General Questions
1. Do you believe there is an affordable housing crisis in our community? If not, what is your position regarding the need for affordable housing in Madison?
Affordable housing is an issue throughout the nation. Here in Madison I believe we have a serious affordable housing issue for our lower income residents that needs to be addressed more aggressively by our community.
2. How much, and what type of affordable housing is in your district? Do you think there should be more or less than the available supply in your district? [Mayoral candidates, please answer in regard to the entire city.]
Madison in its entirety needs higher cost housing developed in some neighborhoods, and lower cost housing developed in others. We also need to work with the existing stock and make it affordable to those in the market for affordable housing.
3. List any housing issues you have worked actively on in the last year, either as an elected official or as a member of the community.
I’ve worked in Allied Drive with the Katrina relocation efforts, and involved at my church in helping people find homes.
4. What is your definition of affordable housing? Where do you see the highest need, or what would be your priorities in targeting various income levels?
All data I've seen shows me the supply of housing for our lowest income residents is our biggest issue and would be my first priority. Affordability is generally gauged at housing costs being 30% of the resident's gross income. Some folks choose to pay more than this while others have to. The real need is for our families and individuals living in poverty.
5. Aside from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Inclusionary Zoning, what are your additional new ideas for addressing the affordable housing crisis?
Job skill training and the opportunity to have a family wage job are the best local initiatives to support existing housing programs.
6. What initiatives in other policy areas could support more affordable housing (for example, transportation, economic development, childcare...)?
Growing poverty is the overriding issue, and childcare, workforce development, transportation, job creation are all areas to be addressed.
7. What is the position of your campaign on contributions from landlords, realtors and developers? Have you pledged not to accept some or all of these contributions?
My personal foundation is my belief in diversity. My campaign is better served by having as much input from as many different points of view as possible. I look forward to the input of the Madison Affordable Housing Action Alliance.
Affordable Housing Trust Fund
8. How much money should be put in the trust fund each year and where should these funds come from?
I believe the Affordable Housing Trust Fund can go a long way in addressing the affordable housing situation here in Madison. As mayor, my focus will be to build the AHTF in years, not decades. It is irresponsible for the current mayor to want to spend $15-$25 million PER MILE on trolleys, while no serious commitment has been made to the AHTF. At the current rate of funding, it will take over 20 years to capitalize the AHTF, however for the cost of one mile of the current mayor’s trolley tracks, we can capitalize the fund now and begin to make affordable housing a reality in Madison.
As mayor I will make a commitment to the AHTF in the city budget. I will also solicit private donations for the AHTF. If our community can find private donations for swimming pools and the Overture, we should be able to find funding for Affordable Housing.
9. What percentage of the fund should be used to create affordable housing each year? Why?
As mayor, I will make a serious commitment to the AHTF. Before the fund reaches its $10 million goal, any interest generated should be used to create affordable housing targeted towards low-income housing.
Inclusionary Zoning
10. What is your perception of the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance? What changes, if any, would you make to the ordinance?
A recent Isthmus story reported that only 11 IZ units have been sold, and I have yet to see how Inclusionary Zoning is making a serious impact on the affordable housing situation here in Madison. I would prefer to see the City Hall make a serious commitment now to the AHTF and to our lowest income citizens.
Fair Housing and Tenants’ Rights
11. What resources are you willing to dedicate to increasing and improving enforcement of Chapter 32 (the landlord-tenant ordinance)?
Madison has a very well run Building Inspection Department that does an excellent job of enforcing the landlord-tenant ordinances. I don't believe we need to increase or improve enforcement of Chapter 32, rather I believe the community would better benefit from enhancing housing mediation.
12. Are there any housing ordinances currently in existence that you would amend or change? Which ones – how and why?
In addition to making a greater commitment to the AHTF, I would like to see more utilization of existing housing stock, not just new development.
13. How can the City improve enforcement of accessibility requirements under the Federal Fair Housing Act in new housing?
We have very little accessible housing in Madison, and we need more of it. I believe accessibility should be addressed when the Plan Commission reviews all projects for compliance. If there are any city funds or TIF funds, then accessibility standards should be considered making sure not only the minimum requirements are met, but accounting for possible additional requirements.
The Plan commission can undertake an evaluation of current accessibility requirements and develop enhanced requirements for projects with city funding.
14. What is the role of the City in the homeless shelter system?
Right now the City’s role is primarily through funding assistance to private agencies that provide the shelter. That being said, homelessness continues to be an issue-- especially during the winter months. Although we have excellent private programs such as Porchlight, Salvation Army and Housing Initiatives, we should at a minimum be budgeting annually for emergency winter shelter system, rather than leaving this much needed link in our shelter system left out of the budget, and need to be an annual eleventh hour plea when the temperature drops. I also like a "Housing First" initiative tried very successfully in other cities, including close by in Minnesota, to help families be able to stay together and stabilize more quickly, and believe the city should encourage this concept through funding and education.
15. What is the responsibility of the City to provide support services such as case management?
The City has a responsibility to provide service to all of it citizens, and that includes our lowest income citizens. This is best done by funding private agencies to provide the casework management in the most efficient manner to stretch our limited resources as far as possible.
16. What can the City do to prevent homelessness?
Homelessness is a serious problem that is a symptom of a larger problem, namely poverty. As mayor, I will make fighting poverty a top priority for City Hall. On the particular issue of homelessness, we need to build up the AHTF, so the interest generated can go towards helping the homeless, as well as helping with home ownership and rentals.
The city can make better use of the properties purchased in the Allied neighborhood. The properties are vacant, and not on the tax rolls. People are being displaced yet there is no future date for any work to begin. The units could be rented at minimal cost or no cost, on 30-day leases, to our lowest income citizens and/or the housing agencies working with them.
I recognize that this will increase density of families that are distressed, however this will be transitional housing for some and prevent other existing residents from being displaced; both issues the city could better address in this manner, while continuing to explore new ways to assist our low-income families.
To fully address the issue of homelessness in Madison, we must address the issue of poverty in Madison.
17. What do you think are primary obstacles to getting out of shelter for those people who do have an income, and how can we eliminate those obstacles?
The first problem is inadequate income and this can be helped by a local rent subsidy. The second obstacle could be a shelter resident's recent rental history due to an eviction. We can link the rent subsidy to completing a tenant education or a financial education course, and encouraging a 30-day month-to-month lease as part of the subsidy arrangement with the landlord.
18. During “revitalization” efforts, what can the city do to prevent displacement of good tenants who currently live in the Allied Drive neighborhood?
If the building is going to be torn down and all of the residents moved, then the city could assist the residents and the owner of the property in locating other available housing in the neighborhood for the good residents.
The revitalization does generate increased costs for residents, and there will be some that have a difficult time affording the increased costs. The way to prevent good residents from being displaced due to increased housing costs is to provide a local rent subsidy. It would merit the city developing and encouraging an employment practice/incentive program for job training linked to the residency, generating a reduction in rent, which the city could reimburse the landlord for as part of a job training initiative.
19. Do you believe that the way to “fix” the Allied Drive neighborhood is to have 50% homeownership? (If yes, please explain. If no, what should it be?)
The way to “fix” Allied Dr is to provide the residents with stability and opportunity. This includes job-training programs, schools in the neighborhood, stepped up law enforcement and of course, a home ownership plan. The percentage is not as important as who the homeowners are. Ideally it would be people who live in the area now, and we can maintain the character of the neighborhood. I would not support a 50% ownership if that means displacing a significant number of residents.
