HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/13/1993 Item 5 - Women's Shelter Funding Q'Iry�I�III��IIIII�uPflll�lU
city MEETING DATE:
or san tuts osispo 5 - .?-
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT 'NUMBER:
From: Ken Hampian, Assistant City Administrative OfficerA�/
Subject: Clarification of Council direction regarding Women's Shelter acquisition
CAO RECOMMENDATION
By motion, affirm the City's intent to commit up to $198,000 in existing Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) resources toward the acquisition of the Women's
Shelter, with the understanding that the Women's Shelter will work with the Housing
Authority and/or other agencies to raise the additional $117,000 needed to meet the
$315,000 acquisition cost.
DISCUSSION
On March 30, 1993, the City Council reviewed the Women's Shelter issue. During the
discussion of the issue, staff attempted to clarify the degree of City financial commitment
intended in raising the $315,000 needed to acquire the shelter. Based on the discussion, it
was staff's understanding that the Council was fully committing up to $198,000 in existing
CDBG program income; the amount of funds needed beyond that amount ($117,000) were
to be acquired from other sources (e.g. the Housing Authority, the County, other cities or
agencies). However, on March 31, 1993 the Women's Shelter sent a letter (attached) to the
_ Mayor outlining a different understanding, which is that the Council committed all the
resources needed to acquire the shelter (from both current and future City CDBG funds).
The specific motions adopted by the Council are outlined below:
1. "Staff directed to work with the Housing Authority to pursue Option
#4 for alternative funding mechanisms, including CDBG funds for the
purposes of the Women's Shelter; staff to research cities (listed by
Assemblywoman Andrea Seastrand) to determine how they have
complied with growth component and report back at the April b, 1993
Council meeting; staff to explore financing methods proposed by the
Housing Authority (4-1, DR-no);" and
2. "Staff directed to actively explore Options 2&3 (adopt Housing
Element with qualifiers, negotiate with State on regional
housing needs projections) after checking on Assemblywoman
Seastrand's letter and securing the list of cities read by the
Director of the Women's Shelter (5-0)."
Given the differing understandings, and the fact that neither motion explicitly addresses the
amount of funding committed by the City, staff is asking that Council reaffirm staff's
understanding of the City Council's intent, as outlined in the CAO Recommendation.
3-1
MY Of San LUIS OBISPO
MoGs COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
ALTERNATIVE
The Council could direct staff to work with the Women's Shelter to develop a strategy for j
obtaining the $117,000 in financing on an interim basis, until the City's CDBG entitlement
funds are available in July 1994. At that time, the City Council would allocate the $117,000
to complete the purchase. Staff does not recommend this option since only City resources
will have been used for an acquisition and program that have significant countywide benefit.
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ATTACHMENT:
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Women's Shelter letter
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WOMEN'S 8HELTEQ IDQQGI AM, INC.
of san luis obiapo county
� Post Office Box 125
San Luis Obispo, California 93406
Tel: (805) 544-3494
MARIANNE KENNEDY/Executive Director
Full Council has
received this document
March 31 , 1993
Mayor Peg Pinard SAN Luis OGisr'o CA
City of. San Luis Obispo ,
Post Office box 8100 C'i• v , �LLnVt
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
Dear Mayor Pinard:
We at the Women's Shelter Program, Inc. want to take this
opportunity to thank you and the Council for working towards a
purchase solution for the Women's Shelter. While we are
appreciative of your efforts, we remain concerned on a couple of
key points.
The motion which passed directs the city's staff to develop a
purchase plan to cover the entire cost of the shelter by
utilizing city dollars. It is also -our understanding that the
motion provides that ownership of the facility will be.
transferred to the Women's Shelter Program, Inc. Additionally,
as per the clarification made by Councilman Dave Romero, city
staff is directed to work with the Department of Housing and
Community Development (HCD) in an effort to explore other
communities which have successfully maintained their growth
management plans while complying with the State Housing Element.
We appreciate the council 's support of Councilman Romero's
clarification. The importance is that while the city has agreed
to purchase the property for us, we are still in need of funding
to perform needed repairs and remodeling. Additionally, we are
not comfortable using city dollars, including those from the
housing authority, while the $444, 000 from HCD remains as a
possible funding source.
We are concerned that the form of the city's purchase plan is
developed in such a way as not to jeopardize .the HCD grant. As a
result, we request that a representative of .Women's Shelter
Program, Inc. be present at all discussions and meetings
regarding financial options and purchase negotiations.
S-3
C � ,
Mayor Peg Pinard
March 31, 1993
Page Number Two
In the meantime, it is our hope that city staff can cooperate
with HCD to come up with a housing element which is satisfactory
to all parties. If so, the HCD grant can be drawn upon. This
will enable the Women's Shelter Program, Inc. to repay the city
and its housing authority while at the same time provide us with
the necessary dollars for repairs and remodeling. In and effort
to provide time for such negotiations, we have requested that HCD
extend the deadline of the grant for one year.
As requested by the Council, enclosed is a copy of a listing of
local governments which have brought themselves into compliance.
While each and every one of them is not exactly like San Luis
Obispo, the similarities of many show that negotiations can be
productive.
Again, thank you for your efforts in this complicated matter.
sincerely, i
f�pbelY
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President, Board of Directors
Women's Shelter Program, Inc..
Enclosures
cc: San Luis Obispo City Council
Department. of Housing and
community Development
Assemblywoman Andrea Seastrand