SR-01-14-2014-3FCity Council Meeting: January 14, 2014
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Karen Ginsberg, Director, Community and Cultural Services
Subject: Application for California Housing - Related Parks Program Grant
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the application for grant funds from the
State of California Housing - Related Parks Program, 2013 Funding Round, for the
Buffer Park Project
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to apply for the
grant and accept the grant if awarded.
Executive Summary
The California Department of Housing and Community Development Housing - Related
Parks (HRP) Program designed to provide cities that develop new residential housing
affordable to very low and low- income households with non - competitive grant funding
for parks and community recreation facilities that benefit the community and add to the
quality of life. The attached resolution would authorize an application for the 2013
Funding Round. Awarded grant funding would be used for the construction of the Buffer
Park project.
Discussion
The HRP Program is funded through Proposition 1C and is administered by the
California Department of Housing and Community Development, Division of Housing
Policy Development. According to the application package, the "...program is an
innovative program designed to reward local governments that approve housing for
lower- income households and are in compliance with State Housing Element law with
grant funds to create or rehabilitate parks." To be eligible under this grant, building
permits for eligible units must have been issued between January 1, 2010 and June 30,
2013. Grant amounts are awarded by formula and consider factors including the
number of bedrooms and affordability levels of the units. The grant application requires
applicants to identify how the grant funds will be used. Staff is recommending that
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awarded grant funds be targeted towards the construction of Buffer Park, a 2.3 acre
linear park that is planned for Exposition Boulevard between Stewart Street and
Yorkshire Blvd. Hard construction costs for Buffer Park are estimated at $3.5 million
with construction anticipated to commence in spring 2015. It is expected that grant
awards will be announced by June, 2014 and pursuant to the grant guidelines funds
must be expended within three years of the award. Based upon a preliminary analysis
of potentially eligible units, staff estimates that the City could receive an award of
several hundred thousand dollars.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the
recommended action. If the HRP awards the grant, revenue and expenditure budgets
will be established and included in the FY15 -16 Capital Improvement Program budget
for the awarded grant amount.
Prepared by: Karen Ginsberg, Director
Karen Ginsberg
Director, Comm
Services
a
and Cultural
Attachments: Resolution
PAF
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Attachment 1
Council Meeting: January 14, 2014 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NO. (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION FOR
THE STATE HOUSING - RELATED PARKS GRANT PROGRAM, AND TO EXECUTE
ALL GRANT DOCUMENTS
WHEREAS, the State of California, Department of Housing and Community
Development has issued a Notice of Funding Availability dated October 2, 2013 (NOFA)
under its Housing - Related Parks (HRP) Program; and
WHEREAS, the procedures outlined in the grant application materials require a
resolution certifying approval of applications by the applicant's governing board within 30
days of submittal of the grant application; and
WHEREAS, the applicant, if selected will enter into agreements with the State of
California, Department of Housing and Community Development to carry out the HRP
Program; and
WHEREAS, the grant funding will assist the City in implementing the Buffer Park
project; and
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Housing and Community Development for participation in the HRP Program.
SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
ROVED AS TO FORM:
Mar
City
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Reference:
Resolution No. 10793 (CCS)