COUNCIL AGENDA: 04.19.22
ITEM: 8.1
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND FROM: Councilmember Raul Peralez
CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: April 15, 2022 ____________________________________________________________ Approved by: Date: 4/15/2022
____________________________________________________________
SUBJECT: INCREASING EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION ON THE
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
RECOMMENDATION
Accept staff recommendation and
1. Amend the ordinance language to permit the Mayor and City Council to appoint, if needed, an alternate in addition to a Lived Experience Homelessness Commissioner, and,
2. Direct the City Manager to explore implementing a similar criteria of lived homelessness experience for other relevant city boards and commissions.
DISCUSSION
This long overdue change in the makeup of our Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) is a step towards ensuring an important and necessary voice for those who have lived or are living through the challenges of homelessness in our Valley.
In fact, this criteria should not be limited to HCDC but should be considered for other city public bodies. For example, the topic of homelessness has continuously arisen in our Planning Commission meetings during their consideration of both market rate and affordable projects as well as land use policies. Many other City boards and commissions may benefit from the perspective of those with the lived experience of being unhoused, especially when it has remained our City’s highest priority.
In 2018, when the Diridon Station Area Advisory Group (SAAG) was convened with the advent of the Google Downtown West project, Downtown Residents had three seats, one of which I advocated be reserved for a person with lived unhoused experience, and included an alternate. It is important that we set this future HCDC commissioner up for success and provide necessary support, bearing in mind that all individuals are coming
from different walks of life, with different personal circumstances. An alternate can provide that support in the event that the commissioner cannot attend meetings, no different than when one of our city’s elected officials cannot attend a VTA or an ABAG meeting. In doing so, we can also maintain a key voice of lived experience that is consistently present during all HCDC meetings.
In closing, I am pleased that our city is taking an historic step in adopting this ordinance, especially in light of our ongoing housing and homelessness crisis. More so, this is another step towards dispelling the stigma of homelessness, as all who are living or have had lived experience are equally important members of our community and want to contribute to the solution as well.