Susana Alcala Wood, City Attorney Jorge Oseguera, City Auditor Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk Howard Chan, City Manager John Colville, City Treasurer Budget and Audit Committee Report
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2021-01478 January 4, 2022 Discussion Item 01
Title: Measure U Community Advisory Committee Recommendations Regarding Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22 Midyear Budget Priorities
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Michael Jasso, Assistant City Manager, (916) 808-5704, [email protected] ;
Ash Roughani, Special Projects Manager, (916) 808-7751, [email protected], Office of the City Manager
Presenter: Members of the Measure U Community Advisory Committee
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Measure U Community Advisory Committee FY2021/22 Midyear Budget Priorities
File ID: 2021-01478 Discussion Item 01
January 4, 2022
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City of Sacramento
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Mayor and City Council established the Measure U Community Advisory Committee (Committee) in 2018 to ensure that the expenditures of City resources reflect Council and community priorities (Resolution 2018-0393).
At its November 15, 2021 meeting, the Committee approved its attached priorities for the FY2021/22 Midyear Budget. Specifically, the Committee’s priorities are reflected in recommendations regarding one-time versus ongoing funding, affordable housing, homelessness, senior services, youth, public branding of Measure U programmatic expenditures, and mapping the City’s place-based investments at a neighborhood level.
Policy Considerations: City Council Resolution 2018-0393 adopted October 2, 2018 outlines the purpose, and the powers and duties of the Measure U Committee. Specifically, the Resolution states, to ensure that the expenditures of City resources reflect Council and community priorities, the Committee shall review, report, and make non-binding recommendations on revenue and expenditures of certain funds from the Transactions and Use Tax (Sacramento City Code chapter 3.27.).
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): This report concerns administrative activities and governmental fiscal activities that do not constitute a “project” as defined by the CEQA Guidelines Sections 15378(b)(2) and 15378(b)(4) and are not subject to the provisions of CEQA (CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3)).
Sustainability: None.
Commission/Committee Action: The priorities in this report were approved by the Committee on November 15, 2021.
Rationale for Recommendation: None.
Financial Considerations: The Committee’s priorities reflect budgetary tradeoffs Council may consider during its Midyear Budget discussions.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): None.
Measure U Mid-year Budget Revisions 2021 - 2022
December 13, 2021
Mayor and Councilmembers
City of Sacramento
New City Hall
915 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95815
RE: Measure U Recommendations to Council FY 21/22 - Mid-year Revisions
Dear Mayor Steinberg and Councilmembers:
As authorized by City Council action establishing the Measure U Community Advisory Committee, we provide the following recommendations regarding the 2021-2022 mid year budget update.
One-Time vs Ongoing Funding: The city has benefited from a recent influx in one-time federal and state funds. We encourage the Council to consider spending one-time Federal/State funds in complementary ways that will enhance the impact of ongoing long-term investments from Measure U; we oppose the use of one-time funds to supplant expenditures intended to be funded by Measure U.
Affordable Housing: The current Affordable Housing expenditures for Measure U are overwhelmingly dedicated to city staff infrastructure. We support adequate staffing and the functions carried out by the identified staff as critical components of addressing the City’s continuing affordable housing crisis. However, we recommend that mid-year surplus funding be spent on direct financial investments to support Sacramento residents in maintaining housing through mortgage and rental assistance and where possible and needed, additional gap funding for new affordable housing developments.
Homelessness: We are pleased that the current Homelessness expenditures for Measure U are overwhelmingly dedicated to fund direct programs and services responsible for moving individuals and families into more stable environments, addressing barriers, and moving people from homelessness to housing. We recommend that mid-year surplus funding be spent to 1) add to the current $2.8 million Homeless Housing Initiatives allocation to expand service provision beyond women and children under 14 to include older children, people of other genders, and veterans; 2) add to the current $3 million allocation to Respite Centers to expand the availability of shelter for inclement weather and Safe Ground sites. In addition, directly funding the development of permanent supportive housing including through Project Homekey and transitional housing is critical to the success of the City’s efforts to end homelessness.
Measure U funds should also be directed to supporting those important efforts.
Senior Services: We have a growing elderly population in Sacramento with unique needs that the city should identify and support. The current Measure U expenditures include $2.2 million for Older Adult Services. We recommend that mid-year surplus funding be spent to expand the service hours, geographic availability, and language access to services such as Hart Senior Center, Triple R Program, 50+ Wellness Program, Caring Neighborhoods Program, TechConnections, and Information and Assistance Program.
Youth: We are pleased that $26.9 million from Measure U has been invested in youth. The Committee recommends that the Council continue to prioritize investing in programs and services for youth, provided by the City and in partnership with community-based organizations, to ensure community well-being. We recommend that mid-year surplus funding be spent to expand programming for youth K-12, youth under 24, culturally relevant services for Native and Hmong youth, and to support a protected and earmarked city fund for children and youth.
Branding Measure U Funding: The Committee recommends that the City brand Measure U investments in the city by directing staff to develop a logo, identify sign placement and assess printing and installation costs.
Mapping Place-based Investments: It is the Measure U Committee’s understanding that no comprehensive resource (e.g., map, database, etc.) exists within the City that details the City’s investments across departments and programs at a neighborhood level. The Committee believes that such a resource would be integral to supporting equity within the participatory budgeting process, so that participants can make informed decisions when proposing project ideas to be funded through the process. The Committee recommends that the City develop a tool that outlines the City’s past, current, and future place-based investments, projects, and plans at a neighborhood level. The Committee believes that the City’s Neighborhood Development Action Team (NDAT) is best positioned to guide development of this tool in collaboration with the Measure U Committee. Although the Committee's immediate interest in this tool is related to the Participatory Budgeting Pilot Program funded by Measure U, the Committee envisions broader applicability, such as supporting the City's inclusive economic development and racial equity efforts.
Thank you for considering these recommendations and for the opportunity to serve our community in this important endeavor.
Sincerely,
The Measure U Community Advisory Committee