Housing and Human Services Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Housing and Human Services Commission Tuesday, September 17, 2024 7:00 PM Online and City Hall, Bay Conference Room, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 CALL TO ORDER Chair Duncan called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Chair Duncan led the salute to the flag. ROLL CALL Present: 4 - Chair Scott Duncan Commissioner Jim Davis Commissioner Morgan Friedlander Commissioner Elizabeth Steward Absent: 3 - Vice Chair Carol Weiss Commissioner Ken Hiremath Commissioner Leesa Riviere Council Liaison Murali Srinivasan (present) ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT CALENDAR 1.A 24-0962 Approve the Housing and Human Services Commission Meeting Minutes of July 24, 2024 Chair Duncan asked if anyone wished to discuss the item on the Consent Calendar. No members of the public wished to speak. Chair Duncan asked for a motion or any additional discussion on the Consent Calendar. City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 17, 2024 Commission MOTION: Commissioner Davis moved and Commissioner Steward seconded the motion to Approve the Housing and Human Services Commission Minutes of July 24, 2024 as submitted. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4 - Chair Duncan Commissioner Davis Commissioner Friedlander Commissioner Steward No: 0 Absent: 3 - Vice Chair Weiss Commissioner Hiremath Commissioner Riviere PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2 24-0966 Evaluate and Consider Adoption of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) Pilot Program (Study Issue) Affordable Housing Manager Ernie Defrenchi gave a slide presentation and answered questions from commissioners. After some clarifying questions, Chair Duncan opened the public hearing a 8 p.m. Sunnyvale Community Services (SCS) Executive Director Marie Bernard shared that just prior to the pandemic, SCS had started working on the development of a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) program in collaboration with Google, but the effort couldn't move forward. Ms. Bernard offered to collaborate with Sunnyvale staff and share data that SCS already collects to facilitate further development. She also shared current statistics on the population that SCS serves and noted that many of the families that go to SCS for assistance are food and housing insecure and could benefit from a GBI program. Gail Rubino, Sunnyvale resident, spoke in support of continuing to explore ways to provide additional assistance through a GBI program. However, Ms. Rubino cautioned about starting a program that is not long term and sustainable and acknowledged that this was a complicated project. Lastly, she recommended that the assistance focuses on families with children. Chair Duncan closed the public hearing at 8:07 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 17, 2024 Commission After a lengthy and robust discussion, Chair Duncan asked for a motion. MOTION: Commissioner Steward moved and Chair Duncan seconded the motion to Recommend to the City Council Alternatives 1 and 4: 1) Accept the Final GBI Report, including the recommended Programmatic Components; and 4) Direct staff to continue to look for non-City funding opportunities, and report back to Council in one year with a funding update. The motion failed by the following vote: Yes: 2 - Chair Duncan Commissioner Steward No: 2 - Commissioner Davis Commissioner Friedlander Absent: 3 - Vice Chair Weiss Commissioner Hiremath Commissioner Riviere Commissioners Davis and Friedlander noted their opposition to the proposal as presented but chose to not propose any amendments or modifications. Chair Duncan encouraged Council to watch the video of the meeting to get a full understanding of the discussion and opposition. Housing Officer Carloni noted that when this item goes to Council it would reflect that there was no recommendation from this commission. Affordable Housing Manager Defrenchi noted that an excerpt of the minutes would also be included. 3 25-0050 Review of 2023/24 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) Housing Programs Analyst Matt Hazel gave the staff report. Mr. Hazel and Housing Officer Carloni answered questions from commissioners. Chair Duncan opened and closed the public hearing at 8:37 p.m. upon confirming that there were no members of the public wishing to speak. Chair Duncan asked if there were any questions, additional discussion, or a motion. MOTION: Commissioner Davis moved and Commissioner Steward seconded the motion to approve Alternative 1: Approve the draft CAPER as presented in City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 17, 2024 Commission Attachment 1 of the staff report. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4 - Chair Duncan Commissioner Davis Commissioner Friedlander Commissioner Steward No: 0 Absent: 3 - Vice Chair Weiss Commissioner Hiremath Commissioner Riviere STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES None NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments None -Council Liaison Comments Council Liaison Srinivasan thanked the commissioners for the informative discussion that they had for the Universal Basic Income item. -Staff Comments Housing Officer Carloni reminded the commissioners that October's meeting was the last opportunity to propose a study issue for 2025. She also noted that October meeting will include the following: - Safe Parking - The Biannual Review of Supplemental Funding and Unmet Needs that will inform the Request for Proposals for the next two-year cycle of Human Services funding - An Alternative Compliance Request INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS 24-0963 Housing and Human Services Commission Proposed Study Issues, Calendar Year: 2025 ADJOURNMENT City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Housing and Human Services Meeting Minutes - Final September 17, 2024 Commission Chair Duncan adjourned the meeting at 8:41 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 5