DATE: June 16, 2026
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Hayward Municipal Code Amendment: Introduction of Ordinance Amending the Hayward Municipal Code, Relating to the Community Services Commission
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council introduce an ordinance (Attachment II) to amend the powers and duties of the Community Services Commission.
SUMMARY
Due to the City's fiscal challenges, the Community Agency Funding (CAF) process was paused in 2025, significantly reducing the Community Services Commission's (CSC) primary role. In response, the City Council directed staff to expand the CSC's responsibilities beyond the CAF process. Staff are proposing an ordinance (Attachment II) amending the Hayward Municipal Code to broaden the Commission's advisory role to encompass social, community, and human service needs, including informing community needs assessments, strategic planning efforts, and related initiatives.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no fiscal impacts associated with these recommendations.
BACKGROUND
The CSC and City Council have engaged in ongoing discussions regarding the Commission’s structure and responsibilities. In April 2024, the Mayor established the City Council Ad Hoc Committee on Commissions and Task Forces to develop recommendations for City commissions, including the CSC.
On March 4, 2025, the City Council adopted an ordinance updating the Municipal Code to define the CSC’s duties, including advising on federal and local funding allocations, promoting interagency coordination, providing input on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) priorities, and overseeing the CAF process.
Due to the City’s significant fiscal challenges, the CAF process was suspended at the end of 2025, and funding previously allocated for FY 2026–2028 was redirected to eligible internal City uses. As a result, the CSC’s role was substantially reduced, prompting discussions among the Commission, Council Liaison Bonilla Jr., the Mayor and City Council, and staff regarding the CSC’s role in the absence of the CAF process. Council Liaison Bonilla Jr. recommended expanding the CSC’s role to advise the City Council on policy matters related to community needs and social services.
On May 5, 2026, following a public hearing on CDBG funding allocations, the City Council directed staff to return with options to expand the CSC’s responsibilities beyond the CAF process. The proposed expanded role would allow the CSC to advise the City Council on social, community, and human service needs, including updates to the City’s Community Needs Assessment and other initiatives that support vulnerable populations.
DISCUSSION
Staff recommend that Council introduce an ordinance to amend the Hayward Municipal Code with the below changes to the powers and duties of the CSC.
Recommended Changes to the Community Services Commission Update the ordinance (Attachment II) outlining the CSC’s responsibilities to expand its role to include an advisory capacity to the City Council on social, community, and human service needs. The below outlines CSC’s current powers and duties with the proposed addition underlined.
As a body the CSC will:
• Advise the City Council as to the most effective means of allocating available resources for community services, including the annual review of federal and local funding of community-based programs and projects that align with the Council’s priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Promote interagency and intergroup coordination in the development of community social resources.
• Serve as the primary conduit for resident participation in all phases of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as specified in the City’s HUD -mandated Community Participation Plan.
• Discourage and prevent through its role in the Community Agency Funding process any and all recognized discriminations based upon race, sex, religion, national origin, age, handicap, sexual orientation, and all other protected categories of persons, if any, under federal and state law, and particularly those discriminations in the areas of housing, employment, and education.
• Advise the City Council on social, community, and human service needs, including
reviewing community-wide demographic and service data to help inform updates to the City’s Community Needs Assessment and other strategic plans and initiatives that support Hayward’s most vulnerable populations.
PUBLIC CONTACT
The proposed changes were discussed at publicly noticed meetings of both the CSC and City Council.
At the March 18, 2026, CSC meeting, Councilmember Bonilla introduced the concept of expanding the Commission’s role to include advising on community, social service, and human service needs.
Commissioners expressed support for the concept and requested direction from the Mayor and City Council. At the May 5, 2026, City Council meeting, the proposed changes were discussed in a public session, and the City Council directed staff to return with amendments to formalize the expanded role of the CSC.
NEXT STEPS
Upon adoption of the ordinance, the expanded roles and responsibilities of the CSC will take effect.
The City Manager and staff will take all necessary actions to implement the ordinance and support the CSC in carrying out its revised advisory role.
Prepared by: Emily Hwang, Management Analyst and Community Services Commission Staff Liaison
Recommended by: Mary Thomas, Assistant City Manager
Approved by:
______________________________
Jennifer Ott, City Manager