Committee Hears Calls for City to Increase General Funding Appropriations for Housing Department

The Housing Department is proposing a budget of $39.308 million for Fiscal Year 2023.

This is 3.3% lower than the current budget of $40.658 million, according to the department’s proposal presented by Housing Director Bill Huang before the Economic Development and Technology Committee on Tuesday, May 17.

In comparison to the current year’s budget, personnel costs increased by 5.7%, services and supplies decreased by 3.9%, internal service charges increased by 14.2% — but capital outlays decreased by 99.2%.

Sources of the funding for the budget would include reimbursable federal, state and county grants; housing project revenues derived from payments of loans; and Inclusionary Housing Trust Fund revenues, among other sources.

At the meeting, members of the public urged the City Council to increase the general funding appropriations for the department.

“We now know from the 2022 homeless count that there is no appreciable improvement in homelessness in our city,” Sonja Berndt said. “Only $1.6 million from the general fund for the housing department’s entire program? The state and federal governments give the city funding but grants are uncertain and we can’t expect them to provide all the funding necessary to solve our problems.”

“The fee is essential but again that’s not a consistent funding source,” Jill Shook said. “The big need is for these capital dollars.”

“Like many in the community, I would love to see more overall funding for the Housing Department,” Allison Henry said. “I support an increase in interim housing and affordable housing purchase.”

For FY 2022, the Housing Department has permitted a total of 244 inclusionary units. Some projects have been completed while some are still under construction.

Among the projects under construction, according to Huang, are the Salvation Army Hope Center and the Concord Senior Apartment.

The construction of the Heritage Square South project for homeless seniors will begin in about a month, according to the director.

On the rental assistance side, the department provided over 1,409 households monthly rental assistance and awarded 109 emergency housing vouchers for FY 2022.

Huang said the proposed budget for FY 2023 will fund the Ramona senior housing project, the creation of a Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Regional Housing Trust Fund, and the possible acquisition of vacant lots within Caltrans and William Carey International University.

The budget will also be used to complete the interim housing for homeless Pasadena City College students, according to Huang.