Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ray Hodges, Department of Housing
Subject: Housing and Community Development Committee (HCDC) Charter Update
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution amending Resolution No. 065873 to restate the responsibilities, membership and standing rules for the governance of the Housing and Community Development Committee, as set forth in Attachment A.
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BACKGROUND:
On January 28, 2003, this Board adopted Resolution No. 065873 which established the Housing and Community Development Committee (HCDC) and set forth its standing rules for membership, responsibilities and governance.
As outlined in Resolution No. 065873, the purpose of the HCDC is to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors through the Director of the Office of Housing, Human Services Agency (now known as the Department of Housing or DOH), related to the expenditure of all housing and community development funds, to review and provide a forum for public comment on affordable housing and community development needs and priorities related to the Consolidated and Annual Action Plans (which are for funds distributed to the County by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development under federal housing programs) and to formulate recommendations and review and provide a forum for public comment on such plans.
Resolution No. 065873 refers to the County Human Services Agency as responsible for staffing the HCDC, although the DOH has since been separately established as a County department outside the Human Services Agency. The resolution also does not account for the change in DOH’s structure, or the diversity of types and uses of housing funds managed by DOH, which have evolved since the Board adopted the initial resolution establishing the HCDC.
DISCUSSION:
Staff recommends that this Board update, amend and restate the HCDC governance, responsibilities and membership rules to reflect its review of additional funding, best practices and to effectuate the purposes of the HCDC as set forth in Attachment A.
Among other things, since 2003, as housing needs in San Mateo County have become more acute, the amount, sources, and uses of funding managed by the County’s Department of Housing have increased significantly. In addition to federal funds, which was central to the initial HCDC charter, DOH now also distributes millions of dollars a year in funding from the State including from the Permanent Local Housing Allocation, Local Housing Trust Fund and Housing for a Healthy California programs as well as from local funds generated by the County’s ½ cent sales tax (Measure K). The proposed amendments update the HCDC’s responsibilities to reflect that the HCDC will review and provide a forum for public comment on the use of these additional housing funds.
The proposed amendments also include specifying the membership shall include members representing a cross-section of individuals and groups that will ensure a representation of very-low- and low-income residents and populations with special needs. The proposed amendments otherwise do not change the composition of the membership of the HCDC, except that the amendment deletes a reference to 15 members of the HCDC, as the number of members could change with the addition of new members of the HOME Consortium.
Last, DOH is now an independent Department and is no longer a part of the County’s Human Services Agency. The proposed amendments refer to DOH rather than the Human Services Agency as the source for staffing the HCDC.
The County Attorney has reviewed the proposed resolution and Attachment A as to form.
EQUITY IMPACT:
This resolution includes projects to be provided with federal, state and local funds. Almost all of these sources of funding have income-based and/or population-based restrictions to ensure that those served are extremely low to moderate-income and/or have some of the greatest needs for housing. For instance, in the case of local funds, at least a certain percent of new housing units must be set aside for persons experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no net County cost associated with the action outlined in this resolution.
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment A: Responsibilities, membership, and standing rules for the governance of the Housing and Community Development Committee (HCDC).