Housing Commmittee Meeting

HOUSING COMMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 29, 2014 Noon to 1:30 pm Pecan Court

Attendees:

1. Introductions - done 2. Acceptance of the Minutes – done 3. Additions to the Agenda - done 4. Agency Updates - done 5. Announcements - done

Present: Linda Geyer, Sharon Macklin, Chuck Mottern, Elizabeth Weeks Eugenio, Pablo Zatarian, Nicole Collier, Paula Castaneda, Eric Simonsen, Karen Lustig, Charlene Horton, James Jones, Drene Johnson, Gerry Raycraft, C. Yisbel Lopez-Timpano, Jamie Baskett, JoAnn Busenbark, Shea Hunter, Larry Kromann, Anne Payne, Suzanne Shiff, Linda Powers, Kevin Berryhill, Andrea Clark, Diana Doriame, Eric Simonsen, Karina O’Briain, Kathleen Dreessen

Additions to the Agenda:

______Urged members to support The Homes and Jobs Act - Senate Bill 391.

Fair Housing, Nicole Collier – Community is in crisis: Nicole C. said new investors are coming into Napa County without any interest in the community. They are buying private homes and are not following Fair Housing laws. Families are seeing more than 30% rent increases. 30/60/90 day “no cause” evictions are occurring. If tenant is Section 8, they get a 90 day notice; if they have lived in the apartment less than one year, they get a 60 day notice. The landlord/tenant program is getting cut in half to 400 people.

Paula C. noted that voucher holders are losing their vouchers and have nowhere to go.

Sharon M. noted the Gasser Foundation is building 140 units near the new movie theater and they are supposed to build a percentage of affordable units, but they are arguing that since they built Hartwell Court, they shouldn’t have to build additional affordable units as part of the project.

Andrea C. noted because of the Palmer case, jurisdictions can no longer require developers to build the affordable units. Developers now always opt to pay the fee instead. Paula C. asked isn’t the County required to be building affordable units?

Kathleen D. said ABAG’s RHNA numbers require a certain number of affordable units be built.

Paula C. suggested maybe the Housing Committee should go the City Council and request rent control.

Linda P. said affordable housing is a joke to the homeless population she works with.

Charlene H. said she heard on KGO that the City of Santa Rosa is creating a “tent city” on their fairgrounds.

Paula C. suggested perhaps Committee members could get an audience with the landlords and come to a compromise.

Drene J. said Joe Peatman of the Gasser Foundation is very interested in the homeless population. He bought Riverside Drive for that exact reason.

JoAnn B. said the Riverside Drive project will be the first ever transitional housing development for homeless families in Napa.

Suzanne S. suggested perhaps the Housing Committee should focus on the service industries: hotels, spas, food industry etc. for fundraising.

Sharon M. indicated they will be hosting an Affordable Housing forum in April (based on the recently completed Task Force report) and are aiming to get all of the local industries on the panel.

Suzanne S. said the Housing Committee should partner with the Advocacy Committee and present a policy platform at the forum.

Larry K. reminded the Committee that affordable housing is a county-wide issue. Upvalley there is no land to build on. TOT comes from upvalley, but is spent in the City of Napa.

Pablo Z. said it is important for the tourist industry to realize that their employees are being displaced.

Diana D. suggested perhaps the Committee should contact the Mexican Chamber. Charlene H. suggested the local jurisdictions could waive fees for affordable housing development. Nicole C. suggested Alfredo Pedroza (Napa City Council member) could be invited to Housing Committee meeting. Nicole goes to Washington D.C. every 3 months and contacts CA reps to advocate for Napa County.

Suzanne S. said that at NCTPA meetings, representatives from all of Napa County’s communities come together. Mayors, reps, etc.

Sharon H. suggested Committee members should attend Napa City Council meetings and advocate for affordable housing during the public comment period.

Paula C. suggested perhaps the Committee should return to monthly meetings. Yes! Sharon M. asked whether we could get the City council to waive impact fees for affordable housing. It would need 3 votes.

JoAnn B. the Committee should have at least 1 person at each meeting to advocate for affordable housing.

Jim J. said the impact fees are approximately $42,000/unit, divided between the various agencies: Napa Sanitation, NVUSD, etc. Waived fees would be great.

Suzanne S. volunteered to put together an Ad hoc committee. Various members volunteered to be on the committee.

Shea H. said the housing crisis is impacting the emergency shelters. Until it is personally affecting someone they know, people in this community are going to ignore the crisis. People are leaving this community and that is OK to certain people. Perhaps the hoteliers, wineries, etc. should be forcibly taxed. Or we could do a “compassion ask” or “dollar ask.”

Suzanne S. said the Napa Valley College Board is putting together a bond.

Shea H. said Napa Valley has an aura of “the haves” and “the have nots.” Other communities, though wealthy, embrace helping the less fortunate.

Agency Updates:

Paula C., Family Services. They are having a wine auction March 22, 2014 at Mondavi

Drene Johnson, CAN-V. CAN-V has taken over the meal program at Rohlff’s Manor. They are also partnering with the CIA to train students in the culinary industry. They are restarting the Meals on Wheels program in March.

Next meeting: February 26, 2014