SR 12-18-2018 3V
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 18, 2018
Agenda Item: 3.V
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Andy Agle, Director, Housing and Economic Development, Housing Division
Subject: Housing for Families Displaced by the Malibu Fire
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that Council authorize temporary forbearance of enforcement of the
City’s local preference policy for nine Community Corporation of Santa Monica
properties funded by housing trust funds to provide housing opportunities for low-
income families with children currently enrolled in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified
School District who are permanently displaced due to the Woolsey fire in Malibu.
Summary
At its November 27 meeting, and at the request of Community Corporation of Santa
Monica (CCSM), Council directed staff to explore opportunities to house a limited
number of low-income families with children in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School
District (SMMUSD) schools who were displaced by the recent fire in Malibu.
The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, which has provided funding for many
affordable housing developments in Santa Monica, recently authorized a suspension of
typical regulations in order to provide housing for households affected by the recent
fires in California. Council directed staff to consider whether CCSM could be allowed to
house some of the approximately 10 to 15 SMMUSD families permanently displaced by
the fire. In order to enable CCSM to consider the families, the City would need to
forbear enforcement of its Housing Trust Fund Guidelines preferences policies for a
limited period (through June 30, 2019) and for this limited purpose. First priority for
housing consideration and preference in CCSM housing would continue to be given to
households that have been permanently displaced or face permanent displacement
from housing in Santa Monica, ahead of displaced families from Malibu.
Discussion
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Preferences policies, and their use in determining the order applicants are prioritized for
affordable housing opportunities, are established in the Housing Trust Fund Guidelines
and included in regulatory agreements recorded on properties that receive City funds.
City-funded affordable housing is required to provide an occupancy preference for
households who live or work in Santa Monica. Community Corporation of Santa Monica
(CCSM) desires to offer housing opportunities, in City-funded affordable housing, to
approximately 10 to 15 families that were living in Malibu and were permanently
displaced by the recent Woolsey fire. The families all have children currently attending
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) schools and are low income,
as evidenced by the enrollment of their children in the reduced price/free lunch program.
As such, this limited class of affected families that are in immediate need of housing
assistance would benefit from the City temporarily forbearing enforcement of the
live/work preference rule.
The recent Woolsey fire destroyed homes and displaced many families. Under the best
conditions, low-income families with children struggle to find affordable housing and the
recent fires have exacerbated the situation. The loss of housing, neighbors, friends, and
family is traumatic. Enabling children to remain in their current schools offers them
some stability and security. CCSM has identified approximately 10 to 15 families who
were living in Malibu, have been displaced by the Woolsey fire, and have minor children
currently attending SMMUSD schools. Many of the households have lost their
identification and income documentation, which would typically be required to document
that their income qualifies them for affordable housing in Santa Monica. Given the lack
of documentation, staff recommends that displaced families who are currently enrolled
in the SMMUSD reduced price/free lunch program be considered eligible for CCSM’s
City-funded affordable housing. Using enrollment in the SMMUSD program would
expedite families’ eligibility for CCSM housing, though it could result in assistance for
families who do not actually meet the income requirements because families self-certify
to qualify for the SMMUSD lunch program. Over time, the mismatch would be
discovered when income documentation is obtained and evaluated. At that point, the
families would be housed with tenant rights. If such a situation were to arise, the rent
would be adjusted accordingly.
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CCSM’s existing waiting list for affordable housing includes Santa Monica applicants
who are residents and workers. Temporarily forbearing enforcement of the City’s local
preference rule would prioritize the families displaced by the fire ahead of current
applicants who live or work in Santa Monica. However, first priority for households who
are displaced in Santa Monica would remain unchanged, keeping those households
ahead of Malibu families displaced by the Woolsey fire.
The Housing Trust Fund Guidelines mandate that a regulatory agreement recorded
against an affordable housing property include a preference for households who live or
work in Santa Monica. CCSM would violate their regulatory agreements with the City if
they were to prioritize households who do not live or work in Santa Monica. Therefore,
staff proposes that the City temporarily forbear the right to enforce the provisions of the
agreement against CCSM for a limited time and limited purpose so that it can offer
available apartments in specific properties to the 10 to15 low-income families that have
been identified as displaced by the Woolsey fire and as having children enrolled in
SMMUSD schools. Staff proposes that the forbearance period be limited in duration to
six months and not give priority to the Malibu families over displaced Santa Monica
residents. Out of CCSM’s total inventory of approximately 1,700 apartments in Santa
Monica, the City’s temporary forbearance would be limited to the following CCSM
properties:
1827 19th St
1345 11th St
2449 Centinela
2802 Pico
1424 Broadway
708 Pico
815 Ashland
750 Marine
2345 Virginia
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If the Council approves the recommended action, staff would prepare and send to
CCSM a letter memorializing the City’s temporary forbearance of enforcement of its
rights under the Regulatory Agreements.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
07/25/2017
(attachment A)
Housing Trust Fund Guidelines
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended
action.
Prepared By: Barbara Collins, Housing Manager
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Housing Trust Fund Guidelines
B. Written Comments
1
Vernice Hankins
From:Council Mailbox
Sent:Tuesday, December 18, 2018 1:34 PM
To:Gleam Davis; Terry O’Day; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Ted
Winterer; Sue Himmelrich; Greg Morena
Cc:councilmtgitems
Subject:FW: Agenda Item 3V: Housing for Families Displaced by the Malibu Fire
Council‐
Please see the below email regarding housing for families displaced by the Woolsey fire.
Thanks,
Stephanie
‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Ralph Mechur [mailto:ralph@rmechurarchitects.com]
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2018 6:11 PM
To: Council Mailbox <Council.Mailbox@SMGOV.NET>
Cc: Tara Barauskas <tbarauskas@communitycorp.org>; Patricia Hoffman <oppenhoff@earthlink.net>
Subject: Agenda Item 3V: Housing for Families Displaced by the Malibu Fire
Mayor and Council,
I am writing in full support of the staff recommendation to allow low‐income families with students enrolled in the Santa
Monica‐Malibu Unified School District who have been permanently displaced in the Woolsey Fire to have preference for
housing in nine Community Corporation properties.
The Woolsey Fire is a great tragedy that has destroyed the homes of over 150 district families and teachers. Some of the
families have no recourse and living day‐to‐day with no permanent plans for the future. Providing permanent housing
will give these families stability and allow their children to continue attending our public schools.
I can;t thank you enough for your time and effort to help our families in such distress.
Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Ralph Mechur
Ralph Mechur Architects
3400 Airport Avenue, Suite 5
Santa Monica, CA 90405
t: 310‐398‐2940
c: 310‐721‐1254
Item 3-V
12/18/18
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