To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Board of Commissioners of the Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Staff Name and Phone Number: Martha Cheever, 565-7521
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Award of Project Based Vouchers
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Approve Sonoma County Housing Authority recommendations to award Project-Based Vouchers and authorize the Executive Director or her designee to enter into all necessary agreements required to implement the awards.
end
Executive Summary:
The Board of Supervisors has prioritized the need to expand opportunities for affordable housing in Sonoma County. To that end, the Housing Authority is seeking authorization to award 100 Project Based Vouchers (PBV) to 9 housing developments throughout Sonoma County. Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) are an important resource providing predictable operating revenue to new and existing affordable multifamily rental housing ensuring the most vulnerable members of our community have stable, affordable housing.
Discussion:
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allows Housing Authorities to attach up to 20% of its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program funding to specific housing units by project-basing vouchers. With this award, the Housing Authority will have project based 12% of its Housing Choice Voucher program. In contrast to the tenant-based voucher program, project-based housing subsidy remains with the unit after a tenant moves out. The owner must agree to rent the unit to eligible tenants for the duration of the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract, which is often up to twenty years. After residing in a project-based unit for one year, a tenant may request to transfer to the Housing Choice Voucher program. If a voucher is available, the Housing Authority will allow the tenant to transfer programs and move with continued assistance.
The Commission made up to 100 Project-Based Vouchers available to property owners and developers through a competitive process in April 2020. In response to the Request for Proposals (RFP), 12 applications were received requesting a total of 128 project based vouchers. A panel of three Sonoma County Community Development Commission (SCCDC) employees and one Housing Authority manager from the City of Santa Rosa reviewed and ranked the proposals in accordance with the criteria outlined in the RFP. Collectively, the projects recommended for award meet the goals of increasing the affordable housing stock within the County, providing affordable housing in areas outside of poverty concentration, and providing housing in areas that are transit-oriented. Of the 12 applications received, nine are being recommended for an award, two did not meet minimum threshold standards for accessibility and a third is not being recommended based upon the review panel’s ranking of applications.
Staff recommends that the Board of Commissioners authorize the Executive Director of the SCCDC, or her designee, to commit project-based vouchers, enter into an Agreement to enter into a Housing Authority Payment contract, and a Housing Authority Payment contract for each of the following projects once all federal requirements are met. Additionally, staff requests that the Executive Director of the SCCDC be authorized to amend the Housing Assistance Payment contract during the term of the agreement to substitute units as needed.
The following recommendations for award of Project Based Vouchers were reviewed and recommended for approval by the Community Development Committee on June 3, 2020. Projects are listed in alphabetical order. Though Petaluma is its own entitlement jurisdiction for Consolidated Planning grants from HUD, the city does not have a Housing Authority, and is therefore under the jurisdiction of the Sonoma County Housing Authority.
|
Project |
Developer |
Number of PBVs |
Unit Type |
Location |
Project Type |
|
414 Petaluma |
Midpen |
16 |
6 PSH Units; 10 Family |
Petaluma |
New Construction |
|
Cherry Creek |
Kingdom Development |
23 |
PSH - Homeless Dedicated |
Cloverdale |
New Construction |
|
Cotati Station |
Bridge Housing |
8 |
Family Units |
Rohnert Park |
New Construction |
|
Healdsburg Scattered Site |
Burbank |
8 |
Homeless Dedicated |
Healdsburg |
Substantial Rehab |
|
Lindberg Senior Apartments |
PEP Housing |
5 |
Senior |
Petaluma |
Preservation |
|
Mill District Lot 7 |
Eden Housing |
8 |
Family Units |
Healdsburg |
New Construction |
|
North Quarry Apartments |
Burbank |
12 |
Family Units |
Petaluma |
New Construction |
|
River City Senior Apartments |
PEP Housing |
15 |
Senior Homeless Dedicated |
Petaluma |
New Construction |
|
Village Green II |
Burbank |
5 |
Senior |
Sonoma |
Substantial Rehab |
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
0 |
66,240 |
728,640 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
0 |
66,240 |
728,640 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
0 |
66,240 |
728,640 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
0 |
66,240 |
728,640 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Funding is available in the Housing Authority’s Annual Housing Choice Voucher budget authority provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development
Budget numbers are based upon anticipated date of occupancy of PBV units:
FY 20/21: 10 PBVs budgeted for 6 months
FY 21/22: 10 PBVs budgeted for 12 months and 90 PBVs budgeted for 6 months
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
None
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A