Special Notice / Hearing: None
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Raymond Hodges, Director, Department of Housing
Subject: Authorization to Apply for the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Homeownership Program
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution:
A) Authorizing the Department of Housing (“DOH”) Director, or designee(s), acting in consultation with the County Attorney’s Office and potentially jointly with the City of Half Moon Bay (“Half Moon Bay”), to execute and submit an application for a grant award in an amount up to $5,000,000 from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (“HCD”) under the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant (“Serna”) Homeownership Program, the Serna Standard Subrecipient Agreement, any subsequent amendments or modifications thereto, as well as any other documents, which are related to any Serna grant awarded to DOH as HCD may deem appropriate; and
B) Approving the standard HCD provided Resolution Approving an Application for Funding and the Execution of a Standard Agreement and Any Amendments Thereto from the 2022 Homeownership Super NOFA Dated January 6, 2023, in an amount up to $5,000,000; and
C) Authorizing the County Executive, or designee(s), acting in consultation with the County Attorney’s Office, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Half Moon Bay regarding submission of a joint application for a grant under the Serna Homeownership Program in an amount up to $5,000,000.
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BACKGROUND:
On January 6, 2023, HCD released the 2023 Homeownership Super Notice of Funding Availability, which provides the Serna Homeownership Program approximately $35,000,000 in funds to address the housing needs of farmworkers. One eligible activity under the Serna Homeownership Program is the acquisition of manufactured homes to address and remedy impacts from the displacement of farmworker families from labor camps, mobile home parks, or other housing. Acquired manufactured homes must be owner-occupied by a low-income farmworker household.
According to HCD, California farmworkers earn, on average, approximately $20,000 a year, which is less than 20% of San Mateo County’s area median income, making farmworkers and their families among the most economically vulnerable members of our community. This vulnerability has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused significant negative economic and health impacts for farmworkers and their families.
The tragic mass shooting event last month in Half Moon Bay underscored the need for safe, affordable housing for farmworkers in San Mateo County after surviving farmworkers and their families were displaced from illegal and substandard units located at the two farms where the shootings occurred.
DISCUSSION:
It is recommended that the Board authorize DOH to execute and submit an application for a grant award of up to $5,000,000 under the Serna Homeownership Program to purchase manufactured homes for low-income farmworkers and their families. If funded, these manufactured homes would provide homeownership opportunities for low-income farmworker families in our community, including those displaced by the mass shooting event last month in Half Moon Bay.
HCD plans to make grant award notifications in June 2023, by which point the County must secure a real property site to locate the manufactured homes. To that end, staff is currently working with Half Moon Bay to identify potential sites that can accommodate manufactured homes for qualifying farmworker households.
In light of this partnership and the shared interest in securing housing opportunities for farmworkers on the Coastside, the County and Half Moon Bay may jointly apply for the $5,000,000 grant. Thus, staff also recommends that the Board authorize the County Executive, or designee(s), acting in consultation with the County Attorney’s Office, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Half Moon Bay regarding submission of a joint application.
In accordance with Serna application requirements, the Board has also been presented with the standard HCD provided Resolution Approving an Application for Funding and the Execution of a Standard Agreement and Any Amendments Thereto from the 2022 Homeownership Super NOFA Dated January 6, 2023, which: (1) is formatted in a way that differs from the standard County resolution to comply with the application requirements of the HOSN; and (2) must be approved contemporaneously with the standard County resolution.
The County Attorney’s Office has approved the resolutions as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The amount of the grant of Serna funds would be up to $5,000,000, disbursed to DOH as needed. This is a revenue agreement without a required match, so there is no Net County Cost.