SR-11-25-2014-3MCity Council Meeting: November 25, 2014
Agenda Item: —
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Karen Ginsberg, Director, Community and Cultural Services
Subject: Acceptance of California Housing - Related Parks Program Grant
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the acceptance of grant funds in the
amount of $2,139,850 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 accept the
grant.
3. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts and Budget
Actions section of this report.
Executive Summary
The California Department of Housing and Community Development Housing - Related
Parks (HRP) Program provides grant funding for parks and community recreation
facilities to cities that develop new residential housing affordable to very low and low -
income households, The City of Santa Monica was awarded $2,139,850 in the 2013
Funding Round for the construction of the Buffer Park project. The attached resolution
would authorize the City Manager to accept the funds and execute all necessary
documents associated with this grant.
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. The program is designed to reward grant funds for the
rehabilitation or development of parks to local governments that approve housing for
lower- income households and are in compliance with State Housing Element law. 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.
On Jat!Uary 14, 201 /!r; Council authorized a grant application specifying that, if awarded,
funds would be used towards the construction of Buffer Park, a 2.35 acre linear park
that will be constructed on Exposition Boulevard between Stewart Street and
Dorchester Boulevard. Construction costs for Buffer Park are estimated to be close to
$4.5 million, with construction anticipated to commence in summer 2015 and conclude
within one year.
The City was notified in June 2014 that it would receive grant funding in the amount of
$2,139,850 from the HRP Program. Recently, the California Department of Housing and
Community Development requested that all grantees execute an updated resolution that
specifies the amount of the award and authorizes the City Manager to execute any
necessary documents related to the acceptance of the grant. Such a resolution is
Attachment A.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The California Housing - Related Parks Program grant awarded to the City of Santa
Monica is for $2,139,850. Staff has budgeted for this grant expenditure at account
0207060.589010 in the amount of $1,000,000. Accepting the grant requires the
following FY 2014 -15 budget changes:
1. Increase revenue budget at account 20501.408720 in the amount of $2,139,850.
2. Appropriate $1,139,850 at account C207060.589010.
Prepared by: Melissa Spagnuolo, Senior Administrative Analyst
Karen Ginsberg
Director, Commu ity and Cu
Services
Attachment: Resolution
Forwarded to Council:
R Gould
ral City Manager
Reference:
Resolution No. 10849
(CCS)