Community Development Citizens' Committee - Regular Meeting

Alright. Good evening. I am calling in order the meeting for the Community Development Citizens Committee at 06:34PM. Roll call, please, staff.

Chair Hanzo.

Present.

Vice chair Casaneda.

Present.

Committee member Blay.

Present.

Committee member Cox.

Did you say Kim? Committee member Cox,

are you present?

I think I'm present. I said present.

Committee member Kim?

Present.

Thank you.

Thank you for the roll call. We're gonna do the pledge of allegiance. For the community development citizens committee, we're gonna open up public comments. We will hear public comments on matters not appearing on tonight's agenda or consent items. Speakers will be limited to three minutes.

Staff, please call first person to the microphone who turned in their speaker card or anyone on Zoom who's raised their hand.

Sorry. We're gonna do the oath of office first, and then we'll go to public comments.

Okay. So we're gonna pivot to the oath of office on our agenda.

That way your new committee member is up here officially listening to public comment. And so just as a member of the public. So welcome back. Good to see you. I didn't well, I don't need to introduce myself to you, but I'm Lucinda Williams, the city clerk still. You've done this before, I believe, committee member. But if you would raise your right hand and repeat after me. You can stand if you want to. You can sit if you want to. They sat this morning. We're not that formal. So I state your name. I, Gretchen Cox. Do solemnly swear Do solemnly swear. That I will support and defend

That I will support

and defend The constitution of The United States

The constitution of The United States

And the constitution of the state of California

And the constitution of the state of California

Against all enemies foreign and domestic.

Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

That I will bear true faith and allegiance I will bear true faith and allegiance To the constitution of The United States

To the constitution of The United States

And the constitution of the state of California.

And the constitution of the state of California.

That I take this obligation freely

I take this ob obligation freely.

Without any mental reservation Without any mental reservations. Or purpose of evasion Or purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully And that I will well and faithfully Discharge the duties. Discharge the duties. Upon which I'm about to enter

Upon which I am about to enter.

Always wish I have a little sign to say, hang on. We're almost there. Yeah. But that was it. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, Lucinda. Congratulations, member Cox.

Thank you.

So at 06:38, I'm gonna open public comments. If there are no speakers, let me know.

There are no speakers online.

Okay. I am closing public comment within thirty seconds at 06:38. We're gonna move on to staff member, staff communications, and reports. It is time for committee communications. Do any of the committee members or staff have anything that they want to share at this time?

Okay. I am going to report my activity, and I wanted to address, there's a law in California called Housing Accountability Act, and it's on my mind because it is a hot topic right now in the city of Fullerton. The state has to force construction to meet housing needs, and in 2024, Fullerton was one of the several cities to get called out. The state housing and community development department c HCD is gonna take over these approvals if our city council continues to sit on this mandate. Unfortunately, at this month's city council meeting, there was a vote taken three to two, which was a no vote.

I find that very unproductive, so I'm encouraging residents to please contact their city council members. I am concern concerned because violating these state housing laws are going to get us into trouble. Our goal should be to increase affordable housing in Fullerton. Local workers would be able to live where they work. I want teachers, social workers, firefighters, nurses, and others to stay long term in their jobs and not be priced out of Fullerton.

Residents are encouraged to tune in. We should all read local news and watch or attend council meetings, then reach out to your city representatives and the city manager. Financial problems are also a hot topic right now. I'm still looking into that. Families and residents will have a tough few years ahead, so it is important to have city revenue for the city to apply for grants wisely and to have more residents attend or watch decision making meetings.

I do wanna take the housing department. I wanna thank the housing manager, the director, analyst for their hard work. You did give sound advice to counsel, and you provided facts and good research. So I do appreciate city hall staff. The second thing I wanted to mention is this flyer. Council member doctor Chana Charles is putting on a food and security forum. It's called a food and security forum. Oh, I don't know this address. This might be the community center, 34340 West Commonwealth Avenue, Classroom B on May 18. There's gonna be discussion, resources, and, more partnership with, Pathways of Hope.

So it's a forum for the community called Food Insecurity. Thank you. That's my report. Any other reports? Okay. I'm gonna move on to the consent calendar. We're gonna look at the March 10 minutes from that meeting. These are the minutes from the last CDCC meeting. Do I have a motion and a second to approve consent this consent item?

So moved.

Second by member Castaneda. I'm sorry. Moved by Castaneda. Do I have a second?

I second.

Member Blay second passes. Now we're gonna move on to regular business, and we're gonna go to item three on that, staff updates, presentation. There's gonna be a PowerPoint presentation on the community development needs survey results, so we're gonna get results. This is something that we report to the federal agency called HUD, Housing and Urban Development. So I do you present first, and then we do public speaking?

That's right.

Okay. Thank you.

Okay. Good evening, chair, CDC members. Tonight, we'll be presenting, the results of the community development needs survey conducted as part of the annual action, process. This survey is important component of HUD's, citizen participation requirement and helps the city gather public input regarding housing, community development, public works, and infrastructure needs throughout Fullerton. To maximize participation and accountability, the survey was made available regarding through several methods.

The survey was posted online through city website and hard copies were distributed throughout the community including the Fullerton Library, City Hall lobby, and the senior center. Flyers with QR codes were also posted in public areas to encourage participation and improve accessibility for all. Survey categories. This survey covered a broad range of community development and housing related topics to better understand residents' priorities. Areas included, community services and neighborhood needs, public, facilities, infrastructure improvements, affordable housing needs, rental assistance, homeless needs, and, economic development opportunities.

By including a wide range of, concerns and categories, the city was able to identify both, immediate, communities, interest and and provide long term priorities that may guide future funding recommendations. The survey results identified several high priority needs categorized as tier one priorities. The strongest concern expressed by residents and and or rather respondents included street and infrastructure improvements, mental health services, emergency shelters, rental assistance, job and life skill programs, and food security programs. These results, indicate that residents continue to prioritize basic infrastructure improvement, while also expressing significant concerns regarding housing instability, homelessness, and access to supportive services. Tier two priorities also included child care services, youth centers, and parks as well as disability services as well.

These responses reflected the community's interest in improving quality of life services and enhanced support systems for families, youth, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Tier three priorities, included economic development programs, historic preservation, and commercial infrastructure improvements. Although these items were ranked lower overall, they still represent an important, long term community development, considerations that continue and contribute to neighborhood, vitality. So some of the key things that we've identified, our first infrastructure remains a major compute community concern as we all know with street improvements receiving the highest overall score in the survey. Second, there's significant, demand for mental health and supportive services which appeared repeatedly across multiple categories.

Thirdly, housing and security, continues to be a major issue with high rankings for emergency shelters, rental assistance, housing programs, and supportive services. And finally, the survey highlighted the ongoing ongoing importance of basic needs support which includes, rental services, disability services, and childcare support as well. Overall, the survey results just reinforce many of the community community development challenges and concerns that are facing our community. And that concludes our presentation. I just wanna thank all of you for your continued participation in getting this survey out to the public and supporting our staff.

If you have any questions, I'm here to answer any of them.

Thank you. Do any member have a question or comment?

Yeah. Just a quick question. I know I might have missed it if you said it. How many responses did you get? What does this survey represent?

Yeah, great question. Typically surveys are really hard to get a lot of folks to respond. I often feel that during the time that we did post this, there were other multiple surveys being conducted in the city. So a lot of folks gets survey fatigue. Right? We we received less than 50 respondents. But I think that the themes really illustrate kind of what we know already. Right? Public infrastructure, housing, mental health services, those are really key findings that not only the survey exposed, but other surveys in the city as well. So but that's a great question. Thank you for asking.

It feels like to me that the mental health kinda went up on the priority from previous years. So

I I believe you're right. And that's that's some of the things that, that kind of in front of us today, right, in providing those supportive services. But those are some of the things that some of our frontline staff that work with the Hope Center that work out in the community, they see that as well. So you're right. Yeah.

Thank you for the presentation. Anyone else? Member Castaneda?

So for the number of survey respondents, what was the exact number?

It was 44.

Okay. I I don't think that's so bad. Last year was, what, 72?

It was 72.

Oh, yeah. So I think within that range, we're still getting the same themes and

Mhmm.

The strengthening of mental health need and services. Just for the food bank respondents, I'm curious if that was from if you were able to see which geographic area or any other demographic information that overlaid with their their priorities.

Yeah. That's that's great if we were able to to capture that that data point, but we were unable to.

Okay. That's okay. Just There's

always think about too. Yeah. That's that's also important. Like, what segments of the city are responding. Right? Mhmm. I think just one other thing that I wanna add. We're restructuring a little bit of how we work with the public going into the new fiscal year. One of the things that we plan on doing is having in person community needs evening where we open up to the community preferably probably at the senior center across the street and just to get just a better feel and and just get some immediate feedback from from those. So that's one of the things that that we'll we'll plan on doing.

Awesome.

Thank you. Mhmm.

In in in one minute. So we're gonna have on our agenda the community development block grant and home funding agenda report, and we're also gonna have the CDBG fiscal year twenty twenty six, twenty seven funding recommendations. So right now, I'm gonna open up public comment. We will begin our public hearing on the matters related to CDBG and Home Grant. Speakers will be limited to three minutes. Staff, please call first person to the microphone. Does she need to turn in a speaker card?

No. She does not.

Okay. And then if you can check Zoom. So speakers, come forward. Jessica.

Yes. Go ahead. KJ, go ahead and come up. You have three minutes. And then we do have one on Zoom after KJ. Okay?

I just wanna add to that survey I received. Just keep in mind even though there are 44 people, I was I was thinking, like, reflecting our community as a whole. So even though there are 44 people probably responded, to me, I really, was mindful of our entire community. So even the 44, I'm sure it's a lot more of people reflected in their survey. I just wanted to add to that.

Thank you, KJ. Melanie Forr, please unmute. You have three minutes to speak.

Thank you. Good evening, commissioners and community development team. I'm Melanie Floor with Upwards. I wanted to share a brief program update and address a question from the March meeting. So thanks to the city's continued support, the Boost team is working one on one with five urgent child care providers.

So these are in home, low to moderate income child care providers. We're offering coaching in marketing, enrollment, finances, our Boost curriculum, along with free access to our child care management system. We've already helped one provider hire a new teaching assistant, and we're on track to help over half of our providers increase revenue by at least 20% by the end of the quarter. This is notable because that's without raising tuition and all while improving the quality of care they're offering the families. So year two is an opportunity to go further.

We're requesting 80,000 in CDBG funding to support at least 10 providers, create three teaching assistant jobs, and expand access to care for around a 140 families. Because Boost is already established now in Fullerton, we can move faster and make a bigger impact much earlier in the program year and have it go much more smoothly for staff, I should say, as well. On the liability insurance question that came up in the March meeting, it is not required under California state law, but Boost strongly encourages that providers have obtained liability insurance. We send them options. We guide them through the process and offer help.

Providers who don't carry insurance must sign an exemption, notify families, and then the parents themselves sign the informed affidavit before enrolling. We haven't made it a requirement by design. So as I mentioned, boosters low to moderate income family child care providers who are in the most urgent need to support. And so we're cautious about adding any barriers that screen them out before we can help them. I should say any additional barriers outside of what HUD requires and state licensing laws require.

So increased revenue is a projected boost outcome that we not only hit but typically exceed. So as providers grow, affording insurance might or should become far more achievable. So if the commission wishes to make it a formal requirement, we are open to that conversation. We wanna be collaborative subrecipients, but we just wanna ensure that we're not inadvertently turning away the providers who need the most support. Finally, I just wanna add that sustainability is really at the core of the program.

So the idea is to teach a woman a fish. We equip providers with the training and tools to succeed long term, including ongoing free access to our child care management system. So if we do get awarded to support 10 providers this year, that means we may not even need to reapply to fund Boost next year, and we can instead focus on building new supply, which I can share more about that work we're doing in Orange County as well. And I finally just wanna add that through Boost, AirBee Fullerton family will have access to a dedicated care specialist to help them find care that fits their unique situation. We also distribute subsidy in Orange County so we can help families figure out very easily if they qualify for subsidized care as well.

So we thank you for your passive support, and I wanna, I'm happy to answer any additional questions. Thank you.

This is public comment. Thank you for your comment. I am going to close public comment at 06:55PM. We're gonna go on for the agenda report on community development block grant and the home funding. So I guess we're gonna receive and file this.

We will now start our deliberation over public service group. So we're gonna do the first half of the budget, which is public service activities. That is in our first Excel sheet where our committee members will see 10 different programs requesting funds. Staff will help us keep the totals going. So look at your screen so that we can see what the balance is. We should not go over the balance. We will now move on to the citywide applications. Okay. That would be the next part. So let's do the first part first.

We have, the award from the federal government from the housing and urban development is $1.4110857 dollars allocated to the city Fullerton. A certain percentage can be spent on the public services activities, and so that total this is the number we need to get to. So I know we have a new member, so, member Cox. The total that we're gonna add on the second column needs to add up to $211,628.55. That is the max.

And so I'm going to start with the question of do we want to are there any not, any applicants for public service activities that we want to fund at zero and or not provide funding To open up the discussion. Member Blee?

So I recommend that we do not fund heart HEART commune sorry, monkey business, the HEART community homes for failure to meet basic requirements, and I'm not able to provide documents and failed to turn in documents on time.

Okay. So let's have a discussion and then take a vote. Anyone have yes. Member Castaneda?

Oh, thank you, madam chair. I I was going to propose numbers, in hopes that all applicants would be funded, at least at the minimum award amount, which is $10,000 other, because it otherwise, anything less than $10,000 would be more more labor to distribute than it would to benefit. So I am yeah. So I I hope that's not an impasse.

I I So Yeah. Point, member Castaneda. Member Cox and all members, the minimum recommendation we're gonna do is 10,000. So it's worth the city staff's time and administration, and so that would be the minimum award. And you can see on the chart on the second the second row under award amount, it says minimum award is 10,000, so good to clarify that. How many of us so let's take a vote for not funding HEART. Member Blay? Oh, does Jessica, do you do that?

I'm gonna ask, the housing staff. Do you guys want them to do the allocations and then kind of work from there and then vote at the end, or do you wanna do a vote one per nonprofit?

Yeah. If I recall, that's what we did in the past. So continue to kind of, like, discuss each individual nonprofit. And at the very end, we'll determine, you know, in totality what we're funding. Right? So for example, commit heart. Right? One member indicated no funding. We go through each one to determine whether or not I I think that's one that's one option. Right? I think I I think, Cherry, you're well experienced in this as well and and what's best suited for for all of you as well.

Okay. Thank you. Yeah. I like knowing what the how much we have in the purse. So how do we feel about not funding HEART? I agree with zero for them. Member Castaneda?

Which is as a procedural

Do you have an amount or if you wanna do zero?

Since we can't take voice votes because that's like a formal vote, I think we can do thumbs up and thumbs down, right, for approval or disapproval without taking a formal vote.

We can have a conversation of of what we'd like. Member Kim?

Go ahead.

I also voted for no funding.

For no funding. Member Cox?

Sorry.

The same. I agree. Okay. Member Castaneda? Okay. So then let's just throw in zero for now for for them, and then let's go to the top. Your chart disappeared. Boys and Girls Club of Fullerton. So they're requesting 40,000. And if you wanna look at your if you wanna flip in your notebook or if you have a paper where you wrote your notes, we can go, down the list, Boys and Girls Club.

They're requesting 40,000, and let's just go down the the line and see how much you guys would like to recommend. MemberBlay, what's your number for Boys and Girls Club?

My number for Boys and Girls Club is 20,000.

Okay. Do you member Castaneda?

25,000.

I have 30,000. I have $33,010.55.

Okay. Member Cox?

30,000.

Okay. Let's just write 30,000 for now. Let's discuss pros and cons. Do you guys wanna provide, justification reasoning? Yes. So member Blay, go ahead with your comment. Boys and Girls Club.

I funded 20,000 because it's my understanding they forfeited court of four money for 2025, 2026. So, if if they're forfeiting money, then I figured

Not the 40. Right. Yeah. Not the whole

40. Yeah.

I agree. If they forfeited money in right now in the present quarter four, then, we also need them to be able to do their paperwork and things like that for the city to have documentation. Any other comments? Okay. So let's move on to Care Housing Corporation, and this is, they're requesting 40,000, and I would say we should, provide the 40,000. Anyone have a different number?

Yes. Member Cox? Do they does this group get outside funding? No. Care housing?

Staff, do you wanna give a brief overview of this grant writer?

Every single agency here is not able to run just on CDBG funding, they always get outside funding in addition to CDBG because it's such a small amount. So, yeah, every single one of those applicants do have outside sources of funding.

Okay. Thank you.

So, they're basically a building with 135 units, single room occupancy, and this money is to help with those and it would fulfill 102 residents to get help and they've been in compliance so it's a good thing. Any other comments from committee members?

Go ahead. Thank you. Just that 40,000, the requested amount is a very large portion of their total budget, which is $195,000 and we know what it what it covers in terms of its expenses directly. And I've just they've had an amazing track record, so I couldn't take couldn't think to take away any funding from this request.

Okay. Sounds good. So let's move on to, community serve Meals on Wheels home delivery program, and they're asking for 25,000. Last year, we gave them 15,000. So my number is 15,000. Anybody have a different number?

My number is 20000.

I have 23000.

I have 20,000.

20,000.

So let's put 20,000. Do we need any other discussion for that? I'm gonna they also have another application for the lunch cafe meals program, hot meals. They're gonna service 200 seniors, and they're asking for 25,000. Last year, they got 15,000, and this is at the Fullerton Community Center where they get a hot lunch for 60, 60 year olds and on. Anybody have a different number? I have 15.

I have 20,000 for

that. I had, 20,000 as well.

At 18? 20,000.

K. Let's put 20,000. And the next one is let me go to the right one. Cal State Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation. They are a new applicant.

This would be their first time with CDBG funds. They're asking for $32,978. And, member Cox, this would service a 154 residents, and it's called the Center for Healthy Neighborhoods at Richmond Park Community Center on Elm Avenue. So my number for them is 20,000. Do we have other numbers, member Blay?

I'm gonna say 20,000.

Member Castaneda?

I also I wrote 20,000 as well.

K. I have 25,000.

20,000. Let's put 20,000. Now we're at Hart Community Homes transitional housing support. They're asking for 40,000 to service 12 individuals. And last year, they did not apply, but they did apply in previous years.

And so I'm gonna rec recommend no funding, zero, because of history of noncompliance with the requirements that we need for HUD. Any other, if it someone has a number or if you have other justification? So I'm gonna go ahead and put zero. Did you want

Oh, yeah. I just have I have 10,000, but I'm still adjusting based on the newer, on the updated numbers. So I'm gonna hover at 10,000 until, we move on till the next couple of numbers. Yeah.

So everybody else has zero. Right? Okay. So four of us say zero. Let's put zero for now, and then when we look at the numbers

Just to confirm, is this for Heart Community Services?

Am I the wrong

Right. Right.

Okay.

Heart is one. Thank you. Heart Community Homes. Okay. High Hopes Counseling is the next one. They're asking for 12,100. They applied last year, but then they withdrew their application because they were not a charity or registered as a charity, last year. So this is a new application for us to consider. And let's start with 10,000. Anyone have another number? Tiffany? Member Blake?

I went with full funding of 12,100.

Okay. Member Castaneda?

I'm I'm good with either full funding or 10,000.

Okay. 10,000.

10,000.

Okay. Let's put 10,000. Then we have Mercy House. Mercy House is asking for $15,000 to service a 100 clients. This and they're shifting. In previous years, they've gotten funding, and they used to be called Bridges at Kramer, but now they've moved to the Buena Park navigation center. So this funding would service Fullerton residents. And let's see. Last year, they got $15,000. I'm recommending 12,000. Do we have other numbers? Member play?

I I recommended full funding of the 15 k for Mercy House.

Okay. Member Castaneda?

I'm fine with 10,000 or 15,000.

Okay.

Full funding at fifteen.

I'll defer to the rest of you and go with the full funding.

Okay. Let's put 15,000. So I can't see the total where we're at so far because we have the translation above it. So we're at a 155,000. Okay. Let's move on to Pathways of Hope. They have a program for staff community based services. They're asking for 65,920. Last year, they received 26,618. My number is 20,000. Member play?

I have the same number of 20,000.

Okay. Member Castaneda?

I'm going to wait until I can update my numbers on my my column here.

Member Kim?

I had a pretty high 52 k.

52? Member Cox?

I'm gonna say 40 on this one.

And just I guess just for reference, I had it at 56, but I'm I still need to adjust.

Okay. Let's put it okay. What were the numbers again? Sorry. We're gonna do this again. We gotta get the average.

I put down for 20 k, and I have reasons. But

Okay. Give your reasons. Yes. This is the timing.

Just because, I work in the school district, and I noticed that every single one of the schools fundraise us for Pathways of Hope and they, seem to get a lot of, fundraising from this from the city. That's like the main seems to be the main charity because that's the only one that, I noticed in the school district they fund for so that's why I put down 20,000. They seem to be well taken care of. I understand it's a charity or a nonprofit and they need money but that's my reasoning that I put down 20,000.

I have an updated number now.

Okay. So member Castaneda?

40 I 4,000, and just, it's not 56, but it's still, up there compared to with the, I guess, 20,000 just because I know that the dollars translate into direct services for, Fullerton residents specifically. It's it can't be used for residents that are outside of Fullerton looking for a a rapid rehousing or emergency, rehousing services. And because of that, it's just so geared towards Fullerton residents that I put it at 44.

Okay. So we got 44. Do you have

I had it pretty high at 52 initially just because, it's gonna even if with the donations, you need administrative support to coordinate all of this coming in and distribution, so to mainly fund it for the the human resources portion of

it. Member Cox, any comments? No. Okay. So I wrote, 20,000 because I'd like to give Solidarity 49,000. They're a new organization. Solidarity is gonna do mental health and wellness for youth. And so I don't wanna give them a small amount. They're asking for a 195,000, but so that's why I'm hoping to get 49 45,000 for solidarity, which is the next one. But Pathways of Hope, that's why I have 40.

But if we have what was your number again? 52. Do you wanna put 40,000? So that puts us over

a bit over.

So for oh, let's let's put pathways at 30,000 and see what the balance is there. Okay. So $2.11 minus

The balance is 26,628.

Let's go through the solidarity of what folks the numbers for solidarity. I'll put 45,000. Member Blay, what was your number? And sorry. Solidarity is the world mental health wellness program, and they're located in East Fullerton. And they combined with Hoya Scholars into solidarity, and they work out of, near Valencia and Maple Elementary School, the Garnett area of Fullerton. There's a Garnett's teen center and the Gardnett community center. And they're new, and they're gonna do mental health and wellness for youth. Okay. So Solidarity.

Member Blade, do you have a number? 26? Okay. Member Oh. Casaneda?

Yeah. Yeah. Can I have a quick question to staff?

Because we can try to change the numbers

Okay.

After we go through this. Yes. Yeah. Go ahead and ask that.

I just realized, what I have a number that's 209, but we have a grant amount that's 211.

So in our packet today well, the staff can answer. We got the letter from HUD

Oh, okay.

Wait. It was the total amount.

Okay. Thank you. I'm sorry about that. This is a old printout. In that case, I put $10,000, but that was just with my old numbers again. So, if anything higher, I would accept that.

Okay. Member Kim?

I had originally a ten k as a new organization as well, but since we do have the remaining balance, I'm okay to fund them the 26,000 remaining.

The 26 remaining. Member Cox? I

was thinking 20,000 on that.

So I was hoping to convince the committee if we can reduce pathways of hope so that we can give 10,000 more to solidarity if we can give them 36,000 and give Pathways of Hope 20,000? Anyone like that idea?

I I personally love that idea. I I have a loved one that, received services from them, and I know how important they are in this community. I just for what was the number that you just proposed? It was 30

So for Solidarity, 36,000 the remainder, 36,000, and Pathways of Hope, 20,000. Okay. Unless we remove funding from someone else.

I just have a procedural question if it's okay.

Go ahead.

What if we don't distribute the whole 211,000 and change right now? What happens to whatever balance is left over? Is it does it roll forward? Did we lose

it? We lose the money.

Sorry. Oh, we lose it. Okay. Thank you for clarifying that.

Yeah. I think we should spend all the Yeah. To eleven. Yeah. K.

I'll change you my number.

You'll change the number? Yeah. Okay. Can we put 36,228 for Solidarity and $20,000 for Pathways of Hope? Alright. I'll write all this down. So we're gonna look at these numbers. We got 30,000 for Boys and Girls Club, 40,000 for Care, 20,000 for home delivery, Meals on Wheels, community serve. 20,000 for their hot lunch. Cal State Fullerton Auxiliary Services, 20,000.

Zero for heart. High Hopes Counseling, 10,000. Mercy House, Buena Park Navigation Center, 20, 15,000. Pathways of Hope, 20,000. Solidarity, 36,000.

28 with 55¢. Think a photo is easier. Okay. Any further discussion? Are you guys ready to vote?

Oh, yeah. Just one more discussion point on this.

Go ahead.

What was last year's distribution to Pathways of Hope? Was it 20,000? Because I don't want it to go so low that it's just

such a Last huge year they got 26,000.

Okay. Can we just Can we get it closer to 25? Is that amenable to anyone?

Who do you propose we reduce?

Oh, from the solidarity. Solidarity. Yeah. It's just

I second that.

I just don't want it to be too big a fluctuation from year to year, because it's just a massive hurdle on the on the administration side. Yeah.

I prefer they don't because they get they got millions in COVID money and the county money. That would be my argument for not changing it. Any other comments?

Okay. The other comment would be, I know that for, Solidarity, I I personally requested for Bethany Anderson, the executive director, to apply for CDPG funding 2023, and I'm so happy that they applied. So I I want them to have money, and I'm glad that they've put so much in their requested amount. I'm just, Pathways of Hope has just been an institution here, and it's, like, it's how we I it's I know they feed, like, up to however many families in Valencia Park and

Well,

how how we

reduce it from both of, Meals on Wheels? Last year, they each got 15,000, and their numbers right now are 20,000 each. Oh, so, just Instead of cutting it from solidarity, how about cutting it from both contracts of community serve?

Solidarity, this is their first application. Right? So you haven't really seen if they could deliver. So awarding them such a large amount versus all these really track proven nonprofits, I'm not sure if this is something that I would feel

uncomfortable about. Okay. Any other comments?

I actually agree with committee member Kim.

So then you wanna reduce, solidarity 5,000?

Oh, yes. Yeah. That would be the proposal.

Member Cox, are you okay with

I'm okay with that. And adding it to Pathway.

And adding it to Pathway. So let's give Pathways 25,000. Okay. So we met our total of $211,620.55 for the public service activity portion of the budget. Let's take a vote. Jessica, if you can do the vote.

Chair Hansel, how do you vote?

Yes.

Vice chair Casaneda, how do you vote?

Yes.

Committee member Blay, how do you vote?

Yes.

Committee member Cox, how do you vote?

Is she

saying yes?

Yes. Committee member Kim, how do you vote?

Yes.

Thank you.

Okay. So we're gonna continue doing the CDBG fiscal twenty twenty six, twenty seven funding recommendations. We're gonna cover the citywide applications. So this is when public works came and gave us their presentations.

Okay.

So for community development, there was a public speaker today from Upwards, and this is this right now, '26 I'm sorry. Fiscal year 2526 is their first year. They got $40,000, and they want money for next fiscal year, 2627. They're asking for 80,000. So I'd like some discussion or if you have something you wanna recommend. Member Blaine? Upwards?

I actually recommended that we do not fund upwards for noncompliance.

Okay. No. No. No. Okay. Member

I recommended we do

not fund. I just oh, thank you. Thank you. I I agree with commissioner Blay, but my reasons were, we're not able to pull a lot of funding from the city, requested projects. And so when I did my calculations, I wasn't left with any leftover money to to do the economic development piece of the funding.

To put the city programs in higher priority. Okay. Any other comments? I also would recommend, Upwards Care is a for profit, and I would recommend zero funds for them. They had, some negative client reviews. And staff, you know, they it's been difficult for them to get their documents and cooperation. So I think I wanna also prioritize court enforcement and the other programs for the city.

I agree with that comment.

Okay. So let's any other comments? Kate, if you could put zero on that one. And then we're gonna move on to the street rehab program. And this is to do street repairs. They're asking this is Public Works from city hall asking for $350,000. This would cover Yale Avenue, Santa Fe, a portion of, Princeton, and Berkeley, South Of Commonwealth and East of Balcombe. So this would impact a 128 families. I would recommend 350 full funding. Anybody else have a number?

I recommended the same full funding, $350,000.

Okay. Member Castaneda?

300,000 was the minimum amount that I think Grant provided for us for the project to go through. It just cuts into the contingency funds contingency funds, and I I I put 300,000 as that award amount.

Okay.

I recommend full funding. Okay.

Full full amount, please. Okay. Let's put $3.50 on there. The next one is code enforcement. And we have a position already. This position is full here at City Hall in a special code enforcement. They service about a 150 families. They're asking for a 130,000, and in the past, we've always funded it. And so that's what I would recommend, a 130,000. Do we have other numbers? Member Blay?

I recommended the same full funding of a $130,000.

Thank you. Member Castaneda?

Full funding.

Thank you. Member Kim?

I recommend full funding.

Member cost? Full funding. Perfect. Let's put them at $1.30. Okay.

Okay. So the next line here is under the community and economic development, home improvements. This includes just so, we all kinda review in member Cox, this includes rehab projects that residents can apply for to fix something. They can also get loans through the city. And, this program this is probably the chunk of money that we get we end up reducing by a lot to fund everything else. That's typically how we've we've done. And they're asking for $2.10. Is that the right number? I'm sorry. Oh, this includes their admin cost.

So the total so right. So this includes $400,000 for home rehab and improvement projects, and then the home rehab administration of $1.94 $5.05 4 for a total, and we can see it on the on the screen, 594,554. And so if we look at column f, it needs to reach $11,000,004 10 for the grand grand total. Okay. So for this one, I had a lower number.

If we do then, it won't match the total.

Right. Let's do something. Let's move on to the senior mobility. Are you guys okay with that Mhmm. To see how much we have balance.

Kate, are we gonna be able to see so is the column c the 1,200,000 where the balance right now?

The balance right now is on the column d at 762,000.

Just for this half?

Yes.

And what number do we need to reach for this half?

1.128.

Okay. Oh, one point. Got it. Got it. Okay. So the remainder is gonna go on this slot. So let's move on to the next one. City of Fullerton Parks and Recreation. This is the senior mobility program. So this came to us.

This so, basically, the public services had to submit applications in December. City hall applications came in February. So this came to us after the deadline, and I know it's frustrating. So, basically, city council is pressing us to rescue them with $50,000. So what I have to say about them is it's frustrating.

The county this is county money. This program is from measure b sorry, measure m of the Orange County Transportation Authority, OCTA. And so they got a $176,000 for this fiscal year, but they've spent 200 and I'm sorry. They received a 176,000, but they've spent 327,000 from their presentation, and that included 14,000 trips. So these are senior citizens in Folderton that can take rides with the Yellow Cab company, and each ride cost $20.

And so, it felt to me that the COVID money they got and the OCTA funds they got, they should have been able to manage it way better and understand that it was dying off and they were overspending. And so I know in I think it was the February or March city council meeting folks, they got a lot of public commenters saying this program is dying. And so city council gave us this information and requested that parks and recs submit their application for $50,000. So that's my comment on that. Any other comments? Member Blay?

And for those reasons I actually put that I recommend that we did not fund because they did not apply by the deadline.

Okay. Good to know. Member Castaneda?

I I actually appreciate those comments, and I I I appreciate the context for bringing us up to speed. I did bring this up with the Orange County Transportation Authority Staff. I serve on the Citizens Advisory Committee over there, and several cities have requested for the for the transportation authority to, revamp some of their project fee or some of their measure m funding, towards senior mobility services. So they are working on that now, and they will be proposing something to the board sometime later this year, for the next fiscal year. So I I I don't feel comfortable, providing the full requested amount.

I did put $10,000 because that's just been a go to, for a minimum award amount. But it's just gonna be a challenging year. And, hopefully, we have, our amazing city staff, just innovate the crap out of this this the senior mobility program, with what we have now. I can't do more than 10,000.

Okay. Member Kim?

I do agree with your comments that it should have been managed better. You know, that's why you have budgets and forecasts, and and there should have been some changes that was made to make sure that they didn't overspend so much. But at the same time, this is funding that we need to use for the city, best for the better part of the city. So just to help them out with the comments that we provided today, I would like to do full funding.

Okay. So we got zero, ten. I can go either way. 50.

That's a hard one. What happens if they what's gonna happen to that program if we don't fully fund them?

Kate told us they will

cut on amount of trips they will make available to seniors. So when the seniors do wanna take a trip, there won't be as many, options for them to do the trip. Right?

So I know they said they were gonna limit starting July, which is next fiscal year. They're gonna become more responsible. July 2026, they're gonna limit 20 round trips per month, then they're gonna start charging $2 co pay per one way trip. And I don't know if it was limit them to medical appointments and grocery trips. The management should have been there should have been projections and self control and audits at the city level.

You know, the parks and rec manager should have been on that and seen that it was dying off or of being overspent. So my question to staff is, if we do recommend just half the allocation, for example, what do you expect the city council to do, or are we really being pressured to fully fund them at 50,000?

That's a good question. I don't think we're being pressured to fund them at 50,000. The intent is to fund them at 50,000. Again, this is this recommendation. It's gonna be at, council's decision ultimately to decide what that amount's gonna be. So

Okay. Because if we have, $0.10, I can do $0.50.

I I gotta go with 30.

Can we all agree with 25? Or what's yeah. Let's can we just put 25 for now?

I agree with 25 at half of them.

I'm okay with 25 too. That's fine.

And what is the remainder that we can put for, home rehab? 341,000. Are we okay with, home rehab and improvements at 341,515? She's calculating. Okay. Member Castaneda?

So $194,554, that's for the administration of the program, and we're giving out less than the amount we're using to administer the program, which for me, it doesn't make sense. Like, you would have I mean, it it I I I wouldn't want for there to be a higher administrative burden to distribute a lower amount.

Maybe Kate can explain the math there.

The admin cost is always limited to 20%. So let's say you want to, give this, program 100,000, admin cap will always be at 20,000. So like you can't award $3.41 and say, oh, 191 is for your admin. It doesn't work like that. Okay. It always, whatever amount you award, 20% automatically goes to admin.

Even though our chart shows it broken down they're gonna take 341,000 and whatever the admin is 40,000.

Right. So

just to clarify would that mean that we're not funding the housing the housing rehab person level one or level two at the amount that I mean, is somebody's salary in city hall.

These are the loans and the home repair grants that we give out. So when a resident applies for it

I'm talking about the admin. So the admin portion of the total home rehab. Right? It's we have the combined number here. If that's 20% of what we give of the distributed amount, and we had a request for a 194, I think that's one and a half salaries. Right? That's is that we're talking about I don't wanna say that staff

member is fully funded. Right? That you're

Yes. That's not quite how it works. Yes. They do other there's other sources and another job. So, yeah. Don't worry about that. Okay. That's not how it works.

Right. So

So the the housing department person will be funded. Any other comments?

Right. It just comes from the general fund, which we we try to not dip into the general fund if we're already going into a budget deficit. So we're trying to pay for the employees using external funds.

But CDB funds aren't all of it. Does that make sense?

Yeah. It doesn't come from the general fund. This is all strictly CDB grant money. Yeah. We don't borrow from the general fund yet.

For employee for paying the admin

partial fund '26, but that's not general fund. We've never a housing team has never, dipped into general fund for salaries.

Right. Because we've we've pulled from external for sources like CDBG.

And we have, like, a housing authority funds that we could pull off of

Okay.

As well, but not general funds.

Okay. The housing authority at the county level? So they have money from different sources.

Okay. Right. Oh, okay then. Then my only other, ask is that we take 50,000, which was that contingency, wiggle room, from the Public Works street rehab project. Our city engineer, Grant did mention that the lowest we could go is 300,000, and I would feel comfortable if we move that 50,000 from there, and have our public works team work with that just, you know, minimal margin, for that project.

I'm talking about the street project?

Yes.

I think most of us wanna fully fund it.

Right.

$3.50.

I'm proposing a new Would have not. I'm asking for you to consider the proposal that I'm putting forward.

Which number? How much would you suggest

for this? 50,000 from the 350,000. Daniel,

have we ever given over the asking price, the request amount?

So just just to be clear, you're reducing public works

Right.

From $3.50 to 300,000. I think that's what

To move it over to the home rehab.

Home improvement. That's

I don't wanna what I meant. I wanna keep it at $3.50. Any other comments? Yeah.

I think we should fully fund. I mean, that was the number one topic on the survey. I mean, I drive the Fullerton Roads every day since so I think that's really crucial that we fully fund it.

Member Blade, do you wanna reduce the street project or keep it at three fifty?

I'd like to keep it at three fifty.

Okay. Member calls? Full funding.

Keep keep the streets to three fifty.

Okay. I have a question, Daniel. Column d, the total is 1.1, but don't we need to get to 1.2? Are we okay?

We we just use part of that grant money for public services. So combining first sheet with the sheet gives us the total grant amount.

So are we at a we're using all our money?

That's that's the correct. That's all we have.

The one point

One point one two eight six eight six, it's all that we have available.

Okay. So we did it. We balanced the budget. Let's take a vote if we wanna approve this budget recommendation. Jessica, do you wanna

Yes. Chair Hanzo, how do you vote? Yes. Vice chair Castaneda, how do you vote?

I'm going to, say yes.

Committee mem I'm sorry. Committee member Blay, how do you vote?

I vote yes.

Committee member Cox, how do you vote? Yes. Committee member Kim, how do you vote? Yes. Thank you.

Very smooth. Everyone got their numbers in, and we were able to have good discussion. I appreciate all committee members. Okay. So Yeah. This is the recommendation that will be given to city council for their next or future meeting. The date for our next c d CC meeting will be confirmed by the city clerk's office at a later time, most likely January 2027. And these meetings usually run for three or four months of the year. So I'd like to adjourn the meeting to the next regularly scheduled meeting in January. If there is nothing else, I will adjourn the meeting at 07:41.