FY25 Proposed Budget

• Allocated over $10 million in local recovery funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to area partners. • Almost 40% of NDS staff have been hired within the last two years due to regular turnover and retirements. Training and onboarding efforts continue so that we can operate as efficiently as possible.

Upcoming Challenges:

• The complexity, lack of flexibility and number of reviews in our development process. In addition to our existing zoning districts, conservation/historic districts, sensitive areas ordinance, and design overlays, we also have the Peninsula Code, Eastside Mixed Use District, and three form based code districts - Riverfront Crossings with eight sub-districts, South District and the new Rohret South Subarea as part of the Southwest District. Our development process can be time consuming and there is difficulty understanding requirements amongst enforcement officials, other departments, and the development community. • Staff capacity throughout the department. In Development Services they have been asked to complete several Council initiatives that are in addition to their existing workload including, but not limited to, City-wide Comprehensive and Neighborhood District Planning, integrating missing middle housing in our residential zones as well as regulatory changes to support affordable housing, substantial amendments to the Riverfront Crossings Form Based Code, and climate action initiatives. • Neighborhood Services is the primary administrator of additional state and federal funding through the CARES Act, HOME-ARP and ARPA funds in response to the pandemic for low-moderate income households. These funds are in addition to our regular HUD entitlements and local funds (CDBG, HOME and Affordable Housing Fund dollars). Administering these funds while spending out current funds in a timely and effective manner, and in compliance with all the new rules, will be challenging.

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