REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Introduction of Ordinance to amend Chapter 2.120, entitled Boards and Commissions, to add the City’s Housing Commission and establish the powers, functions, and duties of the commission and Report and Update on the City’s Implementation of the Community Plan to End Homelessness
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development
BACKGROUND
At the February 10, 2020 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting, the Committee inquired about restructuring and renaming the Housing Rehabilitation Loan Committee (HRLC) to a Housing Commission and noted that a name change may be appropriate given the Council Committee restructuring that was approved by the Council in 2019.
On February 5, 2019, the City Council approved a broad restructuring of the City’s Committees, which included removal of the Councilmember position from the HRLC. At that time, staff noted that the HRLC’s scope did not require a Council Committee to consider loan approvals since these approvals are administrative in nature and funding has already been approved by the City Council in the annual appropriation of the budget. In review of the legislative history for the HRLC, the City never adopted a City Code to establish this committee and thus loan approvals are now strictly administrative and approved by an internal credit committee.
At the September 14, 2020 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting, the Committee provided direction for staff under Item 2 (Discussion and Consideration of Approving a New Boards, Commission and Committee) to bring back a recommendation on restructuring and renaming the HRLC, that reflected the input of both the Committee and HRLC members, to the December 7, 2020 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting.
At the December 7, 2020 Governance and Ethics Committee, the Committee approved the restructuring and renaming of the HRLC and directed staff to bring an ordinance formalizing the Housing Commission for full Council consideration.
DISCUSSION
The City’s Housing Commission will include advisory functions related to the administration of the City’s Federal entitlement grants and programs, which include neighborhood enhancement, homeless programs, and public service grants. Additionally, the Housing Commission will study and advance the needs of Santa Clara’s unhoused populations, approved by the Community Plan to End Homelessness and the County’s Unhoused Taskforce to address homelessness in Santa Clara County. The City of Santa Clara will also partner with Homebase, Destination Home, and the County Office of Supportive Housing to receive technical assistance that supports creating an implementation plan and facilitating Housing Commission workgroup meetings.
City of Santa Clara Housing Commission - Proposed Scope
Advises City Council on programs, policies, and other issues regarding housing and community services. Responsibilities include:
• Study and advance the needs of Santa Clara’s unhoused populations, including providing recommendations to Council regarding the implementation of recommendations approved by the Community Plan to End Homelessness and the County’s Unhoused Taskforce to address homelessness in Santa Clara County
• Review proposed funding and grant applications by eligible public service agencies for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME and/or other available funds for public services and/or housing projects and help form funding recommendations to Council.
o Activities include: 1) reading proposals, 2) developing questions for agencies, 3) interviewing agencies and 4) making funding recommendations
• Review and provide feedback on Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Plans and Annual Action Plans to provide recommendations to Council regarding the content of those plans, including oversight of the City’s Neighborhood Conservation and Investment Program (NCIP) and the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program (TBRA).
Staff is recommending that the City Council enact an ordinance that clearly sets forth the composition of the membership, which shall consist of five council appointed members who shall not hold any paid office or employment in the City government, and shall have the powers, functions, and duties as noted above and in the attached Ordinance.
County of Santa Clara Unhouse Task Force:
On June 23, 2020, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. BOS-2020-107 establishing the Unhoused Task Force (“Task Force”) to identify and contribute feasible strategies to address homelessness across the county with a focus on emergency shelter and transitional housing solutions. The resolution provided that Task Force membership includes up to one mayor or city council member from each city in Santa Clara County, for a maximum of 15 mayor or city council members, with the final number based on County appointments made by August 11, 2020. On August 11, 2020, Supervisor Chavez nominated, and the Board appointed ten mayors and city council members from ten cities in Santa Clara County. Currently Councilmember Chahal represents the City of Santa Clara on the Board.
In October 2021, the Task Force finalized recommendations for cities including the following:
Temporary Interventions:
• Congregate Shelters
• Non-Congregate Shelters
• Motels/Hotels
• Rotating Faith-based Shelters
• Safe Parking
• Micro Homes / Pallet Shelters
• Structures on Wheels (Trailers, RVs, tiny houses on wheels)
Permanent Interventions:
• Permanent Supportive Housing - Site Based
• Permanent Supportive Housing - Scattered Site
• Rapid Rehousing (Rent Assistance) - Site Based and Scattered Site
• Homelessness Prevention
• Permanent Supportive Housing
• Permanent Affordable Housing
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Report and Update on the City’s Implementation of the Community Plan to End Homelessness: |
The City of Santa Clara endorsed the Community Plan to End Homelessness <https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdestinationhomesv.org%2Fend-homelessness%2F&data=04%7C01%7CJVeach%40SantaClaraCA.gov%7C81ed091e88c24606d1a808d92c463ffc%7C28ea354810694e81aa0b6e4b3271a5cb%7C0%7C0%7C637589502497584667%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=bz0bE7PPakwbkdOpDa1j%2BL5XMa4Dcr33s3y37RD9gJ4%3D&reserved=0> on Tuesday, March 17th, which will serve as our roadmap for ending homelessness in Santa Clara and across Santa Clara County.
Interim Housing Solutions:
Congregate Shelter: Bill Wilson operates a runaway shelter in Santa Clara for homeless youth. This shelter has 20 beds.
Non-congregate Shelter: Bill Wilson Center manages roughly 15 transitional living group homes (5-6 bedrooms each) where they place homeless youth.
Motels/Hotels: The County has secured beds at two sites, the Western Motel (2250 El Camino Real) and Hotel E Real (3580 El Camino Real) to shelter clients in emergency situations including during COVID.
Outreach: The SCPD Nuisance Suppression Unit works with Abode Services and maintains a list of homeless and chronic homeless street people considered to be the City's most vulnerable to incidences of both personal and public safety and makes referrals to the County based on this list.
November 2020: City Council approved a Cost-Sharing Agreement with the County of Santa Clara to Fund a Countywide Isolation and Quarantine Support Program (IQSP). The IQSP consists of three primary components: 1) Motel rooms for isolation and/or quarantine; 2) Rental and financial assistance and 3) Support services including transportation to and from medical appointments, daily meals and/or groceries, weekly laundry services, and case management services to help individuals apply for safety-net benefits.
May 2021: Covenant House California opened a full-service Transitional Housing program for 30 youth, ages 18-24. In collaboration with Santa Clara County and CISCO as primary partners, the site at the ‘Western Motel’ was renovated to meet the needs of young people transitioning from homelessness to independence.
Permanent Housing Solutions:
Emergency Financial Assistance: COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program - $2.8 million to cover rental arrears for eligible households based on income levels.
Tenant Based Rental Assistance: Abode Services and Bill Wilson Center provide tenant based rental assistance of up to 24 months with case management services to support families that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Currently, up to 50 households receive rental assistance through the TBRA program annually at roughly $1 million cost.
In June 2020, Santa Clara City Council approved a $250,000 two-year Agreement for the Santa Clara County Permanent Supportive Housing Program and one-time funding of $150,000 for the Homeless Prevention Program. The County of Santa Clara provides case management on an ongoing basis for up to 20 homeless and chronically homeless individuals. Additionally, under the Agreement, the County provides housing subsidies at no additional cost to the City of Santa Clara. To further the goal of ending homelessness in Santa Clara, County’s Homeless Prevention Program is a countywide initiative in which several jurisdictions participate to provide eligible households with emergency assistance such as rent, security deposits, food, work related transportation, medical assistance, and utilities assistance to prevent homelessness.
April 2021: Approved a loan agreement with Allied Housing for a $4,000,000 loan to Support the Construction of 80 Affordable Housing Units, 39 of these units set aside for formerly chronically homeless senior (55+) residents
May 2021: Calabazas Community Affordable Apartments completed construction and began accepting applications May 24-June 7. The Calabazas Apartments provides 144 units of affordable including 80 units of supportive housing at 3311 Kifer Road.
June 2021: Closed financing on Agrihood by Core companies, a $250 million mixed-use development on city-owned land, which includes 108 units at 30% AMI or lower
Across all three Permanent Supportive Housing projects:
Approximately 400 affordable units, including 175 Permanent Supportive Housing units / Project-Based Section 8 Vouchers and $70 million of Measure A Funds
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There was no fiscal impact associated with this report.
COORDINATION
This report was coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office, City Clerk’s Office, and Department of Finance.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Introduce an Ordinance to amend Chapter 2.120, entitled Boards and Commissions, to add the City’s Housing Commission and establish the powers, functions, and duties of the commission.
Staff
Reviewed by: Jonathan Veach, Assistant to the City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance