The city has previously studied the needs for workforce housing to serve the city and defined workforce housing by Resolution 12-2021. It is the purpose of this chapter that the city assist in the development or preservation of publicly or privately owned housing for persons in the workforce. The definition of "workforce housing" established by Resolution 12-2021 is incorporated into this chapter. "Workforce housing" is defined as "housing for moderate income households earning between 80 percent and 120 percent of area median income and housing for households where at least one wage earner provides a critical community service such as, but not limited to, school teaching, social work, government worker, nursing or related medical arts, law enforcement or firefighting."
(Ord. 1653 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
Any owner or developer of workforce housing in the city as either new development or preservation of existing development may request through the city administrator or mayor that the city provide loans or grants to finance all or a portion of the cost of construction, reconstruction, acquisition, or rehabilitation when the following conditions are met:
A. 
The owner or developer requesting the grant/loan shall demonstrate that the project provides for workforce housing as defined above; and
B. 
The owner or developer constructing the project and requesting the grant/loan is classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization; and
C. 
The construction of the project involves one or more of the following elements:
1. 
At least 500 hours of volunteer labor; or
2. 
At least $100,000 of federal or state or county grant funding; or
3. 
At least 25 percent in private or tax-exempt organization donations for land and/or construction.
(Ord. 1653 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
The city council may review a request for a workforce housing grant/loan during a council meeting. However, any action to approve a request shall only occur if the item has been listed as an agenda item prior to the meeting. Action may be taken in the form of a resolution.
(Ord. 1653 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
For any development of or for any preservation of workforce housing qualifying under this chapter, notwithstanding any absence of or contrary authority under LMC Title 15 and applicable city fee resolution to waive or reduce fees chargeable to such development or preservation, authority is hereby conferred on the city council or its designee to waive or reduce such fees for such qualifying workforce housing.
(Ord. 1653 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
For any development of or for any preservation of workforce housing qualifying under this chapter, notwithstanding any absence of or contrary authority under LMC Title 13 and applicable city fee resolution to waive or reduce such charges for connection to city water and sewer chargeable to such development or preservation, authority is hereby conferred on the city council or its designee to waive or reduce such charges for such qualifying workforce housing.
(Ord. 1653 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
Should any waiver or reduction of fees or charges under this chapter be determined unlawful, authority is hereby conferred on the city council to appropriate funds as a grant to the developer of the workforce housing project to pay the fee or charge.
(Ord. 1653 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)