Housing and Human Services Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Housing and Human Services Commission Wednesday, September 21, 2022 7:00 PM Teleconference Meeting: City Web Stream Special Meeting CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Riviere called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: 5 - Vice Chair Leesa Riviere Commissioner Jim Davis Commissioner Scott Duncan Commissioner Sue Harrison Commissioner Ken Hiremath Absent: 1 - Chair Elinor Stetson Commissioner Ken Hiremath arrived at 7:12 p.m. Council Liaison Russ Melton (present) ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Linda Sell, speaking as an individual, shared that she had been appointed to the City Council District 1 seat because she was running unopposed. Therefore, now Council-elect Sell, decided to resign from the Housing and Human Services Commission to avoid any potential conflict of interest or the need to recuse herself once on Council because she voted on an item while being a commissioner. She thanked the other commissioners for their services and expressed gratitude for having served on the commission with them. CONSENT CALENDAR 1.A 22-0947 Approve the Housing and Human Services Commission Meeting Minutes of August 24, 2022 Vice Chair Riviere asked if there were any members of the public wishing to speak on the Consent Calendar item. There were none. City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 21, 2022 Commission Vice Chair Riviere asked for discussion or a motion from the commissioners. MOTION: Commissioner Harrison moved and Commissioner Duncan seconded the motion to Approve the Housing and Human Services Commission Minutes of August 24, 2022 as submitted. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4 - Vice Chair Riviere Commissioner Davis Commissioner Duncan Commissioner Harrison No: 0 Absent: 2 - Chair Stetson Commissioner Hiremath PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2 22-0952 Consider Requirements for a Tenant Protections and Right to Lease Ordinance (Study Issue) Affordable Housing Manager Ernie Defrenchi gave the staff presentation. After clarifying questions of staff, Vice Chair Riviere opened the public at 7:44 p.m. Emily Ann Ramos, Preservation and Protection Associate at SV@Home spoke in support of staff's recommendation for tenant relocation assistance and one-year leases as overall concepts. She note that 55% of Sunnyvale's residents are renters, approximately 30,000 rental units. Lastly she shared that the cities of Mountain View and Palo Alto provide extra protections. Janet Murdock, owner of a 50-year-old fourplex in Sunnyvale, opposed staff's recommendation. She shared that she lives in one of the units and rents the other three. She expressed concern about the impact of staff proposal to "small" landlords such as herself which are only aggravated by the age of her property and the impending repairs and upgrades that it will need. Vice Chair Riviere closed the public hearing at 7:53 p.m. During questions and discussion, multiple commissioners expressed concern with two-month relocation benefit and did not support it citing potential unintended City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 21, 2022 Commission consequences for some landlords. Vice Chair Riviere asked for any further discussion or a motion. MOTION: Commissioner Harrison moved and Commissioner Davis seconded the motion to Alternative 2. Approve the requirements listed in Attachment 5 to the report and return to the Commission with an ordinance to add Chapter 19.71 (Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance) to Title 19 (“Zoning”) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code to create enhanced tenant protections, with the modification to reduce the relocation amount to one month's rent. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Vice Chair Riviere Commissioner Davis Commissioner Duncan Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Hiremath No: 0 Absent: 1 - Chair Stetson 3 22-0817 Recommendation to City Council to Award Conditional Funding (loans) for $16 Million in Housing Mitigation Funds and Below Market Rate In-Lieu Funds for the Pre-development, Development and/or Rehabilitation of Four Affordable Housing Developments. Housing Programs Analyst Leif Christiansen provided the staff report. After some clarifying questions of staff Vice Chair Riviere opened the public hearing at 8:29 p.m. Applicants gave slide presentations on their projects and were available to answer questions. Jose Lujano and Angel Macias, First Community Housing, Orchard Gardens Project Jennifer Liu, MidPen Housing, 1178 Sonora Ct. Project Robert Feign, MidPen Housing, 1171 Sonora Ct. Project NIgel Felix and Aditi Mahmud, MidPen Housing, Carroll St. Inn Project There were no members of the public wishing to speak. Vice Chair Riviere closed City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 21, 2022 Commission the public hearing at 8:50 p.m. Vice Chair Riviere asked for discussion or a motion. MOTION: Commissioner Hiremath moved and Commissioner Harrison seconded the motion for Alternative 1: Recommend that Council award conditional funding commitments for $16 Million in Housing Mitigation Funds and Below Market Rate In-lie Funds for the pre-development, development and/or rehabilitation to the projects listed in Attachment 3 to the report. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Vice Chair Riviere Commissioner Davis Commissioner Duncan Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Hiremath No: 0 Absent: 1 - Chair Stetson 4 22-0926 Review of 2021/22 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) Housing Programs Analyst Leif Christiansen provided the staff report. He and Housing Officer Jenny Carloni answered questions from the commissioners. Vice Chair Riviere opened and closed the public hearing at 9:07 p.m. upon confirming that there were no members of the public wishing to speak. Vice Chair Riviere asked for a motion or any additional discussion. MOTION: Commissioner Davis moved and Commissioner Hiremath seconded the motion to recommend Alternative 1: Approve the draft CAPER as presented in Attachment 1 of the staff report. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Vice Chair Riviere Commissioner Davis Commissioner Duncan Commissioner Harrison Commissioner Hiremath City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 21, 2022 Commission No: 0 Absent: 1 - Chair Stetson STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES 22-0948 Consideration of Potential Study Issues Commissioner Duncan inquired about consideration to adopt a Universal Basic Income (UBI) Pilot as a potential study issue. Staff noted that a UBI Pilot study is already underway. A Request for Proposal for a consultant will go out in the near future. Officer Carloni noted that it had originally fallen under the line but was reconsidered. Council Liaison Russ Melton added that it was initiated by Councilmember Din and Council was able to find funding for it and move it above the line. STANDING ITEM: HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE 22-0949 Housing Element Update Officer Carloni noted that staff has been meeting with and receiving high level feedback from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) reviewers. There have been no surprises and none are expected. Final comment letter is expected no later than October 6. At that point staff will consider what is needed moving forward, e.g. additional outreach, etc. Staff will keep the commissioners informed on its progress. NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments None. -Staff Comments Officer Carloni shared the following comments: - Thanked former Vice Chair Sell for her service on the Commission and congratulated her on her appointment to Council. - Thanked Vice Chair Riviere for chairing the meeting - Expressed appreciation for the Commissioners patience and hoped to bring back the Tenant Protections Ordinance at the next meeting - Highlighted that the Commission will be holding the biannual priority needs assessment public hearing for public services at the October meeting. City of Sunnyvale Page 5 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 21, 2022 Commission INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS 22-0950 Housing and Human Services Commission Proposed Study Issues, Calendar Year: 2023 ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Riviere adjourned the meeting at 9:14 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 6