Previous Council Item

 Next Council Item Corresponding Agenda
List of Council Meetings List of Reports to Council Sunnyvale Home Page

 

RTC#02-209

June 4, 2002

SUBJECT:

PROPOSED PROGRAM OUTCOME STATEMENTS, PROGRAM OUTCOME MEASURES, AND WEIGHTING FOR RESTRUCTED PROGRAMS MANAGED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

REPORT IN BRIEF

The Community Development Department currently manages four programs. These programs have been restructured to the City's outcome management budget format. The current Neighborhood Stability program has been divided into two separate programs: Neighborhood Preservation and Housing and Human Services. Proposed program outcome statements, program outcome measures, and measure weightings for each program are presented for approval.

BACKGROUND

The City Council considered the recommended program outcome statements, program outcome measures, and measure weighting for the following programs at its March 26, 2002 meeting: Community Planning, Development Services, Economic Prosperity, Neighborhood Preservation, and Housing and Human Services. Following a public hearing and comments from Council regarding a proposed outcome measure for code enforcement services, a motion was approved to continue this item.
 

EXISTING POLICY

In the Legislative Policy Manual, Goal 7.1B Financial Practices: Maintain Sound Financial Practices Which Meet All Applicable Standards and Direct The City's Financial Resources Toward Meeting The City's Long Term Goals, Policy 7.IB.5 Performance Budget System states: "Maintain and refine the Performance Budget System to assure its use for multi-year planning, full-cost accounting, and budget monitoring".

DISCUSSION

The City Council asked staff to estimate the cost to raise the level of service in code enforcement such that 80% of survey respondents in each of the City's six neighborhood preservation districts would state that code enforcement issues are not a serious problem in their neighborhood. A copy of a map showing the six neighborhood preservation areas is attached to this report. Current survey results for these six areas are as follows:

  • District 1: insufficient responses to report
  • District 2: 67%
  • District 3: 81%
  • District 4: 81%
  • District 5: 84%
  • District 6: 80%

Staff has seriously pondered this request and is unable to estimate with any degree of accuracy the resources needed to raise the satisfaction level in District 2 to no less than 80%. Therefore, staff proposes to undertake a pilot project in the coming fiscal year to test an innovative intensified approach to code enforcement which would fully engage residents and property owners. Specifically, staff proposes to utilize existing resources to undertake such a program in a three or four block area of District 2. The residents of the area would be surveyed before and after the project on the seriousness of code enforcement issues. The pilot project would involve extensive interaction between staff and local residents, first to identify priorities for code enforcement, and then to work towards compliance through education, assistance, and (as a last resort) enforcement through citations and abatement.

If the pilot program proves successful, staff will then be better able to estimate the cost to extend this approach to code enforcement (or a modified approach based upon lessons learned) across the entire area of District 2 over alternative time frames. City Council will be able to decide if it wishes to raise service to this level, and over what time frame results are to be achieved.

Staff anticipates that it will be able to substantially complete the pilot project during the coming fiscal year. Staff recommends that the program outcome measures for the neighborhood program remain as recommended until the pilot project yields sufficient results to make an informed decision regarding service level and budget modification. Staff will continue to report the survey results for this service to the City Council by the six neighborhood preservation areas.

The recommended program outcome statements, program outcome measures, and measure weightings are listed in RTC 02-049 (which is attached), with the following modification:

  • A weighting of "2" for each budget/cost ratio outcome measure in each program, as suggested by Council. All budget/cost ratios are 1.0.

RTC 02-049 contains several typographical errors. These errors were corrected verbally at the March 26 Council meeting.

FISCAL IMPACT

The proposed program restructures will be used to prepare the approved FY 2002/03 and 2003/04 operating budgets. Required expenses and revenue generation (if appropriate) will be described for these program in the approved budget.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda in public places, on the City's web page, and the publication of the general business/public hearing items in the San Jose Mercury News.

ALTERNATIVES

  1. Approve the proposed program outcome statements, program outcome measures, and measure weightings for the following restructured programs as described in this report and attachments:
  • Community Planning
  • Development Services
  • Economic Prosperity
  • Neighborhood Preservation
  • Housing and Human Services
  1. Amend either the proposed outcome statements, program outcome measures, or measure weightings, and approve the amended restructured programs.
  2. Direct City staff to further examine the proposed outcome statements, program outcome measures, and measure weightings, and present for consideration at a future City Council meeting.
 

RECOMMENDATION

City staff recommends Alternative #1 as described above.
 

Prepared by:
Charles J. Schwabe, 
Deputy City Manager

Robert Paternoster,
Director, Community Development Department

Approved by:
Robert S. LaSala
City Manager

Attachments

  1. Map Showing Neighborhood Preservation Service Areas
  2. RTC# 02-049

 

Previous Council Item

 Next Council Item Corresponding Agenda
List of Council Meetings List of Reports to Council Sunnyvale Home Page