Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of Santa Rosa - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call the May 18th, 2026 Housing Authority regular meeting to order. Members of the public may view and listen to the meeting as noted on the city's website and as noted on the agenda. As a matter of housekeeping, I'd like to remind commissioners to keep their microphones muted unless they are speaking. The City of Santa Rosa is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment free from disruption. We will not tolerate any hateful speech or actions and are well staffed to monitor that everyone is participating respectively or they will be removed. If necessary, we will also immediately end the meeting. Clerk, please explain how public comments will be heard at today's meeting.

After each agenda item, the chair will ask for Housing Authority Commissioner comments and then we'll open the item for public comment. Once the chair calls for public comment, please go to the closest podium in the upper tier of chambers. I will then unmute your microphone and start the timer. You will be allowed to speak one time per item up to three minutes. Additionally, there is one public comment period to speak on non-agenda matters, which is item seven. To address the Housing Authority, you are requested to complete a speaker card and give it to the recording secretary.

Clerk, have we been notified of any commissioners who have requested to participate remotely?

No, we have not.

Before I ask the clerk to do a roll call for attendance to assist with streaming the meeting and capturing commissioners as they are speaking, I want to continue to remind commissioners to please ask the chair to be recognized before asking a question or making a comment. This will allow time for the cameras to shift to a new speaker. Can you do roll call, please?

Commissioner Wimmer? Commissioner Owen is absent. Commissioner Fearon?

Here.

Commissioner Downey is absent. Commissioner Conte is absent. Vice Chair Capio? Here. Chair Smith?

Here.

Let the record reflect that all are present with the exception of Commissioner Owen, Commissioner Downey, and Commissioner Conte.

We'll move on to the next agenda item. Item four, are there any, for the commissioners, any statements of abstention? There are none. Item five, staff briefing items with Kate Goldfein.

Yes, good afternoon, Chair Smith, Vice Chair Capio, and Housing Authority Commissioners. I am Kay Goldfein, the Administrative Services Officer for the Housing and Community Services Department. And this update is for the first three quarters of fiscal year 2526 through March 31st, 2026. I'll hit the highlights and be available for questions. Looking at expenditures, the Authority is trending fine in all areas. In subrecipient funding, our subrecipients are on track to expend their budget by the end of the fiscal year. Loan activity looks low, but the funds are committed and will be expended as developers submit reimbursement requests to the Authority. We've expended $25.6 million in housing assistance payments, averaging just over $3.1 million a month across all of our rental assistance programs. The number of housing choice voucher clients we can assist is held steady at between 1,650 and 1,700. HUD limits us by budget and by number of vouchers, and currently we can assist fewer clients than our limit within the budget provided. In projects, we've expended 916,000, most notably several hundred thousand of infill infrastructure grant for the cannery, and several hundred thousand of home ARP funding for homeless programs. Of the remaining funding, 15.8 million, that's all committed infill infrastructure grant funding pledged to specific projects, and those are named in the memo. Moving to funding sources. In federal grants, CDBG Home, HOPWA, CDBG-DR, and Home ARP, those are received on a reimbursement basis, again, as developers or subrecipients submit requests. In local funding, housing impact fees continue to trend low. We've received $775,000, about 60% of our budgeted amount. But I did look at the total today. We're up to $986,000. We're at 75%, which is better, but still trending below the $1.3 million that we budgeted to receive. And you, I'm sure, recall I've noted a few times a new state law delays payment until nearly final walkthrough. Final inspection. Moving on, compliance monitoring fees look great. We received 83% of the budgeted amount at $173,000. Loan repayments look great, nearly $3 million received. Those payments will be budgeted in the fiscal year 27-28 budget the following year, in two years. So this concludes the briefing, and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Vice Chair Capio?

I noticed that in the project section of the report, you have a variety of sources designated. Are there any time limits on that money?

The IIG funds, which is the majority of the funds that are noted in the project section, there are two different grant agreements. One goes until about 2030 and the next should be about 2032. HCD has been receptive to extensions to those timelines for projects.

And what is our schedule to spend it as soon as possible?

As the projects come up, yes, we're trying to spend those. So, for example, one of the projects that we are currently working on drafting the loan documents for is Ponderosa Village, which is a new construction project off of Roseland Avenue in southwest Santa Rosa. The Housing Authority committed a small amount of funds, I think $750, and then we also have an IIG component. So we're working on drafting those IIG loan documents now, and we'll draw those funds down. So it's as the projects are advancing. through their development process. Thank you. You're welcome.

Commissioner Farah?

Yeah, thank you. I submitted, the authority doesn't know, but I submitted a couple of questions to the staff, and you answered them rather well. I only have one remaining question, which has to do with the, and it was actually stimulated by the pipeline, which is the Hearn Veterans Village. It's listed on the pipeline, but those of us who know projects in the community know that it's pretty dead. And so my question to you is what is the role of the authority in sort of raising the question of what do we do with a project that doesn't seem to be going anywhere that we had allocated some money to I have personally tried to get some other nonprofit developers to take it on, but to no avail. So the question sort of is, and I don't know what our role is in trying to say, hey, you know, anybody interested? But that's kind of the question I'd like to ask.

Commissioner Fearon, if you don't mind, I will touch on your question when we get to item 10.

Good, okay. Well, then I'm through with the item that we're currently considering.

Thank you.

A couple of questions. It's looking good on loan repayments, and remind me, where does that money go to when we get it?

Okay, the timing in your question was impeccable because I was just asking Kate Goldfein a question. So they return to source. So for instance, if we lent somebody CDBG funds and they paid us back CDBG, we put it back into that fund and roll it into the next funding cycle. But one thing I would like to note as you're looking at this table and you see The loan repayments are quite high at nearly $3. million. We did have a loan repayment for Laurel Phase 1, which was a CDBGDR project, and that came in as what HCD considered a duplication of benefits. So essentially, there was excess development funding that went into the project. and we were never reimbursed by HCD, so we needed those funds to make us whole, if that makes sense. Some of these projects are reimbursement basis. HCD didn't reimburse us. The city, Housing Authority and city had to carry that debt, and now it's showing up as a loan repayment because of the way we process it, but essentially it made us whole. But the short answer is they return to source. So from the fund that the original loan was made out of. And then they are recycled in the next fiscal year's funding cycle.

Well, that's great news then. The other thing I wasn't sure on your Vice Chair Capio's question on the state grants. You budgeted 17 million, we've received 500,000. Was that answered or is that, if you can explain why the big difference?

So we have budgeted for the awards we have received through the infill infrastructure grant program. We are not expending any of the funds until those projects are coming to fruition. So as the project is ready to receive the funds, then we draft loan documents, we request the funding from the state. So it's expended when it's needed, and then HCD reimburses us. So we're trying not to get ahead of ourselves either on the expenditure of those funds.

Thank you. Any other questions? Okay, all right. Public comment now?

Let me get the timer going.

Nothing but a good time, buddy.

You may begin.

Hello, my name is Duane DeWitt. I'm from Roseland. I appreciate the briefing. I'm glad to see that you have some extra monies in certain places. And I wanted to find out if during a briefing such as this, staff could give you an update on what the possibilities are to help people who are in emergency situations. One of the dilemmas that's frequently faced is when people are about to be evicted, There's nowhere to turn. So a case in point you may have read about recently, an 85-year-old veteran is being evicted from his home based on a ripoff from a reverse mortgage predatory lending situation. He got the eviction notice on Thursday, supposed to be out in five days. needs to give the Superior Court $2,500 just to move forward and perhaps have a longer stay in what was his house of 54 years that he owned and has now been lost to the predatory lenders. So the dilemma that we face as veterans groups when we reach out to try to talk with the VA is HUD-VASH is not an emergency situation. It basically is set up to help people who are having difficulties with perhaps substance abuse, been living on the streets, difficulties for a while. In a place like Hearn House, can't take him because he's not addicted to anything. He's a stone cold, sober, straight 85 year old that basically is now gonna be out on the street and we got nowhere for him to go. So I'm hoping that during briefings such as this, the staff could give you an update on how they handle an emergency situation when someone is basically about to be on the street, homeless. even though there are some funds available in various pots within both the city and the county's Community Development Commission, One would think there might be somewhere in there that staff could point to something and say, hey, the veterans groups helping this veteran could perhaps lead over to here and get things going. And you may see it as a waste of time to do these types of questions and answers to inquiries, but it helps the public to know what you folks do during the times that you have. Thank you kindly for your time.

Hi, my name is Fred Ollebach, and I have a couple questions about housing impact fees and in lieu fees. as in the staff report. And as I understand it, the housing impact fee is something that's a fee that's assessed to a project in order to pay for the essential workers and the working class to serve those market rate people who are moving in. So the housing impact fee provides housing for people who serve market rate housing people's needs. And so I think that's a good idea. And I think that it's also a good idea that nonprofit developers would have that waived because they're already making that type of housing. But I was curious to know from staff, under what circumstances the housing impact fee would be waived. And then I also have a question on the in lieu fees, and that it seems like that's just a universally bad deal for the city to take an in lieu fee rather than an affordable unit, because it just pays a very small percent of what an affordable unit would be. So I don't understand why anyone would ever take an in lieu fee because the inclusionary ordinance is what's supposed to be providing the housing and not allowing people to get out of it because they say that their project won't pencil if they have to to create some social goods as part of their project. So I have those questions and I believe that in order for myself or Dwayne's questions to be asked that the Chair would have to request that staff would answer those questions or else they won't be answered at this hearing, thank you.

It doesn't appear we have any more public comment on this item.

How should I proceed on the request

Chair Smith, would you like responses to those two public inquiries?

Yes.

Okay, be happy to provide some responses. In regards to Mr. DeWitt's question about emergency help, the city participates in a program called Keep People House Sonoma, KPH Sonoma, and that is a homeless prevention pilot program that can provide financial assistance to those who are in need. in a place where they may be displaced from their unit, and that's operated by COTS. So I would encourage any individuals who do need help with emergency housing assistance to reach out to COTS through the KPH program. And that's something we will be funding in fiscal year 26, 27 as well through the city's homeless services budget. And then in response to Mr. Allabach's questions about impact and in lieu fees, affordable housing projects that have restrictive agreements, so whether that be a regulatory agreement for 55 years or a density bonus agreement, would be waived from those fees because they are providing the units on site Where I would argue with his comments is that the in lieu fees are very valuable to receive for the Housing Authority. That is one of the primary sources that go into our annual NOFA's to help us support the development of affordable housing. So as we're looking at our loan funds in upcoming years, in lieu fees are one of the primary sources that we have to lend out and create new affordable housing units. And I'd be happy to answer any follow up questions.

Thank you very much. Okay, any further comment from any commissioners? We have none, okay, we'll move on to the next item, number six, study session. There are no study session items on this agenda, no need for public comment. And we'll move on to item seven, public comments on non-agenda items.

We are now taking public comments on item seven, non-agenda items. This is the time when any person may comment on matters not listed on this agenda, excuse me, but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Housing Authority. If you wish to make a comment, please go to the podium in the upper tier of chambers and you will have three minutes. Let me get the timer going. You may begin.

Fred all about here again. I don't think I'll use my three minutes. So I'd be willing to save them and sell them to Dwayne later. I have a question about the the recent mobile home park lawsuit that the city won. And I wonder if the city attorney or the director can explain what the implications of that would be for other mobile home parks in the city going forward and what situations that would protect from.

Are we to answer to him or we just pass on that one?

I'm not 100% sure that Mr. Ahlebach will be satisfied with this answer, but what it means for other mobile home park owners is very much to be seen. This is a very new case. It is good case law to be relied upon in the city because it's an appellate court case and it is published. And so I do think there is an opportunity for others to utilize it when necessary. But I also want to remind everybody that it was a narrow ruling to some extent because it was based on an emergency that is not currently happening. And so I would be cautious about, you know, talking about broad application today. However, it was a very good case, a good ruling for the city, certainly in line with the city's public policy goals and the extent to which it will be relied on in the future, we will wait and see. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Farron.

I think I know what this is about, but I'm not really sure. Is it a possibility that we could get a summary of the actual ruling? I'd like a little more information. I understand your answer, but would just like to know, so what happened and what did we win?

So I'd be happy to email each of the commissioners a copy and have our assistant city attorney who handled the case, Nate Putney, provide that short explanation to this commission and to any other boards that are interested.

Good, that's all I want, thanks. Thank you.

I'm up here waiting. Hello, my name is Duane DeWitt. I'm from Roseland. I'd like to thank you all for being on this board. I know it's a lot of work to be a volunteer and try to do something helpful for our community. I'm especially thankful that you are taking the time to find answers when the community comes forward, trying to understand things better. One of the things that I've been working on for a long time is how to help not just veterans, but those who are what are called disadvantaged, a lot of disadvantaged people in our community. So I've been talking with a couple of young veterans from this century, if you will, They fought in Iraq. They fought in Afghanistan. They continue to be involved with veterans organizations. And what they'd like to find out is how does the city of Santa Rosa help young veterans? What they see is that the help that's out there is for the elderly. And they consider me elderly. I hadn't considered that, even though I look in the mirror, but they were like, hey, you're elderly, buddy. And the veterans of the 21st century are the ones that need some help. So one of the things that they've been working on is trying to find a way in which they can step up in emergency situations when somebody comes to them and says, hey, wrecked my car. house burnt down, whatever it is that causes them to basically be in need indeed, some of them totally destitute. And the HUD-VASH voucher program that I had thought was going to be something so helpful, is highly restricted, it's set up to basically have inpatient services, if you would phrase it that way. People go into a transition type house, they get counseling, they try to overcome whatever difficulties they've been facing, and they might be able to get into other housing. My discussions with these younger veterans is they'd like to see this housing authority go on record with the federal government to find a way for emergency housing vouchers. That veterans find a place to be that they can get the voucher and get in there and that it could be something that the federal government worked with them on. If it came from a staff employee on letterhead stationary to the Federal Housing and Urban Development Department, it might be looked into. We don't know with this administration, but I know when basic citizens try, it isn't really successful, thank you.

It doesn't appear we have any more public comment on this item.

Okay, we'll move on to the next item. Approval of the minutes from April 27th, 2026. Any public comments on the minutes?

It does not appear we have any public comment on this item.

Okay, thank you very much. We'll go on to the next item. Item nine is a proclamation for the appreciation for Affordable Housing Month, and Commissioner Fearon will read it. Thank you.

Thank you, Andrew. Whereas safe and affordable housing is a fundamental human right, yet thousands of Santa Rosa residents continue to face challenges in securing homes they can afford, and whereas Santa Rosa recognizes the need to prioritize the development of new affordable housing, as well as the preservation and rehabilitation of existing affordable units, to support long-term community stability. And whereas the City and Housing Authority have taken significant steps to address local housing needs by providing financing and affordability monitoring for more than 6,500 housing units, managing a $200 million loan portfolio, and administering over 2,000 housing choice vouchers. And whereas in the current fiscal year, the Housing Authority awarded three and a half million to support the development and rehabilitation of 291 affordable and whereas the City and Housing Authority proudly recognize the completion of the Stewart Cannery in Railroad Square, which provides 128 new affordable homes, including units reserved for residents experiencing homelessness, with onsite supportive services and 33 project-based vouchers to ensure long-term affordability here, whereas the city's Department of Housing and Community Services works with many partners to expand to safe, stable, and affordable housing for all. and whereas Affordable Housing Month provides an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to promoting awareness, equity, inclusion, and justice in housing, now therefore be it resolved that the Santa Rosa Housing Authority proclaims May 2026 as Affordable Housing Month and urges the community to support affordable housing solutions. Signed by Chair Andrew Smith.

Thank you, Commissioner Ferron. Any public comments?

Chair Smith, I believe we have some representatives from the cannery, if they'd like to come up and accept the proclamation and make any remarks.

Okay. Oh, it's on.

Stay there, Andrew.

Thank you very much. My name's Evelyn Catalan. I'm the vice president for the San Francisco regional office of the John Stewart Company. And I am here with Suzanne, regional director. We are pleased to be a part of this. And there was a lot of labor into the development of this community. This is a successful partnership between private and public entities, and we are really thrilled that Stuart Cannery is being recognized. Our development partners could not be here today. I am sure they would have a lot to say in terms of the amount of effort and work that it took to bring this development into fruition, and I'm humbly here accepting this proclamation. Lucienne, is there anything you wanna share?

I'd like to just thank the city for all their support during this. In leasing up these 128 units and the 33 project-based vouchers, we interacted with the city housing authority on the approval of all the move-ins. And I just really want to thank their team. They were extremely efficient and very supportive in our efforts. And it allowed us all to work together very collaboratively. So I'd just like to say thank you Thank you for the proclamation as well.

Thank you. I just have one comment.

I'm sorry. Yeah. Vice Chair Capio.

Yes, I wanted to just acknowledge your hard work over a long period of time. I remember when I was up at the state working, I thought to myself that this project has gone through more meetings than would be required of a nuclear power plant. But you pulled it off, and I really, really appreciate it. Thank you.

And Chair Smith, if I can just interject, because it came up when we did this proclamation at Council last week. This project took nearly 25 years and various iterations to get us to completion. So it is remarkable that we are here, and we're all very excited and very proud to have gotten the funding that it needed and get it completed.

Commissioner Whitman would like to make a comment.

Before you leave, I have been watching the progress of the cannery for a really long time. And I am very happy that it's getting finished and going on to where it needs to be. I would really like to see a finished product. Would be nice to see that. Just a thought.

Thank you.

Okay, any public comments? No public comments, okay. Oh, let me do that.

I wanted to thank them. Gotta get started, correct? Ready?

You may begin.

Hello, my name is Dwayne DeWitt. I'm from Roseland. And I followed this project all the way from when it started. And I actually went to the University of California and met a man named Michael Smithheimer, who was the financial advisor at the time for Jon Stewart. And we talked to Jon Stewart 23 full years ago. all right so i'm so glad that it got to this point and it's all finished up in some senses i'm doing hope i could come on that tour also and i want you all to know i didn't try to photobomb and crash that picture thank you kindly all of you

It doesn't appear we have any more public comment on this item.

Okay, we're gonna move on to the next agenda item. Commissioner reports, item 10. Are there any of the commissioners on the new ad hoc committees for HUD-VASH and NOFA have anything to report on? Commissioner Whitmer?

Yeah. Someone earlier had said they were interested in seeing what's going on with veterans. We are currently in that and doing just that. We are in the process of finding veterans that are unhoused and housed and chatting with them to see what their access is. their ability to access is preventing them from getting housing or has got them housing. And that will be coming in a couple of months, most likely, because trying to find people to ask is a challenge. And that's where we're at right now, first meeting. So we don't have a lot.

My only comment would be to connect with Dwayne DeWitt. He's tied in there. And if you can catch him before he leaves, he may be a good resource.

OK, thank you.

Commissioner Ferron?

Yeah, Scott, one more recommendation is Nation's Finest is a fairly popular and active veterans organization in the community, and I'd suggest you contact them too. I'll put you in touch with them.

That'll work, thank you.

We'll be taking public comments on this item.

It doesn't appear we have any public comment on this item.

Okay, thank you. We'll move on to the next item. Item 11 is committee reports and there are no committee reports to report on. We'll take public comment on item 11.

There's no need for public comment on this item.

Okay, item 12, Executive Director Reports by Megan Bassinger, Executive Director on the Pending Pipeline.

Thank you, Chair Smith. So attached for your review this month is the May 2026 pipeline. There is one correction I would like to note. As you are looking at the pipeline for projects that are under construction, which is the second section on the first page, Britton Town Homes is looking at a completion date in August. So that completion has been pushed out, but they are under construction now. And then I'd like to follow up on Commissioner Fearon's earlier question on Hearn Veterans Village, which is a project you will find on page two under projects awaiting additional funding. Hearn Veterans Village is in vacant piece of land, which is next door to the West Hearn Vets Building. It is owned by Community Housing Sonoma County, which is an organization that is looking to wind down its operations and dispose of its assets. Staff is currently meeting with the consultant and two remaining board members on a monthly basis to walk through their portfolio and how they look to dispose of those projects. So we're taking them case by case. I think you've already seen Benton Veterans Village come before you. And that particular project is being sold to PEP Housing to continue its operations. As you may remember, we also looked at Zane Wolf, which is another project they have on county land. And the Housing Authority provided them with a rehab loan to complete construction in order to sell that project to PEP Housing. And then we will be working through the West Hearn site, and that is the occupied 15-bed veterans facility that they own and operate, and then the vacant land. So those will be coming discussions with community housing in Sonoma County. And I'd be happy to answer any questions.

I do have one, I know I've asked you about the ones awaiting funding, and you have told me over the last few months that they're just going through the pipeline. Would it be possible for one of the groups on the list to come here and just explain problems they're facing in getting funding? Just to update us here publicly, I know you've done that, is that possible?

We can certainly ask a project to come forward. I would just hesitate about any particular advocacy for one project in particular over the others. But certainly as I'm looking at this group of projects, the number two project, which is Ponderosa Village, is one I referenced earlier in this meeting. That one is currently advancing, and we hope to see it in the next couple months move forward. into the under construction so we are working on drafting loan documents with them they have secured their tax credits and are looking to break ground this coming summer so slowly some of these projects will start to move out of this category another good opportunity to reevaluate this project these projects is when we review our nofa so once we have applications come in and and those have been vetted by the ad hoc committee, which will be in the coming months. We'll see some movement of the projects as well.

Thank you. Are you getting any feedback from some of our local state representatives on more money being made available? Because at this point, without the money, nothing's happening. Everybody's done a lot of work, expended a lot of money.

I think, unfortunately, given the state's budget situation, we're not going to see more money being applied to affordable housing this year. And if there is funding coming, it looks like some of it in certain arenas will have some more strings attached to it than we've seen previously. So it's going to be, I think, a challenging time for the next couple of years to move projects through, which isn't the best news to hear. But we're certainly coming off of, years of unprecedented resources where we've seen more projects be completed and in service than we have, I think, possibly in the history of the Housing Authority. We've seen hundreds of new affordable units come online in the past seven years.

Thank you. I mean, just thought I would ask. Okay. Commissioner Ferron?

You know, one other alternative is to get Damon, Chris, or Mike to come in and talk about what their perspective is to try to get money out of the legislature. We, I think, have every right to expect our public officials to talk to us directly, and I appreciate, you know, hearing Megan, but, you know, they're the ones who are gonna have to decide it, and I'd rather put them on the spot. So at some point, and their district directors and their staff roam around in the city a lot, it wouldn't, I think, be terribly difficult to get them to come and talk to us about their perspective.

I'm not sure much on Mike McGuire leaving the state legislature, but the other two would be very helpful. Any public comments on item number 12?

You may begin.

Duane DeWitt from Roseland. Thank you for those comments that were just made. It's especially important to actually keep Mr. McGuire in the mix, because if he does not become a congressman, he can then tell us all the news to use at the State House. He was known as the auctioneer. He understands how to get the dough and be on the go. The thing about all of this is there's a bit of horse trading that goes on to get any kind of funding. I want to give you a name that's really important right now. This is the new deputy director of the state's Division of Community Development and Housing. His name is David Sisser. It's spelled Z-I-S-S-E-R. He just got appointed to the seat probably a week to 10 days ago. He's the housing policy person. at the state. That would be where we could start to look for money also, looking to see what policies they actually want to fund. And Mr. Zisser has been there in other capacities with the state HCD for a number of years. And also we could look into the legislative office, the state legislative office, find out the news to use from those folks that actually have as you guys call them, the buckets of funds. That could be very helpful to us. And I would personally say, I know Mr. Zister, he is a responsible and credible person that would help us if someone reached out from staff or this body, on letterhead stationery especially. Thank you kindly.

It doesn't appear we have any more public comment on this item.

Commissioner Ferron. One more person to recognize as having some power recently. Jesse Etheridge, a resident of Santa Rosa and currently chair of the LEAP board for the Sonoma County Homeless Coalition was just appointed to the California Interagency Coalition on Homelessness. meets with, in that body, the Director of Housing and Community Development and many other department directors under the governor. So I'm gonna be trying to get Chessie to be as effective as possible in getting us money. My friend is Chessie Etheridge. E-T-H-E-R-I-D-G-E. And do you know Mr. Sisser's first name? David Sisser. We'll get them together.

Any other comments?

Chair, can you unmute your mic?

Item 13, consent items. There are no consent items on this agenda. No need for public comment. Item 14, report items. No report items on this agenda. No need for public comment. Meeting is adjourned. Thank you.