ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: June 10, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Constent - PSVS TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jennifer M. Byers, Economic and Community Development Director DATE: June 3, 2026
SUBJECT: Agreements for the Bakersfield Senior Center Mixed-Use Project (Ward 2).
1. Agreement with Bakersfield Senior LP (not to exceed $9,839,446) for 36 new affordable housing units at 530 4th Street;
2. Agreement with Bakersfield Senior Center (not to exceed $6,018,320) for the construction of a new senior center at 530 4th Street;
3. Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 2024-262 a Memorandum of Understanding with Kern Council of Governments (extend the term) for Regional Early Action Planning Grants of 2021 Funding for Bakersfield Senior Center Affordable Housing and Facility
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Agreements and the Amendment
BACKGROUND:
Since 2022, the Housing Authority of the County of Kern (Authority) and the Bakersfield Senior Center (BSC) have been working together to redevelop the existing Bakersfield Senior Center, located at 530 4th Street, into a mixed-use facility known as the Bakersfield Senior Center Mixed-Use Project. The project features a new, four-story state-of-the-art facility that includes a senior center with offices on the 1st and 2nd floors and residential units on the top two floors.
The housing portion of the project will consist of 35 one-bedroom units being leased to extremely low, very-low, and low-income seniors, plus one unit for an on-site manager (36 units). The housing portion will be constructed and managed by Bakersfield Senior LP , a limited partnership formed by the Authority and Golden Empire Affordable Housing Inc.
The senior center portion of the project will offer classes and programs that promote healthy living, enhance access to health programs/services, activities to increase senior socialization, and nutritional programs to educate seniors on healthy living, and will provide complementary services to the new housing. The senior center portion will be built and managed by the Bakersfield Senior Center with the Authority as a co-developer.
Both parties will use the same general contractor and subcontractors to complete the project. Air parcels were recorded on the site to separate the housing and senior center portions of the project and separate the obligations and long-term use requirements for the development. As part of the project financing, the development partners and the City of Bakersfield have worked together to secure multiple sources of funding, which are before the City Council for consideration.
Funding Overview
Affordable Housing Trust Fund: The Bakersfield City Council established the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) on July 14, 2021. The City utilized Public Safety and Vital Services (PSVS) funding to be set aside for the development of new affordable housing units and leveraged this resource to receive
funding through the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) Program.
Bakersfield Senior LP, in total, is requesting $4,100,000 in funding assistance from the City’s AHTF to construct thirty-five (35) new affordable housing units targeted for seniors earning up to 60% AMI at the Bakersfield Senior Center Affordable Housing Development located 530 4th Street, Bakersfield, CA 93304.
Transformative Climate Communities: The Bakersfield Senior Center Mixed-Use Project was the highest rated project in the application, as voted on by the community. In facilitating this project’s development, $5,571,909 in funds are being proposed for the housing portion of the project, while $953,741 will be used to support the senior center portion of the project.
Regional Early Action Planning Grants of 2021 (REAP): In 2024, the City of Bakersfield entered into the Agreement 2024-262 with the Kern Council of Governments for $5,647,059 of REAP funds for two projects: the recently completed 4th Street Apartments ($414,943) and the Bakersfield Senior Center Mixed-Use Project ($5,232,116) with a termination date of December 31, 2026. The amendment would extend the expenditure date to December 31. 2027. No additional funding is requested.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The housing portion of the project is funded by multiple resources including the HCD Local Housing Trust Fund grant which provided PSVS match funding that was approved as part of FY 2021-22 budget set aside in the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, as well as passthrough grant resources from TCC and REAP. The senior center portion is funded through passthrough grant resources from TCC and REAP and did not require a match from city resources.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Community Character & Quality of Life
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Agreement for Housing Construction
2. Agreement for Senior Center Construction
3. Amendment No. 1 to Agreement 2024-262