5PM City Council (Closed Session Begins @ 4:00 p.m.) [Updated 05/10/2022 @ 10:30 a.m.]
Meeting Time: 05-10-22 17:00
eComments Report
Meetings Meeting
Time
Agenda
Items
Comments Support Oppose Neutral
5PM City Council (Closed Session Begins
@ 4:00 p.m.) [Updated 05/10/2022 @
10:30 a.m.]
05-10-22
17:00
46 47 6 23 10
Sentiments for All Meetings
The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown.
Overall Sentiment
5PM City Council (Closed Session Begins @ 4:00 p.m.) [Updated 05/10/2022 @ 10:30 a.m.] 05-10-22 17:00
Agenda Name Comments Support Oppose Neutral
8. Fire Apparatus Maintenance and Repairs (Two-Thirds Vote Required) [Published for 10-Day Review 04/28/2022] File ID: 2022-00760 1 1 0 0
17. 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report File ID: 2022-00933 7 0 4 1
21. City Auditor’s Proposed Annual Work Plan for Fiscal Y ear 2022/23 File ID: 2022-00842
2 1 1 0
22. Fiscal Y ear (FY) 2022/23 Proposed Budget Overview File ID: 2022- 00735
32 4 15 8
23. Fiscal Y ear (FY) 2022/23 Proposed Budget for the: Mayor and City Council; Charter Offices; Community Development; Community Response; Convention and Cultural Services; Finance; Human Resources; Information Technology; Public Works; Utilities; and Citywide and Community Support File ID: 2022-00729
5 0 3 1
Sentiments for All Agenda Items
The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown.
Overall Sentiment
Agenda Item: eComments for 8. Fire Apparatus Maintenance and Repairs (Two-Thirds Vote Required) [Published for 10-Day Review 04/28/2022] File ID: 2022-00760
Overall Sentiment
Douglas Lent
Location:
Submitted At: 4:55pm 05-10-22
Sounds like a good way to keep fire apparatus up and running.
Agenda Item: eComments for 17. 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report File ID: 2022-00933 Overall Sentiment
linda keating
Location:
Submitted At: 11:56am 05-10-22
ADUs that are used for the intended purpose are great. However, those that are used as Motels in residential areas are a win-win for only the property owners and AirBnB. Example: -- property at 857 51st sold last year with this description "Remodeled 294 sf guest studio ...Current owners have used this ADU as a SuperHost Airbnb to generate consistent $3K per month". Unit was permitted on 5/28/2018 #RES-1809973.
The AirBnB short term motel rooms/party houses are destroying the "real" meaning of neighborhood. We've recently seen some of the tragic results caused by these uncontrolled rentals. AirBnB does an amazing job at covering up most of the other non-newsworthy events with payoffs.
Hopefully, the real purpose of the ADU can be reestablished.
D5 Resident
Location:
Submitted At: 11:36am 05-10-22
I beg this city to be consistent in your messaging - are you righting past racial wrongs with this housing element, or looking to create cash cows for the most financially secure among us? First we were told this Housing Element will correct redlining AND address a desperate housing shortage, then the details of this Housing Element hints at the City's openess to place most of it's low-income housing in densely-populated towers in the lowest-resource, most polluted areas. Next we learn that ADU's aren't actually for more affordable, desperately needed long-term rentals, but are for out-of-town guests. Who is going to be doing the policing to make certain that ADU's are only rented out 90 days of the calendar year? And if the landowner builds an ADU for short-term rentals 90 days out of the year, that ADU will never be available for long-term rentals. This Housing Element is a sham - unless this Council writes ordinances that protects our working residents' need for housing promptly.
Francesca Reitano
Location:
Submitted At: 10:23am 05-10-22
ADUs used as short-term rentals (which can be done year-round without a CUP as they are on the same lot as the primary residence) defeat the stated policy goals of equity, economic impacts and sustainability. The city claims ADUs are an affordable option, especially in high-resource neighborhoods, but allows them to be unavailable to renters.
The city must prohibit ADUs and other housing types, including entire homes that are not primary residences, from being used as short-term rentals. Home-sharing, i.e. sharing the actual home or unit you inhabit should be the only form of short-term rental allowed if we wish to increase our housing stock. How much of our currently- existing housing stock (ADUs and entire homes) is not available to homebuyers or renters due to short-term rentals? State law allows the city to prohibit using ADUs as short-term rentals. Is cutting down our tree canopy to build structures that will be used as mini-hotels sustainable? No net gain toward housing goals. richard harrison
Location:
Submitted At: 9:27pm 05-09-22
The notion of allowing ADUs to be weekend or vacation getaways i.e. short term rentals is ridiculous. Didn't the Mayor, Council and Planning Dept. tout ADUs as part of the solution for the so called housing shortage? The real answer is: No. ADUs are not long term housing but instead a revenue source (taxes for the city to tap into) to create more nonsense special programs for the Mayor and Council to sprinkle out among their sycophants.
ZH Harrison
Location:
Submitted At: 11:47am 05-09-22
If the City Council cares about fostering “community” in neighborhoods, it will oppose short-term rentals of ADUs.
Neighborhoods are delicate things and involve an investment of time (neighbors need a chance to get to know each other, find common interests). Short-term rentals work against this idea.
By the way, this issue should be a discussion item, rather than a consent calendar item. Lately, too many important issues are being packed on to the consent calendar without proper notice and opportunity for public input..
Bill Motmans
Location:
Submitted At: 8:38am 05-09-22
ADUs must not be used as short term rentals. To do so would defeat the purpose of providing long term housing.
Elmhurst Neighborhood Association
Location:
Submitted At: 1:33pm 05-06-22
It is our understanding that the Housing Element on May 10 with the same or a similar report given to the Planning and Design Commission on April 28.
This report to the Planning and Design Commission did not address the contradiction of allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to be used as short term rentals. There is no justification for promoting ADUs if they are not for permanent housing. Sacramento has a shortage of affordable housing NOT a shortage of hotel rooms, which is what short-term rentals are.
As we have discussed with you, the city needs to change its short-term rental ordinance to NOT allow: 1) any whole house short term rentals for homes that do not have a permanent resident or 2) any ADUs to be used as short term rentals.
Agenda Item: eComments for 21. City Auditor’s Proposed Annual Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2022/23 File ID: 2022-00842 Overall Sentiment
Marilyn Armbruster
Location:
Submitted At: 1:55pm 05-10-22
There are many pressing issues our city has to face but the most urgent is climate change as it impacts everything. It is of utmost importance that the city budget reflects this need with funds for park maintenance as well as providing more parks as green spaces in cities help mitigate carbon emissions with the trees and plants.
A new study from Boston University has shown that urban trees definitely work to reduce carbon emissions.
Emphasis on alternative modes of transportation with buses, pedestrian and bicycle friendly streets are imperative to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. The City of Sacramento car and truck fleet should convert to electric, as a role model. We need your leadership for us, our children and grandchildren and the community as a whole. These kinds of actions not only benefit our climate but make a more livable city. Thank you,
Steven Kasower
Location:
Submitted At: 10:54am 05-10-22
I support the City of Sacramento budget but I must insist that a more careful examination is required. Required for what? Well a few of us citizens have spent time following the Climate Science and our collective risks from impacts causing warming trends. We need our leaders right here in River City to recognize our collective responsibilities and our collective need to make appropriate investments to mitigate green house gas and our contributions to the degradation and potential dangers from collective inaction.
Citizens commented last year about policy and investment actions needed to collectively mitigate our own deleterious gas contributions. Why do I see no appreciable budget item for such a pressing issue? Please scrutinize the budget and scrape out adequate funds for assessing new land use plans with climate change mitigation at its heart. Please invest in better transit, better land use, better housing visions with Climate degradation mitigation explicitly described.
Agenda Item: eComments for 22. Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/23 Proposed Budget Overview File ID: 2022-00735 Overall Sentiment
Debra Banks
Location:
Submitted At: 6:24pm 05-10-22
Climate Change isn’t a priority if it isn’t in the budget. Council needs to act in a way that reflects the intent laid out by the Mayor’s Commission, in a way that demonstrates leadership: leadership pushing forward the Seven Big Ideas for transportation in the workshop in February, and leadership that advances the policies being written into the CAP . We need a budget that supports more work by city staff across departments. We need a budget that allows the City to compete for resources to get transportation funds that will reduce congestion, pollution, and increase public health.
Horatio Thehorat
Location:
Submitted At: 6:12pm 05-10-22
Climate change more important than public safety for the City of Sacramento? Y eah sure, let's call a group of environmental consultants out to investigate the next gang shooting downtown on a Saturday night. Good grief, I never knew how many people were on the take with this global warming fraud. Makes EDD pale in comparison.
Luis Cisneros
Location:
Submitted At: 5:55pm 05-10-22
As a Sacramento resident, I would appreciate for the city council to express support to the budget committee by providing more staffing, refocusing climate as a priority and accelerate climate actions. It is crucial to not address climate in a silo but instead focus on addressing climate with actions that have co-benefits for economic development, youth, public health, relief of traffic congestion, and equity across the city. I oppose the proposed budget to urge the city council to expressly adopt climate as priority. Our environment cannot wait to be prioritized and neither do we, I urge you to provide more funds and support for climate and for it to be reflected in this year's budget.
Greta Lacin
Location:
Submitted At: 5:50pm 05-10-22
Mayor Steinberg and councilmembers, I urge you to make a significant investment in climate change actions. Two years ago you declared a climate emergency. Our youth tell us that we are failing in providing them with a liveable future. Y et our budget does not reflect this urgency. Amend the budget tonight to provide a significant investment in staff and resources to address the climate crisis.
Laurie Litman
Location:
Submitted At: 5:40pm 05-10-22
Climate change is an intergenerational injustice. While the Council says it about youth, you keep kicking actual climate action down the road. Y our lovely programs will be useless in a world without secure food, water, and heat beyond what we can tolerate. What don't you understand about an emergency, a crisis, an existential threat??? All your decisions and budget should be focused on climate action, most of those actions with important co- benefits. Don't tell us there's no money for climate. Y our priorities are completely off—stop spending ridiculous amounts of money on the police and carceral system and do what needs to be done to give your constituents a future! No excuses!!!
Sachiko Konatsu
Location:
Submitted At: 5:39pm 05-10-22
Natomas Community Association is urging the City Council to have open community meetings and collaborations in the implementation of the annual budget. Historically the community has been included in the formation of this important fiscal decision making process. I urge the Mayor and Council to allow community associations and other stakeholders to be able to participate as in the past. The short amount of time to review the 800 plus page document was not enough time to review. Sacramento community associations are volunteer organizations and is a huge burden to review the document in a short amount of time given. All stakeholders should have adequate time to be able to review such a robust document. We urge you to engage the community and hold off on all decisions until the community has been engaged and had adequate time to review the plan.
S.Konatsu
NCA President
Steve Wirtz
Location:
Submitted At: 5:30pm 05-10-22
Budget: Climate Crisis is an immediate threat to Sacramento. City is beginning to do some good work, but it needs to prioritize and provide more funding for a strong climate action plan. Please support strong new proposals and priority funding as suggested would be provided by the city manager tonight.
Robert Rosenbaum
Location:
Submitted At: 5:28pm 05-10-22
Please alter the budget to devote more funds to support the recommendations of the Mayor's Commission on Climate Change. The situation is URGENT. Temperatures in Sacramento are rising. In 2021 we had 15 days above 100ºF and 6 days above 104º. Unless we act now, by 2030 we're likely to see that more than double to 33 days (over a month!) above 100ºF and 16 days (more than 2 weeks) above 104º. As a health care professional, I know that when temperatures rise above 104º, ER visits skyrocket and some people die. The elderly, the poor, people working outside, those who can't afford air conditioning, pregnant women, patients with pre-existing medical conditions are all at risk. This is a health issues, social justice issue, and a generational issue. It will not help to spend money on youth programs if we bequeath future generations an unlivable city, nor will businesses thrive if people leave because of poor air quality and extreme heat. PLEASE FUND TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY .
Claire McCoy
Location:
Submitted At: 5:14pm 05-10-22
No more funding increases to SacPD. Move those funds instead to much-needed community services and resources, as people whose basic needs are met are less likely to commit crimes in the first place. Expanding policing is at best a reactionary and inadequate response to poverty and at worst a source of additional violence in our communities.
Jay Rudin
Location:
Submitted At: 5:12pm 05-10-22
There are many programs, departments, projects and departments that need funding and consideration but there is one that, if not put at the top of the list, will make all the test irrelevant. If we don’t tackle climate change, nothing else will matter. Parks, arts, kids’ programs, street repairs… nothing will matter if we don’t start building smart and designing the city’s growth environmentally responsibly.
Planning for climate change has been put on the back burner too long. We’re literally out of time.
David Hawkins
Location:
Submitted At: 5:04pm 05-10-22
Dear Council Members,
I urge you to provide adequate funding to implement climate change recommendations that will reduce Sacramento's carbon footprint. Little has been done in the two years since convening the Mayor's Commission on Climate Change. It is an embarrassment to the Council to adopt climate change improvements and not provide the funding to implement them. Such actions are without meaning and ring hollow to those of us who reside within the City boundaries. Please take this necessary action and become a purposeful example to surrounding communities.
Thank you.
David Hawkins
411 11th Street, #3
Sacramento, CA 95814
Laurie Heller
Location:
Submitted At: 4:59pm 05-10-22
I just read L.A.'s 'Green New Deal' Annual Report. It is inspirational! L.A.'s Chief Sustainability Officer, Lauren Faber O'Connor, manages a staff of TEN. It's amazing how much a fully staffed – and politically supported – department can accomplish. The Report states two thirds of their 94 near-term milestones are on track, achieved, or exceeding targets. Recently I asked their Sustainability Officer, how did you achieve this? She answered, “Commitment has to come from the top.” (Which it did.) Wouldn’t it be great if Sacramento had a fully staffed, experienced and highly motivated Office of Sustainability? It could still happen. If our leaders are willing to INVEST.
Cynthia Shallit
Location:
Submitted At: 4:54pm 05-10-22
I'd like to see the budget reflect activities and costs that reduce the City's reliance on fossil fuels. Perhaps link the City Manager's salary to the amount of carbon released. The greatest source of carbon in the County (70%) is from the transportation sector--basically, cars). The lowest hanging fruit and the most immediately impactful is to transition the city's vehicle fleet to EVs. Legislation is proposed in the State legislature to accelerate/ raise the goals to transition its flee., including heavy duty trucks. Perhaps add a budget sentence that says, "A waiver from the EV purchasing requirement will only be given in the rarest of circumstances and must be approved by the City Manager.".
In addition, I recommend you add funds to employee benefits for purchasing EVs (not hybrids). Preferably about twice as much as you give for bus passes. And, assign a staff position for outreach & marketing to employees about purchasing an EV.
Douglas Lent
Location:
Submitted At: 4:36pm 05-10-22
Please... fund the several transportation projects that are already under consideration. Move forward rather than stand still. The VMT problems won't solve themselves. And work toward getting federal grants to work on climate change projects... the same as I suggested at an earlier meeting. Time flies, and it's time to move on the many projects that are getting stagnant.
Francesca Reitano
Location:
Submitted At: 3:47pm 05-10-22
Receive and consider for final budget adoption? When were the drafts released for public consideration and comments? Four business days is insufficient time to review a 851-page final budget - but it is even worse when drafts are not released in advance. This City is already straining under a housing and homeless crisis, yet the public is not being given time to provide helpful, insightful comments on city spending. But perhaps that is the point - to keep the public from participating in the process, to keep us from having a say in that which is done with our money. Bring back public meetings, conduct surveys for the priorities of your constituents, and resume working WITH the communities in the preparation of the annual budget weeks ahead of the City Council vote.
Convene meetings with presidents of all neighborhood associations to discuss the budget as Kevin Johnson did.
We don't want to find out what is being done with our money AFTER you have held the final vote.
Rick Codina
Location:
Submitted At: 3:45pm 05-10-22
It's time to show through direct fiscal action that the City is indeed committed to climate change. It must allocate funds to allow for matching state, federal and regional money that will become available for active transportation projects as well for support of electric vehicles and the replacement of fossil fuel-burning equipment in the City's own facilities and the community's existing buildings. And it must ensure adequate staffing for climate work and the expanded permitting requirements. The City can lead the way to local climate solutions, and next year's budget priorities need to reflect that.
Moiz Mir
Location:
Submitted At: 3:12pm 05-10-22
Progress is being made in that participatory budgeting is being piloted through the great work of the Measure U commission and the advocacy of groups like Peoples Budget Sacramento. However as others have pointed out, and was discussed in agreement during the May 6th Budget committee on the topic of performance metrics, the City's budgeting process needs to be substantially improved in many ways. At the end of the day, the impact of budgetary decisions determine the values the City is choosing to pursue. Inherent to the process of budgeting as is being practiced today, those values don't include making the process accessible to the public. Participatory budgeting is a good first step, and moving forwards the City needs to be ok with operating on timelines that meet the needs of constituent co-creation.
Our priority needs to be investing in care, in climate solutions that improve our communities and prevent poor public health outcomes, not reacting to poverty with even more policing.
Anne Stausboll
Location:
Submitted At: 3:00pm 05-10-22
Mayor and Council, I again urge you to make tackling climate change a priority. The longer you delay, the more hardship there will be and the more it will cost. Please amend the budget to provide appropriate staff and resources to develop and implement a climate action plan, and to allow the city to benefit from current state and federal funding opportunities.
Susan Herre, President of ECOS
Location:
Submitted At: 2:35pm 05-10-22
ECOS urges the City to make climate change a priority in the budget. Please build in adequate resources (funding and additional staff) to make real headway over the next five years. Thank you.
Dale Steele
Location:
Submitted At: 1:43pm 05-10-22
I'm a longtime city resident in Midtown. Please make adequate funding for addressing climate change a priority in this budget. We are two years in on the city declaring a climate emergency based on related work done by the Mayors' Commission on Climate Change and elsewhere but this critical subject is not in the budget now. I appreciate recent support shown in the city's budget committee to provide more staff, accelerate climate action and elevate climate change as a priority. This is finally a move in the right direction but it is very important that climate change be addressed across all programs and departments. Equally important is having a budget that focuses on climate actions that also benefit our youth, public health and equity, reduce traffic congestion, and aid economic development. I urge the council to formally adopt climate action as a priority and insure this is reflected in this budget.
Meghan Cook
Location:
Submitted At: 1:30pm 05-10-22
As a resident of North Oak Park, I have been disappointed by the incredibly slow progress on climate action by the city and look forward to seeing that change. A city’s budget shows a city’s priorities, and the current budget does not reflect climate action as a priority. This runs counter to supportive comments by staff and council members.
While I appreciate efforts thus far, like building electrification, we must take advantage of the present moment to enact a whole suite of aggressive climate policies in our city. Smart climate policies can pay dividends by protecting public health, addressing our housing crisis, and saving the city money in the long run. I look forward to seeing the delayed Climate Action Plan released and implemented as soon as possible. I also hope to see significant funding and increased staff dedicated to climate action. Please treat this issue with the urgency it deserves.
james mizoguchi
Location:
Submitted At: 1:08pm 05-10-22
The increased budget requested by law enforcement is not what our tax dollars need to be spent on.
Sacramento’s money should be spent on community services, on climate action, and on infrastructure that serves the needs of the public.
Kristina Rogers
Location:
Submitted At: 12:55pm 05-10-22
It seems several people want money spent on "climate action" but not all are sure how to do that. One basic and very important area is investing in the maintenance and care of our PUBLIC PARKS. This includes our Regional parks which all families look to for a clean, green space to enjoy at no cost. Being the state capitol ANY park in Sacramento should be the example in California. They should have pristine grounds and state-of-the-art amenities. But they are not. Y ou can go to Elk Grove and find much better parks and services. It's embarrassing.
We need updated lawn care, maintenance of the trees, flowers and bushes. We need new bathrooms and water fountains. We need a well-staffed and pro-active parks team - including Park Rangers to ensure our parks serve everyone to the fullest. Please consider the PARKS budget and what you plan to spend to provide all people - including POC, LBGTQ and poor - a safe, clean green space in Sacramento. That’s REAL climate change advocacy!
Megan Elsea
Location:
Submitted At: 12:38pm 05-10-22
City needs more $ for climate mitigation AND adaptation and the staff to carry out big goals. The Governor’s May revise is coming out Friday. The state is awash in $$$$. Let’s tap in to some of that $ to ensure not only our futures but our present- especially present livability for the most vulnerable. Thank you ZH Harrison
Location:
Submitted At: 12:03pm 05-10-22
The proposed budget - an 851 page document - was just released on 5/4. That does not afford enough time for Sacramento residents to read and respond to it. Please postpone any decisions on the proposed budget until it has been properly noticed and vetted by your constituents.
Thank you.
D5 Resident
Location:
Submitted At: 11:04am 05-10-22
"Recommendation: Receive and consider for final budget adoption"? When were the drafts released for public consideration and comments? Four business days is insufficient time to review a 851- page final budget - period - but it is even worse when drafts are not released in advance. This City is already straining under a housing and homeless crisis, yet the public is not being given time to provide helpful, insightful comments on city spending.
Bring back in-person public meetings like every other local government in the area, conduct budget surveys ahead of the vote, and resume working WITH the communities in the preparation of the annual budget weeks ahead of the City Council vote. We don't want to find out what is being done with our money AFTER you have held the final vote. Any councilmember who participates in a vote tonight without engaging with their constituents beforehand is not concerned about keeping the good opinion of their constituents ahead of the next election..
Paula Sugarman
Location:
Submitted At: 9:17am 05-10-22
Last year I worked to get a responsible Climate Action Plan passed for Sacramento County. We used the City of Sacto Mayor's Emergency Declaration as an example of how to do it right. I'm disappointed to see that two years later, nothing has been accomplished. It isn't even in the City budget. The entire state and particularly Sacramento County residents rely on you to set an example. Please, as a council, live up to your responsibility. 1-Fund the 7 transportation projects that the city is considering to reduce VMT’s. 2-Seek federal money to fund climate change projects...there are many. 3-Expand staff & resources to finalize the CAP , which is almost 2 yrs behind.
Luke Wilson
Location:
Submitted At: 8:54am 05-10-22
I support a robust budget for climate action.
After dawdling since you received the recommendations of the Mayors' Climate Commission you now have a chance to increase the budget for action on the climate. Just do it! Please show your support for a safe climate for our grandchildren in your budget.
We need more money in the budget so that we can obtain Federal funds to support things like transportation projects you have developed to decrease vehicle miles traveled. And thinking of vehicle miles traveled, what were you thinking when you approved lowering parking fees for cars, without stipulating that the parking fees would only be lowered for EV's and car pools? We need to integrate climate policy with all City projects and programs.
Let's get serious about the climate crisis. Now is the time to support the Earth in your budget.
Rosie Yacoub
Location:
Submitted At: 6:23am 05-10-22
I was glad the City Manager recognized that Climate Change isn’t a priority if it isn’t in the budget at the Committee meeting last week. Now Council needs to act in a way that reflects the intent laid out by the Mayor’s Commission, in a way that demonstrates that the City doesn’t just sign an Emergency Declaration and put it in a drawer, in a way that pushes forward the transportation big ideas for transportation discussed in Council in February, in a way that advances the policies being written into the CAP . We need a budget that supports more work by city staff across departments. We need a budget that allows the City to compete for resources to get transportation funds that will reduce congestion, pollution, and increase public health. Because climate change is not waiting for our documents to be finalized, we need a budget that advances the policies being advanced in the CAP , like building electrification in a way that is equitable and creates new opportunities for employment.
Tess Townsend
Location:
Submitted At: 9:37pm 05-09-22
I own a marketing/PR business in Sacramento. Along w/other climate-concerned taxpayers, I urge you to treat climate as a priority.
1-Expand staff & resources to finalize the CAP , which is almost 2 yrs behind 2-Take advantage, this year, of CA & fed infrastructure/climate funding opportunities. Identify matching funds; providing staff & resources to scope & design projects includ. the “7 big idea” transpo projects The most compelling reason 4 action could be the immediate local impact of weaning off of fossil fuels. We rank among the worst US cities 4 air quality. Most of our ozone comes from cars, trucks, etc I often regret living & growing my biz here b/c of the air. I have asthma. Bad air is making entire neighborhoods sick w/lung & heart illnesses. Who wants 2 live w/this? Let’s be honest: Some can’t. It’s deadly.
As CA capital, Sacramento has a responsibility to serve as a leading example 4 other jurisdictions. Plz—as a council—live up to your responsibility. -Tess Townsend
Nancy McKeever
Location:
Submitted At: 12:43pm 05-09-22
Please refer to the attached letter. In summary:
1) Substantially increase funding for programs and additional staff positions needed to accomplish the urgent climate efforts identified by the Mayor’s Climate Commission. 2) Set aside money for match funding for future state and federal grants including huge active transportation projects the Council supported in February.
3) Revise the management structure to create a Climate Office from which priorities and resources can be more clearly managed and tracked and cross-department and regional work products can be managed. A Climate Office will be better able to integrate climate efforts into other City priorities, especially economic development and the capital improvement plan. Aggregating climate resources and programs into one office also will enhance grant competitiveness because federal and state funding sources will be more comfortable with simplified cost benefit and outcome tracking requirements.
Kathryn Webb
Location:
Submitted At: 8:31am 05-09-22
Good evening,
My name is Katy Webb with 350 Sacramento. Last week I made public comment at the budget committee, urging city council to adopt climate action as a budget priority. I appreciate the support expressed at the budget committee to provide more staffing, accelerate climate action, and raise climate as a priority.
It is important that city council does not address climate change in a silo, rather, we ask you to focus on addressing climate that has co-benefits for other priorities such as equity and public health.
Therefore, we are urging city council to adopt climate action as a priority and to make sure this is clearly reflected in the budget. Thank you.
Agenda Item: eComments for 23. Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/23 Proposed Budget for the: Mayor and City Council; Charter Offices; Community Development; Community Response; Convention and Cultural Services; Finance; Human Resources; Information Technology; Public Works; Utilities; and Citywide and Community Support File ID: 2022-00729 Overall Sentiment
Carissa Gutierrez
Location:
Submitted At: 5:48pm 05-10-22
On behalf of the Latino Center of Art and Culture and the many multidisciplinary artists and art vendors in the region with whom we collaborate, we are grateful to our city leadership for their pandemic funding that was provided to arts & cultural organizations in Sacramento. The arts organizations and cultural institutions are not only essential for the creative and cultural recovery of our city, they are businesses that bring millions of dollars into the city and nurture a sense of belonging and inclusion. It has been refreshing working with a more responsive Office of Arts and Culture that is actively collecting more accurate reporting information in order to improve equitable distribution of funds and providing multi-tiered funding opportunities. Cutting this funding would undermine the recovery efforts our creative economy is making to nurture an equitable and sustainable arts ecosystem. Please restore $2.6 in cuts to the Office of Arts & Culture! Michael Stevenson
Location:
Submitted At: 1:52pm 05-10-22
Thank you so much for your leadership, and the critical pandemic funding you provided to arts & cultural organizations in Sacramento - we would not have survived without this critical support. We were one of the hardest hit sectors. The arts organizations and cultural institutions are not only essential for the creative and cultural recovery of our city, they are businesses that bring millions of dollars into the city. The average person spends an additional $31 dollars on food and drink when going out to an artistic or cultural event, and invigorates the vibrancy of the downtown area. The major performing arts organizations bring over $20 million in payroll, and $255 million in capital investments from 2003 - 2020. Please restore $2.6 in cuts to the Office of Arts & Culture! Thank you for your support!
Liv Moe
Location:
Submitted At: 8:53am 05-10-22
On behalf of the Sacramento Alliance for Regional Arts I would like to ask that you reconsider the proposed $2.6 million in cuts to the Office of Arts and Culture. Eliminating these funds sets a dangerous precedent and sends the signal that the city does not see the arts as essential to Sacramento's vitality. The city made substantial investments in our sector during the pandemic for which we are grateful. These funds have helped us to preserve an industry that employs tens of thousands of individuals and is a key player in the effort to draw citizens back downtown to reactivate the core, drive tourism, and generate parking revenue. The arts are and have been invested in making Sacramento a place people want to call home. This is no time to diminish the city's commitment to a sector that does so much for the community.
Allison Cagley
Location:
Submitted At: 7:53pm 05-09-22
Please consider restoring the funding to the Convention and Cultural Services budget (specifically the Office of Arts and Culture) to continue to advance the goals of the Creative Edge Culture Plan and stabilizing the creative economy. Sacramento's vitality and thriving economy depends on the arts and culture sector to generate revenue to the City which will, in turn, generate jobs and redevelopment in all districts. Reducing the budget from $3.3 million to just $839,000 negates any progress made in the last 4 years. Thank you for your thoughtful deliberation and consideration of this request.
Philip Sherman
Location:
Submitted At: 6:19pm 05-09-22
We are in a climate emergency, and we need to be investing in solutions like alternatives to fossil fueled vehicles; rapid electrification of buildings; creation of climate resiliency centers; investment in energy retrofits for the disadvantaged and most impacted; promotion of urban agriculture; and carbon sequestration, among others. The climate emergency response needs to be a high priority in each year's annual budget. And $4.4 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the costs of inaction.
May 10, 2022
To: Mayor Steinberg and Sacramento City Councilmembers- Re: 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report May 10, 2022, City Council Meeting- Agenda Item 17 File ID: 2022-00933
The 2021 Housing Element Annual Progress report provided to the Planning and Design Commission on April 28 and to the City Council on May 10 is problematic in a couple of aspects:
• It equates ADU production with housing production when ADUs are being approved for short-term rentals. Short-term rentals are de facto hotel rooms; they are NOT permanent housing. The report states that “ADU production increased 123% from 2020 (76 units) to 2021 (170 units)” but it does not say how many of many of these 246 units produced in 2020 and 2021 are now being used as short-term rentals. Nor does it give the number of ADUs that are short-term rentals built in prior years (2013-2019); and • Because short-term rentals do not provide permanent housing, allowing ADUs to be short- term rentals is contrary to the city’s stated policy goals, including a policy goal not included in this report to City Council, but included in the version of this report presented to the Planning Commission on April 28, 2022 (File ID: 2022-00565): “Equity Considerations: The 2021-2029 Housing Element advances housing options for all income levels and includes various policies and programs addressing equity, inclusion, and anti-displacement.” Short-term Rentals: no progress toward housing policy goals
increased 123% from 2020 (76 units) to 2021 (170 units).” Page 6 shows “ADU Building Activity 2013 - 2021.” The graph on page 11, shows, “H.4. ADU Toolkit,” “H.5. ADU Outreach Plan,” and “H.6. Permit-Ready ADU plans.” The city is certainly putting a lot of effort (and taxpayer dollars) into its ADU program. But where is the gain in affordable housing? Question: How many of the 246 units produced in 2020 and 2021 are now being used as short-term rentals? Or for the prior years (2013-2019)? How many of all the city’ s ADUs are now short-term rentals? Allowing ADUs to become short-term rentals defeats the city’s policy goals of: Equity Considerations: The 2021-2029 Housing Element advances housing options for all income levels and includes various policies and programs addressing equity, inclusion, and anti-displacement. (2021 Housing Element Annual Progress Report, presented to the Planning Commission, April 28, 2022, at p. 2.) Economic Impacts: Access to affordable housing improves community members’ ability to improve their economic status, reduces poverty and homelessness, and promotes social integration. A strong and affordable housing environment is critical to the economic well-being and growth of Sacramento and its residents. (Report for Agenda Item 17, at p. 2.) May 10, 2022 Meeting 1 Agenda Item #17 Sustainability:
A sustainable community includes housing for current and future households of all income Re: May 10, 2022, City Council Meeting- Agenda Item 17 Page 1 of 3 levels. The City’s Housing Element establishes goals, policies, and programs to encourage housing opportunities for all residents. (Report for Agenda Item 17, at p. 3.) Short-term rentals: Detriment to the environment with no advancement of housing goals
ADUs used as short-term rentals are not furthering any of the above policy goals; additionally, they create an impact on the environment - building materials, hard surfaces that contribute to increased heat, loss of tree canopy and trees’ environmental benefits (air quality, cooling, carbon sequestration, water quality) without any benefit to the community’s housing goals.
Short-term rentals are a revenue source for the builder, the property owner/investor and the city (12% transit occupancy tax plus permits, except for units operating that are not permitted, in which case the city does not profit). The city appears to be so desperate to pump up its RHNA numbers and make some cash on the side that it is allowing housing in name only - which is disingenuous.
State-mandated ADUs are prohibited from being short-term rentals The State of California and the City of Sacramento claim we are in a “housing crisis.” It is really an affordability crisis. Short-term rentals reduce housing stock and are counterproductive. It was mentioned several times at the April 28, 2022, Planning Commission meeting that ADUs are being promoted by the state, and that Sacramento wants to ramp up its ADU production. What was not said is that the state-mandated ADUs - similar to the state mandated SB 9 duplexes - are prohibited from being used as short-term rentals. ADUs mandated by state law cannot be used as short-term rentals pursuant to Government Code section 65852.2, subdivision (e)(4). However, the city created allowable options for ADUs in addition to the state mandate, and will be adding three permit-ready ADU types in the future.
The issue is that the city allows its additional options to be short-term rentals, and appears to have done so intentionally: Government Code section 65852.2(a)(6) allows the city to prohibit ADUs from being used as short-term rentals.
Will the city allow its proposed missing-middle housing to be used as short- term rentals?
The city has promoted ADUs as one of its affordable housing solutions. The city has repeatedly said that it seeks to expand R-1 zoning to allow more housing types, especially in higher- resource neighborhoods that were formerly redlined through racist CC&Rs and racist mortgage lending practices (not, I might add, through zoning). Yet the city is ensuring that a current option - ADUs - can be used as short-term rentals and not as a more affordable option for Sacramentans desiring to live in higher-resource neighborhoods. Is the city also going to propose missing-middle duplexes that can be used as short-term rentals, so that developers have choices that are not limited by the short-term rental prohibition of SB 9? What about its proposed missing-middle housing?
Lack of consideration for environmental effects of increasing density Although it is laudable that the Climate Action Plan and other aspects of the General Plan such Re: May 10, 2022, City Council Meeting- Agenda Item 17 Page 2 of 3 as the Urban Forest Master Plan are being worked on separately and intensively, the process appears to be creating a disconnect. There is no consideration in the Housing Element for the negative climate effects of clustering, or massing of projects - ADUs, missing-middle housing, etc. - that would create holes in our residential tree canopy, forming dangerous heat islands.
How will this be prevented? SB 9 is already problematic in that the only restriction in state law is that the same developer can’t build on adjoining parcels; nothing is preventing another developer from doing so. Since 80% of our tree canopy is on private property, much of it in our front and backyards, clustering of ADUs, missing-middle housing, and SB 9 housing will have a serious adverse impact as our environment continues to get hotter, and our city continues to get denser.
Conclusion
The city simply must prohibit ADUs and other housing types, including entire homes that are not primary residences, from being used as short-term rentals. Home-sharing, i.e. sharing the actual home or unit you inhabit should be the only form of short-term rental allowed if we wish to increase our housing stock. How much of our currently-existing housing stock (ADUs and entire homes) is not available to homebuyers or renters due to short-term rentals? Finally, although I often take an oppose position to many of the city’s housing policies, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the tireless work of the city’s planning staff. They have answered many questions over the past several years, and have been gracious, respectful, and usually timely. To name a few: Matt Hertel, Greta Soos, and Garrett Norman.
And thanks to Francesca Reitano for doing a marvelous job organizing this information to share with you. I share her concerns whole-heartedly.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Holden
D5 Resident
Re: May 10, 2022, City Council Meeting- Agenda Item 17 Page 3 of 3 May 8, 2020
To [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Copy [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
SUBJECT: Request for Increased Climate Action Funding and Administrative Authority - May 10 Sac City Council Agenda Item 22 (Fiscal Year 2022/23 Proposed Budget)
Mayor Steinberg and Council Members:
We commend the Council for adopting the new building electrification ordinance which will help to reduce the cost of buying and maintaining a home and improve public health in newly-constructed residential developments as soon as 2023. This forward-thinking leadership is one excellent example of how investment in staff and programs centered on reducing greenhouse gas emissions also advance multiple City objectives and improve the overall quality of life for all Sacramentans.
However, a two-person office is not sufficient to address other equally urgent climate issues. Passage of the electrification ordinance demonstrates how much education, outreach, and logistics are necessary to implement change. The lack of appropriate staffing has delayed the Climate Action Plan and implementation of previously funded council actions such as tree planting. Inadequate staffing has also left the City seriously disadvantaged for successfully competing for federal and state funding.
The City of Sacramento’s climate effort is dramatically underfunded and inadequately established within the City management structure to successfully produce the results expected from what the Mayor’s Climate Commission defined as an urgent, high-priority effort.
We ask that the City act on its own acknowledgement of the urgency of climate action, cite the multiple benefits of funding climate action including promoting economic development, public health, affordable housing, and social equity, and:
1) Substantially increase funding for programs and additional staff positions needed to accomplish the urgent climate efforts identified by the Mayor’s Climate Commission.
2) Set aside money for match funding for future state and federal grants including huge active transportation projects the Council supported in February.
3) Revise the management structure to create a Climate Office from which priorities and resources can be more clearly managed and tracked and cross-department and regional work products can be managed. A Climate Office will be better able to integrate climate efforts into other City priorities, especially economic development and the capital improvement plan. Aggregating climate resources and programs into one office also will enhance grant competitiveness because federal and state funding sources will be more comfortable with simplified cost benefit and outcome tracking requirements.
Every increment of GHGs kept from the atmosphere today does more to meet the City’s climate goals and reduce the adverse effects of climate change than reductions made later. Quoting from the Mayor’ Commission final report, “Turning this plan into action rests on more than just ideas and good intentions.
It requires residents, businesses, City government, and other institutions to urgently rise to the challenge of making big changes”. The time is now to provide ample resources to allow the City to fully partner with the state and federal government, SMUD’s nation-leading zero carbon efforts, and many community-led efforts.
Thank you for considering our comments.
Respectfully,
Kathy Les, Nancy McKeever,
Curtis Park Electric Stars, Founder Curtis Park Electric Stars, Community Outreach
Curtis Park Electric Stars is a neighborhood-led effort, now in partnership with SMUD and the Oak Park Neighborhood Association, to promote residential electrification.