Council Passes Housing Funds On Monday’s Consent Calendar

As part of Monday’s consent calendar, the City Council authorized the City to apply for homeless housing, assistance and prevention round 4 funding with the state’s Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

The City has received three rounds of one-time Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) state block grant funding totaling $1.75 million. 

Continuums of Care (CoC), as identified by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD), large cities and counties are eligible jurisdictions to apply for HHAP funding. A fourth round of HHAP funding, HHAP Round 4 (HHAP-4) has been announced and application materials were posted on the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) website and released via email on September 30.

HHAP-4 funding is intended to support local communities through a broad range of evidence-based solutions that address and prevent homelessness among eligible populations, including street outreach, interim housing, rapid rehousing, services coordination, systems support, hotel and motel conversions, permanent housing and homelessness prevention. 

The funds focus on accountability and outcomes whereby the City must establish quantifiable performance goals and will receive bonus funds if these goals are met. 

As with previous rounds of HHAP funding, HHAP-4 will include a 10% minimum set aside for youth experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Allocations for HHAP-4 funding are not currently available but will be based on local 2022 Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count data. Previous rounds of HHAP funding used data from the 2019 PIT Homeless Count to calculate each jurisdiction’s allocation. 

The state is currently working with HUD to confirm final PIT counts and anticipates releasing final allocations before the end of the calendar year. The City was awarded $811,000 in HHAP Round 3 earlier this year, and staff anticipates the HHAP-4 allocation will be close to this amount since there was minimal fluctuation between the 2019 and 2022 Homeless Counts. 

City staff will work with the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Board and local stakeholders to identify the most impactful investment opportunities in the community and prioritize funding accordingly.  

Here are the other items that passed as part of Monday’s consent calendar:

• A resolution designating the General Manager and Assistant General Manager of the Water and Power Department as primary and alternate authorized/designated representatives, or any title variation thereof, for any and all mandated or voluntary water and power programs that require compliance with laws and regulations, and supersede a prior resolution. On July 9, 2012, the Pasadena City Council adopted Resolution 9216 which designates primary and alternate “Representatives” to conduct transactions and submit reports for the Cap-and-Trade Program. Specifically, the General Manager of the Water and Power Department is appointed as the City’s “Authorized Account Representative” and “Designated Representative,” and the Assistant General Manager of the Water and Power Department is appointed as the “Alternate Authorized Account Representative” and “Alternate Designated Representative.” Resolution 9216 is specific to position and program without a process to address a vacancy in the General Manager position or future programs that include similar official representation roles. 

•  A five-year fiber lease agreement with the California Institute of Technology for use of City fiber, resulting in up to $94,521 in revenue to the City, with the option for the City Manager to extend the agreement for one five-year period at an amount of up to an additional $94,521 in revenue. The proposed fiber lease agreement with Caltech will be for the lease of the same City fiber under the current, expiring agreement. It will also be structured similarly with an initial five-year period for $94,521, and one optional five-year extension, which if exercised, will generate up to $189,042 in revenue from license fees over the term of the agreement. The license fee compensates the City for ongoing use of the fiber, as well as City maintenance and repair of any outages. 

• A contract award to Select Electric Inc. for an intelligent transportation system Phase 1 parking guidance system for an amount not-to-exceed $577,273. The City of Pasadena received Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) project funds for the integration of a – parking information system to the City’s Traffic Management Center. This specific project is a sub-project under SAFETEA-LU utilizing DEMO funds for the installation of changeable message signs at key public parking garage entrance points to display realtime garage occupancy at five City-owned parking garages: Delacey, Schoolhouse, Marengo, Marriott, and Los Robles. Pasadena Department of Transportation selected these garages based on their parking demand and the need to provide additional wayfinding for motorists searching for available parking. 

• A purchase order contract award to Jam Services Inc. for procurement of ADA-compliant audible pedestrian push buttons for an amount not-to-exceed $131,020. This project provides for the procurement of ADA-compliant Audible Pedestrian Signal (APS) push buttons, to be installed by City crews at 16 signalized intersections prioritized from Citizen Service Center requests received from the community for such devices. These additional APS installations will further the City’s goal of improving accessibility in the public right-of-way. APS push buttons are integrated devices that communicate information about the “walk” and “don’t walk” intervals at signalized intersections in non-visual formats (i.e., audible tones and vibro-tactile surfaces) to pedestrians with low or no vision.

• A contract with Chicago Title Company for title and escrow services for a two-year term not to exceed $40,000, with the option of three additional one-year extensions combined options not to exceed $60,000, subject to the approval of the City Manager, for a total contract length of five years or until $100,000 is expended, whichever comes first. The Economic Development Division oversees a real estate portfolio of over 400 properties and leases that are managed, negotiated, and maintained for various City departments and tenants. The Division seeks to place one qualified professional under contract for title and escrow services to provide quality services for commercial and residential properties within the City. As future projects are identified, the consultant will provide cost estimates and time frames for the delivery of future title and escrow reports. 

• Salary schedule for Pasadena and the Pasadena Fire Management Association effective December 19. The Pasadena Fire Management Association (PFMA) represents the Battalion Chiefs of the Pasadena Fire Department. Battalion Chiefs operate at the division head level and are responsible for the administration of a variety of departmental programs and operations, including fire suppression, training, fire and environmental safety, and emergency medical services.  

• Contract awards to CPS; Carolina Caro; Ziksana Consulting and Center for Nonprofit Management for training and development services for an amount not to exceed $840,000.  The Employee Relations Division of the Human Resources Department provides a comprehensive training program geared toward developing the skills of all City employees. On August 15, 2021, a new Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued and the City received fifteen responses. All proposals were evaluated by an internal panel consisting of representatives from Human Resources. The scope of work includes providing both in-person and virtual workshops/training on topics including, but not limited to supervisory/management skill development, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, leadership, interpersonal, organizational, analytical staff work, personal effectiveness, compliance/mandated training and Human Resources. 

•  A lease amendment for the office space located at 221 E. Walnut Street, Suites 199, 210, 229. The City’s Transportation Department and the Library and Information Services Department both currently lease a total of 12,372 square feet of office space at 221 E. Walnut Street, Suites 199,210, and 229. The 14th amendment of the lease expired on October 31, 2022. These offices are used as both of the departments’ central administrative offices. Of note, the Transportation Department has been in the same location since 1997. The City has looked at alternative office building sites and considered consolidating with other City departments’ offices at one location, but a suitable location has not yet been identified. In addition, alternative locations are more expensive than the current rental rate of $2.25/SF/month gross, and relocating would require additional expenses to move including loss of work productivity. 

• An information item on Pasadena’s local emergency response to the Monkeypox (MPX) Virus. As of November 1, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 28,377 cases in the United States with 5,450 cases in California. Los Angeles County has reported 2,345 cases including 30 cases in Pasadena. There has been one death due to MPX, a resident of Los Angeles County. MPX can spread through contact with body fluids, sores, or shared items (such as clothing and bedding) that have been contaminated with fluids from sores of a person with MPX. Although MPX is not generally considered a sexually transmitted infection, it can be transmitted during sex through prolonged skin-to-skin and other intimate contact, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. For most individuals, the current risk of MPX is low. MPX is a public health concern because the illness is similar to smallpox and can be spread efficiently from person to person and to a lesser extent, materials contaminated with the virus. MPX is less transmissible and usually less severe than smallpox. The current MPX situation is evolving and the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) is closely monitoring MPX transmission locally to ensure rapid identification of cases and prevention among close contacts. The PPHD continues to coordinate local outreach to organizations and entities that may have significant amounts of people who may be at higher risk or eligible for MPX vaccination. The PPHD is working regionally and with statewide collaborations to ensure case coordination, testing availability and treatment options. City staff from the Finance, Library, and Water & Power Departments have been deployed to PPHD to aid in case coordination and vaccination efforts. As of November 1, 2022, the PPHD and its partners have administered 333 vaccines for the prevention of MPX.

•  A resolution finding that Real Property owned by the Successor Agency to the Pasadena Community Development Commission located in the City of Pasadena at 1383 Prime Court, and identified as APN 5848-028-900, is exempt from the Surplus Land Act, and taking related actions. The State’s Surplus Land Act (“Act”) requires that affordable housing development be prioritized when public agencies dispose of public lands, such as those that were owned by a Successor Agency. When a property is disposed of, the Act generally requires local agencies to take formal action at a public meeting to declare a property as surplus land or exempt surplus land prior to undertaking other action to dispose of the land. On January 1, 2020, the Act was amended to include “successor agency” in the definition of “local agency.” However, the Act, as amended, also provides that if an exclusive negotiating agreement (“ENA”) was entered into by a successor agency prior to the end of 2020 with respect to land listed for sale on the successor agency’s long-range property management plan, that land could be sold as late as the end of 2022 without being subject to the Act. 

• Two contract awards: 1) The Property Sciences Group Inc. and  2) Norris Realty Advisors for commercial appraisal services for a combined total not to exceed $125,000. The Economic Development Division oversees· a real estate portfolio of over 400 properties and leases that are managed, negotiated, and maintained for various City departments and tenants. The Division seeks to place contracts for commercial appraisal services to provide services for commercial properties within the City. As future projects are identified, the contractor(s) will provide cost estimates and time frames for the delivery of future appraisal reports; if they are unable to complete any requested service within a reasonable time frame, the secondary contractor will be asked to provide costs estimates and time frames for the delivery of the same project. Thereafter, the City will then select between the two proposals for that particular project.

• A contract with The Property Sciences Group, Inc for residential appraisal services for a two-year term not to exceed $30,000, with the option of three additional one-year extensions not to exceed $45,000, subject to the approval of the City Manager, for a maximum total contract length of five years or until $75,000 is expended, whichever comes first. The Economic Development Division oversees a real estate portfolio of over 400 properties and leases that are managed, negotiated, and maintained for various City departments and tenants. The Division seeks to place one qualified professional under contract for residential appraisal services to provide quality appraisals for residential properties within the City. As future projects are identified, the consultant will provide cost estimates and time frames for the delivery of future requested appraisal reports. 

•  A contract with Overland, Pacific & Cutler, LLC for Right of Way Services for two years not to exceed $40,000, with three optional one-year extensions not to exceed $60,000, subject to the approval of the City Manager, for a maximum total contract length of five years or until $100,000 is expended, whichever comes first. The Economic Development Division oversees a real estate portfolio of over 400 properties and leases that are managed, negotiated, and maintained for various City departments and tenants. The Division is recommending a professional service contract for right-of-way services for commercial and residential properties within the City. As future projects are identified, the contractor will provide cost estimates and time frames for the delivery of future right-of-way projects. 

• Approval of key business terms of a development and lease agreement with National Community Renaissance of California for the construction of an affordable housing project for seniors on city-owned property at 280 Ramona Street.  The City of Pasadena (“City”) and developer National Community Renaissance of California (“Developer”) entered into that certain Exclusive Negotiation Agreement dated December 16, 2020 (the “ENA”), in order to negotiate the terms of an agreement that entails the lease of the City-owned property located at 280 Ramona Street (the “Property”) to Developer and the provision of City funding assistance (the Development and Lease Agreement or “DLA”) for the construction of an affordable rental housing complex with approximately 112 units for low-income seniors (the “Project”). On October 10, 2022, the City and Developer reached concurrence on the key business terms of the transaction. The proposed Project consists of the construction on the Property of a 100-unit, five-story apartment complex that will serve lower-income senior citizens at affordable rents. The Project will include units reserved for senior citizens experiencing homelessness. The Project will also include a community room, management offices, a courtyard, and a resident manager unit. The courtyard will provide appropriately sized and safe areas for Project residents and their accompanied guests to relax, congregate, and otherwise enjoy common area amenities. The ground floor courtyard space may be opened on occasion to the general public for events in coordination with on-site property management. The concept design for the Project was approved by the Design Commission on September 27, 2022, and became effective on October 11, 2022. Parking will not be provided on-site. Parking will be available to future residents in existing nearby privately operated parking facilities, if these future residents elect to enter into individual parking lease arrangements with the owners/operators of those facilities. There are several existing parking facilities located in close proximity to the Project, including but not limited to the County Court Parking Garage directly across Ramona Street from the Project. The County Court Parking Garage offers up to approximately 562 total parking stalls and the owner will be installing automated gates for 24/7 access for short-term and long-term parking uses later this year. The developer intends to master lease parking stalls for on-site staff at the nearby privately operated parking facilities. Short-term parking at those facilities and at existing metered street parking will be available to guests. Future residents will also be able to utilize affordable and accessible public and private transit options, including the paratransit (i.e., door-to-door) services for which the Project is uniquely situated and designed to accommodate. Designated resident loading zones within the building will be provided in addition to a new curbside loading zone sized for larger paratransit vehicles which will be located adjacent to the Project’s Ramona Street resident entry and elevator lobby. The estimated total development cost of the Project is $62,990,357, assuming the Prevailing Wage. The proposed City financing sources for the Project total $16,300,000 consisting of the capitalized ground lease value, affordable housing impact fee waivers, and direct loan assistance utilizing federal HOME and HOME/CHOO funds. The HOME and HOME/CHOO funds totaling $2,756,073 were preliminarily awarded the Project through Council approval of the Annual Action Plan (2022-2023) on June 13 and Substantial Amendments to the Annual Action Plan (2022-2023) on November 14. These HOME Funds will be disbursed to the Project at a future date subject to certain conditions.

• A contract amendment with AME Builders, Inc. by $147,647 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $446,487 and amend the Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Improvement Program Budget by appropriating $200,000 in Charter Capital Fund to the Allendale Library Roof Replacement and Retrofit project.  On March 21, 2022, City Council approved a contract award to AME Builders, Inc. for the Allendale Library Roof Replacement and Retrofit for an amount not-to-exceed $298,840. During the discovery phase of the seismic retrofit portion of the project, alterations were identified that needed to be made before the roof replacement portion of the project could commence. The additional work was unforeseen, as it was within the wall structure. The existing building conditions were inconsistent with the original design drawings and, therefore, required the structural retrofit details to be re-designed by the Engineer of Record, and the newly proposed bracing to be reconfigured and modified. 

• $150,000 to the housing department’s Fiscal Year 2023 operating budget and amend a contract with Southern California Housing Rights Center (SCHRC) for tenant-landlord counseling services.  Since the sunset of the City’s eviction moratorium on June 30, 2022, the volume of requests for assistance from Pasadena tenants received by SCHRC and the Housing department has increased markedly. Recent data released by the Liberty Hill Foundation shows Los Angeles County eviction filings have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. It is the assessment of staff that SCHRC capacity needs to expand in order to meet the increased demands of tenants seeking assistance. Accordingly, a two-year budget was requested from SCHRC to expand services under the original scope of the tenant landlord services which includes, but not limited to, mediation of disputes, general counseling on tenant and landlord disputes, and handling cases under the City’s TPO. Housing staff reviewed the SCHRC budget and determined that additional City funding of $150,000 is a reasonable amount to increase tenant landlord services for a city the size of Pasadena over a two-year period. The proposed funding would come from the $150,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that Council earmarked on August 16, 2021, to expand eviction prevention legal services. 

•  Quarterly Investment Report – Quarter Ending September 30. the Treasurer or Chief Fiscal Officer (CFO) may render a quarterly report to the legislative body of the local agency containing detailed information on: 1) all securities, investments, and moneys of the local agency; 2) a statement of compliance of the portfolio with the statement of investment policy; and 3) a statement of the local agency’s ability to meet its pool’s expenditure requirements for the next six months. By making these reports optional, this bill does not impose a state-mandated local program, however, encourages local agencies to continue to report. The bill also states that the Treasurer or CFO may report whatever additional information or data may be required by the legislative body of the local agency. The quarterly report shall include the following: 1. The type of investment, name of the issuer, date of maturity, par, and dollar amount invested in each security, investment, and money within the treasury; 2. The weighted average maturity of the investments within the treasury; 3. Any funds, investments, or programs, including loans, that are under the management of contracted parties; 4. The market value as of the date of the report and the source of this valuation for any security within the treasury; and 5. A description of the compliance with the Statement of Investment Policy. 

• A contract with Southern California Public Power Authority (“SCPPA”) without competitive bidding pursuant to City Charter Section 1002 (H) (Contracts with other governmental entities or their contractors for labor, material, supplies, or services), for the purchase of renewable energy and capacity from Sapphire Solar, LLC that includes daily delivery of a maximum of 39 megawatts (“MW”) of solar photovoltaic energy and up to four hours of dispatchable battery energy storage not to exceed 19.67 MW during a 20-year contract term beginning December 31, 2026.