MINUTES OF THE
CITY
OF
HOUSING
COMMISSION
February 15, 2007
1. CALL TO ORDER: Meeting
called to order by Chair Gerwitz at 4:35 p.m.
2. ROLL
CALL
Commissioners
Present: Gerwitz, Parry,
Steele, Tainsky
Commissioners
Absent: Bird,
Commissioners Late: Gutierrez - 4:40PM
Commissioners Leaving Early:
Also Present:
Lin Finer, Commission Staff Assistant
Speakers:
Stacy Rowe, Human Services Administrator
Danielle Noble, Senior Administrative Analyst
(Homeless Services), Human Services Division
3. PUBLIC INPUT (For Items not on the Agenda)
Marlene Gomez, Project Director, Smokefree
Air For Everyone (S.A.F.E.), which focuses on
protecting apartment residents from their neighbor’s secondhand smoking presented
information to the Commissioners, and statistics were discussed regarding the
results of recent surveys given to residents of senior affordable housing.
Esther Schiller, Executive Director, S.A.F.E., announced
an upcoming forum on February 28, 2007, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Santa Monica
Main Public Library to discuss elements of an ordinance for a smoke free living
community. She requested the tobacco
issue be placed on a future Housing Commission agenda. Ms. Schiller also encouraged the Commissioners
to attend the upcoming community forum.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Minutes of December 14, 2007
Motion – Parry, that
the minutes of the December 14, 2006 meeting of the Housing Commission be amended
related to Item 6C to include the names of the three Commissioners, Gerwitz,
Parry and Tainsky, who were appointed to a subcommittee that provided comments
on the Santa Monica’s Homeless Continuum of Care report.
Second - Steele
Aye - Gerwitz, Gutierrez, Parry, Steele,
Tainsky
Nay - None
Absent - Bird,
Abstain - None
Motion - Approved
Motion – Steele, that
the minutes of the December 14, 2007 meeting of the Housing Commission be
approved.
Second - Tainsky
Aye - Gerwitz, Gutierrez, Parry, Steele, Tainsky
Nay - None
Absent - Bird
Abstain - None
Motion - Approved
Mr. Agle provided a synopsis on his background. He has been with the City for over eight and
a half years with the Planning and Community Development Department and he is
hoping that his experience will serve everyone well, in particular, with
certain issues that will be coming in the next months and years. Prior to
Commissioner Parry mentioned that he had the
opportunity of working with Mr. Agle on the Civic Center Working Group, and the
experience was very pleasurable, offered congratulations, and best wishes on
behalf of the Commission. Chair Gerwitz
mentioned his appreciation for Mr. Agle’s attendance during the tour of a Community
Corporation of
A. Evaluation of
Mr. Barefield
introduced this item as a continued item from the December 15, 2006 agenda. He
noted at the time of the Housing Commission meeting the Urban Institute’s report
had not been published and the Commissioners decided to form a subcommittee
(Commissioners Gerwitz, Parry & Tainsky) to review the report when published. The subcommittee’s letter that was provided
to Mayor Bloom is included in today’s packet.
The report has been published and the City Council has provided further
direction to City staff, which incorporated the Housing Commissioners comments. Mr. Barefield introduced Danielle Noble, Senior
Administrative Analyst (Homeless Services), Human Services to inform the Commissioners of the
Council direction.
Ms. Noble thanked the
Commissioners for inviting her back, taking the time to read the evaluation,
and for providing some very thoughtful comments to Council. She noted that some of the suggestions,
Council is already moving forward on.
Ms. Noble provided the following information:
On January 7, 2007, an
evaluation report of
Ms. Noble’s presentation included:
identifying transitional housing and shelter programs; funding sources, costs and
core agencies; cost to City agencies for homeless-related activities; and the
key issues related to recommendations regarding public spaces, persons from other
communities, program effectiveness, public education, a community roundtable, overall
strategy, good data/assessment of progress and trouble-shooting.
This Council continued the item to January 23
meeting for additional information as a study session with Urban Institute. Council provided the following staff direction:
(1) explore how staff or agencies can be a catalyst to starting community
roundtables; (2) explore permanent housing options; (3) explore public
education campaign options and handling use of park space; (4) explore ways to
use homeless support services; (5) explore functionality to define our homeless
tracking system in ClientTrack; and,
(6) continue to support Fair Share Housing legislation.
Staff has moved forward with Council’s direction related
to recommendations of the Housing Commission and other commissions. A “Housing
First” program which by definition is a model that is permanent supportive
housing offered to people immediately, with case managers providing support
services while a person is being housed.
The possibilities for housing may include working with local nonprofit
housing providers, such as Community Corporation of
6. NEW BUSINESS
A.
Community
Development Grant Program (FY2007-10) – Presentation of information regarding the City’s
Community Development Grant Program Funding Rationale, including City Council
approved funding guidelines and selection criteria, and release of a Request for Proposals for the next three-year grant
funding cycle, and possible discussion, comments and actions.
Mr. Barefield provided a brief overview of the
Community Development Grant Program and introduced Susan Lai, Senior
Administrative Analyst (Fiscal Coordinator), Human Services Division.
Ms. Lai provided informational pamphlets on the FY2007-10 Community Development Program
Request for Proposals, which has a submission deadline of March 26,
2007. She noted that the Human Services
Division is a “gap funder” and that typically City funds assist in achieving a
four-to-one leveraging ratio of public to private funds.
Funding requests will be accepted for programs to
improve quality of life for
Prior to the release of the proposal, the Human
Services Division also adopted a funding rational which includes housing
development priorities such as social service support to house people, and
increasing the number of affordable housing units in
Commissioner Parry asked, “Where are the different
opportunities for the Housing Commission to consider the various questions and
provide input?” Ms. Lai responded that as a beginning to this process, it could
begin at the “Community Roundtable” with a reporting process for accountability
to a larger group, which will be decided later.
Mr. Angle noted that staff is looking at some of the
topics that the Community Roundtable would be discussing and is deciding
whether or not the time has come for the Housing Commission or the Social
Service Commission to spend time thinking about the issues and options now.
Chair Gerwitz reminded everyone that one of the
recommendations in the letter requests some members of the Housing
Commissioners be included in the review of responses to the request for
proposals. Mr. Barefield noted that if
the Housing Commissioners desired, a subcommittee could be created to work with
staff in the reviews and report back to the Housing Commission with its
recommendations.
Motion – Gerwitz, that a subcommittee, consisting of
Commissioners Bird, Gerwitz and Tainsky be appointed as the designated
subcommittee, to participate in the review of the proposals submitted in
response to the Community Development Program’s Request for Proposals.
The following schedule has been identified for the review period …
§
March 27th … proposals distributed to Commissioners and
staff
§
March 27th – April 10th … proposal review
Second - Parry
Aye - Gerwitz, Gutierrez, Parry,
Steele, Tainsky
Nay - None
Absent - Bird,
Abstain - None
Motion - Approved
B.
Homeless
Community Court – Presentation of information on the purpose of the court, relationship to services and housing, and
current status, and possible discussion, comments and actions.
Mr. Barefield noted prior
information that was provided to the Housing Commissioners related to the
Ms. Yavari began the presentation
by thanking the Commission for inviting her and provided a “Program Summary for
the
Stacy Rowe, Human Services
Administrator commented that there are never enough beds. The court program provides funding to
purchase emergency shelter while participants are going through the
process.
Commissioner Guiterrez noted
how difficult it is to find housing within the City, and that he is
disappointed that the minority population has decreased to 12 percent.
C.
Future
Agenda Items of the Housing Commission – Identification and discussion of future items
for the Housing Commission agenda related to policy matters (e.g., work force
housing, homelessness) and other items for the purpose of prioritizing and
calendaring, and possible comments and actions.
Mr.
Barefield noted that the Housing Commissioners had expressed a desire to
identify future discussion topics that could be agendized. Mr. Agle identified the following topics that
the Housing Commission may want to consider discussing:
Housing
Authority … thoughts on sustaining the operation related to critical role in
support of homeless initiatives
Workforce
housing … defining, determining need, and financial strategy
Housing Trust
Fund … financial strategy to augment the fund
Housing Trust Fund Guidelines … appropriate revisions to sustain
affordable housing production
Housing
Element … thoughts related to upcoming consultant and community process
Land Use & Circulation Element … continued thoughts on process and
strategies for affordable housing
Mobilehome
Rehabilitation and Purchase Program … detailed approaches for assisting
residents at Mountain View Mobilehome Park
Disposition
of various City owned sites … thoughts on retaining, selling or developing
Village at
Mountain View
MHP … related to other considerations to the improvement of the Park
After discussion of the staff suggested topics,
Commissioners suggested the following topics:
Tentative
Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) vs. Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)
(i.e., developments)… general discussion of the “pros and cons” between the two
types of assistance and “opportunities and constraints”
Transitional housing … discussion related to continuum of housing
availability
Section 8 … related to landlord profile, rental unit loss, marketing
Smokefree housing … follow-up discussion
Mr. Agle noted the topics will be discussed with
Housing staff to identify the timing of future topics for the Housing
Commission.
7. CHAIR/COMMISSIONERS/COUNCIL LIAISON/HOUSING
MANAGER REPORT
Information
on new and ongoing Housing Division programs and future agenda items. Updates on recent or future City Council
actions, other City Commissions, and developments affecting housing in the
region or in the City of
Mr.
Barefield noted the following: Council
approved the award of a construction contract to Gonzales Construction for improvements
to the community building at Mountain View Mobilehome Park; a Council request
regarding modifying a prevailing wage monitoring contract will probably be
presented in March; and, a resident survey was distributed to the residents of Mountain
View regarding a possible mobilehome rehabilitation and purchase program and that
staff will report the findings at a future meeting.
Also
noted, a groundbreaking ceremony for the StepUp on Fifth development will occur
on March 14th, 10:00 a.m.; and its time again for the making of the
annual Housing Commission video which will be shown at the Board and
Commission’s dinner on Monday, April 16, 2007, at the Santa Monica Civic
Auditorium.
Chair
Gerwitz inquired as to the status of the City Council liaison positions to commissions,
specifically that of Councilmember McKeown’s liaison status with the Housing
Commission. Mr. Barefield responded that
his understanding was the matter will be discussed at a future Council meeting.
Commissioner
Parry suggested that perhaps the Commissioners “get in touch” with Mayor Bloom
regarding this issue, and further mentioned that former Housing Commissioner
Victor Ludwig’s position is available and the deadline for applying is February
20th. He encouraged the Commissioners to
review the City’s website for more specific information.
8. ADJOURNMENT
Housing Commission Chair Gerwitz adjourned the meeting
at 6:25 PM.
ATTEST:
_________________________________ ______________________________
Lin Finer Richard Gerwitz
Secretary Chair,
Housing Commission