CITY COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING
Special Meeting May 22, 2025
6:30 P.M. Council Chambers
6:30 P.M. – SPECIAL MEETING
Mayor Bernal called the Special Meeting to order at 6:3 1 P.M., and Assistant City Clerk Garcia called the roll.
Present: Council Members District 1 Torres -Walker, District 3 Freitas, District 4 Wilson, Mayor Pro Tem (District 2) Rocha and Mayor Bernal
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Bernal led the Pledge of Allegiance.
BUDGET STUDY SESSION
1. RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION WITH CALIFORNIA SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE HOMEKEY+ PROGRAM
City Manager Scott presented the staff report dated May 22, 2025 recommending the City Council adopt a resolution approving the submission of an application with California Supportive Housing for the HomeKey + Program and designate City Manager to execute commitments for city capital match up to $750,000 and operating subsidy up to $1,200,000 annually for 5 years with two five year extensions contingent on the property meeting the required HomeKey + guidelines and affordable housing regulatory agreement and authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute the Agreement in a form approved by the City Attorney.
A representative from California Supportive Housing and Andrew Becker gave the CSH Mahogany Housing Permanent Affordable Housing Solution PowerPoint presentation.
Melissa Case, Jacquelyn Higgins, Krystle Brooks, Nichole Gardner, Mary Lutz, Andrew Becker and an unidentified speaker spoke in support for the Council's approval of the HomeKey + Program application, emphasizing the importance of bringing vital programs and services to assist unhoused residents.
In response to Mayor Bernal, the CSH representative explained that for the Homekey application, the City must demonstrate a viable project lasting at least 15 years, with a commitment of up to $1.2 million annually for that period . He reported the project involved 119 units, with 60 to 85 allocated for housing, while the remaining units would serve as offices for case and property management or be converted into common meeting spaces. Some leftover units may be repurposed as a hotel or other housing needs and t he final number of units dedicated to the project will be decided by May 30, 2025. He confirmed efforts to secure
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additional federal resources were underway and this would be a 55 -year commitment to the property by his company. He reported while earlier discussions included County -provided in- kind services like case management, they are now exploring whether funding would be offered.
He stated ERF funding may support individuals transitioning from the Executive Inn program into this housing. He confirmed this program was housing-first, primarily serving Antioch residents based on local Point-In-Time (PIT) data, and once finalized, support from stakeholders will be sought. He commented that the County’s CORE and service providers w ould determine who qualified for housing in these units.
Andrew Becker added that the City would use the County’s Coordinated Entry System alongside H3 for housing placements. He also mentioned the County ha d committed to providing a letter of support for the Homekey project and was open to discussions regarding potential financial support.
The CSH representative stated he would collaborate with City Manager Scott to provide the City Council with the project's pro forma and cash flow details. Additionally, he mentioned that their organization had been operating as a non-profit for three years.
Councilmember Freitas stated addressing homelessness was one of his top priorities when running for office. He emphasized not moving forward could worsen the homelessness crisis and increase public pressure for action. He highlighted that this initiative offer ed a potential permanent solution to assist the unhoused for the next 55 years. Expressing confidence in the City's ability to manage the budget, he affirmed his support for the application and his intention to review the pro forma to make an informed decision on how to proceed.
Councilmember Torres-Walker expressed gratitude to those who showed her the encampments, helping her understand these areas as communities, and thanked Andrew for his commitment to this process. She stated she understood the budgetary risk but emphasized that the City had missed several previous opportunities to apply for Homekey in the past. She noted that most individuals at Delta Landing and the Executive Inn were Antioch unhoused residents, and given the high PIT counts and the presence of their own C ORE team, she was confident that the residents at this site would also be Antioch unhoused individuals. She pointed out that the City had spent significant funds through the Antioch Police Department, Public Works, Antioch CORE team, and contractors to clean up encampments, and supporting this permanent solution would likely be less costly. She agreed that efforts should be made to find alternative funding sources to reduce the financial burden on Antioch, highligh ting that homelessness was a regional issue requiring broader support.
The CSH representative stated if the City’s application was approved, they could seek federal, state and county funding opportunities.
Councilmember Rocha suggested that the City consider using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to help offset the costs of acquiring the property. He also requested that staff provide a list of ongoing affordable housing projects along with their completion timelines.
He mentioned that if th ose projects were delayed or c ould not proceed, their funds could
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potentially be redirected to support this investment. He emphasized the importance of making a long-term commitment to assist those in the greatest crisis.
Councilmember Wilson thanked the speakers who provided comments this evening and Andrew Becker for his persistence. She stated she was pleased the County was involved in the process.
She requested that the provider give the City Council a report on the progress of the program.
She concluded by saying that this was a good investment for Antioch.
The CSH representative confirmed that he would work with City Manager Scott to review the application prior to submittal.
Mayor Bernal expressed appreciation to the presenter and Andrew Becker for their efforts on the project. He noted that encampment sweeps would continue for individuals in areas not deemed acceptable by the City. He stated that due to the ongoing budget deficit and financial constraints, he would not be able to support the application at this time.
A motion was made by Councilmember Torres-Walker to adopt the resolution.
City Manager Scott requested the motion included the following amendment to the resolution:
➢ Include the total amount of the application was up to $34,900,000
Councilmember Torres-Walker amended her motion as follows.
RESOLUTION NO. 2025/89
On motion by Councilmember Torres -Walker, seconded by Councilmember Wilson the City Council adopted a resolution approving the submission of an application with California Supportive Housing for the HomeKey + Program and designate d City Manager to execute commitments for city capital match up to $750,000 and operating subsidy up to $1,200,000 annually for 5 years with two five year extensions contingent on the property meeting the required HomeKey + guidelines and affordable housing regulatory agreement and authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute the Agreement in a form approved by the City Attorney with the following amendment to the resolution:
➢ Include the total amount of the application was up to $34,900,000.
The motion carried the following vote:
Ayes: Torres-Walker, Rocha, Wilson, Freitas Noes: Bernal
ADJOURNMENT
On motion by Councilmember Torres-Walker, seconded by Councilmember Rocha the City Council unanimously adjourned the meeting at 8:06 P.M.
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Respectfully submitted:
Kitty Eiden
KITTY EIDEN, Minutes Clerk