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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13e - Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program Funds DATE: June 15, 2021 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director By: Tim Schwehr, Senior Economic Development Analyst SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7374 APPROVING PARTICIPATION IN THE LOS ANGELES URBAN COUNTY PERMANENT LOCAL HOUSING ALLOCATION (PLHA) PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021-22; IDENTIFYING PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR USE OF $466,175 IN PLHA FUNDING; AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, OR DESIGNEE, TO SIGN A REIMBURSABLE CONTRACT WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (LACDA) Recommendation: Adopt SUMMARY In Fiscal Year 2020-21, the City of Arcadia received $182,505 in Permanent Local Housing Allocation (“PLHA”) Program funding as part of the SB 2 legislation signed into law in 2017. However, due to delays at the County and State levels, this funding was not released in time to be used in Fiscal Year 2020-21 and it has been rolled over into the upcoming Fiscal Year. The City of Arcadia is estimated to receive $283,670 in additional PLHA funding for Fiscal Year 2021-22 for a combined total of $466,175 in funding from both years. To make these funds eligible for use, the City is required to adopt an annual Resolution for participation in the Los Angeles Urban County PLHA Program and identify the activities to be funded. It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7374 approving participation in the Los Angeles Urban County Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program for Fiscal Year 2021-22; identifying $466,175 in PLHA funding to be used for assisting persons in Arcadia who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, and/or activities related to the construction or preservation of affordable housing in the City; and authorizing the Mayor, or designee, to sign a reimbursable contract with the Los Angeles County Development Authority (“LACDA”). BACKGROUND The PLHA is an SB 2 funded program that began in Fiscal Year 2020-21. It is designed to provide an ongoing annual source of funding through State Property Transfer Fees. Resolution No. 7374 – PLHA Funds June 15, 2021 Page 2 of 4 Funds can be used for construction of affordable housing, programs to assist persons who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or other housing-related assistance programs for low-to-moderate income households. Similar to the Community Development Block Grant program for non-entitlement cities, the PLHA funding is first allocated to a regional entity, in this case the Los Angeles County Development Authority (“LACDA”). The funding is then distributed to individual participating cities according to an allocation formula. Under the provisions of SB 2, Arcadia will receive a similar allocation amount on an annual basis over a five-year period. Unexpended program funds may be carried over from year to year. On October 6, 2020, the City adopted Resolution No. 7336 approving participation in the Los Angeles Urban County PLHA Program for Fiscal Year 2020-21 with a PLHA funding allocation amount of $182,505. The City identified this funding to be used towards programs to assist persons in Arcadia who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It was originally anticipated to be available for use beginning in January 2021; however, due to delays at the County and State levels, the City was informed in early 2021 that all Fiscal Year 2020-21 PLHA funding would be rolled over to the following year. For the upcoming fiscal year, the City of Arcadia is eligible to receive an additional $283,670 in PLHA funds. On May 13, 2021, the LACDA issued a bulletin requesting that each participating city adopt and submit a resolution to them by June 30, 2021, specifying participation in the program and the activities to be funded with the combined Year 1 and Year 2 funds, which for Arcadia total $466,175. After receiving resolutions from each participating city, the LACDA will assemble and submit a final package of all its partner city PLHA activities to the State for final approval and funding distribution. It is anticipated that these funds will be received and available to use beginning in the fall of 2021. A copy of the May 13, 2021, LACDA bulletin with additional details on PLHA funding and eligible activities is included as Attachment No. 2. DISCUSSION The SB 2 legislation relating to PLHA funds specifies different eligible activities that these funds can be used to finance. These activities can be broadly categorized as follows: 1. Activities related to the construction or preservation of affordable housing or supportive housing; 2. Homelessness services and prevention programs; 3. Accessibility modifications for lower-income, owner-occupied housing; and 4. Programs that expand homeownership opportunities, including but not limited to down-payment assistance programs. Resolution No. 7374 – PLHA Funds June 15, 2021 Page 3 of 4 Of the activities eligible to be funded by the PLHA program, it is recommended that the City combine the $182,505 in PLHA funds carried over from Fiscal Year 2020-21 with the $283,670 in Fiscal Year 2021-22 PLHA funds to allocate toward: 1. Assisting persons in the City who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness; and 2. Activities related to the construction of preservation of affordable housing. With regard to activities assisting homeless individuals, the Recreation and Community Services Department was awarded a number of grants in 2020 for specific activities related to homelessness. Continuing to designate PLHA funds towards homelessness assistance and prevention would allow the City to supplement these or other homelessness programs in the coming year, including potentially extending one or more programs beyond the life of the current grants. Any unspent homelessness assistance funding is eligible to be carried over into Fiscal Year 2022-23. It is further recommended that the City designate all available PLHA funds toward activities related to the construction or preservation of affordable housing. Specifically, it is recommended that the City begin accumulating funds over several years to use towards a future affordable housing development project in the City. There is also the potential to leverage accumulated PLHA funds with a matching grant either through the City’s partnership with the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust or another affordable housing entity. Keeping the use of these funds flexible for both of the above-mentioned uses provides the City the ability to direct funds towards the most important and timely use related to affordable housing and homeless services, which is the focus of the funds. Because the decision on the use of PLHA funds is made on an annual basis, there is also flexibility to choose a different use of the accumulated PLHA funds in future years as the City Council desires. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), based on Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA. FISCAL IMPACT The PLHA Program is a SB 2 funded program that provides an ongoing annual source of funding through State Property Transfer Fees. The City will receive $466,175 through the PLHA Program over these first two fiscal years of the Program. No additional funding is required to participate in the program. Participation will result in either no fiscal impact Resolution No. 7374 – PLHA Funds June 15, 2021 Page 4 of 4 to the City, or a small net-positive impact if PLHA funds are used in place of other existing funding sources. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a project and is, therefore, exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and adopt Resolution No. 7374 approving participation in the Los Angeles Urban County Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program (PLHA) for Fiscal Year 2021-22; identifying $466,175 in PLHA funding to be used for assisting persons in Arcadia who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, and/or activities related to the construction or preservation of affordable housing in the City; and authorizing the Mayor, or designee, to sign a reimbursable contract with the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA). Attachment No. 1: Resolution No. 7374 Attachment No. 2: May 13, 2021 LACDA Bulletin Attachment No. 3: PLHA Proposed Activities Form pages 1 Attachment A Permanent Local Housing Allocation 2020 Total Urban County Entitlement $17,136,461 Less Administration (5%) ($856,823) Total 2021-2022 to be Allocated $16,279,638 Population Poverty Overcrwding City 2015 2015 2015 Factor Allocation AGOURA HILLS 20,697 1194 65 0.004345193 $70,738 ARCADIA 57,564 5486 735 0.017424818 $283,670 AVALON 3,777 539 313 0.002380354 $38,751 AZUSA 48,033 7569 1,758 0.023293918 $379,217 BELL 35,998 9947 2,394 0.027934862 $454,769 BELL GARDENS 42,842 11935 3,556 0.035962885 $585,463 BEVERLY HILLS 34,663 3100 317 0.009723729 $158,299 CALABASAS 24,075 1897 62 0.005785489 $94,186 CLAREMONT 35,762 2591 300 0.009000859 $146,531 COMMERCE 13,017 2052 724 0.007213434 $117,432 COVINA 48,587 5245 1,042 0.017183349 $279,739 CUDAHY 24,138 7527 1,922 0.021198893 $345,110 CULVER CITY 39,469 3491 803 0.012618399 $205,423 DIAMOND BAR 56,471 3919 322 0.013396981 $218,098 DUARTE 21,769 3313 535 0.009425774 $153,448 EL SEGUNDO 16,929 1224 208 0.004496691 $73,204 HAWAIIAN GARDENS 14,475 4426 806 0.011318428 $184,260 HIDDEN HILLS 1,557 76 2 0.000295148 $4,805 HERMOSA BEACH 19,747 783 79 0.003660287 $59,588 IRWINDALE 1,426 178 31 0.000542803 $8,837 LA CANADA-FLINTRIDGE 20526 518 129 0.003520497 $57,312 LA HABRA HEIGHTS 5,425 186 39 0.001023701 $16,665 LA MIRADA 49,182 3453 1,257 0.015277139 $248,706 LA PUENTE 40,496 5853 1,911 0.020385377 $331,867 LA VERNE 31,920 2576 352 0.008744464 $142,357 LAWNDALE 33,231 5915 1,639 0.018693836 $304,329 LOMITA 20,622 3009 479 0.008629249 $140,481 MALIBU 12,856 1339 95 0.003815106 $62,109 MANHATTAN BEACH 35,603 1416 90 0.006415414 $104,441 MAYWOOD 27,739 8284 2,405 0.024512447 $399,054 MONROVIA 37,164 3738 685 0.012315745 $200,496 RANCHO PALOS VERDES 42,464 1799 277 0.008437302 $137,356 ROLLING HILLS ESTS 8188 444 43 0.001738249 $28,298 SAN DIMAS 34,073 2283 223 0.008062317 $131,252 SAN FERNANDO 24,296 4563 947 0.013120635 $213,599 SAN GABRIEL 40,198 5492 1,402 0.017948713 $292,199 SAN MARINO 13,353 740 108 0.002996815 $48,787 SANTA FE SPRINGS 17,162 2153 660 0.007591641 $123,589 SIERRA MADRE 11,084 636 62 0.002420530 $39,405 SIGNAL HILL 11,332 2041 515 0.006251968 $101,780 SOUTH EL MONTE 20,483 4200 995 0.012318315 $200,538 SOUTH PASADENA 25,999 2025 319 0.007127353 $116,031 TEMPLE CITY 36,079 3414 745 0.011916778 $194,001 WALNUT 29,970 1999 223 0.007175079 $116,808 WEST HOLLYWOOD 35,332 5408 311 0.013320883 $216,859 WESTLAKE VILLAGE TOTAL PARTICIPATING 8,471 512 16 0.001775713 $28,908 CITIES 1,234,244 150,488 31,901 0.482737559 $7,858,793 Supervisorial Districts (Unincorporated Area only) * I. 262483 52,187 13,007 0.156276164 $2,544,119 II. 253210 64,961 12,653 0.173593546 $2,826,040 III. 21,410 1,826 60 0.005377334 $87,541 IV. 223783 24,416 6,599 0.086079046 $1,401,336 V. 279396 31,613 4,587 0.095936351 $1,561,809 TOTAL DISTRICTS 1,040,282 175,002 36,907 0.517262441 $8,420,845 TOTAL ALLOCATIONS 2,274,526 325,490 68,808 100% $16,279,638 ATTACHMENT B PERMANENT LOCAL HOUSING ALLOCATION (PLHA) LIST OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES Eligible activities for the formula allocations are: 1.The predevelopment, development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of multifamily, residential live-work, or rental housing that is affordable to extremely low-, very low-, low-, or moderate-income households (up to 120 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), or 150 percent of AMI in High-cost areas, see appendix B for a list of High-cost areas ), including necessary Operating subsidies. Note: Predevelopment and/or acquisition must result in the development, rehabilitation, or preservation of housing, as otherwise there is no actual housing outcome of the predevelopment or acquisition assistance. 2.The predevelopment, development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of Affordable rental and ownership housing, including Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), that meets the needs of a growing workforce earning up to 120 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), or 150 percent of AMI in High-cost areas. ADUs shall be available for occupancy for a term of no less than 30 days. See Appendix B for a list of High-cost areas in California. Note: Predevelopment and/or acquisition must result in the development, rehabilitation, or preservation of Affordable rental and ownership housing, as otherwise there is no actual housing outcome of the predevelopment or acquisition assistance. 3.Matching portions of funds placed into Local or Regional Housing Trust Funds. Matching funds must be utilized as required by PLHA guidelines Section 301(a). 4.Matching portions of funds available through the Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Asset Fund pursuant to subdivision (d) of HSC Section 34176. Matching funds must be utilized as required by PLHA guidelines Section 301(a). 5.Capitalized Reserves for Services connected to the preservation and creation of new Permanent Supportive Housing. 6.Assisting persons who are experiencing or At risk of homelessness in conformance with 24 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR Section 578.3),including Rapid rehousing in conformance with federal rules contained in 24 CFR Section 576.104, except for legal services; Rental assistance with a term of at least six (6) months (rental arrears is not eligible); Street outreach, and other Supportive/case management services in conformance with federal rules contained in 24 CFR Section 576.101 that allow people to obtain and retain housing; Operating and capital costs for navigation centers and emergency shelters, and the new construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of permanent and transitional housing. a.This Activity may include subawards to Administrative Entities as defined in HSC Section 50490(a)(1-3) that were awarded California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) Program or Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funds for rental assistance to continue assistance to these households. b.Applicants must provide rapid rehousing, rental assistance, navigation centers, emergency shelter, and transitional housing activities in a manner consistent with the Housing First practices described in 25 CCR, Section 8409, subdivision (b)(1)-(6) and in compliance with Welfare Institutions Code (WIC) Section 8255(b)(8). An Applicant allocated funds for the new construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of Permanent supportive housing shall incorporate the core components of Housing First, as provided in WIC Section 8255(b). 7.Accessibility modifications in Lower-income (up to 80 percent of AMI) Owner-occupied housing. 8.Efforts to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed or vacant homes and apartments. 9.Homeownership opportunities, including, but not limited to, down payment assistance. 10.Fiscal incentives made by a county to a city within the county to incentivize approval of one or more Affordable housing projects, or matching funds invested by a county in an Affordable housing development project in a city within the county, provided that the city has made an equal or greater investment in the project. The county fiscal incentives shall be in the form of a grant or low-interest loan to an Affordable housing project. Matching funds investments by both the county and the city also shall be a grant or low interest deferred loan to the Affordable housing project. PROPOSED ACTIVITY OR ACTIVITIES FOR YEAR TWO OF THE STATE PERMANENT LOCAL HOUSING ALLOCATION PROGRAM City Name: City of Arcadia Date: June 15, 2021 Name and Description of the Eligible Activity or Activities the City would like to Implement Using PLHA funds: 1. The predevelopment, development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable rental and ownership housing that meets the needs of a growing workforce earning up to 120 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), or 150 percent of AMI in High- cost areas. 2. Assisting persons who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness (activity continued from prior year). Budget(s) Proposed for Activity or Activities: $182,505 in Fiscal Year 2020-21 funds and $283,670 in Fiscal Year 2021-22 will be utilized to fund both of the activities listed above. Pertinent Facts and Information about the Priority Need for this Activity or Activities in your City: 1. Affordable housing at all income levels is needed in the City of Arcadia as outlined in the City’s latest Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) 2. Homelessness continues to be a high priority need in the City of Arcadia with over 100 homeless individuals identified in the most recent homeless count. Please check box to continue implementing PLHA Eligible Activity from prior year N/A Submitted by: Tim Schwehr Date: June 15, 2021 Title: Senior Economic Development Analyst