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COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
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Department of Housing
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DATE:
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June 12, 2006
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BOARD MEETING DATE:
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June 20, 2006
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SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING
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30-Day Notice, Public Hearing
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VOTE REQUIRED
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Majority
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TO:
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Honorable Board of Supervisors
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FROM:
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Duane Bay, Director, Department of Housing
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SUBJECT:
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Relocation Plan and Conversion Impact Report and Relocation Guidelines for the Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park, Site of Colma Transit Village Apartments Development
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Recommendation
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A.
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Conduct a public hearing; and
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B.
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Adopt a Resolution:
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1.
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Adopting Relocation Guidelines and Approving a Relocation Plan, including a Relocation Appeals and Grievance Process, for implementation by Bridge Regional Partners, for the Colma Transit Village Apartments Development; and
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2.
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Finding that the Conversion Impact Report for the Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park is Sufficient
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Vision Alignment
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Commitments: Offer a full range of housing choices, and Responsive, effective and collaborative government.
Goals 9 and 20: Housing exists for people at all income levels and for all generations of families; and Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.
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The action contributes to these commitments and goals in that the proposed development is designed to offer affordable opportunities for extremely low and very low income households to reside next to the Colma BART Station, a major Bay Area transit node. The development will revitalize this part of El Camino Real and anchor the northern stretch of El Camino as part of the Grand Boulevard scheme envisioned for this area. While the project development requires closure of a mobile home park, the relocation of the households will be accomplished in full compliance with State and federal relocation laws and guidelines, which require that the individual circumstances and desires of each household be taken into consideration for relocation benefits.
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Performance Measures:
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Measure
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FY 2004-05
Actual
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FY 2005-06
Projected
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Number of County-supported units under development during the Fiscal Year
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667
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960*
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Number of County-supported affordable housing units developed and occupied
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53
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162
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* Based on project size of 170 units
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Background
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BRIDGE Housing Corporation, through its affiliate nonprofit, BRIDGE Regional Partners, is proposing to develop 128 units of family housing on property adjacent to the Colma BART Station. The project is in conformance with the Colma BART Area Specific Plan. When the County provided $500,000 for assistance with pre-development costs on December 6, 2005, it was anticipated that the project would consist of 170 units. The project size has since been scaled down to 128 units in order to minimize incremental construction costs and to respond more effectively to the parameters of the California low income tax credit requirements regarding maximum project size.
In May 2006, the Board approved the County’s FY 06-07 Action Plan which allocated an additional $1.5 million of a combination of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding for the project, for a total of total of $2 million of federal funds. In May 2006, the County also approved an application to HUD for a $7.145 million Section 108 loan, which would be secured by future County CDBG funds. At this time, BRIDGE indicated in FY 2007-08, it would apply for another $1 million of CDBG/HOME funding from the County CDBG for a total $3 million. Including the CDBG Section108 loan, the total County CDBG/HOME assistance translates into $79,260 per unit, still a cost-effective investment to achieve housing that is affordable to extremely low and very low income County families.
Currently the site is occupied by the Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park, an aging facility with 42 recreational vehicles and mobile homes. The project requires the closure of the Park and relocation of its occupants. As federal funds are involved, as well as a mobile home park, these activities trigger the application of certain relocation requirements.
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Discussion
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California Government Code Section 65893.7 provides that this Board may require, as a condition to the change in use of the mobile home park, that BRIDGE take steps to mitigate any adverse impact of the park closure – the cost of such steps not to exceed the reasonable costs of relocation. Accordingly, BRIDGE has accepted the fiscal obligation in connection with any required relocation and has retained the relocation firm, Overland, Pacific & Cutler (OPC) to assist in the relocation process. In accordance with the California Relocation Assistance Act and the California Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Guidelines, OPC has met with the residents in several individual and group sessions to assess needs.
A relocation plan and conversion impact report has been prepared delineating how the relocation will be handled and the array of benefits open to the residents, including comparable replacement housing options. Under the plan, all qualified displaced persons can retain priority status to move back to the site upon project completion by choosing to relocate to a mobile home or RV community. However, if a displaced person otherwise elects to relocate to a qualifying apartment, they may lose their priority status, although they would still be able to compete with other qualified households for housing at the new development
In March 2006, OPC conducted a point in time survey and found 50 available RV spaces in the County with rents ranging from $375 to $825 per month, and even more available spaces within the larger 11-county Bay Area. They also found within the County alone 38 mobile home units for sale, and 58 apartment units available with rents ranging from $850 to $900 per month for a studio, $895 to $1095 for a one-bedroom unit, and $1100 to $1600 for a two bedroom unit.
Relocation includes very specific noticing requirements to park residents regarding the relocation time line, including a year’s notice to vacate, and 15- or 30-days’ notice of certain meetings. In this case, they have received a 30-day notice of this hearing before the County Board of Supervisors.
State regulations provide displaced persons under a relocation plan the right to request an administrative review should disputes or complaints arise regarding relocation eligibility, the benefit amount, the failure to provide comparable replacement housing referrals, or perceived inadequate property management practices. Further, under State mobile home closure law, a conversion impact report must be provided to the local jurisdiction, and a copy of the report provided to each park resident. State law further requires a mandatory 30-day public comment period on the report, with comments to be included in the final report
Under State law, the entity proposing the change of use, in this case BRIDGE, and each resident may request a hearing before the local legislative body on the sufficiency of the report. Today’s hearing is at BRIDGE’s request for the Board to adopt a finding that the report is sufficient. It is also an opportunity for the Board to adopt a relocation program, including a grievance and appeals process, applicable to this project concerning the Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park. Staff has reviewed the relocation program and impact report and determined it is sufficient, provided the modifications and corrections specified in Addendum 1, which is incorporated into the draft dated April, 2006.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Relocation Appeals and Grievance Process as to form for the project development; and the Resolution.
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Fiscal Impact
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No Net County Cost is involved in the specific actions called for in this report.
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