1.     ROLL CALL

PRESENT:

Chair Smith; Comms. Iannotti; Joshi; Pathak; Rowan; Silveira and Steward

EXCUSED ABSENCE:	Comm. Bannai
STAFF:	Annabel Yurutucu, Housing Officer and Anna Alderette, Sr. Office Assistant

CALL TO ORDER

Meeting called to order by Vice-Chair Smith at 7:05 p.m.

2.     COMMISSION NEW BUSINESS

A.     Election of new Chair and Vice-Chair.

Comm.  Silveira made a motion to appoint Vice-Chair Smith as Chair and Comm.  Rowan seconded. Comm. Smith abstained. Motion carried 6-1.

Comm.  Pathak made a motion to appoint Comm. Rowan as Vice-Chair and Comm.  Steward seconded. Comm. Rowan abstained. Motion carried 6-1.

3.     PUBLIC MEETING ITEMS        

Agency Performing Below CDBG Contract Goals:

Annabel Yurutucu, Housing Officer, presented that Catholic Charities Shared Housing Program is not meeting their performance goals established in their contract.  She included, that the agency is present to discuss the measures being taken in order to improve their performance. 

Gloria Ortega, Director of Catholic Charities Shared Housing Program, presented the following overview:

Breakdown of services provided and current performance goals

Counseling & Assessment:

     Goal = 50 by 2^nd Quarter      Actual Performance = 16 - 2^nd Quarter

Shared Housing Match:

     Goal = 12 by 2^nd Quarter      Actual Performance = 8 - 2^nd Quarter

Explanation of agency’s inability in meeting its performance goals

• Individuals seeking shared housing are requesting units with lower rents.
• Seekers have limited and/or no income.
• Agency seeing increase in economic hardships, due to unemployment or underemployment.
• Seekers with mental health challenges and/or physical disabilities are difficult to place.
• Providers are requesting higher rents in order to maintain monthly rental costs or mortgages.
• Intakes & Referrals for shared housing are high but it is difficult to find matches. 

Measures being taken to meet performance goals

• Development of new market strategies that would include the City of Sunnyvale and community organizations.
• Research current vacancy rates, rent surveys and demographics. 

Ms. Yurutucu, voiced that the agency needed to provide a thorough analysis regarding the agency’s performance; that would include recognizing, addressing measures being taken to meet performance goals.   She voiced that the agency was currently 33% below their goal.  She asked if the goals would be met by June and if not, does the agency have a projection.

Ms. Ortega responded “no the agency will not meet their goals by June, and project that about 50-70% of the goals will be met.  She added that the agency is working diligently on marketing and outreach efforts, and also looking into the possibility of developing a new strategy for the program, included examples; current program is a supplement to income in terms of rent (lower rent for the seeker and additional income fee for the provider), strategy that may be used in the future might be a companionship program in-lieu of rent and the potential offering of mortgage counseling to seniors.

Ms. Yurutucu asked how long the position of Director was vacant before Ms. Campos came aboard.

Ms. Campos responded approximately a couple of months.

Chair Smith asked it there were any questions, seeing none she thanked Ms. Campos for coming. She included that the commission would not be making funding recommendations at this time but that the agency work with staff on planning strategies.

Ms. Campos thanked the commission for allowing her the opportunity to present.

CDBG/HOME Capitol Project Proposals:

First Community Housing re. Proposal for Acquisition of 940 West Weddell Drive

Geoffrey Morgan, Project Manager and Tom Amasi, Project Developer presented an overview of the organization, the project proposal - Acquisition of 940 West Weddell Drive, the need of the project for the community and the financial leverage that City funds would provide.

Ms. Yurutucu asked what special needs population the project would serve.

Mr. Morgan responded that families earning at or below 40% of the area median income and 35% of the project units would serve special needs populations at risk of homelessness.

Comm. Joshi asked if the funding being requested would be from CDBG/HOME funds or also other city funding sources; and if it would cover demolition.

Mr. Morgan responded that the funding request includes $750,000 CDBG and $750,000 HOME Funds; and that the project does not include demolishing but will be modifying the existing buildings.

Comm. Steward asked if the funding costs being requested would include paying for the photovoltaic carport system.

Mr. Morgan responded “yes.” 

Emergency Housing Consortium Presentation re. Proposal for House Shelter and Services for Homeless and Runaway Youth – Phase I

Sean Charpentier, Assistant Director of Housing & Government Affairs, Emergency Housing Consortium provided the following overview:

• Proposed project will serve a youth runaway program.
• Site includes 10 beds of emergency shelter and 12 beds of transitional housing.
• Site will serve 500 extremely low income high risk homeless and runaway youth.
• Construction and renovation to begin in September 2004.
• $50,000 being requested for the project.
• Currently there are 3 emergency youth shelters in Santa Clara County. 

Comm. Joshi asked what the average number of youth served are that come from Sunnyvale.

Ms. Yurutucu asked for the presenters to provide a specific overview of the funding already committed.

Mr. Charpentier provided the following overview:

• San Jose CDBG = 1.6 mil
• EHAP = $500,000
• HMBF = 1.6 mil
• NOFA = 1.6 mil
• City of Santa Clara = $25,000 

Mr. Charpentier responded approximately between 8-10 each year.

BREAK - 8:40-8:45

4.     PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS

     No Items.

5.    APPROVAL OF DRAFT MINUTES January 28, 2004

Comm.  Iannotti made a motion to approve the Draft Minutes of January 28, 2004, and Comm.  Rowan seconded. Comm. Silveira abstained. Motion carried 6-1.

6.     COMMISSION OLD BUSINESS

A.    Commission discussion of Outside Group Funding proposals and instructs staff as to need for additional information.

Ms. Yurutucu asked if there was any additional information required.

No additional information was requested.

B.    Review and discuss memorandum from Emergency Housing Consortium re. agency 1^st and 2nd quarter performance below CDBG contract goals for 2003-04 PY.

Ms. Yurutucu presented an overview of Emergency Housing Consortium’s memorandum regarding the performance of the agency for 1^st and 2^nd quarters; slightly below reaching benchmarks.  She included that by the 4^th quarter the agency will reach its goal because the armory’s busiest time is during the 3^rd quarter (as stated in the memo).

C.    Commission discussion re. MACSA’s submittal of CDBG/HOME Capitol Project Proposal.

Ms. Yurutucu presented an overview of the memorandum from staff to MACSA re. submittal of the agency’s CDBG/HOME Capitol Project Proposal.  She voiced that a copy was not included on the agenda because the proposal submitted is ineligible for CDBG/HOME Funds, and that the agency had intended to submit a proposal as part of the CHDO Request for Proposal process.  She added that CHDO proposals received will be included on the agenda for review and discussion at the March meeting.

7.     HOUSING OFFICER’S REPORT

Ms. Yurutucu informed the commission that the Report to Council (RTC) regarding “Moulton Homestead Project” would be presented to Council on or about the middle or end of March.  She included that the groundbreaking is tentatively scheduled for Mid-April and that she would hope that the commission would attend.

She voiced that if the commission were interested, staff could schedule a site visit to 940 West Weddell Drive acquisition site.  The commission expressed an interest in visiting the site, staff to schedule.

8.     OPEN FORUM

No Items.

9.     REPORT ON COUNCIL MEETINGS

No Items.

10. ORAL COMMUNICATION

A.     Housing & Human Services Commission

Chair Smith requested scheduling site visits of housing projects that have been completed and that are in process.

B.     Staff

Ms. Yurutucu voiced that the Below Market Rate Homeownership wait list will close on March 1, 2004, and that the review committee meeting to determine perference points, would be scheduled for late March/early April.

11.    ADJOURNMENT

Acting Chair Smith adjourned the meeting at 9:37 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

________________________

Annabel Yurutucu

Housing Officer