DATE: April 7, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Development Services
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing t he City Manager t o Execute a Cooperation Agreement for Fiscal Years 2027-2029 between the City of Hayward and the County of Alameda to Participate in the Alameda County HOME Consortium
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to execute the Cooperation Agreement (the Agreement) and all other implementing documents to enable the City of Hayward to participate in the Alameda County HOME Consortium.
SUMMARY
Every three years, the City of Hayward must reaf�irm its membership in the Alameda County HOME Consortium by entering into a Cooperation Agreement with the HOME Consortium.
The administrative agreement between the City and Alameda County enables the City to continue participating in the Consortium, of which it has been a member since 1991.
Through Consortium membership, the City has received over $15 million in funds for HOME- eligible housing assistance activities bene�itting households at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI), including acquiring, rehabilitating, and constructing affordable housing developments, and providing homebuyer and tenant- based rental assistance. The County is proposing to modify the Cooperation Agreement during the term of the consortium to centralize, streamline, and improve the administration of the HOME grant. The County will assume responsibility for administration of the HOME grant, compliance and allocation of funding. It is anticipated that existing Hayward projects will continue to receive funding and future allocation will be reviewed by consortium members . Staff recommends that the City Council adopts the resolution to authorize the City’s participation in the Consortium for FY 2027 through 2029 and authorizes the City Manager to approve an amendment to the Cooperation Agreement consistent with this staff report.
FISCAL IMPACT
Whether the City participates in the HOME consortium or not, there is no �iscal impact to the General Fund associated with th is agenda item. However , if the City does not participate in the HOME Consortium, the City would risk a loss of HOME project and administration funds for at least the next program year. Furthermore, if the City does not participate in the HOME Consortium under a possible new, streamlined model, in which the administration of HOME funds is streamlined through the County, the City would not have in�luence over projects and programs that should be funded.
BACKGROUND
Since 1991, the City of Hayward has been a part of the Alameda County HOME Consortium, which includes unincorporated Alameda County and the C ities of Alameda, Fremont, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Leandro, and Union City. Hayward’s participation in the Consortium has assured the City a total allocation of approximately $15 million of federal HOME Investment Partnership Funds since FY 1992. Funds must be used for HOME-eligible housing assistance activities, such as:
• Affordable housing development through acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction activities
• Homebuyer assistance
• Tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA)
HOME program regulations require that 100% of HOME funds be used to assist households with incomes at or below 80% of the AMI adjusted for household size.
DISCUSSION
The City’s participation in the Consortium assures the City an annual allocation of HOME funds and alleviates the administrative burden of administering the funds. As the representative of the Consortium, Alameda County acts as the lead member for administrative and federal reporting purposes and coordinates the production of the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) required by HUD. Several other reporting activities are also carried out in a joint effort by the participating jurisdictions.
The overall objective of the program is to provide high-quality, sustainable affordable housing. In previous years, HOME funds were used to help finance the following housing projects:
• Construction of the Glenn Berry and Sara Conner Court Apartments • Rehabilitation of Huntwood Commons and Tennyson Gardens Apartments • Acquisition and rehabilitation of Leidig Court Apartments • Acquisition of Cypress Glen Apartments
• Loan for the Weinreb Place (aka Hayward Senior Housing II) affordable senior complex
• Loan for the Alta Mira Affordable Family and Senior Apartments (aka the South Hayward BART affordable housing project)
• Acquisition and development of Mission Paradise
Funds also provide tenant-based rental assistance to low-income renters. Since 2008, funds have been set aside to pay for rental subsidies for participants of Project Independence, a program that provides services and rental subsidies to emancipated youth (youth age 18 to 24 who have aged out of the foster care system).
The County is proposing to modify the Cooperation Agreement during the term of the consortium to streamline and improve the administration of the HOME grant . The Consortium will continue the current operational model, in which participating jurisdictions will continue receiving an annual allocation and be responsible for HOME program compliance, for at least one year. However, next year, the County intends to assume all responsibility for the administration of the HOME program for the Consortium and will administer the funding allocation of HOME funds to subrecipients. City staff will continue to sit on the HOME Technical Advisory Committee through which the City’s interes ts will be represented. Local jurisdiction representatives may vote on approval of projects and evaluate requests for proposals. Currently, the HOME Consortium is �inalizing this transition.
Importantly, this proposed modi�ication to the consortium model would streamline administration of HOME projects. Currently, City staff spend large amounts of time corresponding with County staff for administrative tasks like invoicing, reimbursement requests, and inquiries related to project set-up. Shifting these administrative tasks to County staff would reduce City staff time currently used for time- consuming monitoring and administration requirements. Furthermore, it is expected that the HOME Consortiu m will continue to fund existing projects such as Project Independence . Finally, developers who would otherwise be limited to Hayward’s annual allocation could receive larger awards through this new model, increasing project feasibility for affordable housing developments.
Staff recommend that the City Council approve the continued participation in the Alameda County HOME Consortium for the next three federal fiscal years — October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029 and authorizes the City Manager to approve an amendment to the Cooperation Agreement consistent with this staff report.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Continuing participation in the Alameda County HOME Consortium provides the opportunity for Hayward’s low-income residents to have access to decent, safe, and sanitary housing and help prevent housing instability and homelessness.
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This agenda item supports the Strategic Priority of Preserve, Protect, & Produce Housing for All. This item is not speci�ically related to a project identi�ied in the Strategic Roadmap. Staff
are bringing forth this item because it is a necessary administrative step for remaining in the HOME Consortium.
PUBLIC CONT ACT
Neither the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development nor the County of Alameda require a public hearing or other public contact for either the Agreement or participation in the consortium. Therefore, Staff did not initiate any stakeholder engagement.
NEXT STEPS
Project-related funds will be used for HOME -eligible housing -assistance activities. The Consortium will determine whether to pivot to a new model during the next calendar year.
Prepared by: Ayush Patel, Management Analyst II
Recommended by: Sara Buizer , AICP , Director of Development Services Christina Morales, Deputy Director of Development Services Leigha Schmidt, Principal Planner
Approved by:
Jennifer Ott, City Manager