Community Development Citizens' Committee - Regular Meeting

It's good. Tiffany Blayman. I'm just You're good.

Well, you can get that fluffy warm jacket. You're

not Yeah.

Gets cold in here. So

Somebody's bringing these. I'm getting

paid off. Know. I'll take mine home. Oh,

that's compliments of Linda. Oh.

Thank you, Linda.

5,000,001.

So sweet. Yeah. I thought that was sweet when it's

like I left my house. I didn't do it. I left my house. I didn't get chocolate.

I've seen you around, I think. Do you go to the farmer's market at all? Were

you were you on a different committee before? Were you on a different committee before? Planning commission.

Wow. Okay. What district are you from? Three. Call to order.

Roll call, committee member Hanzo.

I do that. Oh. Committee member Hanzo. Present. Committee member Cox. Here. Committee member Blay.

Present. So we're opening to public comments. The Community Development Citizens Committee, the CDCC, will hear public comments on the matters not appearing on the agenda but within the jurisdiction of the Community Development Citizens Committee. Persons addressing the Development Citizens Committee will have three minutes to make their remarks. Those wishing to speak on a specific agenda item may do so when the chair calls for that specific item for discussion.

The chair may ask a representative to speak for a group wishing to address the Community Development Citizens Committee. State regulations prohibit the Community Development Citizens Committee from acting on non agenda items. I invite any public comments? Okay.

My name is Richard Koenberger. I'm from Fullerton City Lights. And they have a new owner. They have a new owner of the Fullerton City Ice. I think it's a new owner or property management firm.

And. There is a thing in our lease which is no cameras in public areas which include lobbies and. It include, hallways. But a number of people have had Ring doorbells. And they're considering that Ring doorbells are cameras and they are cameras but so they're asking all the tenants to remove them from their doors.

So back in, March through June 2022, I was in the hospital because I couldn't walk. So because of that and because I had two packages that were supposed to be delivered from Amazon, I did not know exactly when they were supposed to arrive, but I did not have a Ring doorbell and they we we couldn't tell when they arrived and in fact they never did. Since I since June 2022, I've had a Ring doorbell and I've been able to put on the delivery instructions that I have a Ring doorbell and I haven't missed a package. So I'm wondering if there could be a change in the lease because it hasn't I don't think been updated for a long time. I understand cameras and because of privacy rights but the cameras that they have in the hallways which were put in by Parker.

As a property management firm. They don't cover all the doors and they can't necessarily identify people that are picking up packages that are not their own. So. I would like to see the lease modified at least a little bit. So that they allow for Ring doorbell cameras. And. That. It's not. Since they already have cameras in the building. It's not really.

Getting. It's not I don't think interfering with privacy rights per se. Since they already management already can look at. Cameras in the various hallways. So. I would like to see. That the lease be changed. And just as a side note. I also monitor two other ring doorbells one in Pasadena and one. In Yorba Linda which is Yorba Linda is my mom and my sister which is in the fire zone in Altadena. Also I monitor that one as well. So I'm just asking for the right to have ring doorbell. Thank you.

Good evening. Good evening, chair and committee members. My name is Curtis Gamble, activist for the homeless, the veterans, the OCTA bus drivers, the Cal State Fullerton students, the seniors, and the low income community. Today, I just wanna share with you some of my recommendations, and I'll just read them real quick. One, the city of Fullerton community development block grant, CDBG, and the home program provides around $2,000,000 $2,000,000 a year, in funding and services for youth, seniors, special needs, and the homeless.

Two, the c the CDBG and HOME program funding should assist the homeless and low income with OCTA, day bus passes. Three, 10/14/2024, OCTA partners with OC Healthcare to promote mental health using OC bus services. Four, 11/11/2024, OCTA employs at least 67 veterans who served in the army, air force, navy, marines, and coast guards. Five, OCTA bus drivers, pass by the Fullerton Low Barrier Navigation Center emergency shelter more than 60 times a day. Six, OCTA bus drivers should be allowed to pick up and drop off shelter clients homeless directly in front of the Fullerton Low Variant Navigation Center.

Seven, OCTA bus drivers should be allowed to stop while en route and use the safe and clean restrooms at the Fullerton Low Navigation Center slash Emergency Shelter. Eight, OCTA bus drivers should be allowed to use safe and clean restrooms twenty four hours, seven days a week, three hundred sixty five days a year at all 15 low barrier navigation centers and emergency shelters in Orange County. Nine, the Hope Center and the OCTA bus drivers should be should be allowed to pick up and drop off the homeless at the Fullerton Low Barrier Navigation Center slash Emergency Shelter twenty four hours, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a year. Support our OCTA bus drivers, military veterans, and others with more housing and jobs in our Fullerton community. Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you, mister Campbell.

May I ask staff a question?

We we have one Zoom speaker just to let you know.

I'll hold.

Okay. Open that open up to Zoom speakers, please.

Call in user two, please unmute.

Good mute. Good evening, everyone. Can you hear me okay?

Yes. Go ahead.

Thank you. Glad to see new members of the dais. Maureen Milton, independent advocate for the disabled, handicapped, little people, and the mobily challenged. What I'm what I'm concerned about tonight is the fact that those that are on the dais, when they when charities are presented to you, do you personally investigate any of those charities at all to get your own view of what they are offering to the people, or do you just listen to or go with what is presented to you? Also, are the charities supposed to give their independent rating service when they do their presentation?

That's what I have for tonight, and I hope it's a good meeting. Thank you. Bye.

Thank you, miss Milton.

Good evening. My name is Jose Trinidad Castaneda. It's good to see you all after some time. I wanted to introduce myself to the CDCC committee and also just acknowledge the incredible work that the staff are doing. A year ago, I remember reading through all of the CDCC and CDBG plans, the consolidated plan, the annual action plan, and I was able to help translate those to both a rest for some residents who were interested in the home funding, in just how equity is applied within the city.

And even within our education community, college students at Fullerton College in professor Jody Balma's political science classes are working on learning more about how CDBG funding affects home program oh sorry, city housing programs that they can benefit from and they can take back to their communities. I really want to applaud the work that the community and economic department, does in the city, but especially knowing that it's making Fullerton a better place to live, work, and play. Thank you.

Thank you, mister Castaneda.

May I ask a question of staff? Would that be all right? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Staff, on some of the items that came up, I think it was Richard in the back who asked is it Richard, sir? He asked about the Ring cameras. That really doesn't fall in the purview of our committee. That would be more of a lease change would be, I think, Sunia Thomas, the Planning and Economic Development Director, and when that lease comes up. So if someone can get in touch with Richard or you can speak with somebody about how to get in touch with her because that's just not in our purview on that contract. Let's see. If

I excuse me. If I interrupt, we do have purview in that development. And so we can talk to property management to to identify, you know, your concern and see if we can make any, you know, changes to that lease if if necessary.

But that's not in our purview. But that's not in purview. Long as he's getting the right information where he can actually be directed to. So I hope that helps you, sir. And and that's all, chair. Thank you.

We're going to move on to Item one of the agenda. We have to approve minutes for June 25 06/05/2024. Recommended action, approve the 06/05/2024 Community Development Citizens Committee meeting. Minutes, do I have a motion to approve the minutes?

I make a motion to approve the minutes.

Do I have a second?

Jared, on this, I need I need some clarification from staff, if you don't mind. Would that be alright on on this item? No. Thank you. So I wasn't here, obviously, for those meetings. I kind of looked at the minutes, but we have a quorum, I believe, so if two vote for them, if I abstain, we're good. If you do need my vote, I can do that, but I do it with the proviso that I'm just approving them to form and not to anything beyond that.

I'm looking at our clerk for clarification.

I believe if you even if you weren't there, if you read them and you agree, you're allowed to vote. I I could

Okay. But do you have a quorum? I mean, we have a quorum. So would two be two votes, yes votes, be okay with that passing? Or do you need all three?

Do

you need all three votes or just the two?

I believe three is a quorum.

Okay. So Yes. All right. Then that tells me what I need to do. Thank you. I'll second the motion.

Do we approve the motion?

Janet, I think Janet needs to

call

vote. Believe we're still doing roll call votes. They will be doing away with that soon, but I'll go ahead and do it this time. Commitment committee member Hanzo?

Hanzo? Yes.

Committee member Blay? Yes. Committee member Cox?

As to form, yes.

Okay. We're moving on to item number two, under regular business, schedule and role of the CDCC is to review the 2025 CDCC schedule and role of the committee. Recommended action, receive and file.

This is the schedule.

Members of the CDCC, I'm Linda Cordova, housing consultant for the city of Fullerton. We have the housing staff here. Dan Valdez is to my left. He is the housing manager. Across the room, we have Noemi Verhaus, the housing programs assistant.

The first thing, before you go to elections of the committee, we wanna give you all the dates to make sure that if you become the chair or vice chair that you will be available for all or at least most of the meetings. Today's meeting will, consist of review of the programs, the federal programs where we receive funding from. At your next meeting, you'll hear half of the subrecipients, presentations. On March 11, you'll hear the second half, and you will receive the city applications for review. On March 25, you have the city applicants' presentations, and it will also have a public meeting speaking to our five year consolidated plan.

March 31, the CDBG recommendations will come from this committee. And right now, we are scheduled to go to council on May 6 with your recommendation and the five year plan. However, today, we received notification from HUD stating that we need to wait until we get the allocation approved. We don't know what when that will come through. It may be like last year. We actually didn't go to council until July, but it does have to be submitted by the August. So sometime between now and then it will be coming to you.

Linda can I ask you a question? Sure. I know we couldn't meet two weeks ago because of the disruption and the intrusion of our data and the money from federal agencies being frozen, especially the HUD money. What impact might that have in the forecast? Has city hall looked into contingency plans if we are gonna get really cut or are certain monies gonna be taken from us?

I don't know. Dan may be able to speak a little more to that, but there are not other funds that are set aside to cover CDBG.

Yeah. That's right. I I think what you're referring to was last week or two weeks ago when, you know, we were notified about the freeze on budgets throughout the government, and we were included in that. We, as of right now, we we don't have a contingency plan, quite frankly, and I don't think many organizations or or, you know, governments, departments do. But, you know, we've spoken to HUD officials, and we're just we're waiting just like everyone else. Right? Uncertain of any pending freezes in the future.

And I understand the they froze last congress's allocation that the city of Fullerton got. And so as a resident, as a on a personal level, as a resident, I emailed our city manager because it's very upsetting that this money was already allocated, appropriated, and for someone who is not elected to enter a federal agency, it's very upsetting. I'm glad you guys are tuned in and in contact with HUD folks. Are the services being provided this month all the way to June, those invoices, do you think they're gonna get paid?

Yeah. As of as of right now, it's business as usual. We're carrying on with our reimbursements. We're meeting with our subrecipients. And, yeah, we're that's still that's our approach.

The committee is comprised, as you know, of five members. We currently have three, so it makes it a little difficult. If one of you is gone, we will not have a quorum. We were told by the city manager's office today that at the next council meeting, we may have a new member. So that should take a little pressure off. But we hope you can be here. But if something really comes up and you can't, at least we can continue on.

Last time I served on this committee, you and I were on the committee and councilman councilwoman Charles was on the committee. She chaired it and there was only three of us. The other two never showed. Oh. Saw one guy one night and that was it. But the three of us, we we got it done. So I'm committed and unless I get, you know, run over by a truck or something else, I'm I'm gonna be here every every time you need me. So but I look forward to working with both of you and my fellow colleagues on this and staff. Thank you.

Okay. Same here. I will be out of town March 11. So I'm hoping whichever city council member appoints someone that you can have a quorum.

Okay. Thank you. The committee with the guidance from the city's housing staff will review federal housing and urban development HUD funding that includes all of the documents, our CDBG applications, which we'll be going through, and you will be know about the program progress. All meetings are open to the public, and minutes are posted on the city's website. The main responsibility of the committee is to review the applications and recommend programs and funding for city council approval.

The committee does not develop or implement new programs. You'll be reviewing the applications that come across your desk. Based on HUD guidelines, the committee may set parameters to choose which participants are funded. In previous committees, these are some of the ideas that they used. They avoided duplication of services.

So if you have two agencies providing the same service, look at them carefully, see which one is stable and will be able to provide services. Choose programs that provide the same service for less per person cost. Fund high performing agencies. Limit funding to local agencies that focus on Fullerton services, review previous compliance and accomplishments reports, which you'll be getting in a couple of probably next month, and fund programs that best provide the benefit to the needs of the community. And at that point, we can go back to the agenda.

So we're moving on to item number three, introduction of committee members and election of twenty twenty five officers. I mean, election of twenty twenty five officers. Yes.

I'll make a motion to I nominate oh, are we introducing ourselves? Oh, okay. My name is Patricia Hanzo. I live in District 3. I was appointed by doctor Chana Charles, and this is my second term on the c d CC committee.

And I am a mom of a of one child, and I live on the Fullerton side that's on the East Side Of The 57th. So my school district is p y l u s d. And so progress is being made at that district, if anybody else in Fullerton lives there. I'm very grateful for Fullerton School which is really embracing the students and helping families plan for those mixed households. And so I am a social worker.

I have my master's in social work from USC. I went to LMU and studied psychology and have a minor in alcohol and drug studies. And I worked in domestic violence agencies. I worked in the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. And then I moved on to county work with the community service block grant, CSBG at the county level with LA County Public Social Services.

So I was out there visiting in that capacity monitoring, nonprofits, legal aids, shelters, making sure we didn't have phantom clients and the such. And it happens, so I am, hawkish as far as, our nonprofits that become grant grantees that they have their nine, ten forms, and I'm checking the treasury department to make sure that they are filing their their income and their data and their financials. So it's been a pleasure to be on the board. Thank you.

I'm Tiffany Blay. I am I represent District 5. I was appointed by Ahmad Zara, And I work in Fullerton with Fullerton School District, and I have a daughter who goes to Troy.

I'm Doug Viscollux. I live in District 1. I am a renter. A lot of people think we're not renters up there, but we are. I live North Of Bassett Sherry. I've got six kids, four homeschooled. I have a bachelor's degree in biology, a master's degree in organizational psychology. I spent four years in the county of Orange as an executive policy adviser for the 4th District, fought to get funds for the city for parks and all kinds of stuff. When the women's shelter I won't even say its name. It's not even on the map.

You can't even find it. But it's out there in Fullerton. When funding was pulled back by the state when we had issues back in, I think, was 2008, and a lot of nonprofits lost money. I went toe to toe with folks, and it's never because you, because you. But getting involved, a whale, so to speak, an angel came in and donated money to carry over for the money that they were losing.

And that was a women's battered shelter in Fullerton. I spent about fifteen years with the military. I've worked with the State Department in the Combat Theater Of Operations as a military senior liaison. And I've used contracting techniques and also systems called money as a weapon system. And money can be used as a weapon system, but I've also seen the graph waste and corruption.

So some may not like it that someone else is looking at the money and where it's going, but sometimes you have to do that and there's pauses that happen. But then the good things keep getting the money, but the bad things go away. And then you find out there's more money for those good things that we do have. I don't like buying things for people and watching $5,000,000 in a suitcase go across the border into Kuwait from Iraq, never to be seen again. So I've seen that kind of craziness.

I've been on this committee before a few years back. We had a great time. I was on the Planning Commission for about six years and look forward to moving forward with this group and great people. I've worked with someone else here before and we've always found common ground and I believe in efficiencies, measures of performance, measures of efficiencies and that crosswalk you can do in that intersection of where they meet and looking at these nonprofits. I believe you me, you've got some great people up here to my left and I know the work that they've done and I've seen it. So I'm looking forward to working with all of you and staff.

So we need to elect, the officers, and I nominate Tiffany Blay to be the chair for this fiscal year. I make a motion to name her the chair of this committee. Do I have a second?

I just have I have a question. Don't think we do nominations. I think they state their name. And then once we get enough names, then the other clerk calls the role, and you just say the name of who the person you want to vote for. I don't think there's nominations like that way anymore. So correct me if I'm wrong on that, but I got pretty good with this stuff. I was being chair on the Planning Commission, a few things.

We've done it that way.

Okay. If you want to. If you want do it that way, just want to have us put names in and then you just call the roll and there's no more nominations.

Are there any other nominations for chair? And you can take the roll vote.

Committee Member Cox.

I'm sorry, ma'am. Your last name again?

Blay.

Blay.

Committee member Hansel.

Blay.

And committee member Blay. Do you accept the nomination?

I accept.

I

motion to nominate committee member Hanzo as the vice chair.

I have a quick question. How many times have you been chair and how many times have you been vice chair commissioner?

I've been chair once and vice chair once or twice. Vice chair twice.

Good enough for me.

Any other nominations? Okay then you can do a second and a roll.

Committee Member Cox.

Hansel?

Committee member Blake or I'm sorry. Chair Blake?

Hansel? Hansel. Yeah.

And committee member Hansel?

I'll say yes, and thank you for the nomination. I accept.

Congratulations to you both.

We're going to move on to Item five, public hearings for twenty twenty three to twenty twenty four consolidated annual performance and evaluation report, the CAPER twenty twenty five through twenty twenty nine five year consolidated plan, twenty twenty four one year action plan. Mandatory documents required by HUD, an overview of the Community Development Block Grant, CDBG program including the COVID related CDBG CV and home program including home ARP.

We will be hearing this item out of order, and we'll go back and get the other item.

Yes. I open for public comments. Oh, okay.

Okay.

The city of Fullerton housing division receives home investment partnership funding annually approximately about $550,000. We also receive community development block grant funds, about one point three to one point four million dollars. The housing division prepares had required reports, the consolidated plan, the annual action plan, the CAPER, which is the consolidated annual performance evaluation report at the end of the year, and obtain citizen participation in program planning, budget, and document review. We review and confirm that program requests meet HUD and city funding guidelines and monitor compliance throughout the year with all of the subrecipients and programs. This is the fifth year of the consolidated plan, which means you're currently going to be working on the new five year plan for twenty twenty five.

It is a five year plan that identifies the needs and outlines strategies to meet those needs. This document is required by HUD in order to receive CDBG on home funds. The plan sets out to meet three basic goals, provide decent housing, suitable living environment, and to expand economic development, all for low and moderate income people. So as I said, we are currently developing the 2025 consolidated plan. I should say 2029, not 2026.

We get input from all interested parties, residents, developer, nonprofits profit agencies, etcetera. Surveys are available. You have hard copies in your binders. We have hard copies over on the table by Janet for any of the public, if they're interested to take one and fill them out. They need to be turned back in by March 14 so that we can gather all the information to work on the five year plan.

The survey can also be found on the city's website at cityoffullerton.com. When you go there, it's going to look like this. This is actually the city site. You click right on this banner that says housing division, and it'll take you directly to the survey. The current annual action plan for 2425 that this committee voted on last year outlined the proposed funding allocations for CDBG and home funds.

The assistance is directed in all of the following areas, affordable housing, rehabilitation of homes, assistance to homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless, assistance to the elderly, assistance to nonprofit organizations, job creation and retention. There were no applications received last year. This year, we have one. And assistance for public infrastructure and also support practices. As you recall, we do need to provide fair housing practices in order to receive CDBG funds.

The CAPER, which is the year end report, describes the activities and accomplishments of the city for 2324. It was reported and submitted to HUD in September. In an effort to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing, these funds were used to rehabilitate units, address public housing, and help the homeless. The CAPER showed that we spent $1,200,000 of CDBG funds. Our grant was 1.3.

Public service expenditures were 133,000. Home improvement program assisted 10 housing units with 14 loans and grants, four of them being for lead based paint reduction for a total of almost $300,000. A 154 homeless clients were assisted through Pathways of Hope and Mercy House. 24 low income seniors living in mobile homes were provided tenant based rental assistance. These were all with CDBG and home funds.

An overview of the home program. It was started in 1990. The city receives an allocation, like I said, of approximately 550,000 a year. City uses it for tenant based rental assistance. We are looking and using some of it for housing rehab now. Only 10% of that allocation can be used for administration. 15% needs to go to a CHOTO. It's a community housing development organization. We don't really have many of them anymore. I don't know that there are out there.

There are developers who meet a number of qualifications, and we also can use it for affordable housing development. Overview of CDBG funds. This was brought into play in 1974. Fullerton has been a recipient of these funds since the beginning of the program. The purpose of CDBG is to develop viable urban communities by providing, again, decent housing, suitable living environment, and economic development opportunities.

Local governments are giving a lot given a lot of flexibility with CDBG. As the committee knows, it can be used in a number of different ways. Where home funds we looked at, it was housing only. CDBG, we can provide funds to nonprofit agencies to do rehab, to do economic development. So it really has a lot of flexibility with this program.

Fullerton is an entitlement city, which means we receive funds directly from the federal government. HUD regulations state that public service activities cannot exceed 15% of the annual allocation, which is approximately 200,000, and administration cannot exceed 20%.

I'll be speaking about, the CDBG and coronavirus. And even before the pandemic, California faced a shortfall of over a million homes, affordable homes to those struggling the most. A 150,000 people experience homelessness on any given night, and more than three out of the four extremely low income households paid more than 50% of the of their income on rent. In response to the economic impact of COVID nineteen, president Trump signed the CARES Act providing funding to be used to prepare, prevent, and respond to business and service disruptions. This also included forgivable loans for small businesses.

As part of this initiative, Fullerton received, a little over $2,000,000. Next. At the beginning of COVID nineteen pandemic, social quarantine caused people to flock to food centers leading to shortages of food products as we know. The pandemic rapidly exacerbated food security and insecurity within the community, particularly impacting nonprofits providing those essential services. Gaps in assistance for the most vulnerable populations, including seniors, low to moderate income families, renters, and individuals experiencing homelessness quickly widened.

So in response, the city took a strategic approach by funding activities rather than specific entities, ensuring resources, reaching out to those who needed it, most. Notably, the city launched a free Feed Fullerton program, which provided restaurant prepared meals to families facing food insecurity. Beyond meal programs, the city established an emergency rental assistance program, assisting over a 130 residents with up to a thousand dollars in rental support. In its efforts to provide adequate support for people experiencing homelessness, the city allocated nearly 450,000,000 to the Illumination Foundation in support of the navigation center. Next slide.

CV funds were utilized to rehabilitate Project Hope, transforming it into Hope Center. The building is a central command center for case workers, health and outreach providers, and homeless liaison officers with an emphasis on services to homeless people in the North Spall region. Additionally, funds were allocated to provide economic relief to small and micro enterprise businesses impacted by the pandemic. As part of this effort, 10 businesses received forgivable loans helping to mitigate the financial challenges they faced. Next slide.

Approximately 69,000 of those funds remain. Given that four years have passed since the initial disbursement, that would be a challenge, right? Eligible uses of these funds were directed at businesses who were unable to expand their business, unable to retain employees, and demonstrated lost revenue caused by the pandemic could qualify for assistance. HUD acknowledged that identifying small businesses impacted by COVID nineteen at this stage may be challenging for us. Having said that, remaining funds could support small capital improvement projects aimed at implementing safety first measures within existing businesses.

Next slide. The next slide is on the home, American Rescue Plan. In March 2021, president Biden signed the American Rescue Plan. On the local level, federal money flooded county coffers to provide emergency housing vouchers and rental relief aid for those who are on the verge of homelessness and for housing. Fullerton was awarded 1,900,000.0.

Next slide. Qualifying populations that benefited were those who were homeless, fleeing domestic violence, at risk of homelessness, and other categories that included transitional age youth, seniors, and veterans. To accurately identify the unmet needs of the four qualifying populations in Fullerton, Data from the county housing authority, the point in time and shelter count, community surveys and public hearings were conducted to better gauge the need of the communities. The city will follow application process for eligible activities. Applications will be solicited for funding and or selecting service providers, sub recipients or contractors through a request for proposal.

After the deadline for the RFP, the housing division shall review the proposals to determine the minimum program and RFP requirements are met. The home ARP fund is bifurcated into 550,000 for tenant based rental assistance and 1,200,000.0 in supportive services. There's a 15% admin allocation for admin and planning. Next page. The housing team has engaged with numerous organizations both within and outside of Fullerton, including developers, colleges, and other municipalities.

These efforts aim to better understand how to best utilize the funding to serve qualified populations and eligible activities in relation to the needs of our community. Through our, unmet needs and gaps in services for people who are homeless, there's a high need for affordable rental housing, permanent supportive housing, and wraparound, supportive services. We've had preliminary discussions with county officials regarding the HomeKey program. As many of you know, Prop one was a critical step that passed last year that provides $6,400,000,000 in bond funding to develop and expand behavioral health treatments, residential care settings, and permanent supportive housing. Homekey will emphasize the rehabilitation of existing buildings that can be quickly converted or constructed for permanent supportive housing generally within twelve months of award.

The deadline to utilize these home ARP funds is September 2030.

Yeah.

That concludes our presentation.

I have a question for ARPA and CARES Act. So if the CARES Act has 69,000 and if we can spend ARPA money, which is 550,000, are we doing that annually or is it gonna be

Yeah. So that's what we have present. Right? And certainly, those are bifurcated. We haven't touched the ARPA funds. Those we have till 2030. I think our immediate concern now, and it's not a concern, but it's just an awareness, is those ARP, those CARE Act funds, right, that are $69,000. Given that these funds were dispersed four years ago, how do we best utilize that that amount? And as I mentioned, you know, other cities are returning funds back to HUD. You never wanna return money that, you know, that are allocated certainly, but we also wanna best utilize those funds.

Can you clarify what safety first measures would be for those small businesses? Safety first?

Yeah. That's a great question. There's much discussion with HUD recently about how to utilize those monies given, as I mentioned, four years have passed. Safety first measures, as explained to me, were measures that would provide, for example, touchless faucets in the bathroom, better, you know, touchless air pressurized, you know, for bathrooms in place of towels. I'm sorry? There you go. Hand dryers. Yeah. That there you go. Yeah.

Things like that. Those are what other cities have been utilizing those type of funds. So the or or maybe a better circulation within in that business. Those

Can they not be used for our parks? It has to be a business? Or the city hall building or the library? Maybe we can ask HUD.

Yeah. We that's that's a great question. Yeah. These were originally for businesses that were impacted, but, you know, we could look into that. Thank

you. I just have a couple of questions. On the homeless housing, those funds, I think you said 6 point what was it? $6,800,000,000 or $6,200,000,000

Yeah.

The CARES Act. No, I'm sorry. The Prop one was 6,400,000,000.0 bond billion dollar bond.

So on that bond, has the has the state said, okay. Each city you're allocated, you need to do so much based on whatever algorithm they come up with?

No. They have a mandated city. Certainly, the this is this is money that through grants that we would apply for or through other organizations and work with those to for example, the project room key. Right? That's something that the county officials would work with a developer, and then the city would come in perhaps to provide services, right, using that using those funds.

The city provide what type of services?

Supportive services. For example, if it's project room key, we would provide supportive services for the nonprofit who would operate that

Okay. Supportive when you say supportive services, I know what this gets into. Did health care agency and social services for about four years. And so

It's so

that getting those terminology. I know what you mean, but this, you know, people out there on the Ethernet here, they might be calling supportive services. We're going to be doing medical no, we're just supportive services to the contractors that are providing the actual key. Appreciate The modalities of treatment. So and my thing with your requirement numbers, because Fullerton is pretty robust out of most North Orange County cities. I mean, Lobb has ZIP. I mean, they've got a few things, but nothing that compares to what Fullerton does. We have the transitional center. We have the up there by the airport. So we are doing a lot in North County.

And so my concern is that other cities will rely on us to pick up that ball and do it, and these funds are available. So is there anything going on through SCAG or League of Cities where they're saying, hey, we should all kind of do something to kind of take care of this problem rather than have it it spread out through many cities in Orange County rather than one or two or three cities, Santa Ana, Fullerton, and couple others suddenly take on the brunt of all the building and doing all this.

Yeah. Well, a couple of things is that those cities can apply. They could use their monies however they wanna use FIT. Right? That's fine. And and we're doing the same thing. Now there is collaboration across the North Spawn. I think that's what you're highlighting. And perhaps you're saying that Fullerton does a little bit more than other cities. I I don't find that that may be correct. Right? But certainly and

I I know you're in a position you're trying to balance.

Well, I I will I will say this that Fullerton has taken a very proactive approach to homelessness and housing. Right? And you're seeing that in some of the things that we've discussed.

And that's not a that's not a bad thing. The thing is that when you build it, they will come. Right. And so there are secondary and tertiary effects that do happen as these folks come through our city or start migrating to the city. Then more services start having to you have more contact with law enforcement, more in contact with neighbors and folks. So I believe we should be doing things. I voted for the Illumination Foundation down there by the airport. So I believe in that stuff. It's just I think it should be spread out and each city should be doing something, not just saying, well, let's just put it all and everyone pushes for over here because everyone wants to do that. I know I was from Lahore.

They loved when Fullerton did all this stuff. Buena Park loved it when Lahore did it and every or when Fullerton did it and everybody else. So they're like, yeah, we support you. So, you know, spreading that out, I think, is key. That's probably more a policy decision, those couple levels up at the plan the city council. But I just wanted to get that out there. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

So logistically, our city council will decide what they want or is this committee gonna give them recommendations for the state bond money?

No. Definitely. This committee will definitely give recommendations and guidance.

Okay. I'll start thinking. Thank you.

Are there any more comments to be made?

Madam chair, if you could open the public comment period.

We're open for a public comment.

Good evening again. So wonderful presentation from our wonderful staff. Good questions from you all. I love the direction of your thinking in the review of just what this community committee commission, can do, and they wanted to offer that for the home ARP funding. It is one of the best tools in our toolkit when we're partnering with other public agencies and other, you know, third party or, private partners, what have you.

So thinking about this in terms of a public private partnership tool can help strengthen the city's, application for funding or that nonprofit application for multiple funders and get a project across the finish line for whatever, whatever it may be. And I want us to think about a forward thinking approach in which because prop one funding is now being implemented and the Orange County Health Care Agency Behavioral Health Services, Act department is is initiating their yearlong behavioral health services act planning process, a committee, and there's a there's various committees in that. And I've applied to be the co chair of one of those at the housing committee in particular for that behavioral health services act funding. We can use this strategically as a partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency. Maybe we can use this as an opportunity, to partner with, the other housing and health care nexus type of providers.

Right? I'm getting in the weeds. I'm getting way heady. But what I foresee here is that, you know, we think about this home, ARP funding that we have available stored in the reserve funds and try to partner even further with some of the key, stakeholders and applicants that you'll see in the next item. I'm thinking about CalOptima.

I'm thinking about Orange County Healthcare Agency, but I'm also thinking about the nonprofit providers that, will run those programs to help coalesce the various programs and coordinate the various agencies because this is full time work that involves visionary, strategic thinking, and just full 100% commitment towards a mission. So I offer this because it's a little bit nuanced, and it's gonna, you know, it's gonna get away from people because it's not like a black and white issue. But keep in mind, like, when we're fighting for and competing for funding for our city to bring home the dollars and we're trying to think years ahead in advance, These kind of public private partnerships or public public partnerships make or break the applications in the scoring. You know, when HUD is looking at the various things and with their scoring criteria and when the city looks at our various, nonprofit applicants in in our scoring, eligibility and scoring criteria. So I'll wrap up because I've already gone over.

This is the time to think about fundamental shifts and how we look at this funding. And to commissioner Cox's point, you're right. South County needs to pick up the slack. Where what are they doing? Where are they?

Thank you. Thank you, mister Castaneda.

Good evening, chair and committee members. My name is Curtis Gamble, activist for the homeless, the veterans, the OCTA bus drivers, the Cal State Fullerton students, the seniors, and the low income community. I just wanna say that, I think that the that it's great that we're here again this year to provide funding, on behalf of the, especially the homeless and the low income, community. I like what I was hearing as far as funding. I I I agree.

But I also want to share just a couple of things. I just wrote it down, but I'll share. We should form more partnerships with with the different other organizations because when we come here, I know our funding is somewhere around $2,000,000, but we have way more need than that. So in forming partnerships, I think we can we can get to where we want to be. For example, the commission I'll just read what I have right here.

The number one, the commission to end homeless homelessness and the OC board of supervisors, has just approved tiny homes, which they call small scale homes. These two, they meet quite often and talk about, the housing, and we need to be there at those different meetings so that we can get funding from them also. And then I wrote down, the Hunt Library should, should be used by Elimination Foundation for the homeless and and for the homeless and the dog park. The the forming partnerships for example, you may say, what what does it have to do with anything? But the dog park, they want to be there where they are, down there at the Hunt Library.

The homeless, we are kinda crowded at the navigation center. We could use some extra space for the elderly, seniors, and everyone to be able to get out to be in a park and get fresh air. It's just a long story. But, again, let me go back to OCTA. OCTA, we should be using their buses.

They're at the Illumination Foundation because they come right by, and OCTA is a great partner to help because housing and everything, that's what they do. The drivers work. They make their money, and we buy houses. And they are great partners. Doug Shaffey is on the board, the board of supervisors, the board of the OCTA board of directors. Then our mayor Young, he's on the board. So we are going to be a OCTA type of funding thing as the future come. Thank you very much.

Thank you, mister Gamble.

Are

there any Zoom callers?

We have one speaker or one hand raised. Call in user two, please unmute.

Good evening again, everyone. Maureen Milton. What I was curious about is how the funding that we are going to get, has it increased in the past years, or has it decreased a little bit each time? For the funding that we're going to get now, there is a possibility, a big question mark on the funding if we get it or not. But in the past, has it increased or decreased every year?

And as I say, if, I hope that there's an increase this year, but there is that great big question mark. So, like all of us, we're keeping our fingers crossed. And I thank you so very much for allowing me to speak. Bye.

Thank you, miss Milton. Are there any more Zoom callers?

No more speakers.

Okay. So close to public hearing. Your comments are close to public hearing. And we'll circle back to item number four to review the twenty twenty five to twenty twenty six nonprofit applications.

Okay. We're gonna talk a bit a little bit about community development block grant funding, and then I will give you the list of applicants. Again, you know the objectives. It's helping low MOT clientele, activities directly benefiting, preventing, or eliminating blight, or meet other emergency activities such as if there was a flood or earthquake funds could be directed in that area. Public service programs will benefit low and moderate income residents.

We have a list of presumed groups, so those that are abused children, programs for battered spouses, elderly persons, adults meeting the Census Bureau's population of disabled, homeless persons, illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, and migrant farm workers. These presumed groups do not have to show verification of income. They will do a self certification. Those that do have to follow income documentation guidelines, and you'll see some of them in your packet, will have to submit that. Each individual receiving assistance would have to provide that to the agency.

This is a chart of the current income guidelines published 04/01/2024. You can see a family of four, would be under 30% of the median income is $47,350. 50% of the median income is 78,980 percent would be a $126,250. And this chart does increase every year. This is the CDBG area map.

We did get new areas identified this year. We do have our engineering department working on providing a new map for us. This was as of 2020, the one you're looking at. Hopefully, at the next meeting, we'll have the new updated map. Eligible activities.

Like I said, there are it's a lot of flexibility, acquisition, public facilities, and improvements such as streets, sidewalks, parks, ADA citywide plan, homeownership assistance, rehabilitation and preservation, economic development, planning, program administration. Planning does fall under administration. Fair housing services, which we need to provide, and public services, again, limited to 15% of the allocation. Ineligible specific examples, no construction or work on the building you're in right now. No government buildings can receive CDBG funds.

No purchase of equipment or furnishings, personal property because it's too hard to track that once it's purchased with CDBG funds. No new housing construction, no operating and maintenance cost, and no income payments. So we could not do regular assistance for rent. That would be home funds that we did that with program with before. Public services.

There are a number of public services that we can assist. This this committee has approved many of these programs. Senior services, homeless programs, homeless prevention services are among among the top ones. We currently do not know what our funding will be. So while we go through this process, we're going to assume that it is the same as last year.

The last the last allocation was an increase to the previous year. However, our home funds decreased. So going by last year's numbers, $1,400,000. On public service maximum, 211,000. Administration, 281,000.

14 applications were received this year from outside agencies, equaling $523,000, almost 524. One was for fair housing, one for economic development, 12 for public services. City applications will be reviewed by this committee on March 11. At this point, I am going to get off the share. And then in your in your binders okay.

In your binders, the first page you have is a list of all of the applicants. It shows who applied in 2024 and what was awarded by final award by council. It shows the agencies that also requested funding this year. So I'm gonna go down the list. If you have questions, go ahead and stop me as I'm going down.

It'll be easier, I think, than waiting till the end. So the first one is the Boys and Girls Club. They have been funded for several years. They are asking for $50,000 to continue their after school program. They propose to assist approximately 250 youth, and they provide services at four locations throughout the city.

Their total budget for this program is $375,000. CARE or Fullerton City Lights services on-site direct services program is asking for $43,000. This is continuing services at Fullerton City Lights. They have a 134 units. The staff is standing strongly behind this application.

The utenants there have it has changed over the years. A lot of them have just come out of homelessness homelessness or are very low income. They need some have mental problems. So there really helps to have this under control. It helps reduce police calls and services that city would have to provide if they did not have the services there. Their total budget is a $150,000 for their program.

Linda, I have a question about them. Sure. I know the the city council increased their allocation from what the committee recommended, but are their operations in order or do they cross their t's and dot their i's, like, when you guys have gone to audit? Is that current?

I'm gonna ask Naomi to speak to that because she does our monitoring.

Hi. Hi. Yes. So they do get monitored, and they are very self sufficient and provide a lot of services to to the tenants there.

Because I know the services are great, but the manpower, I don't think was enough or maybe

No. So what the problem was is that they were going to pull care housing from the facility or from the apartment complex due to funding issues. So that is the reason why they needed more. The case worker that is there does more than she is supposed to and wasn't getting paid enough. So she that's why they requested more funding so they could pay for her for her salary.

Okay. Because I I just think nonprofits and corporations should be paying and staffing it properly and not putting it on the city. I think it's their business plan and their staffing decisions that need to be a little bit stronger. But okay, thanks for the update.

K. The next application is from Community Senior Serve Meals on Wheels Orange County. They, actually have two applications. One is for home delivered meals program. They have taken over the operations from Fullerton Meals on Wheels who is now strictly volunteer.

So this is their first request for this program. They propose to assist 35 Fullerton residents, and their second program is the continuation of the lunch cafe program over at the community senior center, assisting 280 individuals, providing meals, and socialization for seniors. Art Community Homes, Monkey Business Workforce is asking for $45,000 to continue their program assisting 15 workers to be trained. This program is currently under review by the city. We have not released any of their funds this year.

In getting their quarterly reviews, we are seeing that the trainees are on there for approximately nine months, possibly longer, to learn services, in operating positions at a restaurant, to be a dishwasher, to be a hostess. At Six Seeds, what our expectations are, we have asked them to put a plan together and submit it to staff for review. His OC did not apply this year, and they did not follow through last year. So that funding will come back to the committee. Lutheran Social Services missed the deadline this year.

Unfortunately, they could not put in an application, but they will be back next year. High Hopes Counseling Empower and Recharge Your Battery is asking for $10,000. This is the first time this applicant has come to us. They provide nine week counseling programs stating they will assist 60 residents. Mercy House Bridges at Kramer Place is asking for $15,000.

Although they are located in Anaheim, they assist approximately 100 Fullerton clients. And they have oh, I think they corrected it. I was going to say they have some corrections, but now they already corrected it. OC United Together love Fullerton. This program, this is the second time they've asked for funding.

They proposed to assist 300 clients. I have spoken to HUD regarding their program as they provide cleanup such as hoarding and cleanup cleaning up properties, and they also do rehab of homes using volunteers. The way they submitted program, it really doesn't meet HUD guidelines. They are either cleaning up, which is a public service, or they are doing work to the structure, which would be a rehab program. So we will ask them to review and resubmit a rehab application if that's what they want or public service taking out the rehab.

The problem is the staff person that handles this handles all programs. K. Pathways of Hope Community Based Service Program is formerly the regional homeless services coordinator, so it's the same program with a different name. They are asking for $67,874, continuation of the homeless service program. Proposing to assist 210 persons and 60 households.

Their total budget is $204,000. Recovery Road. Recovery Road CDBG Fullerton grant. The program sounds very similar to the one that they submitted last year, which was Recovery Road Food Pantry Project. This is their second year requesting funding.

Last year, the committee did not approve them. In addition to the food program, the program offers other resources. Stand Up for Kids, Roadmap to Success youth mentoring. This is a different program that than they applied for last year, which was homeless journey to self sufficiency. The program last year assisted clients ages 18 to 24.

This year, their program is targeted at the homeless population ages 12 to 24. They said that they identify homeless on the streets. I checked with the HOPE Center, and our homeless liaison is not aware of this program. The YMCA of Orange County or the Maple neighborhood YMCA Youth achievers is asking for $20,000 continuation of the after school program at the Maple Center. 25 youth will be provided services.

And then go down until you find economic development at the bottom of your page. We have a application from Upwards doing the boost program. They are asking for a $104,000 under an economic development project. They are a for profit agency. They will provide coaching services to home based day care providers with business and financial training.

Services proposed to assist 17 caregivers during the year, either create or retain positions. The agency is proposing that they asked for 51% of their clients to be low mod. The city asked if they were funded. It would have to be 100% of their clients being low mod, and they agreed. The agency this is the first time the agency has asked for CDBG funds.

And your last application is the Fair Housing Foundation, Fair Housing Services asking for $20,000, which, again, we must do. We must provide fair housing services, and it is more efficient for the city to contract with an agency that already has staff than to hire attorneys and all of the staff the city would need to provide this service. And those are all of your current applications.

Linda, I have a question. The for profit agency would coach home based child care providers. Is that economic development, meaning they're training them on the job? Or what Yes. What does HUD approve?

They could either retain positions. I guess they found that some of the day care providers do not know how to handle the business side of it, the finances, so they would be providing those services. So they would either retain positions or help new providers learn all of the basics and start a new program.

Thank you.

Chair, if I may? Yes. Thank you. Quick question on that page two under other eligible activities. Community and Economic Development Special Code Enforcement, can you kind of give me some idea what are they even asking for anything Oh. And what is that?

Special code enforcement is a city, and it's an internal provider. So those applications will come to you on March 11. Okay. And code enforcement actually will work in the block group areas that are eligible for CDBG funds.

Okay. And then Union Pacific Park improvements.

That was last year's project. I know that parks will not be asking for a new project this year, but we are getting a street request. They would grant them a

meeting street request, but this I just saw the parks. I wasn't sure

Yeah.

You know,

if they were asking or I know it's blank there, but I just wanted to make sure

on this. To the park. Upgrades to the park, they will be doing that project this summer. David Grantham will be here making presentation for his from our engineering department, and he'll make the presentation and give you update and all of the.

For that, is that the 355?

No. Last year, they were approved. This year, they did not ask for money.

Okay. Alright. Mhmm. Thank you.

Thank you for the presentation. Staff committee communication. Community excuse me. Community development's citizens committee members may ask a question for clarification, make a brief announcement, make a brief report on activities, request a report from staff at subsequent meeting, or take action to direct staff to place a business item on a future agenda.

I guess I'll start off with guess I'll start off with a staff question if I may. Sure. Oh gosh, my brain, I've got too many things going on I'm thinking about. Gosh, I'm going go back to my notes here. The problem with being old.

Go ahead. I've got to go back to my notes.

Okay. So I have three main questions for staff. I think it's been two years since I've had the Ethics and Brown Act training. So do we have a date on that? Is there gonna be something in March or April? For people who serve on committees and commissions, the city will host a Brown Act training and an ethics training. Is that in

the works?

The city clerk handles that, so we would need to check with her.

Okay. And then the other thing I wanted to mention is or ask Linda and Daniel. The funds that were already allocated by the last congress that are still being spent March all the way to June, I know we have the temporary rental assistance program for seniors that are disabled. Are we gonna be able to pay their rent or are we gonna have face residents that are gonna be evicted potentially?

We aren't sure at this point what we did when we heard about the freeze. This two weeks ago, we had our finance department draw down all of our back pay from HUD as much as we could to date. We are continuing with the tenant based rental assistance program, and we'll be drawing down monthly.

Okay. So they haven't been notified? They're not in in At

this point, we have not notified them until we have concrete.

Concrete info. Okay. And then I wanna encourage whoever's watching and whoever's at the meeting and whoever watches this in the future to please contact congress. There's a switchboard. The number is (202) 224-3121.

You can call your House of Representatives. Mine is Derek Tran. And you can call your two senators, which are Alex Padilla for California and Adam Schiff for California. And we can ask them to advocate for us for cities to get their CDBG money and their HUD money and their transportation money and their Department of Health money, all the federal money we need to be getting. And as far as the city of Fullerton, if this committee and the housing development department, if I would really encourage you to consider using our PR lobby firm to push back on the little chaos that's happening.

And if that's not working, maybe simultaneously consider joining other cities if there is a lawsuit just in case this gets a little hairier and negative. And so those are my comments. Thank you.

I remember now, chair. So money any any money frozen still because of our high odds? That was the big thing with the Planning Commission we had. Funds are being held up, and so we passed a lot of stuff for the HIAS and moved it on. So I know council moved their portion on, but yet I wasn't sure if CMD had done their review and if they were because I know we had got held up on some funds as well through that.

Yeah. Pertaining to this to our department, no. No. But, yeah, I I think that's still it there's still review.

It's reviewing it. Yeah. As long as it's not affecting what we're doing No. We're good. Okay. Great. Just wanna make sure, anyone, there's no crossover here. But thank you very much. Chair, I yield back.

More questions? So the agenda forecast, the next meeting will be on 02/25/2025. That's 02/25/2025, where the where we will hear the c DBG nonprofit presentations. We are adjourned to the next regularly scheduled meet scheduled community development citizens committee meeting at 06:30PM in the Council Chamber at 303 West Commonwealth Avenue here in Fullerton, California. I adjourn the meeting at 07:55PM.