1 STAFF REPORT
DAT
E: July 12, 2022
T
O: Justin Hess, City Manager
F
ROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Department Director VIA: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director S
UBJECT: Authorization for Pre-Planning and Feasibility Analysis of Developing a Tiny Homes Village Project at Northeast Corner of N. Lincoln Street and N.
Victory Place, Commonly Referred to as “ Lincoln Yard”, and Request for Proposals for Related Consultant Services
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize staff to proceed with pre -planning work to investigate the feasibility of developing a Tiny Homes Village Plan located at the North east Corner of N.
Lincoln Street and N. Victory Place, commonly referred to as “Lincoln Yard.”
2. Authorize staff to i ssue Request for Proposals (RFPs) for consultant services to undertake needs analysis, conceptual design, and future operations and maintenance services along with a homeless services operator associated with the Tiny Homes Village Project.
BACKGROUND
Staff is seeking City Council direction and authorization to undertake pre-planning and a feasibility analysis for the potential development of a T iny Home Village proposed at the project site located at the Northeast Corner (NEC) of N. Lincoln Street and N. Victory Place, a site commonly referred to as “Lincoln Yard”.
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f City Council authorizes this request, staff would undertake the due diligence work to assess the propert y’s feasibility as a suitable site for a Tiny Home Village Project. The next step is the issuance of Request for Proposals (RFP) for the following:
• A
project team consisting of:
o An experienced homeless services operator that would provide services to residents and security for the site.
o An exp erienced full-service a rchitecture and design firm to prepare preliminary design concepts, including multiple options for site plans,
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
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2 elevations, and utility and infrastructure locations. These documents would be the basis for future architectural drawings for the project.
Homeless Action Plan
In December 2021, the City’s three-year Homeless Plan (“Plan”) ended. Staff is currently working on the development o f a new Plan for the City Council’s consideration that will become a guiding policy document to prevent and combat homelessness within Burbank for the next five years (2022-2027).
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n the most recent three-year Plan, Strategy 3 discusses the need to build interim housing.
Interim housing can include shelters and/or a tiny home village and is normally up to a 90-day stay but can be as long as six months. The lack of available units/beds within our region is a con stant challenge and interim housing often comes with catchment zone requirements. A catchment zone is a geographical designated area near the shelter location that is determined by the shelter location. This requirement is created when a shelter is built to determine who can partake in a shelter’s housing. Burbank, if it builds its own Tiny Home Village, will determine its catchment zone. Its’ purpose is to prioritize services for people experiencing homelessness within that designated service area. Long term, it is envisioned that there would eventually be a shelter network across the County to help those in need and provide shelter to those closest to the shelter’s location.
Additionally, homeless providers have found that homeless are more likely to accept housing if it is close to the area they are familiar with. Burbank has been able to relocate some of its homeless to nearby shelters because of the transitory nature of homeless, but often facilities are unavailable to meet the current housing demand, which exceeds the availability of interim housing and shelters in our region.
In
the last 2020 Homeless Point-in-Time Count, the number of homeless in Los Angeles County totaled 66,436. I n 2020, Burbank’s homeless population was 291 people. While the 2021 Homeless Count did not occur due to the COVID-19 Pandemic (Pandemic), it is likely the homeless population has continued to grow due to economic factors resulting from the Pandemic, early release of inmates from incarceration, increasing housing prices, along with continuing challenges relating to mental illness, substance abuse, poor health and phys ical disabilities.1 The 2022 Point -in-Time Count occurred on February 22, 2022, and the new data is expected to be published in the summer.
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spite these challenges, during the past two years, the City has successfully helped 135 homeless individuals connect with interim and supportive housing along with some individuals returning home to their loved ones. Some of these successes were based on additional resources available during the Pandemic. Staff expects a continued decrease in availa ble beds in the future due to increasing demand and as Pandemic-program funded congregate shelters begin to close.
1 A 2019 LA Times survey, found that about 46% of homeless individuals had either mental illness or a substance abuse disorder and 51% were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). UCLA found these numbers even higher, reporting 78% of unsheltered homeless are affected by mental health and 75% have a substance abuse concern. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-07/homeless-population-mental-illness-disability ATTACHMENT 2 - 2
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here are also legal reasons for building interim housing, such as a Tiny Home Village .
In 2018, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued Martin v. City of Boise, which held that the Eighth Amendment prohibits criminal enforcement for homeless individuals sleeping outside when they have no access to alternative shelter. Moreover, Orange County, South Orange County and L os A ngeles County have all been sued for removing homeless individuals without first offering services including shelter beds. Other cases such as Lavan v. City of Los Angeles hold that the homeless has due process rights in their property, which may limit the City’s ability to remove certain property in public areas and impose notice and storage obligations upon the City. Having a local city shelter coupled with the SAFE, the City’s homeless voluntary storage facility, will f acilitate police’s ability to confirm whether there is alternative shelter available before opting for enforcement, along with providing an alternative storage site that may decrease the occurrence of homeless property in public areas.
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long with other co mmunities, who are building temporary housing solutions , Burbank must also do its part to help Burbank’s homeless by creating local interim housing options for the homeless population. As we continue to expand our homeless outreach programs and remain proactive, having access to interim and transitional housing units will make a significant impact on reducing our unsheltered population. The potential development of home shelters and/or a Tiny Homes Village would also assist with our ability to help the homeless transition from an encampment, tent, or public sidewalk into an alternate safe place for them to live and receive homeless services.
Sta
ff recommends evaluating the feasibility of providing interim/transitional housing for 27 to 48 people experiencing homelessness (through 21 dual-bed cabins and four to six ADA-accessible cabins). The catchment zone can range from specific neighborhoods within Burbank, homeless residing within Burbank, and/or the homeless who frequent services in Burbank. This would be determined later based on need and can be adjusted based on the vacancy rate of the cabins. Interim housing is a critical part of our housing needs as we work toward creating permanent housing solutions . It is important to note that e ach proposed unit could accommodate two people; however, this would only happen if the two people were part of one family unit.
Interim Housing; Potential Locations
For the reason s stated above, s taff has been actively searching for sites that could provide interim housing including industrial buildings, hotels that could be converted into housing, and vacant land that could accommodate a Tiny Home Village.
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n 2020, staff engaged the Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC) as a partner in making an offer to purchase a 14-room hotel. During the due diligence period, obstacles were encountered related to pricing, environmental concerns , and unrealistic grant funding expenditure deadlines, leading BHC and staff to cancel the purchase based on the determination that the property was not a logical site for transitional housing and that the opening of the facility could not meet specific funding timeframes.
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dditionally, staff has been evaluating Caltrans properties for interim housing projects and reviewed three potential sites within Burbank. All of these are located within ATTACHMENT 2 - 3
4 underpasses. However, because Caltrans requires that interim housing units may not be developed under or within 20 feet of an overhead bridge dripline, all of these sites were eliminated as potential options due to their limited useable areas . Staff has also been monitoring industrial building sales; however, these are expensive. Lease rates for industrial buildings in Burbank range from $350 - $430 a square foot. While for sale land ranges could cost between $100 to $120 a square foot in Burbank.
Lastly, City Council approved purchasing the site at 333 N. Front Street (commonly referred to as the piano store building). This site could be used in the future for a congregate living shelter; however, there is a current lease with the piano store that ends in 2023 and they have r equested to extend this lease. Additionally, this site may be better suited for future permanent supportive and affordable- income housing as one of the goals in purchasing this building was to assemble the property with existing city - owned land for a larger future development that would include both the existing SAFE (homeless storage area) and the Metrolink parking lot.
DISCUSSION
Proposed Project Site Consideration
Location: Northeast corner of North Lincoln
Street and North Victory Place, the railroad
tracks and Interstate 5. This site is
commonly referred to as “Lincoln Yard”
(Project Site).
The City owns this property and it is
currently being used for Caltrans staging for
freeway development. However, the
Caltrans equipment is currently being moved
off site and the property will be available to
the City this year. The rear of the propert y
adjoins properties that are developed with
industrial buildings . S ingle- and multi -family
residential properties are located
approximately one block south. Although
there are no utilities currently serving the Project Site, it is near City electrical and water lines, located near the property’s southwest property line, and a sewer main is within the street to the north side of the property. There are multiple options for sewer connections through the property near N. Lincoln Street, Floyd Street and N. Victory Place. There are existing easements for water and electric ity that run along the rear of the property near the industrial buildings.
Size: The Project Site is a little more than two acres (91,604 square feet) and was part of the City roadway that served the former San Fernando Boulevard underpass to the I-5.
Possible Site Design: Staff proposes using the southern portion of the property for the Tiny Home Village and would like to move the existing SAFE homeless storage site here, N. Lincoln Street
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5 which will creat e a comprehensive homeless services
location. The north side (top section of the photo above) would remain vacant for possible future expansion or other compatible uses. How much area of the existing site will be needed for the Tiny Home Village will ultimately depend upon easements, drainage, and the number of cabins. Staff intends to work with architect and civil engineering
consultants to prepare one or more conceptual site plans for consideration by the City Council , after the completi on of the proposed due diligence work and as part of an update at a future Council meeting once staff and consultants complete the feasibility and design work. .
On-s
treet public parking is already located along the
property’s Victory Place frontage and may be reconfigured with the proposed new uses.
Zoni
ng and Entitlemen t Process: Currently, the Project
Site is designated as City public right-of-way, which means it is not reflected as a parcel in the County Assessor’s records nor does it have a zoning designation. Therefore, a public right-of-way vacation must occur and a parcel map must be created. Once that is complete, the project would be entitled through a Planned Development process. This is an open and transparent process that will require public noticing and public hearings for Planning Board and City Council. The Planned Development would allow the
emergency shelter use as defined by Zoning Code and
consistent with applicable State housing laws to take precedence at the site.
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nvironmental Review:
The proposed Project would be subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) because Federal funds would be used. As such, detailed environmental studies must be prepared to inform government decision makers and the public about the potential environmental effects of the proposed Project and to prevent significant, avoidable environmental impacts. Further, due to the proximity of the Project Site to a freeway, City policy requires that a Health Risk Assessment be prepared to identify measures that should be taken to protect the health of future residents and users of the Project.
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umber of Cabins ( Units): Based on preliminary project sustainability and research, staff proposes that the Tiny Homes Village project would encompass approximately 2 7 cabins, including 21 dual occupancy cabins and four to six ADA-accessible, single-person cabins for a total capacity of 48 residents. Staff believes this number would be financially feasible while at the same time is estimated to be large enough to accommodate Burbank’s homeless. The overall cost and financial feasibility of the Project’s proposed buildout will be further studied by the selected consultant.
Proposed Site
ATTACHMENT 2 - 5
6 Additional Project Features: In addition to the cabins, the Project would incorporate the following. This may change as plans are more fully developed.
• Portable administration office and possible mobile medical or other type offices • P ortable trailers and/or cargo containers for hygiene, showers, and restrooms • Laundry services (plumbed for utilities and sewer)
• Drinking Fountains
• Outdoor seating
• Shade structures
• Pet run
• Separate and secured area for homeless
storage: Two shipping containers (one for
voluntary storage, one for involuntary
storage that Public Works can use)
• Check in and lockers would be located at
the entrance perimeter
• Possible open space
Timeline: Staff estimates that it will take between nine to 12 months to process the required entitlements and environmental assessment (i.e., planned development, parcel map, and environmental impact report) with construction taking another six to 12 months for a total project timeframe of 18 to 24 months.
Additional Considerations
Services: The Tiny Homes Village Project and the success of its residents are dependent upon the coordination of services while a person is in the program; addressing legal, behavioral, and substance-use challenges; and empowering people to live independently “off the streets”. Typically, interim housing lasts 90 days but can be extended if a resident is continuing to work toward a permanent housing solution. Under the Emergency Shelter zoning designation, residency cannot exceed six months.
A service provider will be needed to oversee operations at the Tiny Homes Village , as well as to connect residents with additional supportive services . These services could include helping to apply for mainstream benefits, assistance with obtaining vital documentation, job placement, housing navigation, substance abuse referrals , and medical treatment. Staff is also requesting City Council authorization to issue a Request for Proposal ( RFP) to find operators that are qualified, experienced, and a good fit for Burbank.
To ensure that Burbank’s homeless are being assisted at this site, staff would still use the Los Angeles County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES) to enroll people into Interim Housing; additionally, a catchment area would be established by the City that would provide first priority to serve homeless individuals or households without minor children that are currently known to reside in Burbank as documented by outreach workers, City departments, and Burbank service providers utilizing the Homeless Management Information System. Finally, any person entering the program must meet the homeless definition according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Final ATTACHMENT 2 - 6
7 Rule (24 Code of Federal Regulations parts 91, 576, and 578). This procedure along with the smaller number of cabins w ould assist us in prioritizing our resources to our constituents in a way that is sustainable over the operating period.
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oncerns: Staff’s goal is to build a facility large enough to adequately serve Burbank’s homeless while still being affordable.
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here are concerns when building this type of project. The largest being the potential for homeless people congregating outside of the Project Site. The Project Site will be fenced, gated and security will be provided inside. StreetPlus, the City’s current provider of homeless outreach services , will help patrol the nearby areas. Burbank has been very proactive in addressing homeless concerns to the extent of our legal capabilities and this will continue. Additionally, the City’s Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET) will provide safety support as they coordinate closely with the outreach team. Staff recommends using our internal team consisting of City Departments, advocates, residents, and service providers to manage concerns while working directly with the community.
Las
tly, as part of housing, homeless residents should be working toward improving their circumstances by receiving help in various areas such as addressing joblessness, health issues, and looking for permanent shelter.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding: Funding for the pre-planning, potentially future development and construction of the Project would initially come from the City Council approved $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds (FY 2021/22) and approximately $220,000 from a one-time Measure H Innovative Funding grant in Fiscal Year 2022-23. The Measure H funds will be added to the FY 2022/23 budget carryover process.
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dditionally, there is $1.8M set aside in HOME Funds that could be used for construction for this project . Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Office has also expressed interest in assisting with costs; however, a budget request cannot be developed until we receive and review potential operator proposals and negotiate a contract. Staff will solicit additional grants should the Project be moved forward.
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osts Estimates: The construction of each Cabin is estimated to cost $25,000 per unit in capital costs. This cost does not include entitlements and construction or funds that will be needed for shared bathrooms and laundry facilities, utility lines, fencing, landscaping, and an office along with bring ing utilities to the site . The operation and maintenance cost of a Tiny Home Village can average $55/client/night for operations o f up to $1M annually.
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he City Council previously allocated a portion of the Permanent Local Housing Allocation, between $300,000 to $500,000, to be used between now and the next five years towards homeless services. Much of this, if not all, could be dedicated to the needed Tiny Homes Village services. The Permanent Local Housing Allocation is funded through SB2, a $75 recording fee on real estate documents to provide affordable housing options in California. The total amount received each year will vary dependent upon the r eal estate marketing and sales.
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f authorized by the City Council, staff will release an RFP to identify a firm with experience in designing and building similar types of Tiny Home Villages. Once a firm has been selected, it will help the staff to develop an overall proposed construction and operation budget. Of course, with inflation, all these costs could increase.
CONCLUSION
Addressing the shelter and service needs of our homeless is a City priority as they are also Burbank residents. One key component to achieving the City’s goals to address the needs of our homeless population is to develop a small (27- unit) interim, tiny-home housing project. The Lincoln Yard property provides a Project S ite that the City already owns, which will reduce costs and is currently underdeveloped land that is part of the existing public right -of-way. If the City Council is amenable to conducting more due diligence analysis at this site, then staff is requesting that City Council authorize the pre- planning work to investigate the feasibility of developing a Tiny Homes Village Project located at the North east c orner of N. Lincoln Street and N. Victory Place, commonly referred to as “Lincoln Yard”.
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urthermore, staff is seeking City Council authorization to issue one or more Request for Proposals (RFPs) for consultant services to undertake needs analysis, conceptual design, and future operations and maintenance services associated with the Tiny Homes Village Project.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
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