The program will benefit low- and very low-income households in Santa Maria by the construction and installation of handicapped access improvements; removal of architectural barriers; correcting health/safety problems and building code violations in the homes of eligible homeowners. A basic goal of the Home Repair Program is to help people to remain in their own homes. As people age and, in some cases, become disabled or are faced with mobility challenges, access to their home or the ability to access and use a bathroom become critical problems. By providing essential accessibility improvements, the program allows people to remain in the homes. Other individuals face lack of heating, Housing Resources City of Santa Maria | G5
hot water, or lack of resources to make carpentry, drywall, and plumbing repairs. By providing those essential repairs, program beneficiaries are able to remain in homes in living situations that are safe and healthy.
• CommUnify Safe at Home Minor Home Repair Program: The program in association with the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County will assist with elderly seniors and disabled persons who are forced to choose between paying for living essentials or addressing health and safety issues in their home as well basic upkeep needs. The agency's goal is to provide structural repair services that focus on health and safety (aside from slip and fall) such as improved exterior lighting for security, extended exterior rails, and handicap toilet installations. It will also offer non-emergency maintenance services to assist with upkeep of current senior occupied housing stock. Safe at Home will provide simple home repairs, such as fixing broken windows, damaged walls, or flooring, and minor electrical or plumbing issues, as well as installation of slip-and-fall prevention devices tailored to each client's needs.
With the $75,000 CDBG funds allocated, the agency is expected to serve approximately 42 households. The Minor Home Repair program will serve elderly seniors (age 62 and above) and low-income disabled adult residents between the ages of 21-61 years. Overall, the program will serve 50 households. The actual number will depend on the cost of each individual project. Rehabilitation projects will take place Citywide.
CommUnify’s Safe at Home Minor Home Repair programs serves low-income elderly seniors and disabled adults. The program addresses the housing of special needs populations including the elderly and physically disabled by offering minor home repairs and installation services that will help improve their living conditions. Program services include structural repair services that focus on health and safety, such as improved exterior lighting for security, extended exterior rails, and handicap toilet installations, nonemergency maintenance services to assist with the upkeep of senior occupied housing, and interior grab bars for disabled adults; thereby promoting safer, healthier, and more comfortable living conditions for these at-risk populations. As the majority of program participants live on fixed or limited incomes, these measures and repairs provide program participants with more discretionary funds to be applied to essential daily needs such as rent/housing, and medical costs.
• Meals on Wheels Santa Maria Valley: Meals on Wheels provides medically specific or a nutritious meal to homebound elderly clients. The meals that MOW provides goes well beyond the delivery of a meal, as the agency also provides "informal" welfare visits as the volunteer drivers are often the first line of defense in the health and well-being of the clients to live at home safely.
Meals on Wheels Santa Maria Valley is estimated to serve approximately 180 seniors with a total of 23,600 meals through the overall Santa Maria program. With the $18,553 CDBG funds allocated, the agency will serve 20 extremely low-income elderly disabled clients with approximately 2,576 meals.
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Meals on Wheels Santa Maria Valley plans to reduce hunger and food insecurity for lowincome homebound elders and disabled persons by delivering nutritious meals that promote health and well-being, and reducing unnecessary emergency room visits, or longterm hospitalizations due to a diet that does not meet their medically specific dietary needs. CDBG funding will be used toward direct assistance to individuals which includes expenses related to meal preparation and delivery supplies. • Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC): The City does not directly receive these forms of funding, rather the City is part of a collaborative with the County of Santa Barbara who receives these funds and allocates the funds that assist everyone countywide. The County of Santa Barbara Community Services Department, Housing and Community Development Division (HCD) serves as the collaborative applicant for the Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC), which includes representatives from homeless service providers, affordable housing providers, public housing agencies, and mental health and service agencies. • Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA): Part of the City’s portion of the PLHA funding that comes to the city through the County’s PLHA Consortium will be used to provide funding for closing costs as part of a workforce homebuyer down payment assistance loan program offered by the Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County (HTF). The HTF received a significant amount of CalHOME funding from the state to provide a 30-year, deferred down payment loan of 20 percent of the home purchase price, up to $100,000 per qualified homebuyer. Santa Maria, in collaboration with Santa Barbara County, is assisting the HTF by using its PLHA funds to provide additional funding for closing costs of up to $5,000.
G.1.3 State Resources
• Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC): Administered by the Strategic Growth Council, this program provides grants and/or loans to fund landuse, housing, transportation, and land preservation projects that support infill and compact development that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• CalHome: HCD provides grants to local public agencies and non-profit housing developers to assist first-time homebuyers become or remain homeowners through deferred-payment loans. Funds can also be used to assist in the development of multipleunit homeownership programs. • California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH): This program provides funds for a variety of activities to assist persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness, such as housing relocation and stabilization services (including rental assistance), operating subsidies for permanent housing, flexible housing subsidies, emergency housing operating support, and homeless delivery systems.
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• California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA): CalHFA offers a variety of low-cost loan programs to support the development of affordable multi-family rental housing, mixedincome housing, and special needs housing. • California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), Mortgage Credit Certificate Program:
The MCC program is a homebuyer assistance program designed to help lower‐income families afford home ownership. The program allows home buyers to claim a dollar‐for‐ dollar tax credit for a portion of mortgage interest paid per year, up to $2,000. The remaining mortgage interest paid may still be calculated as an itemized deduction. • California Self-Help Housing Program (CSHHP): Provides grants for sponsor organizations that provide technical assistance for low and moderate-income families to build their homes with their own labor.
• Elderlink: A senior care referral service licensed by the Department of Public Health. This organization provides independent and free personalized senior care placement services to fully screened and approved nursing home, board and care, and assisted living facilities. • Golden State Acquisition Fund (GSAF): This $93 million fund provides low-cost financing aimed at supporting the creation and preservation of affordable housing across the state. GSAF makes up to five-year loans to developers for acquisition or preservation of affordable housing.
• Homekey: Homekey provides grants to acquire and rehabilitate a variety of housing types, such as hotels and residential care facilities, to serve people experiencing homelessness or who are also at risk of serious illness from COVID-19. • Housing for a Healthy California (HHC) Program: This program provides funding to deliver supportive housing opportunities to developers using the federal National Housing Trust Funds (NHTF) allocations for operating reserve grants and capital loans. The HHC program is intended to create supportive housing for individuals who are recipients of or eligible for health care provided through the California Department of Health Care Services’ Medi-Cal program.
• Housing Navigator’s Program: This grant program allocates funding to counties for the support of housing navigators to help young adults aged 18 to 21 years secure and maintain housing, with priority for individuals in the foster care system. • Infill Infrastructure Grant Program (IIG): This program promotes infill housing development by providing grant funding, in the form of gap assistance, for infrastructure improvements required for qualifying multi-family or mixed-use residential development. • Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant (FWHG) Program: This program provides deferred payment loans for both owner-occupied and rental housing for agricultural workers, with a priority for lower income households.
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• Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) Program: This program provides matching funds to local or regional housing trust funds for the creation, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing, transitional housing, or emergency shelters. • Mobilehome Park Rehabilitation and Resident Ownership Program (MPRROP): This program provides financing to support the preservation of affordable mobilehome parks through conversion of the park to ownership or control by resident organizations, nonprofit housing sponsors, or local public entities.
• Multifamily Housing Program (MHP): This program provides deferred payment loans for the construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of permanent and transitional rental housing for lower-income households.
• No Place Like Home Program: This program invests in the development of permanent supportive housing for persons who are in need of mental health services and are experiencing homelessness, chronic homelessness, or who are at risk of chronic homelessness.
• National Housing Trust Fund: This program provides deferred payment or forgivable loans for the construction of permanent housing for extremely low-income households.
The required affordability covenant is for 55 years.
• Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Program: This program provides a permanent source of funding to all local governments in California to help cities and counties implement plans to increase affordable housing stock. Funding for this program is provided through a $75 recording fee on real estate transactions. • Predevelopment Loan Program (PDLP): This program provides financing to cover predevelopment costs to construct, preserve, or rehabilitate assisted housing. • Supportive Housing Multifamily Housing Program (SHMHP): This program provides low interest deferred loan payments to developers building affordable rental housing that contain supportive housing units.
• Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Housing Program: This program provides lowinterest loans as gap financing for higher density affordable rental housing within onequarter mile of transit stations. Grants are also available to localities and transit agencies for infrastructure improvements necessary for the development of specified housing developments or to facilitate connections between these developments and the transit station. The maximum total award amount for a single project is $15 million. • Transitional Housing Program (THP): This program provides funding to counties for child welfare services agencies to help young adults aged 18 to 25 years find and maintain housing, with priority given to those formerly in the foster care or probation systems.
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• Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program (VHHP): This program supports the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable multifamily housing for veterans and their families.
G.1.4 Federal Resources
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): Federal funding for housing programs is available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
CDBG funds may be used to provide a suitable living environment by expanding economic opportunities and providing decent housing to low-income households (80 percent AMI).
The City is an entitlement jurisdiction that is allocated annual federal CDBG funds.
The City of Santa Maria is a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement city. It receives roughly $1,500,000 annually to address a variety of needs. The City of Santa Maria has been participating as an entitlement city under this program since its inception and receives a yearly grant. The City of Santa Maria Special Projects Division administers and manages the CDBG program in close coordination with the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including the supervision of a variety of programs and projects designed to build a stable economic environment, maintain suitable living conditions, and expand the supply of decent, affordable housing.
The Block Grants Advisory Committee assesses the community's needs, conducts public workshops and hearings, reviews applications for funding, and makes recommendations to the City Council for the allocation of CDBG funds.
One of the four adopted funding priorities for the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding is to provide affordable housing. To be more specific:
• Develop and support programs and projects to increase the supply of affordable housing for low to moderate income persons.
• Maintain and upgrade existing low to moderate income neighborhoods and preserve the affordable housing stock.
• Provide services that will assist low to moderate income homeowners and renters to continue living in their homes safely.
The City’s CDBG funding comes directly from HUD. It is federal funding provided to the City. All the funding must be used to benefit the City and its residents. During FY 2022- 23, approximately 20 percent of the City’s CDBG Capital funds will go towards the maintenance of affordable housing.
• Continuum of Care (CoC) Program: The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment towards ending homelessness. It provides funding to nonprofits, state, and local governments to provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness.
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• Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program: This program provides funding for cities, counties, and states to engage homeless individuals and families living on the street; improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families; help operate these shelters; provide essential services to shelter residents; rapidly rehouse homeless individuals and families; and prevent families/individuals from becoming homeless.
• Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME Program): Participating jurisdictions may use HOME funds for a variety of housing activities, according to local housing needs.
Eligible uses of funds include tenant-based rental assistance; housing rehabilitation; assistance to homebuyers; and new construction of rental housing. HOME funding may also be used for site acquisition, site improvements, demolition, relocation, and other necessary and reasonable activities related to the development of non-luxury housing.
Funds may not be used for public housing development, public housing operating costs, or for Section 8 tenant-based assistance, nor may they be used to provide non-federal matching contributions for other federal programs, for operating subsidies for rental housing, or for activities under the Low-Income Housing Preservation Act.. The City of Santa Maria, as part of a consortium with the County is eligible for funding under the HOME Program. Funds from the County of Santa Barbara In-Lieu Mitigation Fund are used to satisfy the matching fund obligations. The Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program funded through the HOME program provides security deposit assistance through a Qualified Referring Agency (QRA) to qualified low-income households that provides grants for up to 100 percent of the required security deposit ($2,500 maximum assistance) to low-income families to assist with overcoming obstacles to obtaining housing. The City of Santa Maria Special Projects Division administers and manages the HOME program through the local Qualified Referring Agencies (QRA) including the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara, People's Self-Help Housing Corporation, Good Samaritan Shelter, and NSBC United Way – Home For Good.
The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara provides the following data regarding the Section 8 Choice Housing Voucher program County-wide:
• Units/households: 2,869
• Total residents: 5,256
• Average household size: 2
• Average age of head of household: 57
• Average income: $22,840
• Average rent: $356
• Percentage of extremely low-income
household: 75%
• Percentage of households with children
(aged 0-17): 23%
• Total children: 1292
• Senior head of households: 51%
• Disabled head of households: 46%
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• Low-Income Housing Preservation and Residential Home Ownership Act (LIHPRHA): This program requires all eligible HUD Section 236 and Section 221(d) projects at risk of conversion to market-rate rentals from mortgage pre-payments be subject to LIHPRHA incentives, which include subsidies to guarantee an eight percent annual return on equity.
• Low-Income Housing Tax Credit: Administered through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC), the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) subsidizes the acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of affordable housing by providing a tax credit to construct or rehabilitate affordable rental housing for low-income households. • Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program: Allows CDBG entitlement jurisdictions to leverage their annual grant allocations to access low-cost financing for capital improvement projects. Eligible activities include housing, economic development, public facility, and infrastructure. This program is often used to catalyze private investment in underserved communities or as gap financing.
• Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program: Provides an interest-free capital advance to cover the costs of construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of very lowincome senior housing. The program is available to private, nonprofit sponsors; public sponsors are not eligible for the program.
• Section 811 Project Rental Assistance: HUD offers long-term project-based rental assistance through a NOFA published by the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Housing Programs: These programs provide homeownership opportunities for individuals and below market-rate loans/grants to public and nonprofit organizations for new construction, preservation, or rehabilitation of farmworker/rural multi-family rental housing.
• Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program: HUD-VASH is a collaborative program between HUD and VA combines HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help veterans who are homeless and their families find and sustain permanent housing. See Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa Resources for more information.
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Section G.2 Opportunities for Energy Conservation
The cost of energy can greatly impact housing affordability, as energy costs can constitute a significant portion of total housing costs. High energy costs also particularly impact low-income households that are less likely to have the ability to cover increased expenses.
The City prioritizes energy conservation as shown through policy documents, such as the General Plan. The Building Division is tasked with enforcing the minimum standards found in the various model codes adopted by the State of California through the Building Standards Commission and as adopted and amended by Santa Maria’s City Council. The City maintains its active compliance with Title 24 and strongly endorses all relevant energy conservation programs sponsored by Santa Barbara County and private utility companies.
G.2.1 Central Coast Community Energy Resources
Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) is a Community Choice Energy agency established by local communities to source clean and renewable electricity for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties and parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. CCCE offers an alternative energy option to customers by allowing the jurisdictions the ability to procure electricity from clean, renewable energy sources while retaining the utility provider’s traditional role delivering power and maintaining electric infrastructure as well as billing. CCCE has various programs including energy education and the following programs that are directly available to homeowners:
• Light-Duty Electric Vehicle and Private Charging Program: This Program aims to reduce emissions from light-duty vehicles and increase market penetration of electric vehicle (EVs) by providing CCCE customers with rebates to purchase EVs and install Level 2 EV service equipment (also known as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment or EVSE) at their homes or workplaces.
• Residential Electrification Program: This Program intends to decarbonize existing residential buildings in the CCCE service area by helping customers switch out fossilfuel water heating, space heating, and cooking appliances and equipment with high efficiency electric appliances and equipment.
G.2.2 CommUnify Resources
CommUnify (formerly the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County) was formed in 1964 as a Community Action Committee appointed by the County Board of Supervisors to address the causes and conditions of poverty. Today, CommUnify is a nonprofit organization working in partnership with the community to find innovative and sustainable solutions for Santa Barbara County residents to improve and maintain their health, resilience, and financial security.
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• Utility Payment Assistance: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help those in financial need prevent service interruption or restore disconnected utility services. LIHEAP can also help families that just want to get ahead on their bills to free up funds for other living needs. Assistance payments are provided for gas, electric, oil, wood, or propane services. Intake centers are located throughout the county for easy access.
• Weatherization Services: These services provide no cost or low-cost home energy upgrades and education designed to provide safe, healthy, and energy efficient homes for our clients. The services we provide can help reduce client utility bills and increase client awareness on energy saving tips. Services may include:
o Home safety testing
o Energy Star appliance upgrades
o Air sealing/insulation
o Heater/hot water repair or replacement
G.2.3 Pacific Gas and Electric Resources
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) provides gas and electricity services for Santa Maria. PG&E assists low-income, disabled, and senior citizen customers through several programs and community outreach projects, including:
• CARE (California Alternate Rates for Energy): The CARE program offers up to a 35 percent discount on electricity bills and a 20 percent discount on natural gas bills consistent with Public Utilities Code Section 739.1. This program is eligible to qualified low- or fixed-income households and housing facilities. • FERA (Family Electric Rate Assistance): The FERA program offers an 18 percent discount on electric bills to qualifying low to middle-income households. • Energy Partners Program: The Energy Partners Program provides qualified lowincome customers free weatherization measures and energy-efficient appliances to reduce gas and electricity usage.
• Medical Baseline Allowance: The Medical Baseline Allowance program allows residential customers who are medically dependent on electricity to receive more gas and electricity at the lowest residential rate.
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G.2.4 SoCalGas Resources
SoCalGas provides natural gas to Santa Maria. SoCalGas assists low-income, disabled, and senior citizen customers through several programs and community outreach projects, including:
• CARE (California Alternate Rates for Energy): See CARE under Pacific Gas and Electric Resources, above.
• Energy Savings Assistance Program: The Energy Savings Assistance Program provides energy-saving home improvements at no cost to eligible low-income renters and homeowners. The program is funded by California utility customers and administered by SoCalGas under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Energy improvements completed under this program are made by thirdparty providers contracted by SoCalGas. • FERA (Family Electric Rate Assistance): See FERA under Pacific Gas and Electric Resources, above.
• Gas Assistance Fund: The Gas Assistance Fund provides eligible customers with a one-time grant for the amount of the gas bill, not to exceed $100. Funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and eligible customers are able to apply until the funds are depleted
• Medical Baseline Allowance: See Medical Baseline Allowance under Pacific Gas and Electric Resources, above.
• Past Due Bill Forgiveness: The Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) provides an opportunity for qualifying SoCalGas residential customers to have their eligible past due bills forgiven. Once enrolled, every time a current bill is paid in full and on time, SoCalGas will forgive 1/12 of the eligible debt. After 12 consecutive monthly natural gas bills are paid in full and on time, the full amount of the eligible debt will be forgiven (up to a maximum of $8,000 per enrollment period).
• Residential Direct Install Program (RES DI): This Program provides eligible SoCalGas customers who live in single-family homes a complimentary walkthrough energy assessment and the installation of energy technologies to help make their homes more comfortable and help conserve energy, which could lead to lower utility bills. These technologies include no-cost furnace and water heating optimization measures and SoCalGas’s best incentives for upgrading to clean high efficiency furnaces, tankless water heaters, and fireplace inserts.
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G.2.5 State Energy Resources
• California Department of Community Services & Development Programs LowIncome Weatherization Program (LIWP): California’s Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP) provides low-income households with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy efficiency upgrades at no cost to residents. LIWP is the only program of its kind in California that focuses exclusively on serving low-income households with solar PV and energy efficiency upgrades at no cost. The program reduces greenhouse gas emissions and household energy costs by saving energy and generating clean renewable power. LIWP currently operates three program components: Multi-Family, Community Solar, and Farmworker Housing. According to CDS’s Nov. 2020 Low-Income Weatherization Program Impact Report, LIWP has received $212 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund since 2014. Note:
The multi-family energy efficiency and renewables program component is estimated to end in June 2022.
• California Public Utilities Commission Energy Savings Assistance Program (ESAP): ESAP provides no-cost weatherization services to low-income households who meet the CARE income guidelines. Services provided include attic insulation, energy efficient refrigerators, energy efficient furnaces, weatherstripping, caulking, low-flow showerheads, water heater blankets, and door and building envelope repairs which reduce air infiltration.
G.2.6 Federal Energy Resources
• Federal Housing Administration Energy Efficient Mortgage Program (EEM): This program helps families save money on their utility bills by enabling them to finance energy efficient improvements with their FHA-insured mortgage. The EEM program recognizes that an energy-efficient home will have lower operating costs, making it more affordable for the homeowners. Cost-effective energy improvements can lower utility bills and make more income available for the mortgage payment. • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): The program is funded by the federal government and the State Department of Community Services & Development (CSD) administers LIHEAP. The federal Department of Health and Human Services distributes funds to states annually to assist with energy bills, weatherization, and offset heating and/or cooling energy costs for eligible low-income households. California’s annual share is approximately $89 million which CSD distributes to contracted community energy service providers. Active. During March 2020, the CARES Act allocated California an additional $49 million to supplement its LIHEAP program, which totaled $203 million for Federal Fiscal Year 2019-2021. Also, see CommUnify Resources.