A.
Intent and purpose. It is the intent of the Town of Fishkill to provide
guidelines, regulations and incentives for the development of moderately
priced dwelling units for persons of low or moderate income levels.
The Town concludes that the extent to which new residential land development
proposals include, or fail to include, affordable housing components
may yield relative socioeconomic impacts, either favorable or unfavorable,
upon community character. Legislative or administrative actions on
such proposals by the Town Board, or administrative actions by the
Planning Board, should take into consideration, for purposes of exercising
discretion in the context of local land use regulation and for purposes
of reviews under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the extent
to which those impacts may exist, whether they are potentially adverse,
and, if so, the extent to which, and the manner in which, such impacts
are proposed to be mitigated to levels falling short of genuine significance,
if at all, by the project sponsor(s) during the course of project
reviews.
B.
Requirements and incentives for participation.
(1)
Affordable housing developments pursuant to this section shall be
permitted in the following zoning districts: R-40, R-20, R-15, R-MF-3,
R-MF-5, and PSC.
(2)
Developers who propose to include affordable housing shall be entitled to an increase of the permitted number of residential units in R-40, R-20 or R-15 Districts, or the permitted number of density units in the R-MF-3 or R-MF-5 Districts, of as much as 15% of the units which could be permitted in the Planning Board's judgment if the land were developed into lots or units conforming to all other applicable requirements of Chapter 132, Subdivision of Land and Dutchess County Department of Health regulations.
(3)
For every two approved affordable housing units, the developer shall be entitled to build one additional market-rate unit, up to a maximum unit count of 15% above the permitted number of units, as calculated in Subsection B(2), above. For example, if a developer is allowed to construct 100 units under all applicable requirements and regulations and the developer agrees to construct 10 affordable housing units, then the developer would be entitled to an additional five market-rate units, for a total of 115 units (100 market-rate plus 10 affordable housing units plus five bonus market-rate units).
(4)
To accommodate inclusion of affordable housing units into the development,
the Planning Board is authorized to modify zoning regulations as follows:
(a)
In R-40, R-20 and R-15 Districts, the Planning Board shall have
the ability to modify minimum area and dimensions required for lots,
subject to the limitation that no more than 25% of the lots shall
be allowed to enjoy a reduction of lot area and/or dimensions, and
no lot shall have less than the minimum lot area and dimensions required
for lots in the next-less-restrictive residential zoning district
to the one in which the property is located.
(b)
In R-MF-3 and R-MF-5 Districts, the Planning Board's ability
to modify yard and setback requirements shall be governed by the criteria
set forth within § 150-73(7) of this chapter.
(5)
Floor area bonus in PSC. A bonus/credit of gross floor area for uses within the PSC district on which affordable units are situated shall be applied which equals the number of affordable units multiplied by the average gross floor area of all multifamily dwelling units in the project, which gross floor area bonus/credit may be applied to any use, residential or commercial, as allowed in the PSC Zone. As an example, if 200 multifamily two-bedroom units are proposed as part of a mixed-use development, 20 multifamily units shall be affordable housing and a bonus/credit of 20 additional market-rate units or 30,000 square feet of commercial gross floor area shall be allowed as part of additional mixed-use or commercial development on the PSC site. To the extent relevant, §§ 150-54, Affordable Housing and 150-50, Senior Citizen Housing requirements of this chapter are hereby incorporated by reference and govern development of affordable units as part of a mixed-use development in the PSC Zone.
C.
Development standards. Affordable housing units must meet the following
standards:
(1)
All affordable housing units shall be physically integrated into
the design of the subdivision or development. Affordable housing units
shall be constructed to the same quality standards as market-rate
units, and they should include a comparable number of bedrooms. The
exterior finishes of affordable units shall be indistinguishable from
all other units. The developer may, however, propose different appliances
and interior hardware where such substitutions would not adversely
impact the livability of the unit. Appliances, lights, and all components
of HVAC systems shall be ENERGY STAR® compliant.
(2)
Unit requirements.
(a)
Unit size.
[1]
Schedule. The minimum permitted habitable floor area for affordable
housing units shall be set forth in the Schedule of Permissible Minimum
Unit Size for Affordable Housing established periodically by resolution
of the Town Board. The schedule shall be available in the office of
the Town Clerk.
[2]
Calculation of minimum permitted habitable floor area. The minimum permitted habitable floor area, as defined by the schedule described in Subsection C(2)(a)[1], above, shall not include common areas, stairways, decks, storage or hallways.
(3)
All affordable housing units shall generally be physically distributed
throughout the subdivision or development in the same proportion as
other housing units, though the Planning Board may use discretion
in reviewing and approving distribution.
(4)
The landowner and the developer, if different, shall execute a declaration, in recordable form, at the time of subdivision or development approval, identifying the units which are affordable housing units and restricting their future sales price and/or rental terms under the provisions of this section. The declaration shall be in a form acceptable to the Town Attorney. It shall include a provision requiring that every deed conveying title to an affordable housing unit shall include the following paragraph, subscribed to in the instrument by both seller and buyer, to inform all future sellers and buyers that this unit is an affordable housing unit subject to the provisions of this section: "This dwelling has been constructed for use by low/moderate-income families pursuant to Chapter 150, Article VIIIA, of the Fishkill Town Code. Its future sale (including resale) or rent must be to persons who qualify under that article's income requirements and at a price in accordance with the Fishkill Town Code. The Town of Fishkill shall have the power to enforce this clause and to recover reasonable attorney's fees and other costs incurred in successful efforts to remedy breaches of said provisions of local law."
D.
Eligibility and preference to rent or purchase.
(1)
To be eligible to purchase an affordable housing unit, the household's
income must be no more than 100% of the adjusted median family income.
To be eligible to rent an affordable housing unit, the household's
income must be no more than 80% of the adjusted median family income.
(2)
Preference to purchase or rent.
(a)
Among income-eligible households, preference to purchase or rent affordable housing units shall be calculated by a priority points system, as outlined in Subsection D(2)(d) below.
(b)
Income-eligible households shall be assigned points from each category listed below. The maximum number of points any one income-eligible household can receive from each category is limited to the highest single point value within that section. Points cannot be combined within each category, should an income-eligible household satisfy more than one of the classifications in that category. For example, under Subsection D below, a former resident of the Town of Fishkill under Subsection D(2)(d)[1][d] who also lives in Dutchess County, Subsection D(2)(d)[1][e], will receive a maximum of three points.
(c)
The assignment of points, pursuant to this section, is calculated
based on the characteristics of only one person from each income-eligible
household. The income-eligible household can select the individual
who will be the subject of the calculation.
(d)
Priority point categories.
[1]
Residency:
[a]
Town of Fishkill resident for a period of at least
10 consecutive years: 10 points.
[b]
Town of Fishkill resident for less than 10 consecutive
years: five points.
[c]
A nonresident, over the age of 62, who is the parent
of a person who is a resident of the Town of Fishkill: three points.
[d]
A nonresident who was formerly a resident of the
Town of Fishkill for a period of at least 10 consecutive years: three
points.
[e]
A resident of Dutchess County: two points.
[f]
A former resident of an affordable housing unit
in the Town of Fishkill: two points.
[2]
Employment:
[a]
A municipal employee of the Town of Fishkill: five
points.
[b]
A municipal employee of the County of Dutchess:
three points.
[c]
An employee of the Beacon City School District,
the Wappingers Central School District or the Haldane Central School
District: five points.
[d]
An employee of a school district located in Dutchess
County: two points.
[e]
A health-care worker employed within the Town of
Fishkill: five points.
[f]
A health-care worker employed within Dutchess County:
two points.
[g]
A person employed within the Town of Fishkill:
two points.
[h]
A person employed within Dutchess County: one point.
[3]
Emergency services work: firefighter, ambulance service/district
employee, emergency medical technician (EMT) or law enforcement officer
(the "positions"):
[a]
A person who serves as a full-time employee in
one of the above described positions and actively serves in such position
within the Town of Fishkill: five points.
[b]
A person who serves as a volunteer in one of the
above-described positions and has actively served in such position
within the Town of Fishkill for a minimum period of 24 months: five
points.
[c]
A person who serves as a full-time employee in
one of the above-described positions and actively serves in such position
within Dutchess County: three points.
[d]
A person who serves as a volunteer in one of the
above-described positions and has actively served in such position
within Dutchess County for a minimum period of 24 months: three points.
(3)
Ability to rent an affordable housing unit if there is no income-eligible
household available to rent the unit.
(a)
The Town of Fishkill recognizes that an affordable housing rental unit may become available at a point in time when no income-eligible household is on the eligibility list, as defined in § 150-54D, or that all of the income-eligible households on the eligibility list may reject placement in a given unit. The Town does not wish for good rental units to remain vacant for extended periods of time and, therefore, will allow an affordable housing unit to be rented as a market-rate unit in accordance with the terms of this section.
(b)
A landlord shall be permitted to rent an affordable housing
rental unit as if it were a market-rate unit under the following terms
and conditions:
[1]
The administrator, as defined in § 150-54I(1), is unable to place an income-eligible household in the unit because:
[2]
The administrator shall notify the Town Board, in writing, that
an income-eligible household cannot be placed in the unit based on
one of the reasons provided for in this subsection.
[3]
After receipt of the notification from the administrator that
an income-eligible household cannot be placed in the unit, the Town
Board shall determine, in its sole discretion, by written resolution,
whether the affordable housing unit should be rented as a market-rate
unit.
[4]
The landlord shall pay the difference between the rent being
paid by the market-rate unit tenant and the rent that would have been
paid by an affordable housing unit tenant to the Town of Fishkill
Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Payments of amounts due under this
subsection shall be delivered to the Town as follows:
[a]
For the months of January through June in a given
calendar year, payment shall be delivered to the Town no later than
July 31 of that calendar year.
[b]
For the months of July through December of a given
calendar year, payment shall be delivered to the Town no later than
January 31 of the following calendar year.
(c)
When renting an affordable housing unit as a market-rate unit,
pursuant to this section, the lease term shall be for a period of
no longer than two years.
(d)
The landlord shall provide written notice to the administrator
of the future vacancy of an affordable housing unit being rented,
pursuant to this section, as a market-rate unit at least 60 days prior
to the date on which the term of the lease will expire or, should
the tenant vacate the unit before the end of the lease term, such
shorter notice as is reasonable.
[1]
Upon receipt of such notice, the administrator shall determine
whether the placement of an income-eligible household is possible
or whether the renewal of the current lease or the reletting of the
unit to a noneligible household is an appropriate result.
[2]
If the administrator determines that renewal of the current
lease or the reletting of the unit to a noneligible household is an
appropriate result, the Town Board shall, in its sole discretion,
by written resolution, either approve or overrule the administrator's
determination.
E.
Calculations of initial sales price and permissible rent.
(1)
Initial sales price. The initial sales price for a particular affordable
housing unit shall be calculated such that the annual cost of the
sum of principal, interest, taxes, insurance and common charges, as
applicable, shall not exceed the result of the following calculation:
80% of the adjusted median family income multi-plied by 30%.
(2)
Permissible yearly rent. The maximum yearly rent, excluding utilities,
for a particular affordable housing unit shall not exceed the result
of the following calculation: 70% of the adjusted median family income
multiplied by 25%.
F.
Continued eligibility to rent.
(1)
An applicant(s) for an affordable rental unit referred to in this section shall, if eligible, be entitled to an initial lease for a term of no more than two years. As long as an affordable housing resident remains eligible and complies with the financial reporting obligations of Subsection F(2), said resident shall be offered two-year lease renewals.
(2)
The rental resident(s) shall annually provide a verified statement
of the identity of household occupants and their respective incomes
to the Town's administrator of this section, and shall otherwise comply
with additional reasonable requests for household income verification
made by the Town, as a condition of the right to continue in residence.
If a rental unit's occupying household's income shall come to exceed
by more than 20% the maximum then allowable, as defined in this article,
and if there is at that time another eligible applicant, said occupants
may complete the current lease term and shall be offered a market
rate rental unit, if available as of the end of the lease term. If
no such dwelling unit shall be available, the occupants shall be allowed
to sign one additional one-year lease for the affordable income dwelling
unit, but renewal of the lease shall not be offered at expiration
of the one-year lease.
(3)
All leases shall include a clause, suitable to the Town administrator
of this article, that the landlord is obligated to take all relevant
and timely steps, including litigation, to recover possession of an
affordable housing unit in which ineligible occupants hold over beyond
a legitimate lease term and that the holdover occupants will be responsible
to defray the expenses, including but not limited to reasonable attorney's
fees and court costs incurred by the landlord in pursuit of efforts
to recover possession.
G.
Resale: calculation of permissible resale price. The title to affordable
dwelling units shall be restricted so that, in the event of any resale,
the resale price shall not exceed the greater of the following:
H.
Restriction on sale or lease and subsequent resale.
(1)
Every applicant to purchase or rent an affordable housing unit shall
certify, on a form prescribed by the Town, that the applicant is acquiring
or leasing said unit as the primary place of residence for the applicant
and his/her family. No developer shall sell or lease any unit without
first obtaining such certificate from the purchaser or lessee, and
filing the certificate with the Town Clerk.
(2)
Purchasers of affordable housing units shall be permitted to lease
said units to eligible applicants under the provisions of this section.
This limitation upon rental shall be included in deed restrictions.
The Town shall expressly be provided with standing to enforce the
restriction.
(3)
Subleasing of affordable housing units is prohibited. Landlords of
rented units must provide proof to the Town that their lease prohibits
the lessee from subleasing his/her unit to other parties.
I.
Administration and enforcement.
(1)
The Town Board may appoint an employee(s), establish a committee,
or contract with an outside entity to administer the affordable housing
requirements of this article (the "administrator").
(2)
Prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, the administrator
of this section's requirements shall inform the owner and/or the project
manager of the maximum rental or sales charge which may be established
for the affordable dwelling units and the maximum gross household
income for eligibility for occupancy of said units. On or before April
1 of each year thereafter, the administrator shall notify the owner
and/or the project manager of any annual changes in such information.
(3)
The owner and/or the project manager, as appropriate, shall annually
provide proof to the administrator, on or before June 1 of each year,
that the current rental price of all affordable units complies with
the terms of this section.
(4)
The owner of an affordable unit, before the sale of such unit, shall
provide proof to the administrator that the sales price complies with
the terms of this section and shall provide a copy of the proposed
deed to the administrator for approval in advance of sale.
J.
Procedure for applicants.
(1)
Households interested in being placed into an affordable housing
unit shall complete an application, available at the Town Hall of
the Town of Fishkill, and submit such application to the administrator.
(2)
By April 1 of each year, the administrator shall review applications
received and certify eligible applicants for rental or sale of affordable
dwelling units.
(3)
The administrator shall maintain a list of all applicants certified,
pursuant to the requirements of this section, as eligible to purchase
or rent an affordable housing unit.
(4)
Applications must be received prior to January 1 of any given year.
The administrator may, in its own discretion, consider applications
received after this date.
(5)
Eligibility list.
(a)
The eligibility list of income-eligible households will be arranged in numerical order based on the number of priority points, as determined by Subsection D(2)(a) through (d), above, so that the income-eligible household that has accumulated the highest number of points will be located at the top of the list.
(b)
In the event that two or more income-eligible households have
accumulated an identical number of priority points, the arrangement
of income-eligible households within that point score will be arranged
by date of application submission, so that the income-eligible household
that was first to submit an application will be placed in a higher
spot on the eligibility list. In the event that two or more income
eligible households that have accumulated an identical number of priority
points submitted their applications at the same time, a lottery will
be held to determine which household will be placed in a higher spot
on the eligibility list.
(6)
When an affordable housing unit becomes available, an offer to fill
that unit will be made to the applicant at the top of the eligibility
list. Should that applicant decline placement in the affordable housing
unit, the administrator shall make an offer to fill that unit to the
next applicant on the eligibility list, and so on.
(7)
When an affordable housing unit becomes available, the eligible applicant
must demonstrate to the administrator that his/her household incomes
continues to meet the eligibility requirements of this section. The
Town shall have the right to demand disclosure of relevant financial
records of the applicant.
K.
Establishment of the town of fishkill affordable housing trust fund.
(1)
The Town hereby establishes an Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the
purposes of which shall include:
(a)
Funding of costs to be incurred by the Town in the administration and enforcement of the affordable housing program established within this section and including such activities with respect to affordable units established under Articles VIII and VIIIA of this chapter, as well as funding of such future affordable housing programs as the Town may otherwise establish by legislation, order, or resolution;
(b)
Defraying consulting fee expenses incurred, or to be incurred,
by the Town in the establishment of such affordable housing programs;
(c)
Defraying the cost of improvements to municipal infrastructure,
including but not limited to roads, water, sewer, and drainage improvements,
to the extent such capital expenditures are incurred in order to promote
the development of affordable housing;
(d)
The deposit of payments, where deemed suitable and appropriate
by the Town; and
(e)
Any other purpose authorized by state or local law in connection
with the expansion or improvement of affordable housing opportunities
within the Town, including but not limited to establishment, to the
extent authorized by law, a program of grants or loans to not-for-profit
or for-profit entities.
A.
The Town of Fishkill is concerned that there are insufficient opportunities
for individuals and families of median income to purchase or rent
affordable dwelling units within the Town.
B.
In order to enhance the public welfare, the Town concludes that developers of all proposed multifamily developments of 10 units or more must include affordable housing units, pursuant to the terms of either Article VIII, Senior Citizen Housing Districts, or this Article VIIIA, Affordable Housing.
(1)
The number of affordable housing units required shall be equal to
10% of the permitted number of units. For example, if a developer
is permitted to construct 100 units under all applicable requirements
and regulations, then the developer shall be required to construct
a minimum of 10 affordable housing units.
(2)
A developer who includes a minimum 10% of affordable housing units pursuant to the terms of this Article VIIIB; Affordable Housing, shall be entitled to a market-rate unit bonus pursuant to § 150-54B(3) and (4).
C.
In the alternative, if in the opinion of the Town Board, it is not in the best interest of the Town for a development to contain the required 10% minimum, as provided by Subsection B, above, the developer shall be required to pay a monetary contribution to the Town of Fishkill Affordable Housing Trust Fund in accordance with the Town approved fee schedule established annually by the Town.
