The list of goals drawn up by members of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board begins with increasing funding for affordable apartments and homes and ends with eliminating Lawrence’s shortage of affordable housing within 10 years. Between the two are specific steps along the way.

“I think this will help us move from all of our talking to some action,” the board’s city liaison, Assistant City Manager Casey Toomay, told attendees of the board’s retreat on Thursday.

The shortage of affordable housing is an acute problem in Lawrence, and one of six main goals in the city’s five-year capital improvement plan. National health rankings have designated the shortage in Douglas County as “severe.”

The advisory board was established in July 2015 to advise the city and county commissions on issues affecting affordable housing, as well as to manage a previously established affordable housing trust fund.

The retreat lasted roughly six hours, and board members spent part of that time identifying and discussing their main goals. The preliminary goals discussed include increasing funding amounts and sources; building new houses and converting existing housing to meet affordability guidelines; and strengthening community partnerships.

In addition to city and county commissioners, the board’s nine members include representatives from organizations such as the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority, Lawrence Home Builders Association and Justice Matters. Despite the specific interests of some of the organizations, city commissioner and board member Stuart Boley said the board’s goals should serve the entire community.

“We don’t have our own goals, but we take the goals from the community and these are ways that we can address them,” Boley said.

As far as increasing funding for the affordable housing trust, board members plan to find multiple sources of revenue. The city has already allocated $300,000 toward the trust in 2017, and its five year capital improvement plan includes another $300,000 in 2018 and $350,000 per year from 2019 through 2021, for a total of $1.65 million. The board’s goal is to increase that funding and gain additional sources of revenue.

In order to meet the needs for affordable housing in 10 years, the board set targets for the availability and cost of affordable housing, one to be met in the next 24 months and another to be met in the next five years. As part of the overall effort, the shortage would be addressed by creating affordable rental units and first-time homes throughout the city via new construction as well as the conversion of existing properties.

The board’s goal to strengthen partnerships includes those with the public at large, as well as those with local organizations. Specifically, the board discussed expanding the board to include three additional partners: the Lawrence chamber of commerce, the University of Kansas and the Lawrence Board of Realtors.

After the meeting, Boley said a major hurdle for the effort is the community’s understanding of affordable housing as something that has widespread implications for everyone.

“The benefits of having good, affordable housing transcend just the benefits for the person who is living in the housing,” Boley said. “…To me the goals really are permanent affordable housing that’s dispersed throughout the community so that we have the kind of community where people can work and live here and thrive.”

The board’s next meeting is Sept. 12, and the board plans to finalize its goals and discuss individual steps for each one.