars are used to cover administrative costs that are necessary to administer the fund. These include personnel expenses and maintenance and operational (not used for travel and training) expenses that are specifically related to the administration of the Housing Trust Fund. Total administrative expenses may not exceed 5% of the available Housing Trust Fund balance as of the end of the prior fiscal year. 5 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Summary of existing loan commitments There are existing loan commitments from the Housing Trust Fund for projects not commenced yet that are described below. West Oaks Apartments West Oaks Apartments is a 42-unit affordable housing project located south of Palomar Airport Road and west of Palomar Oaks Way. The City Council approved a $1,500,000 loan from the city’s Housing Trust Fund on Dec. 7, 2021, to deepen the affordability to serve extremely low and very low income households. This project has been on hold due to the inability to secure sewer service. The project developer has been working with the Carlsbad Utilities Department, Vallecitos Water District, and the Buena Sanitation District (Buena), a subsidiary district to the City of Vista, on the ability of the site to connect to the Buena sewer pipeline. A Carlsbad sewer stub-out, constructed to serve the property in 1985, is connected to the Buena sewer pipeline, which is covered by a joint use agreement between Carlsbad and Buena. The Buena sewer pipeline is over capacity, so the development project has not received authorization from Buena to discharge sewer flows to its sewer pipeline. Because of increased costs since original loan application, the developer has requested an increase in the loan by $500,000. This was processed in FY 2025-26 and will be reported in next fiscal year’s report. La Posada Shelter La Posada is the city’s only homeless shelter and is operated by Catholic Charities. It currently provides 100 beds, of which 50 are reserved for farmworkers. The City Council expressed support for Catholic Charities to expand the capacity of the La Posada shelter to serve more individuals experiencing homelessness, including space for women and families. The City Council approved documents at the Feb. 7, 2023, City Council meeting to accept $2 million in funds from the County of San Diego and, in turn, grant the funds to Catholic Charities towards the expansion. On May 16, 2023, the City Council approved $729,379 in Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds and $1,470,621 from the Housing Trust Fund towards the project. However, the project stalled due to the State’s refusal to approve demolition of a building tied to a 2011 loan requiring half the beds be reserved for farm workers. As a result, the County has rescinded its grant, and City staff will recommend reallocating the City's funds, as no agreements were executed or funds received. City staff will continue working with Catholic Charities and the State to explore regulatory flexibility and identify shelter options for underserved groups, especially women and families, per City Council direction. 6 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Financial Status of the Housing Trust Fund Revenue sources Fund receipts vary from year to year, but generally average between $1-2 million annually. Revenues come primarily from residential development activity, loan repayments and interest income. No General Fund money is deposited to the Housing Trust Fund. During FY 2024-25, the Housing Trust Fund received over $2.2 million in revenue, but when considering almost $863,000 in expenditures, the change to the fund balance is approximately $1.4 million in net revenue. Beginning Available Fund Balance $10,179,791 Loan commitment previously reduced 310,000 Reimbursed Expenses & Fee Revenue 287,805 Interest Revenue 403,797 (int + prin) Loan Payments 429,131 Affordable Resale Program Revenue 841,508 Total Increase in Fund Balance $2,272,241 Affordable Housing Loans Issued (310,000) Homeless Services (86,152) Affordable Resale Program Expenses (269,176) Administrative Expenses (199,613) Total Decrease in Fund Balance ($864,941) New Loan Commitments ($0) Ending Available Fund Balance1 $11,587,091 1) Total fund balance is presented net of previously committed but not yet funded developer loans of $2,970,621. As outlined in the background, the Housing Trust Fund was established to confirm that fees collected pursuant to the city’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance were applied only towards the affordable housing needs of lower-income households. The city’s Housing & Homeless Services Department does earn a small amount of administrative fee revenue from certain projects. During FY 2024-25 that revenue amounted to $23,537. The bulk of fee revenue comes from alternative means of satisfying the city’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. The ordinance allows some projects the option to satisfy a portion of or all of their affordable housing obligation through payment of inclusionary housing in-lieu fees or affordable housing credit purchases. These alternative means of inclusionary housing compliance are identified in City Council Policy No. 57. During FY 2024-25, the Housing Trust Fund received $264,268 in fee revenue from these two sources. In-lieu fee While the construction of affordable units is preferred, the city ordinance allows a developer of projects with six or fewer dwelling units to satisfy the projects’ inclusionary requirements by paying a fee in-lieu of building the unit. 7 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report In 2022, the City Council revised the in-lieu fee structure to: offer a flat fee for property owners building a single-family residence on a single lot, adjusted annually by the Consumer Price Index rate, and apply a rate based on net building area for all other qualifying projects with two to six units. Projects approved prior to this action pay the rate applicable at the time of approval. During FY 2024-25, the Housing Trust Fund received $ 32,182 in in-lieu fee revenue. The fee revenue received throughout the fiscal year was based on the fee price applicable at that time, not the fee prices listed below for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Type Current Rate Units Received in FY 2024-25 Affordable Housing In-Lieu Fee (per single-family market rate unit on single-family lot) $ 10,231 per unit 4 32,1821 Affordable Housing In-Lieu Fee (residential development projects proposing two to six units) $ 18 per sq. ft. of net building area per unit per sq. ft. 0 0 Total received $ 32,182 1 Based on the fee price applicable at that time Inclusionary Housing Credit Purchase The inclusionary housing ordinance (Carlsbad Municipal Code Chapter 21.85) provides that inclusionary units created which exceed the final requirement for a project may, subject to City Council approval, be utilized by a developer to satisfy inclusionary requirements of other projects. This is referred to as a combined inclusionary housing project, and in instances where the city is financially participating in the combined inclusionary housing project, the City Council can approve and designate a combined inclusionary housing project as an Affordable Housing Credit Bank project, in which the city may sell affordable housing credits to other developers who make a request to purchase affordable housing credits as an alternative way of satisfying the inclusionary housing requirement for their project. In this manner, the city is able to recoup its financial investment in the project and then use these funds to assist additional affordable housing projects. It is important to also note that when the city financially participates in a combined inclusionary housing project the financial assistance comes in the form of a low-interest loan to the project, with the developer paying off the loan amount to the city over the life of the project. Between the sale of the credits and the repayment of the loan, the city ultimately receives funds that are twice the amount of the initial financial assistance with all of these received funds deposited into the Housing Trust Fund and then used to assist additional affordable housing projects. The fee is established by dividing the city subsidy amount by the excess affordable housing units created in the project. The credit prices are included in the City Council Adopted Master Fee Schedule and increase each year by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate. 8 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report The City Council has approved affordable housing credit bank projects for four city-assisted affordable housing projects: Villa Loma Apartments, Cassia Heights Apartments, Roosevelt Gardens and Tavarua Senior Apartments. All projects were 100% affordable housing projects in which the city financially participated. The credits for Villa Loma Apartments and Roosevelt Gardens have been fully utilized, but credits remain available for purchase in the credit banks for Cassia Heights Apartments and Tavarua Senior Apartments. Data for the current credit pricing, available credits and existing reservations for the remaining credit banks is shown below. Project Quadrant Location Current Credit Pricing per unit Credits Purchased Credits Reserved Credits Available Cassia Heights Southeast / Southwest $ 80,291 24 3 29 Tavarua Senior Affordable Apartments Northwest $ 118,828 26 5 19 Projects proposing more than seven, but no more than 50 residential units are eligible to purchase affordable housing credits to satisfy their inclusionary housing requirements subject to City Council Policy No. 57. During FY 2024-25, the Housing Trust Fund received $232,086 in credit purchase revenue. The credit purchases occurred throughout the fiscal year based on the credit price applicable at that time, not the credit prices listed above for the 2025-26 fiscal year. One new credit purchase reservation was approved in FY 2024-25 for 2 credits. Project Quadrant Location Project Size Credit Fee Received Credits Purchased Credits Reserved Tyler Street Homes Northwest 12 232,086 2 - Juniper Coast Homes Northwest 21 - - 2 Total 33 $232,086 2 2 9 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Summary of administrative and non-project expenses The funding activities of the Housing Trust Fund require administrative support. The table below shows actual administrative support expenditures for the last two fiscal years and the budget for the current fiscal year administrative support paid by the Housing Trust Fund. The FY 2024-25 administrative costs of $199,613 are 1.94% of the approximate $10.18 million FYE 24 Fund Balance. Total administrative expenses may not exceed 5% of the available Housing Trust Fund balance as of the end of the prior fiscal year. The maximum administrative cap for FY 2024-25 was $508,990. Housing Trust Fund Administration FY 2023-24 (Actual) FY 2024-25 (Actual) FY 2025-26 (Budget) Personnel1 95,669 103,180 131,496 Maintenance & Operations 71,598 96,433 172,600 Transfer to Section 8 Admin 200,000 200,000 Total administration $367,267 $199,613 $504,096 1] Excludes personnel expense for the Housing Navigation program in Homeless Services as this is a direct service program, not an administrative expense. Review of prior year funding priorities The City Council approved the Housing Trust Fund priorities via City Council Policy No. 90 in December 2020. Priorities are in the following order: 1. Construction of new affordable housing 2. Preservation of housing at-risk of conversion to market rate 3. Acquisition/rehabilitation of distressed/at-risk affordable housing 4. Rental assistance and homelessness programs 5. Land acquisition for future affordable units 6. Conversion of market rate units to affordable housing Upcoming funding priorities There has been no change to the funding priorities. Summary of pending assistance requests The developer of the West Oaks Affordable Housing Apartments has requested an increase in the HTF loan by $500,000 because of increased costs since original loan application. This request was processed in FY 2025-26 and will be reported in next fiscal year’s report. Summary of denied assistance requests There were no requests denied in FY 24-25. Year End Summary As of the beginning of FY 2024-25, the Housing Trust Fund had an available cash balance of $10.18 million and ended the year with an available fund balance of approximately $11.58 million. The Housing Trust Fund received almost $2.2 million in revenue and spent approximately $863,000 towards affordable housing and homeless services. The Housing Trust Fund did not have any new loan commitments during the fiscal year, but expended $310,000 toward prior loan commitments. There are modest administrative expenditures charged to the 10 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Housing Trust Fund, under the maximum cap allowable. In summary, the Housing Trust Fund continues to be a stable source of funding to help create a diverse affordable housing stock in Carlsbad. Attachment A 11 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2023-24 Annual Report Exhibit 1 Affordable Housing Loan Summary-Development HTF Affordable Housing Loan Summary 6/30/2025 First Date Borrower Development Purpose Forgivable Issued Issued1 Outstanding Issued Repaid Balance Not-for-Profits Catholic Charities Homeless Shelter Shelter Y 9/19/1997 1 1 200,000 - 200,000 Catholic Charities allowance (200,000) - (200,000) 1 1 - - - Developers - Rentals Pacific Vista Las Flores Vista Las Flores Apts Rentals N 2/27/2001 1 1 363,948 - 363,948 CIC Calavera LP Mariposa Apts Rentals N 9/15/2001 1 1 1,060,000 - 1,060,000 CIC La Costa LP Hunter's Pointe Rentals N 8/19/2008 1 1 1,932,000 - 1,932,000 Solutions for Change-Vista Terrace Property acquisition Rentals N 6/28/2012 1 1 780,000 - 780,000 Harding Street Neighbors LLP Property acquisition Rentals N 3/14/2013 1 1 7,408,000 - 7,408,000 Solutions for Change-Chestnut Property acquisition Rentals N 12/19/2014 1 1 2,646,000 - 2,646,000 Chelsea Investment Corp. / Quarry Creek CIC LLP Quarry Creek Rentals N 8/31/2016 1 1 1,280,000 1,030,362 249,638 Carlsbad Veteran Housing LP Windsor Pointe Rentals N 12/3/2020 1 1 3,793,392 - 3,793,392 Bridge Housing Corporation Aviara East Rentals N 3/1/2023 1 1 3,100,000 - 3,100,000 USA Properties Fund / Carlsbad 685, L.P.Marja Acres Rentals N 10/26/2023 1 1 715,000 - 715,000 11 11 23,078,340 1,030,362 22,047,978 Number of Loans Principal Amounts 12 | Page City of Carlsbad Housing Trust Fund FY 2024-25 Annual Report Exhibit 2 Affordable Housing Loan Summary-Homebuyers HTF Affordable Housing Loan Summary 6/30/2025 First Date Borrower Development Purpose Forgivable Issued Issued1 Outstanding Issued Repaid Balance Individual homebuyers Calavera Hills Sale N 10/15/1999 5 1 75,000 60,000 15,000 Individual homebuyers Cherry Tree Walk Sale N 6/28/1999 42 11 453,600 334,800 118,800 Individual homebuyers Serrano at Rancho Carrillo Sale N 5/25/2001 90 19 1,350,000 1,065,000 285,000 Individual homebuyers Rancho Carlsbad Sale N 5/20/1999 22 4 752,533 691,076 61,457 Individual homebuyers Mulberry at Bressi Ranch Sale N 4/29/2005 100 99 1,780,000 20,000 1,760,000 Individual homebuyers Village by the Sea Sale N 10/28/2005 11 11 180,000 - 180,000 Individual homebuyers The Bluffs Sale N 6/14/2007 10 10 200,000 - 200,000 Individual homebuyers Rose Bay Sale N 8/23/2013 1 1 229,775 - 229,775 Individual homebuyers Various Sale N Various 2,465,751 - 2,465,751 Individual homebuyers - allowance Various Sale N Various (2,465,751) - (2,465,751) Other Affordable Housing assistance DPCCA Various Purch assistance N 6/25/2009 22 15 255,518 82,750 172,768 Individual home buyers Various Minor home repair Y 5/20/2010 13 1 809 - 809 Minor Home Repair allowance (809) - (809) 35 16 255,518 82,750 172,768 316 172 5,276,426 2,253,626 3,022,800 1 Forgiven loans reduce issued amount, the number of loans is the originally issued count. Number of Loans Principal Amounts