The Planning, Economic Development and Community Services committee on Tuesday recommended moving forward with an Affordable Housing Fund and approved a package of contract and policy items to send to the Board of Commissioners, while deferring two related nuisance ordinances for further refinement.

Affordable Housing Fund: Staff lead Dr. Ferguson presented a substitute resolution and a memo recommending the housing fund be seeded with a phased allocation of general fund revenue beginning at 1% in FY 2026, rising to 1.5% in FY 2027 and 2% in FY 2028, with stakeholder engagement and an internal working group to create program guidelines. After discussion about timing and sponsor review, the committee voted to recommend the substitute resolution to the Board of Commissioners for action. The committee also agreed to accept the substitute language circulated by staff for the record.

Hotel‑motel tax item withdrawn: Because the Affordable Housing Fund funding mechanism advanced, the committee voted to withdraw a separate resolution that would have dedicated hotel‑motel tax revenues for housing programs.

Procurement and program approvals (committee recommendations): The committee voted to recommend approval of several staff items, including a contract term extension for the Comprehensive Trail/Greenway Master Plan (Toole Design Group), change orders and added funding for architectural and engineering services related to dam projects tied to a SWIFT loan application (Arabia, Chapel Hill and Exchange ponds), ratification and extension of the feed/hay/shavings contract for Little Creek Horse Farm (Conyers Pet & Livestock Supply Inc.) and a grant agreement with the DeKalb County School Nutrition program to supply after‑school snacks at parks and rec centers (estimated $70,470 with reimbursement). The committee also recommended approval of an ADA transition plan for Parks & Recreation prepared by Bureau Veritas, which inventories accessibility barriers at 70+ sites and outlines a 10‑year capital plan.

Nuisance / blight ordinances: Commissioner Robert Patrick presented three related ordinances: a blight tax ordinance, a board‑up permit (minimum standards for vacant/boarded properties), and a closure of chronic nuisance properties ordinance. Legal staff said the blight tax authority is grounded in the Georgia Constitution and nuisance authority is supported under state statute referenced in the discussion. The committee voted to defer the board‑up permit and the closure ordinance to the last meeting of the year and to return them to PECS for final edits and confirmation of implementation requirements. The committee voted to approve the blight tax ordinance; the motion included an implementation window of 180 days upon enactment to allow administration time to prepare operational steps.

Votes at a glance (committee action recommendations/approvals)
- Affordable Housing Fund (substitute resolution): committee recommended forwarding to the Board of Commissioners for approval (discussion: phased general fund allocation 1.0% → 1.5% → 2.0%).
- Hotel‑motel tax revenue for housing: withdrawn by motion (administration/staff advised given alternate funding mechanism).
- Change Order: Comprehensive Trail/Greenway Master Plan (Toole Design Group) — recommended approval (term extension through 12/31/2025).
- Change Orders/Contract increases: Architectural & engineering services to support SWIFT loan (Arabia, Chapel Hill, Exchange) — recommended approval.
- Contract ratification/extension: Feed/Hay/Shavings for Little Creek Horse Farm (Conyers Pet & Livestock Supply Inc.) — recommended approval (extend through 08/31/2026, amount not to exceed $200,000).
- Agreement: After‑school snacks with DeKalb County School Nutrition ($70,470 estimated) — recommended approval.
- ADA transition plan for Parks & Recreation (Bureau Veritas) — recommended approval.
- Nuisance ordinances: Board‑up permit and closure of chronic nuisance properties — deferred to last meeting of the year/PECS for finalization.
- Blight tax ordinance — approved by committee with an implementation period of 180 days upon enactment.

Vote notes: Committee votes were taken by voice and committee members recorded "aye" on the listed motions during the meeting; no roll‑call tallies were read into the record. Staff and legal counsel will work with user departments to finalize implementation timing and administrative steps where necessary before Board consideration.

Next steps: Items recommended by PECS will be placed on the Board of Commissioners agenda for final action; deferred nuisance items will return to PECS for edits and for a final recommendation before year‑end.