Supportive Services for Eligible Households Approved as Part of City Council Consent Calendar

The City Council at its meeting Monday approved a $980,514 contract with Union Station Homeless Services to provide supportive services to eligible households that receive mainstream housing choice vouchers.

The city of Pasadena Housing Department was awarded 75 mainstream vouchers through an application with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Dec. 23. The vouchers had to be used by Feb. 1.

Mainstream vouchers are Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) for households which include a person with a disability who is under 62. Eligible households consist of single, non-elderly persons with disabilities or those with more than one person at least 18 years old and less than 62 and has a disability.

“The population to be served by this program includes households who are currently experiencing homelessness,” according to a city staff report.

“Blending these two funding streams together provides an opportunity to increase successful voucher utilization and maximize the impact of the services offered through a tailored package of financial assistance and targeted supportive services to ensure tenant success.”

Other items passed Monday’s consent calendar include:

A request for approval of final tract map No. 074594 for creation of eight air parcels for residential condominium purposes at 704 S. Marengo Ave.; a  contract with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., (ESRI) for an Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) of GIS software in an amount not-to-exceed $400,000 for a period of three years beginning July 1; and amendments to the city’s fiscal year 2021 general fee schedule. The fees in question are not new fees, but are being moved from the schedule of taxes, fees and charges to the general fee schedule.

Vice Mayor Andy Wilson recused himself from voting on the item regarding ESRI due to a conflict of interest. He turned off his camera and did not take part in that vote.

The consent calendar also included a parking program financial update.

Due to the pandemic, parking fund revenues are down significantly. Parking garage revenue for fiscal year 2021 is projected to be down $7.5 million from budgeted amounts, and parking citation, permit and boot revenue is projected to be down $6.2 million from budgeted amounts.