1 Cherri Walton
From: William Baker-External
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2022 5:43 PM
To: David Oro
Subject: Fwd: Broadway Project 'clarification 'letter' request **part 1/2** Attachments: Appraisal-BroadwaySt012022_compressed.pdf
Resend...
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Subject:Broadway Project 'clarification 'letter' request **part 1/2** Date:Mon, 15 Aug 2022 09:19:59 ‐0700
From:william baker <[email protected]>
To:[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Pierre Washington <[email protected]>
CC:Jason Holley <[email protected]>, William Ross <[email protected]> ** Due to attachment sending limitations, this message being sent twice....** Dear Mayor Garcia, Vice‐mayor, and American Canyon City Council members, Firstly, my sincere thanks for your attention and ongoing support regarding this project.
As a part of its Homekey Application for the Broadway Project, the City of Vallejo has mischaracterized the American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park. This mischaracterization of our largest city park may have been instrumental in the California Department of Housing and Community Development ('HCD') funding this project.
I am asking the City to inform the HCD Homekey Project Director in Sacramento with a 'letter of clarification' or similar regarding the siting of the Broadway Project and the mislabeling of the American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park.
Kindly note: This request is part of an investigation into the administrative issues with Vallejo's Homekey application and is not directly related to the CEQA legal action you will discuss on Tuesday afternoon.
I believe the City of Vallejo has misrepresented and obfuscated the fact that the Broadway Project's northern border sits on a shared property line with the dog park at the American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park. The only references I find in the City of Vallejo's application materials are simply 'dog park' or 'American Canyon Dog Park.' I have shared emails with you to the City of Vallejo Mayor and City Council on July 14th and a recent email to the Director Seeger Director of the HCD Homekey Project on August 12th regarding project siting and the application documentation issues for the City of Vallejo's Broadway Project application.
As noted in previous emails and my public comments to you on July 19th, of the 160+ approved Homekey projects, only one, the Broadway Project, sits on the property line of a public park. I firmly believe that HCD Homekey would not have granted funding to the Broadway Project if they knew the project's actual location.
I respectfully request American Canyon to consider "setting the record straight" by communicating to HCD Sacramento 2 stating the correct description of the Veterans Memorial Park and its relationship with the dog park, children's play area, BBQ picnic areas, Bocce courts, wetland areas, and the formal Veterans Memorial. At 14 ‐acres and 1/2 mile long north to south, this is by far the largest public park in American Canyon, by my reckoning.
Enclosed are documents for your review illustrating this issue:
1) "Housing Site Plan" prepared by the City of Vallejo in their home key funding application to HCD. Unfortunately, the illustration conveniently cuts off after the Google Maps label 'American Canyon Dog Park.' 2) "Phase I Environmental" report for the site only mentions a 'dog park' or 'dog park facility' on pgs6 13, 16, and 41) on the northern side of the project property. This report also conveniently 'forgets' to label city streets in American Canyon to the northeast of the property.
3) "Appraisal‐Broadway" ‐ this, perhaps the most telling document of all, has no mention of Napa county, American Canyon, or even a park of any sort in its 85 pages. All maps, including the Solano County property map (pg26) and the Vallejo City zoning district map (pg59), conveniently omit the existence of Napa County and American Canyon's description of the property.
You may recall my previous 3‐minute comment during the City Council meeting on July 19th. During that meeting, I presented to the City Council a petition signed by American Canyon and Vallejo residents opposed to the Broadway Project. The location of this project next to a major city park is detrimental to both children visiting the park and project tenants.
HCD needs to be made clear exactly where the Broadway Project they funded is located and take appropriate administrative measures to prevent building this project.
I would be grateful for your assistance in setting the record straight on this issue with the City of Vallejo and HCD Homekey.
I enclose a sample letter for your reference, addressed to Jennifer Seeger, Deputy Director, Division of State Financial Assistance, and the Homekey project funding letter signer to the City of Vallejo. Feel free to modify as you see fit. I also have a list of email addresses used in prior communications with Director Seeger.
I look forward to meeting you again this Tuesday evening, August 16th.
Thank you again for your attention and ongoing support. *****START*******************************
to: Director Jennifer Seeger,
HCD homekey project
2020 W. El Camino Avenue,
Suite 670
P.O. Box 952054
Sacramento, California 94252‐2054
Re Broadway project HCD homekey contract 21‐HK‐17234
Dear Director Seeger,
It has come to our attention a the above‐mentioned funded project under the Homekey program is located directly next 3 to the largest city park in our City. We believe that for unknown reasons, an oversight may have occurred somewhere in the application, due diligence, and vetting process of this project (the 'Broadway 'project.) Application documents reviewed to date, including 1) 'Housing Site Plan' prepared by the City of Vallejo, 2) Phase 1 Environmental Review, and 3) Property Appraisal report, show only passing reference to a 'dog park' located at the northern boundary of the Broadway Project border. While there is a dog park, it is one part of an extensive outdoor public park that includes: 1) a children's play area, 2) covered and uncovered picnic and BBQ areas, 3) protected wetland areas, 4) bocce ball courts, and a 5) dedicated Veterans Memorial. The American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park is over 14 acres and stretches 1/2 north to south. As noted above, it is the largest public park in American Canyon. The proposed Broadway Project sits directly on the southern border of our park.
We understand that specific California Home First program rules allow chronically homeless applicants to apply for Homekey projects such as the Broadway Project without revealing prior convictions or issues with various legal or illegal substance abuse. However, while the ideals of Home First is undoubtedly well intended, a facility like the Broadway Project needs to be in a location where tenants of these project are away from the temptations they are trying to overcome.
Forty convicted sex offenders are living in Homekey projects today. This number will only increase as more projects come on line.
Being located next to a public park, the Broadway Project will provide unneeded temptation to some of these tenants, specifically convicted sexual offenders, posing a danger both to their recovery and those in the park. No other homekey project is located directly next to a public park. We are unsure how the Broadway Project was approved at this site.
However, We believe its actual location was not adequately described in either the application documents not the meetings between HCD and the project sponsors.
A citizen‐led CEQA complaint was filed against the Broadway Project sponsors last week in Solano County. We enclose a copy of this petition for your review.
It is, without doubt, that the Broadway project should not be built at its current location. We would be grateful if you would work with the City of Vallejo and the sponsors of the Broadway project to locate a more appropriate site for this project.
I invite you to contact me with any questions or comments regarding this letter.
Yours sincerely,
cc:
********END*************************************
relevant email addresses used in the past
[email protected]
[email protected]
Timothy.Koop‐[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Solano Resource Connect
[email protected]
4 [email protected]
--
Yours sincerely,
William Baker
+1-707-819-6425
From: William Baker-External
To: David Oro
Subject: Fwd: Broadway Project "clarification "letter" request **part 1/2** Attachments: Appraisal-BroadwaySt012022_compressed.pdf
Resend...
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject:Broadway Project 'clarification 'letter' request **part 1/2** Date:Mon, 15 Aug 2022 09:19:59 -0700
From:william baker <[email protected]>
To:[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Pierre Washington <[email protected]>
CC:Jason Holley <[email protected]>, William Ross <[email protected]>
** Due to attachment sending limitations, this message being sent twice....** Dear Mayor Garcia, Vice-mayor, and American Canyon City Council members, Firstly, my sincere thanks for your attention and ongoing support regarding this project.
As a part of its Homekey Application for the Broadway Project, the City of Vallejo has mischaracterized the American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park. This mischaracterization of our largest city park may have been instrumental in the California Department of Housing and Community Development ('HCD') funding this project.
I am asking the City to inform the HCD Homekey Project Director in Sacramento with a 'letter of clarification' or similar regarding the siting of the Broadway Project and the mislabeling of the American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park.
Kindly note: This request is part of an investigation into the administrative issues with Vallejo's Homekey application and is not directly related to the CEQA legal action you will discuss on Tuesday afternoon.
I believe the City of Vallejo has misrepresented and obfuscated the fact that the Broadway Project's northern border sits on a shared property line with the dog park at the American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park. The only references I find in the City of Vallejo's application materials are simply 'dog park' or 'American Canyon Dog Park.' I have shared emails with you to the City of Vallejo Mayor and City Council on July 14th and a recent email to the Director Seeger Director of the HCD Homekey Project on August 12th regarding project siting and the application documentation issues for the City of Vallejo's Broadway Project application.
As noted in previous emails and my public comments to you on July 19th, of the 160+ approved Homekey projects, only one, the Broadway Project, sits on the property line of a public park. I firmly believe that HCD Homekey would not have granted funding to the Broadway Project if they knew the project's actual location.
I respectfully request American Canyon to consider "setting the record straight" by communicating to HCD Sacramento stating the correct description of the Veterans Memorial Park and its relationship with the dog park, children's play area, BBQ picnic areas, Bocce courts, wetland areas, and the formal Veterans Memorial. At 14 -acres and 1/2 mile long north to south, this is by far the largest public park in American Canyon, by my reckoning.
Enclosed are documents for your review illustrating this issue:
1) "Housing Site Plan" prepared by the City of Vallejo in their home key funding application to HCD. Unfortunately, the illustration conveniently cuts off after the Google Maps label 'American Canyon Dog Park.'
2) "Phase I Environmental" report for the site only mentions a 'dog park' or 'dog park facility' on pgs6 13, 16, and 41) on the northern side of the project property. This report also conveniently 'forgets' to label city streets in American Canyon to the northeast of the property. 3) "Appraisal-Broadway" - this, perhaps the most telling document of all, has no mention of Napa county, American Canyon, or even a park of any sort in its 85 pages. All maps, including the Solano County property map (pg26) and the Vallejo City zoning district map (pg59), conveniently omit the existence of Napa County and American Canyon's description of the property.
You may recall my previous 3-minute comment during the City Council meeting on July 19th.
During that meeting, I presented to the City Council a petition signed by American Canyon and Vallejo residents opposed to the Broadway Project. The location of this project next to a major city park is detrimental to both children visiting the park and project tenants.
HCD needs to be made clear exactly where the Broadway Project they funded is located and take appropriate administrative measures to prevent building this project.
I would be grateful for your assistance in setting the record straight on this issue with the City of Vallejo and HCD Homekey.
I enclose a sample letter for your reference, addressed to Jennifer Seeger, Deputy Director, Division of State Financial Assistance, and the Homekey project funding letter signer to the City of Vallejo. Feel free to modify as you see fit. I also have a list of email addresses used in prior communications with Director Seeger.
I look forward to meeting you again this Tuesday evening, August 16th.
Thank you again for your attention and ongoing support. *****START*******************************
to: Director Jennifer Seeger,
HCD homekey project
2020 W. El Camino Avenue,
Suite 670
P.O. Box 952054
Sacramento, California 94252-2054
Re Broadway project HCD homekey contract 21-HK-17234
Dear Director Seeger,
It has come to our attention a the above-mentioned funded project under the Homekey program is located directly next to the largest city park in our City. We believe that for unknown reasons, an oversight may have occurred somewhere in the application, due diligence, and vetting process of this project (the 'Broadway 'project.) Application documents reviewed to date, including 1) 'Housing Site Plan' prepared by the City of Vallejo, 2) Phase 1 Environmental Review, and 3) Property Appraisal report, show only passing reference to a 'dog park' located at the northern boundary of the Broadway Project border. While there is a dog park, it is one part of an extensive outdoor public park that includes: 1) a children's play area, 2) covered and uncovered picnic and BBQ areas, 3) protected wetland areas, 4) bocce ball courts, and a 5) dedicated Veterans Memorial. The American Canyon Veterans Memorial Park is over 14 acres and stretches 1/2 north to south.
As noted above, it is the largest public park in American Canyon. The proposed Broadway Project sits directly on the southern border of our park.
We understand that specific California Home First program rules allow chronically homeless applicants to apply for Homekey projects such as the Broadway Project without revealing prior convictions or issues with various legal or illegal substance abuse. However, while the ideals of Home First is undoubtedly well intended, a facility like the Broadway Project needs to be in a location where tenants of these project are away from the temptations they are trying to overcome.
Forty convicted sex offenders are living in Homekey projects today. This number will only increase as more projects come on line.
Being located next to a public park, the Broadway Project will provide unneeded temptation to some of these tenants, specifically convicted sexual offenders, posing a danger both to their recovery and those in the park. No other homekey project is located directly next to a public park. We are unsure how the Broadway Project was approved at this site. However, We believe its actual location was not adequately described in either the application documents not the meetings between HCD and the project sponsors.
A citizen-led CEQA complaint was filed against the Broadway Project sponsors last week in Solano County. We enclose a copy of this petition for your review.
It is, without doubt, that the Broadway project should not be built at its current location. We would be grateful if you would work with the City of Vallejo and the sponsors of the Broadway project to locate a more appropriate site for this project.
I invite you to contact me with any questions or comments regarding this letter.
Yours sincerely,
cc:
********END*************************************
relevant email addresses used in the past
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Solano Resource Connect
[email protected]
[email protected]
--
Yours sincerely,
William Baker
+1-707-819-6425