Santa Monica City Council
April 9, 2024

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page #
Proposed Policy Explanation
5-II.B.

P. 5-12 DETERMINING

FAMILY UNIT (VOUCHER)
SIZE [24 CFR 982.402]
PHA Policy
The PHA will generally assign one bedroom for each two
persons within the household, except in the following
circumstances:

Single person families will be allocated a zero or 1-
bedroom voucher.

The policy has been amended to grant
flexibility for voucher households when
determining voucher size and housing
choice by allowing a separate bedroom
for PHA-approved Live-In Aides and foster
children/adults.

Space will not be provided for any family member who is absent from the home in excess of 90 consecutive days
per calendar year.

The number of bedrooms on the voucher cannot be
more than the number of persons in the household.

Foster children/adults will be included in determining
unit size only if they will be in the unit for more than 3 uninterrupted months.

Live-in aides will be allocated a separate bedroom.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1450 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page # Proposed Policy Explanation
5-II.B. At admission, the PHA will reference the following chart in determining the appropriate voucher size for a family:

Persons in Household
Voucher Size (Minimum – Maximum)
0 Bedroom 1-2
1 Bedroom 1-2
2 Bedrooms 2-4
3 Bedrooms 4-6
4 Bedrooms 6-8
5 Bedrooms 8-11
Current (Previous) voucher standards
Persons in
Household
Voucher Size (Min – Max)
0 Bedroom 1-2
1 Bedroom 1-3
2 Bedrooms 3-5
3 Bedrooms 5-7
4 Bedrooms 7-9
5 Bedrooms 9-11
P. 5-13 DETERMINING

FAMILY UNIT (VOUCHER)
SIZE [24 CFR 982.402]
5-II.E.

P. 5-16 Extensions of
Voucher Term [24 CFR
982.303(b)]
PHA Policy
The PHA will automatically approve one 60-day extension upon written request from the family, except in cases of incoming billable portability vouchers. For additional
information regarding extensions of portability vouchers, please see Chapter 15.

The policy has been amended to allow for
more flexibility and time for voucher holders
in search of a unit by automatically granting
an initial extension to families that request it
in writing.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1451 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page #
Proposed Policy Explanation
6-I.H.

P. 6-19 Alimony and Child
Support
The PHA will count court-awarded amounts for alimony
and child support unless the PHA verifies that: (1) the payments are not being made, and (2) the family has
made reasonable efforts to collect amounts due,
including filing with courts or agencies responsible for enforcing payments [HCV GB, pp. 5-23 and 5-47].

Families who do not have court-awarded alimony and
child support awards are not required to seek a court
award and are not required to take independent legal
action to obtain collection.

If no payments have been made in the past three months
and there are no lump sums, the PHA will not include
alimony or child support in annual income
The policy has been clarified to exclude
income not actually received by the
family.
7-III.D.
7-31 ALIMONY OR CHILD
SUPPORT [Notice PIH
2023-27]
PHA Policy
The methods the PHA will use to verify alimony and child support payments differ depending on whether the
family declares that it receives regular payments.

If the family declares that it receives regular payments, verification will be obtained in the following order of priority:

Copies of the receipts and/or payment stubs for the 60
days prior to PHA request
Third-party verification form from the state or local child support enforcement agency
Third-party verification form from the person paying the support
Family's self-certification of amount received.

The policy has been amended to allow for
more flexibility in the income verification
process.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1452 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
8-III.B.

P. 8-23 Annual Rent
Increases
PHA Policy
After the initial occupancy period, landlords must affirmatively request a rent increase in writing at least 60-days prior to the effective date, which will generally be timed with the tenant’s annual reexamination. Rent increases are only effective once approved by the Housing Authority and after they are properly noticed by the owner to the tenant under applicable state and local law(s). Generally, only one increase in an annual reexamination period is allowed.

For rent increase requests at a tenant’s annual reexamination, the PHA may request owners to provide information about the rents charged for other units on the premises, if the premises include more than 4 units. In evaluating the proposed rents in comparison to other units on the premises, the PHA will consider unit size and length of tenancy in the other units.

However, rent increases are subject to applicable rent control limits, including those set forth in applicable recorded deed restrictions. In no case may the total contract rent exceed the reasonable rent; however, pursuant to HUD regulation, rent may be restricted to an amount lower than the reasonable rent by applicable rent control limits, as set forth below:

For units subject to the Santa Monica Rent Control Law (Article XVIII of the City Charter), annual rent increases are equal to the yearly general adjustments determined by the Santa
Monica Rent Control Board. The allowable increase will take effect no earlier than September 1st of each year.

For units that are not subject to the Santa Monica Rent Control Law but are subject to the rent increase provisions of the California Tenant Protection Act, annual rent increases are permitted as set forth in California Civil Code Section 1947.12.

For deed-restricted apartments, annual rent increases, if permitted, are subject to applicable limits set forth in the recorded deed restriction.

In the event there is a federal, state, or local state of emergency in effect, rent increases may also be limited by California Penal Code Section 396(e), the statewide price gouging law.

Clarifies the noticing requirements for
landlords and further clarifies the
language for rent increase procedures.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1453 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
8-III.D P. 8-26 How Rents
Are Determined PHA
Policy
The rent for a unit proposed for assistance will be compared to the rent charged for three comparable units in the same market area, leased with the last 12 months.

The PHA will notify the owner of the rent the PHA can
approve based upon its analysis of the rents for comparable units, and any applicable rent control limits, including those set forth in applicable deed restrictions and state and local laws barring discrimination on the basis of source of income.

For new tenancies in deed-restricted apartments, the
maximum initial total contract rent shall be that established in the recorded deed restriction, reflected in the applicable Maximum Allowable Rent chart published by the City yearly on its website. The initial total contract rent may not exceed the maximum rent that could otherwise be charged if the apartment were rented to a tenant without a voucher. The owner may submit information about other comparable units in the market area. The PHA will confirm the accuracy of the information provided and consider this additional
information when making rent determinations. The owner
must submit any additional information within five business days of the PHA’s request for information or the owner’s request to submit information.

Rent adjustments are not allowed prior to the end of the first year of the Lease. After that date, rent increases, as
permitted by the lease, are effective with proper notice by the landlord to the family following PHA approval of the proposed increase. Generally, rent increases shall be timed with a tenant’s annual reexamination and only one increase per annual reexamination period is allowed. Annual increases are governed by the PHA Policy set forth in Section 8-III.B above. For units subject to the Santa Monica Rent Control Law, the PHA does not approve the addition of surcharges or pass-through fees. Rent increases are approved on an annual basis only if funding is available.

Clarifies the noticing requirements for
landlords and further clarifies the
language for rent increase procedures.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1454 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page # Proposed Policy Explanation
9-I.H.

P. 9-15 CHANGES IN
LEASE OR RENT [24 CFR
982.308]
Where the owner is changing the amount of rent to owner, the owner must notify the PHA at least 60 days before any such changes go into effect [24 CFR 982.308(g)(4)]. The PHA will agree to such an increase only if the amount of the increase is considered reasonable according to the rent reasonableness standard discussed in Chapter 8, the increase does not violate any applicable rent control limits, the program permits the increase, and, generally, when no increase has been granted in the previous 12-month period. If the requested rent is not found to be reasonable, or is found to be inconsistent with applicable rent control limits, the owner must either reduce the requested rent increase, or, if permitted by law, terminate the tenancy in accordance with the terms of the lease.

PHA Policy
Where the owner is requesting a rent increase, the PHA will determine whether the requested increase is reasonable and consistent with any applicable rent control limits, including limits set forth in an applicable deed restriction, within 15 days of receiving the request from the owner. The owner will be notified of the determination in writing.

After the initial occupancy period, landlords must affirmatively request a rent increase in writing at least 60 days prior to the effective date, which will generally be timed with a tenant’s annual reexamination. Rent increases are only effective once approved by the Housing Authority and once properly noticed by the owner to the tenant under applicable law(s). Generally, only one increase in an annual reexamination period is allowed.

Annual rent increases are governed by the PHA Policy set forth in Section 8-III.B above. For rent increase requests after initial lease-up, the PHA may request owners to provide information about the rents charged for other units on the premises, if the premises includes more than 4 units. In evaluating the proposed rents in comparison to other units on the premises, the PHA will consider unit size and length of tenancy in the other units.

Clarifies the noticing requirements for
landlords and further clarifies the
language for rent increase procedures.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1455 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
12-I.E. MANDATORY

POLICIES AND OTHER

AUTHORIZED

TERMINATIONS
P. 12-8
The PHA may terminate a family’s assistance if:

The family has failed to comply with any family obligations under the program. See Exhibit 12-1 for a listing of family obligations and related PHA policies.

Program Warning Violations: If the PHA receives a copy of a lease violation notice from a property owner, or otherwise becomes aware of a potential program violation, the PHA will carry out a reasonable investigation to determine whether a violation occurred. As part of its investigation, the PHA may send the participant a notice stating that a violation has been alleged and providing the participant an opportunity to respond. Where appropriate, the PHA may wait for the judgment of a court and consider the court’s judgment before making any determination.

If, after appropriate investigation, the PHA determines that a violation of a family obligation has occurred, the PHA will determine whether or not the participant will be allowed to remain in the program based on the following factors: whether this is the first occurrence of a violation of family obligations; whether the violation was believed by the PHA to be
unintentional; and the severity of the circumstances. If the participant is allowed to remain on the program, the participant will be required to sign a Program Violation Warning and a Repayment Agreement if appropriate. If, after a reasonable investigation, the participant is determined to have violated the same obligation on at least two different occasions, termination will proceed. In no case shall a participant be offered more than a total of two Program Violation Warnings during their
participation. The supervisor and/or administrator will determine when a Program Violation Warning is merited.

Participants must sign Program Violation Warnings when issued to avoid further violations of Family Obligations.
…
In making its decision to terminate assistance, the PHA will consider alternatives as described in Section 12-II.C and other factors described in Sections 12-II.D and 12-II.E. Upon consideration of such alternatives and factors, the PHA will choose whether to terminate assistance on a case-by-case basis.

Clarifies the noticing requirements for
landlords and further clarifies the
language for rent increase procedures.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1456 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page # Proposed Policy Explanation
15-IV.A.

P. 15-7 OVERVIEW
PHA Policy
If the PHA hasinformation available to families regarding the shared housing option, including a listing to families of any known for-profit or nonprofit shared housing
matching services in the community, the PHA will
provide it at the initial briefing, and upon request.

Families will be advised to conduct their own internet
search. Families will be cautioned to not enter into any rental agreement or pay any deposit or rental payment
until the tenancy is approved by the PHA.

Additional policy language to support the
Shared Housing component of the HCV
program.
15-IV.A.

P. 15-8 OVERVIEW
PHA Policy
The PHA will work with local jurisdictions as necessary to identify solutions consistent with fair housing laws and will inform HUD if the PHA encounters barriers to shared housing that conflict with fair housing laws.

Additional policy language to support the
Shared Housing component of the HCV
program.
16-VI.B.

P. 16-39 RECORD
RETENTION [24 CFR
982.158; 24 CFR
908.101]
PHA Policy
The PHA will keep for at least three years records of all complaints, investigations, notices, and corrective
actions related to violations of the Fair Housing Act, the equal access final rule, or VAWA.

Add policy language to clearly define
record retention protocols for the PHA.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1457 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page # Proposed Policy Explanation
17-VI.C.

P. 17-33 Selection
Method
PHA Policy
… The PHA may establish a selection method for each
PBV waiting list to reflect the target population of each PBV project or group of units.

Clarifying policy language to support
Project-basing priorities of the SMHA and
the City. 17-VI.C.

P. 17-33 Preferences[24
CFR 983.251(d), FR
Notice 11/24/08]
PHA Policy
The PHA may establish a set of preferences for each PBV waiting list to reflect the target population of each PBV project or group of units.
18-VIII.B
P. 18-16Continuum of
Care
PHA Policy
Rent increase requests shall be timed with the tenant’s annual reexamination. Only one increase in the annual
recertification period is allowed and the amount is limited as set forth in the PHA Policy in Section 8-III.B and subject to CoC funding availability.
18-VI.

P. 18-14 INCOME AND

SUBSIDY
DETERMINATIONS [24
CFR Part 5, Subparts E
and F; 24 CFR 982]
RENT AT LEASE UP:

The SMHA has adopted the Small Area Fair Market
Rents (SAFMRs) to establish its payment standards, CoC
participants may rent apartments at or below the SMHA
payment standard at lease up, as long as the rent
amount meets the rent reasonableness requirement.

Updated to use the SAFMRs to establish
payment standards.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1458 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page # Proposed Policy Explanation
18-VIII.B.

P. 18-16 RENT
REASONABLENESS [24
CFR 578.51(g)]
The maximum allowable contract rent amount is
generally capped at the SMHA payment standard set for
the PHA Section 8 HCV program.

PHA Policy
Rent increase requests shall be timed with a tenant’s
annual reexamination. Only one increase in the annual
recertification period is allowed and the amount is
limited as set forth in the PHA Policy in Section 8-III.B and subject to CoC funding availability.

Clarifies the noticing requirements for
landlords and further clarifies the
language for rent increase procedures.
19-VIII.B.

P. 19-18 RENT
REASONABLENESS [24
CFR 92.209 (3) (f)]
19-VIII.B. RENT REASONABLENESS [24 CFR 92.209 (3) (f)]
The participating jurisdiction must disapprove a lease if the rent is not reasonable, based on rents that are
charged for comparable unassisted rental units. Rent
reasonableness review must be conducted before the
HOME program participant rents an apartment or in
the case of an existing tenancy, before the rental
assistance amount is approved. The PHA will provide
rental assistance not to exceed the payment standard
for the PHA Section 8 HCV program, subject to the
reasonable rent determination and any applicable rent
control limits. The SMHA Payment Standards will
govern the HOME rental assistance limits.

Updated to use the SAFMRs to establish
payment standards.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1459 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes
Section
Page # Proposed Policy Explanation
TPS-IV.D.

P. 20-12 INCOME

VERIFICATION AT

ADMISSION
PHA Policy
Any documents used for verification must be the original and dated within the 60-day period prior to admission.

The documents must not be damaged, altered, or in any
way illegible.

Printouts and screenshots from webpages are considered
original documents. Screenshots must be clear, legible, and capture the entire document.

Policy has been amended to allow for
more flexibility when completing income
verification.

TPS-V.F.

P. 20-19 PAYMENT

STANDARDS
PHA Policy
The PHA will use the SAFMRs to establish payment
standard amounts for EHVs.

Updated to use the SAFMRs to establish
payment standards.
4-III.C. SELECTION
METHOD Local
Preferences [24
CFR 982.207; HCV p. 4-
16]
P. 4-12
Tier 1 Preference
A maximum of 20 HCVs will be allocated annually to
support Santa Monica residents experiencing
homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Number of HCV’s allocated will depend upon attrition. To be eligible for the HCV’s individuals must be ineligible for other targeted programs for chronically homeless families, such as the EHV, SV, or CoC programs. Eligible recipients must be
referred by a Human Services-grant funded program and
approved by the Santa Monica Housing Authority.

The SMHA is proposing this policy to help
preserve the residency of Santa Monica
based families who are otherwise ineligible
for other target vouchers.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1460 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA)

PROPOSED CHANGES TO SMHA POLICY TO COMPLY WITH THE
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH MODERNIZATION ACT of 2016 The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) was enacted on July 29, 2016. Title I of HOTMA contains 14 sections that affect the Section 8 rental assistance programs. On February 14, 2023, a final rule pertaining to Section 102 and 104 were officially published through the Federal Register to implement the broader changes regarding income and assets.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) mandated Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) implement the new rules no later than January 1, 2024. Although the new rules are effective January 1, 2024, PHAs have until January 1, 2025, to fully implement the changes. The SMHA will notify participants of their recertification status during the annual reexamination process, specifying whether they are being recertified under the “New Rules” or the “Old Rules.” Additionally, the SMHA will notify all participants when the SMHA has reached compliance with the HOTMA changes.

For a full comprehensive list of HOTMA official notices and rules, follow the link below:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/hotmaresources The SMHA will be working towards implementing the amended regulations, policies, and/or procedures reaching compliance by January 1, 2025.

The following chapters have been updated to reflect the proposed discretionary changes brought forth through HOTMA, both major and minor, which are redlined in the proposed FY2024-25 Administrative Plan:
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 17
• Glossary
The explanation associated with the proposed major discretionary policy changes, which are listed below, is that the proposed new or amended policy is necessary to comply with the implementation of HOTMA.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1461 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
3-II.D.

P. 3-19 FAMILY

CONSENT TORELEASE
OF INFORMATION [24
CFR 5.230
PHA Policy
The PHA has established a policy that the family’srevocation of consent to allow the PHA to access records from financial institutions will result in denial of admission. 3-III.C.

P. 3-31 RESTRICTION ON

ASSISTANCE BASED ON
ASSETS [24 CFR 5.618]
PHA Policy
The PHA defines not sufficient for the size of the family as being overcrowded based on the PHA’s subsidy standards in Chapter 5 of this Administrative Plan.
6-I.C.

P. 6-6 Anticipating
Annual Income [24 CFR

5.609(c)(1)]
PHA Policy
When the PHA cannot readily anticipate income based upon current circumstances (e.g., in the case of temporary, sporadic, or variable employment, seasonal employment, unstable working hours, or suspected fraud), the PHA will review and analyze historical data for patterns of employment, paid benefits, and receipt of other income and use the results of this analysis to establish annual income.

Any time current circumstances are not used to project annual income, a clear rationale for the decision will be documented in the file. In all such cases the family may present information and documentation to the PHA to show why the historic pattern does not represent the family’s anticipated income.

In all cases, the family file will be documented with a clear record of the reason for the decision, and a clear audit trail will be left as to how the PHA annualized projected income.

Known Changes in Income
If the PHA verifies an upcoming increase or decrease in income, annual income will be projected by applying each income amount to the appropriate part of the 12-month period.

The family may present information that demonstrates that implementing a change before its effective date would create a hardship for the family. In such cases the PHA will calculate annual income using current circumstances and then conduct an interim reexamination in accordance with PHA policy in Chapter 11.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1462 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
6-I.G.

P. 6-15 Calculating
Income from Student
Financial Assistance
[HOTMA Student
Financial Assistance
Resource Sheet; Notice
PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
If a student only receives financial assistance under Title IV of the HEA and does not receive any other student financial assistance, the PHA will exclude the full amount of the assistance received under Title IV from the family’s annual income. The PHA will not calculate actual covered costs in this case.

If the student does not receive any assistance under Title IV of the HEA but does receive assistance from another source, the PHA will first calculate the actual covered costs to the student in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609(b)(9)(ii). The PHA will then subtract the total amount of the student’s financial assistance from the student’s actual covered costs. The PHA will include any amount of financial assistance in excess of the student’s actual covered costs in the family’s annual income.

When a student receives assistance from both Title IV of the HEA and from other sources, the PHA will first calculate the actual covered costs to the student in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609(b)(9)(ii). The assistance received under Title IV of the HEA will be applied to the student’s actual covered costs first and then the other student financial assistance will be applied to any remaining actual covered costs.

If the amount of assistance excluded under Title IV of the HEA equals or exceeds the actual covered costs, none of the assistance included under other student financial assistance” would be excluded from income.

If the amount of assistance excluded under Title IV of the HEA is less than the actual covered costs, the PHA will exclude the amount of other student financial assistance up to the amount of the remaining actual covered costs.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1463 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
6-I.M.

P. 6-25 ADDITIONAL

EXCLUSIONS FROM
ANNUAL INCOME [24 CFR

5.609(b)]
PHA Policy
The PHA defines training program as “a learning process with goals and objectives, generally having a variety of components, and taking place in a series of sessions over a period of time. It is designed to lead to a higher level of proficiency, and it enhances the individual’s ability to obtain employment. It may have performance standards to measure proficiency. Training may include but is not limited to: (1) classroom training in a specific occupational skill, (2) on-the-job training with wages subsidized by the program, or (3) basic education” [expired Notice PIH 98-2, p. 3].

The PHA defines incremental earnings and benefits as the difference between (1) the total amount of welfare assistance and earnings of a family member prior to enrollment in a training program and (2) the total amount of welfare assistance and earnings of the family member after enrollment in the program [expired Notice PIH 98-2, pp. 3–4].

In calculating the incremental difference, the PHA will use as the pre-enrollment income the total annualized amount of the family member’s welfare assistance and earnings reported on the family’s most recently completed HUD-50058.

End of participation in a training program must be reported in accordance with the PHA’s interim reporting requirements (see Chapter 11).

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1464 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
6-II.C.

P. 6-34 Lump-Sum
Additions to Net Family
Assets [24 CFR

5.609(b)(24)(vii); Notice
PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
Lump-sum payments are only counted as assets if they are retained by a family in a form recognizable as an asset. [RHIIP FAQs]. For example, if the family receives a $1,000 lump sum for lottery winnings, and the family immediately spends the entire amount, the lump sum will not be counted toward net family assets.
6-II.D.

P. 6-38
Net Family Assets
PHA Policy
Reasonable costs that would be incurred when disposing of an asset include, but are not limited to, penalties for premature withdrawal, broker and legal fees, and settlement costs incurred in real estate transactions such as settlement costs and transfer taxes [New PH OCC GB, Income Determinations, p. 24]. 6-III.A.

P. 6-41
Anticipating Expenses
When calculating health and medical care expenses, the PHA will include those expenses anticipated to be incurred during the 12 months following the certification date which are not covered by an outside source, such as insurance. The allowance is not intended to give a family an allowance equal to last year’s expenses, but to anticipate regular ongoing and anticipated expenses during the coming year. Since these expenses are anticipated, the PH Occupancy Guidebook states “it is likely that actual expenses will not match what was anticipated. Typically, this would not be considered an underpayment as long as at the time of the annual reexamination, the expenses were calculated based on the appropriate verification” [New PH OCC GB, Income Determinations, p. 30]. For annual reexaminations, the PHA will use information for the previous 12-month period.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1465 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
6-III.E.

P. 6-44 Eligible
Attendant Care [Notice
PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
Attendant care expenses will be included for the period that the person enabled to work is employed plus reasonable transportation time. The cost of general housekeeping and personal services is not an eligible attendant care expense. However, if the person enabled to work is the person with disabilities, personal services necessary to enable the person with disabilities to work are eligible.

If the care attendant also provides other services to the family, the PHA will prorate the cost and allow only that portion of the expenses attributable to attendant care that enables a family member to work.

For example, if the care provider also cares for a child who is not the person with disabilities, the cost of care must be prorated. Unless otherwise specified by the care provider, the calculation will be based upon the number of hours spent in each activity and/or the number of persons under care. 6-III.G.

P. 6-49 General Relief
[Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
To qualify for a hardship exemption, a family must submit a request in writing. The request must show that the family’s health and medical and/or disability assistance expenses have increased (other than the transition to the higher threshold) and that the family’s financial hardship is a result of a change in circumstances. The PHA defines a change in circumstances as a decrease in income or increase in other expenses that has resulted in the family’s financial hardship but does not, on its own, trigger an interim reexam in accordance with PHA policies.

Examples of circumstances constituting a financial hardship may include the following situations:

The family is awaiting an eligibility determination for a federal, state, or local assistance program, such as a determination for unemployment compensation or disability benefits; The family’s income decreased because of a loss of employment, death of a family member, or due to a natural or federal/state declared disaster; or
Other circumstances as determined by the PHA.

The family must provide third-party verification of the hardship with the request. If third-party verification is not available, the PHA will document the file with the reason and will attempt to obtain third-party verification prior to the end of the 90-day hardship exemption period.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1466 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
6-III.G.

P. 6-50 General Relief
PHA Policy
The PHA will make a determination of whether the family qualifies for a hardship exemption within 30 calendar days and will notify the family in writing of the result within 10 business days of the determination.

If the PHA denies the hardship exemption request, the PHA notice will also state that if the family does not agree with the PHA determination, the family may request an informal hearing. If the family qualifies for an exemption, the PHA will include the date the hardship exemption will begin and the date it will expire as well as information on how to request a 90-day extension based on family circumstances. 6-III.G.

P. 6-50 General Relief
PHA Policy
The family may request an extension either orally or in writing prior to the end of the hardship exemption period. The PHA will automatically extend relief for an additional 90-days if the family request an extension from the PHA and the family’s circumstances that resulted in the hardship haven’t changed.

In all other instances, the PHA will extend relief for an additional 90-days if the family demonstrates to the PHA’s satisfaction that the family continues to qualify for the hardship exemption based on circumstances described above. The PHA may require updated verification based on the family’s current circumstances. Additional extension(s) may be granted on a case-by-case basis provided the family continues to request extensions prior to the end of each hardship exemption period. Families must report if the circumstances that made the family eligible for the hardship exemption are no longer applicable. At any time, the PHA may terminate the hardship exemption if the PHA determines that the family no longer qualifies for the exemption.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1467 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
6-III.G.

P. 6-51 Child Care
Expense Hardship
Exemption [24 CFR

5.611(d) and Notice PIH
2023-27]
PHA Policy
For a family to qualify for the hardship, they must demonstrate that their inability to pay rent would be a result of the loss of this deduction. The PHA defines this hardship as a potential decrease in income or increase in other expenses that would result from the loss of the child care expense and such loss would impact the family’s ability to pay their rent.

Some factors to consider when determining if the family is unable to pay rent may include determining that the rent, utility payment, and applicable expenses (child care expenses or health and medical expenses) are more than 40 percent of the family’s adjusted income, or verifying whether the family has experienced unanticipated expenses, such as large medical bills, that have affected their ability to pay their rent.

The family must also demonstrate that the child care expense is still necessary even though the family member is no longer employed or furthering their education. The PHA will consider qualification under this criterion on a case-by case basis (for example, if the family member who was employed has left their job in order to provide uncompensated care to an elderly friend or family member who is severely ill and lives across town).

The family must provide third-party verification of the hardship with the request. If third-party verification is not available, the PHA will document the file with the reason and will attempt to obtain third-party verification prior to the end of the 90-day hardship exemption period. 6-III.G.

P. 6-52 Child Care
Expense Hardship
Exemption [24 CFR

5.611(d) and Notice PIH
2023-27]
PHA Policy
The PHA will make a determination of whether the family qualifies within 30 calendar days and will notify the family in writing of the result within 10 business days of the determination.

If the PHA denies the hardship exemption request, the PHA notice will also state that if the family does not agree with the PHA determination, the family may request an informal grievance hearing.

If the family qualifies for an exemption, the PHA will include all required information listed above as well as information on how to request a 90-day extension based on family circumstances.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1468 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
6-III.G.

P. 6-53 Child Care
Expense Hardship
Exemption [24 CFR

5.611(d) and Notice PIH
2023-27]
PHA Policy
The family may request an extension either orally or in writing prior to the end of the hardship exemption period. The PHA will automatically extend relief for an additional 90-days if the family request an extension from the PHA and the family’s circumstances that resulted in the hardship haven’t changed.

In all other instances, the PHA will extend relief for an additional 90-days if the family demonstrates to the PHA’s satisfaction that the family continues to qualify for the hardship exemption. The PHA may require updated verification based on the family’s current circumstances. Additional extension may be granted on a case-by-case basis provided the family continues to request extensions prior to the end of each hardship exemption period. Families must report if the circumstances that made the family eligible for the hardship exemption are no longer applicable. At any time, the PHA may terminate the hardship exemption if the PHA determines that the family no longer qualifies for the exemption. 6-III.H.

P. 6-53 PERMISSIVE
DEDUCTIONS [24 CFR

5.611(b)(1)(ii)]
PHA Policy
The PHA has opted not to use permissive deductions.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1469 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) 7-I.B.

P. 7-5 USE OF OTHER
PROGRAMS’ INCOME
DETERMINATIONS [24
CFR 5.609(c)(3) and
Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
When available and applicable, the PHA will accept other programs’ Safe Harbor determinations of income at annual reexamination to determine the family’s total annual income. The PHA will still require third-party verification of all deductions such as the health and medical care expense or child care expense deductions.

Further, if the family is eligible for and claims the disability assistance expense or child care expense deductions, where applicable, the PHA will obtain third-party verification of the amount of employment income of the individual(s) enabled to work in order to cap the respective expenses as required.

Prior to using any Safe Harbor determination from another program, the PHA will ask the family if they agree with the income amounts listed. If the family disputes the income amounts on the Safe Harbor determination, the PHA will obtain third-party verification of all sources of income and assets (as applicable).

The PHA will not accept other programs’ determinations of income for any new admission or interim reexamination.

With the exception of income determinations made under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, the PHA will accept Safe Harbor determinations from any of the programs listed above.

In order to be acceptable, the income determination must: Be dated within 12 months of the dates listed above;
State the family size
Be for the entire family (i.e., the family members listed in the documentation must match the family’s composition in the assisted unit, except for household members); and
Must state the amount of the family’s annual income.

The determination need not list each source of income individually. If the PHA does not receive any acceptable income determination documentation or is unable to obtain documentation, then the PHA will revert to thirdparty verification of income for the family.

When families present multiple verifications from the same or different acceptable Safe Harbor programs, the PHA will use the most recent income determination, unless the family presents acceptable evidence that the PHA should consider an alternative verification from a different Safe Harbor source.

When the PHA uses a Safe Harbor income determination from another program, and the family’s income subsequently changes, the family is required to report the change to the PHA. Depending on when the change occurred, the change may or may not impact the PHA’s calculation of the family’s total annual income. Changes that occur between the time the PHA receives the Safe Harbor documentation and the effective date of the family’s annual reexam will not be considered. If the family has a change in income that occurs after the annual reexam effective date, the PHA will conduct an interim reexam if the change meets the requirements for performing an interim reexamination as outlined in Chapter 11. In this case, the PHA will use third-party verification to verify the change.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1470 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
7-I.C.

P. 7-7 STREAMLINED
INCOME
DETERMINATIONS [24
CFR 960.257(c); Notice
PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
When the PHA does not use a Safe Harbor income determination from a federal assistance program to determine the family’s annual income as outlined above, then PHA will use a streamlined income determinations where applicable.

If 90 percent or more of a family’s unadjusted income is from fixed income sources:

The PHA will streamline the annual reexamination process by applying the verified inflationary adjustment factor to fixed-income sources.

The family will be required to sign a self-certification stating that 90 percent or more of their unadjusted income is fixed income and that their sources of fixed income have not changed from the previous year.

The PHA will document in the file how the determination that a source of income was fixed was made.

Third-party verification of non-fixed income will be obtained annually regardless of the percentage of family income received from fixed sources.

If the family’s sources of fixed income have changed from the previous year, the PHA will obtain third- party verification of any new sources of fixed income.

When less than 90 percent of a family’s unadjusted income consists of fixed income: The PHA will apply a COLA to each of the family’s sources of fixed income.

All other income will be verified using third-party verification as outlined in Notice PIH 2023-27 and Chapter 7 of this policy.

In the following circumstances, regardless of the percentage of income received from fixed sources, the PHA will obtain third-party verification as outlined in Notice PIH 2023-27 and Chapter 7 of this policy:

Of all assets when net family assets exceed $50,000;
Of all deductions and allowances from annual income;
If a family member with a fixed source of income is added; If verification of the COLA or rate of interest is not available; During the intake process and at least once every three years thereafter.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1471 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
7-I.E.

P. 7-10 EIV Income and
IVT Reports
PHA Policy
Except for when Safe Harbor verification from another means-tested federal assistance program is used to determine the family’s annual income, the PHA will obtain EIV income and IVT reports for all annual reexaminations for all families on a monthly basis. The PHA will ensure that all EIV Income Reports are pulled within 120 days of the effective date of the annual reexamination.

Income and IVT reports will only be used for interim reexaminations as necessary. For example, EIV may be used to verify that families claiming zero income are not receiving income from any sources listed in EIV.

Income and IVT reports will be retained in participant files with the applicable annual documents or interim reexamination documents (if applicable) for the duration of the family’s participation.

When the PHA determines through EIV reports and third-party verification that a family has concealed or under-reported income, corrective action will be taken pursuant to the policies in Chapter 14, Program Integrity. 7-I.E.

P. 7-11 No Income
Reported by HHS or SSA
Report
PHA Policy
The PHA will generate the No Income Reported by HHS or SSA Report quarterly and will retain the report.

The PHA will re-verify the status of participants identified on the report quarterly. Based on the information provided by the family and in EIV, the PHA may require that family members provide verifications or sign release forms in order to obtain additional verification.

When the PHA determines through this report and third-party verification that a family has concealed or under-reported income, corrective action will be taken pursuant to the policies in Chapter 14, Program Integrity

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1472 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
7-I.E.

P. 7-12 Deceased
Tenants Reports
[Notice PIH 2012-4 and
Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
The PHA will review the Deceased Tenants Report on a monthly basis. 7-I.E.

P. 7-12 Deceased
Tenants Reports
[Notice PIH 2012-4 and
Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
The PHA will list the End of Participation (EOP) as the last day of the month in which the death occurred.

The landlord is entitled to receive the full Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) amount for the month in which the tenant death occurred.
7-I.F.

P. 7-13 EIV + SelfCertification
PHA Policy
At annual reexamination, if the PHA is unable to use a determination of income from a means-tested federal assistance program and if there are no reported changes to an income source, the PHA will use EIV + self-certification as verification of employment income, provided the family agrees with the amounts listed in EIV.

The PHA will use an average of the last two quarters of income listed in EIV to determine income from employment. The PHA will provide the family with the information in EIV. The family will be required to sign a self-certification stating that the amount listed in EIV is accurate and representative of current income. If the family disagrees with the amount in EIV, the amount is not reflective of current income, or if less than two quarters are available in EIV, the PHA will use written third-party verification from the source as outlined below.

The PHA will not use this method of verification at new admission since EIV is not available for applicant families or at interim reexamination since the income information in EIV is not current.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1473 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
7-I.G.

P. 7-15 LEVEL 3
VERIFICATION:

WRITTEN, THIRD-PARTY
FORM [Notice PIH 2023
27]
PHA Policy
Typically, the PHA will attempt to send written third-party verification forms to the verification source whenever higher forms of verification are unavailable.

However, on a case-by-case basis, the PHA may choose to obtain oral third-party verification without first attempting, and in lieu of, a written-third party verification form. 7-I.H.

P. 7-15 LEVEL 2: ORAL

THIRD-PARTY
VERIFICATION [Notice
PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
In general, the PHA will attempt to obtain written third-party verification via a form from the verification source. If written third-party verification forms are not returned within 10 business days, the PHA will accept self-certification from the family without attempting to obtain oral third-party verification.

However, if the PHA chooses to obtain oral third-party verification, the PHA will document in the file the date and time of the telephone call or visit, the name of the person contacted and the telephone number, as well as the information confirmed.
7-I.I.

P. 7-17 LEVEL 1: NONTHIRD-PARTY

VERIFICATION
TECHNIQUE: SELFCERTIFICATION [Notice
PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
When information cannot be verified by a third party or by review of documents, family members will be required to submit self-certifications attesting to the accuracy of the information they have provided to the PHA.

The PHA may require a family to certify that a family member does not receive a particular type of income or benefit.

The self-certification must be made in a format acceptable to the PHA and must be signed by the family member whose information or status is being verified.

All self-certifications will include the following language:
“I/We, the undersigned, certify under penalty of perjury that the information provided here is true and correct, to the best of my knowledge and recollection. WARNING: Anyone who knowingly submits a false claim or knowingly makes a false statement is subject to criminal and/or civil penalties, including confinement for up to five years, fines, and civil and administrative penalties (18 U.S.C. 287, 1001, 1010, 1012; 31 U.S.C. 3279, 3802).”

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1474 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
7-III.

P. 7-29 PART III:

VERIFYING INCOME

AND ASSETS
PHA Policy
The following policies do not apply when the PHA uses a safe harbor income determination from a means-tested federal assistance program.
7-III.A.

P. 7-29 Wages
PHA Policy
When the PHA requires third-party verification of wages, for wages other than tips, the family must provide originals of the two most current, consecutive pay stubs. At the PHA’s discretion, if additional paystubs are needed due to the family’s circumstances (e.g., sporadic income, fluctuating schedule, etc.), the PHA may request additional paystubs or a payroll record. 7-III.E.

P. 7-31

NONRECURRING
INCOME [Notice PIH
2023-27]
PHA Policy
The PHA will accept self-certification from the family stating that income will not be repeated in the coming year. However, the PHA may choose, on a case-by-case basis, to require third-party verification that income sources will not be repeated in the coming year. 7-III.F.

P. 7-32 Net Family
Assets[24 CFR 5.603]
PHA Policy
For families with net assets totaling $50,000 or less, the PHA will accept the family’s self-certification of the value of family assets and anticipated asset income. The family’s declaration must show each asset and the amount of income expected from that asset. All family members 18 years of age and older must sign the family’s declaration. The PHA reserves the right to require additional verification in situations where the accuracy of the declaration is in question. Any income the family expects to receive from assets will be included in the family’s annual income. The family will be required to provide third-party verification of net family assets every three years.

When verification is required, in determining the value of checking or savings accounts, the PHA will use the current balance.

In determining the anticipated income from an interest-bearing checking or savings account when verification is required and the rate of return is known, the PHA will multiply the current balance of the account by the current rate of interest paid on the account. If a checking account does not bear interest, the anticipated income from the account is zero.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1475 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
7-III.G.

P. 7-34 ASSETS

DISPOSED OF FOR LESS

THAN FAIR MARKET
VALUE
PHA Policy
The PHA will accept a self-certification from a family as verification of assets disposed of for less than fair market value.

The PHA will verify the value of assets disposed of only if:

The PHA does not already have a reasonable estimation of its value from previously collected information, or
The amount reported by the family in the certification appears obviously in error. 7-III.L.

P. 7-37 ZERO INCOME

STATUS REVIEWS
[Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
Families who report zero income are required to complete a written certification every 3 months as long as the family continues to report that they have no income. Families that report zero income will be required to complete a zero income checklist and worksheet and provide information regarding their means of basic sustenance, such as food, utilities, transportation, etc.

The PHA will check UIV sources and/or may request information from third-party sources to verify that certain forms of income such as unemployment benefits, TANF, SS, SSI, earned income, child support, etc., are not being received by families claiming to have zero annual income. 11-I.C.

P. 11-4 CONDUCTING
ANNUAL

REEXAMINATIONS
PHA Policy
Families will be asked to mail, email, or deliver all required information (as described in the reexamination notice) to the PHA office. The required information will include a PHA-designated reexamination form as well as supporting documents or forms related to the family’s income, expenses, and family composition.

If the family is unable to obtain the information or materials within the required time frame, the family may request an extension not to exceed 10 business days from the date of the deadline.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1476 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
11-II.B.

P. 11-10 Reporting
PHA Policy
All families must report all changes in family and household composition that occur between annual reexaminations within 10 business days of the change.
11-II.C.

P. 11-13 Interim
Decreases [24 CFR
982.516(c)(2) and
Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
The PHA will conduct an interim reexamination any time the family’s adjusted income has decreased by any amount.
11-II.C.

P. 11-13 Increases 10
Percent or Greater
PHA Policy
When a family reports an increase in their earned income between annual reexaminations, the PHA will not conduct an interim reexamination, regardless of the amount of the increase, and regardless of whether there was a previous decrease since the family’s last annual reexamination.

The PHA will process an interim reexamination for any increases in unearned income of 10 percent or more in adjusted income.

The PHA will not perform an interim reexamination when a family reports an increase in income (whether earned or unearned income) within three months of their annual reexamination effective date.

However, families who delay reporting income increases until the last three months of their certification period may be subject to retroactive rent increases in accordance with the PHA policies in Chapter 14.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1477 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page # Proposed Policy
11-II.C.

P. 11-14
PHA Policy
The family will be required to report all changes in income regardless of the amount of the change, whether the change is to earned or unearned income, or if the change occurred during the last three months of the certification period. Families must report changes in income within 10 business days of the date the change takes effect. The family may notify the PHA of changes either orally or in writing. If the family provides oral notice, the PHA may also require the family to submit the changes in writing.

Within 10 business days of the family reporting the change, the PHA will determine whether the change will require an interim reexamination.

If the change will not result in an interim reexamination, the PHA will note the information in the tenant file but will not conduct an interim reexamination. The PHA will send the family written notification within 10 business days of making this determination informing the family that the PHA will not conduct an interim reexamination.

If the change will result in an interim reexamination, the PHA will determine the documentation the family will be required to submit based on the type of change reported and PHA policies in Chapter 7.

The PHA will ask the family to report changes in all aspects of adjusted income at this time. The family must submit any required information or documents within 10 business days of receiving a request from the PHA. This time frame may be extended for good cause with PHA approval. The PHA will accept required documentation by mail, email, fax, or in person. The PHA will conduct the interim within a reasonable time period based on the amount of time it takes to verify the information.

Generally, the family will not be required to attend an interview for an interim reexamination. However, if the PHA determines that an interview is warranted, the family may be required to attend.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1478 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes from the implementation of The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
11-II.D.

P. 11-16 Changes Not
Reported Timely
[Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHA Policy
In general, when the family fails to report a change in income or family composition timely, and the change would lead to a decrease in the tenant share of rent, the PHA will apply the decrease the first of the month following completion of the interim reexamination.

However, the PHA will apply the results of the interim reexamination retroactively where a family’s ability to report a change in income promptly may have been hampered due to extenuating circumstances such as a natural disaster or disruptions to PHA management operations. The PHA will decide to apply decreases retroactively on a case-by-case basis.

When the PHA applies the results of interim decreases retroactively, the PHA will clearly communicate the effect of the retroactive adjustment to the family and may enter into a repayment agreement in accordance with PHA policies.

The PHA will also clearly communicate the effect of the retroactive adjustment to the owner. 14-II.D.

P. 14-10 De Minimis
Errors [24 CFR

5.609(c)(4)]
PHA Policy
The PHA will reimburse a family for any family overpayment of rent, regardless of whether the overpayment was the result of staff-caused error or a de minimis error.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1479 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discre�onary Policy Changes for the Proposed Chapter 21 of Administra�ve Plan-Special Purpose Vouchers Addition of Proposed Chapter 21 of the Administrative Plan

SPECIAL PURPOSE VOUCHERS
The SMHA is proposing a NEW chapter for the following programs:

1. The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program Is an existing SMHA program that will be clarified and consolidated in the proposed chapter.

2. The Stability Voucher (SV) program
Is an alloca�on of NEW special purpose vouchers that went into effect on October 1, 2023. The Consolidated Appropria�ons Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260) (2021 Act), made available $43,439,000 for new incremental voucher assistance under Sec�on 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 for use by individuals and families experiencing or at risk of; homelessness, those fleeing or atemp�ng to flee domes�c violence, da�ng violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, and veterans and families that include a veteran family member that meets one of the proceeding criteria.

On August 16, 2022, HUD issued PIH No�ce 2022-24, announcing approximately 4,000 new incremental vouchers na�onwide for the new Stability Voucher (SV) program. On June 5, 2023, the SMHA received 15 SVs that will be paired with Con�nuum of Care suppor�ve services funded by HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development. The SV program is a tenant-based rental assistance program to assist qualifying families through direct referrals from the Coordinated Entry System (CES).

The proposed chapter describes HUD regulations and PHA policies for administering ongoing special-purpose vouchers that operate similarly to HCVs. The general requirements of the HCV program apply to special-purpose vouchers, except as addressed by this chapter and as required under federal statute and HUD requirements. The new chapter was proposed to provide a section for the administration of the VASH program which will now have a dedicated section and to house the SV program which will be administered by the SMHA.

Below is a list of the proposed policies and clarifica�ons in the proposed chapter.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1480 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discre�onary Policy Changes for the Proposed Chapter 21 of Administra�ve Plan-Special Purpose Vouchers Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
21-I.B.

P. 21-3 REFERRALS [FR
Notice 9/27/21 and HUDVASH Qs and As]
PHA Policy
In order to expedite the screening process, the PHA will provide all forms and a list of documents required for the VASH application to the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Case managers will work with veterans to fill out the forms and compile all documents prior to meeting with the PHA and submitting an application. When feasible, the VAMC case manager should email or fax copies of all documents to the PHA prior to the meeting in order to allow the PHA time to review them and start a file for the veteran.

After the VAMC has given the PHA a complete referral, the PHA will perform an eligibility screening within five business days of receipt of a VAMC referral.
21-I.C.

P. 21-5 Income Eligibility
PHA Policy
While income-targeting requirements will not be considered by the PHA when families are referred by the partnering VAMC, the PHA will include any extremely low-income VASH families that are admitted in its income targeting numbers for the fiscal year in which these families are admitted. 21-I.E.

P. 21-7 Voucher Issuance
PHA Policy
All VASH vouchers will have an initial term of 180 calendar days.

The family must submit a Request for Tenancy Approval and proposed lease within the 180-day period unless the PHA grants an extension.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1481 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discre�onary Policy Changes for the Proposed Chapter 21 of Administra�ve Plan-Special Purpose Vouchers Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
21-I.E.

P. 21-7 HQS Pre-Inspections
PHA Policy
To expedite the leasing process, the PHA may pre-inspect available units that veterans may be interested in leasing to maintain a pool of eligible units. If a VASH family selects a unit that passed a HQS pre-inspection (without intervening occupancy) within 45 days of the date of the RTA, the unit may be approved provided that it meets all other conditions under 24 CFR 982.305. The veteran will be free to select their unit.

When a pre-inspected unit is not selected, the PHA will make every effort to fast-track the inspection process, including adjusting the normal inspection schedule for both initial and any required reinspections. 21-II.B.

P. 21-12 PARTNERING
ORGANIZATION [Notice
PIH 2022-24]
PHA Policy
The PHA has entered into an MOU with the following partnering organization: the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). See Exhibit 21-3 for a copy of the MOU. 21-II.C.

P. 21-13 CoC Referrals
PHA Policy
The referral process is outlined in Exhibit 21-3 of this chapter. 21-II.D.

P. 21-13 HCV Waiting List
PHA Policy
The PHA will post information about the SV program for families on the PHA’s website. The notice will:

Describe the eligible populations to which SVs are limited.

Clearly state that the availability of these SVs is managed through a direct referral process.

Advise the family to contact the CoC (or any other PHA referral partner, if applicable) if the family believes they may be eligible for SV assistance.

The PHA will ensure effective communication with persons with disabilities, including those with vision, hearing, and other communication-related disabilities in accordance with Chapter 2. The PHA will also take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access for persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) in accordance with Chapter 2.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1482 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discre�onary Policy Changes for the Proposed Chapter 21 of Administra�ve Plan-Special Purpose Vouchers Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
21-II.D.

P. 21-14 HCV Waiting List
Preferences
PHA Policy
The PHA does not offer VAWA preference for the HCV waiting list. 21-II.D.

P. 21-14 SV Waiting List
Preferences
PHA Policy
The waiting list preferences are outlined in Exhibit 21-3 of this chapter. 21-II.E.

P. 21-16 Permissive Denial
PHA Policy
The PHA has not adopted any permissible prohibitions for SVs 21-II.E.

P. 21-17 Recently
Conducted Income
Determinations
PHA Policy
The PHA will accept income calculations and verifications from third-party providers provided they meet the criteria outlined above.

The family certification must be made in a format acceptable to the PHA and must be signed by all adult family members whose information or status is being verified.

At the time of the family’s annual reexamination, the PHA must conduct the annual reexamination of income as outlined at 24 CFR 982.516 and the PHA policies in Chapter 11. 21-II.E.

P. 21-18 Social Security
Number and Citizenship
Status Verification
PHA Policy
The PHA will admit SV applicants who are unable to provide the required SSN or citizenship documentation during the initial eligibility determination. These individuals must provide the required documentation in accordance with policies in Chapter 7 within 180 days of admission. The PHA may provide an additional 60- day extension based on evidence from the family or confirmation from the CoC or other partnering agency that the family has made a good-faith effort to obtain the documentation.

If the PHA determines that an ineligible family received assistance, the PHA will take steps to terminate that family from the program in accordance with policies in Chapter 12.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1483 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discre�onary Policy Changes for the Proposed Chapter 21 of Administra�ve Plan-Special Purpose Vouchers Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
21-II.E.

P. 21-18 Age and
Disability Verifications
PHA Policy
The PHA will accept self-certification of date of birth and disability status if a higher form of verification is not immediately available. The certification must be made in a format acceptable to the PHA and must be signed by the family member whose information or status is being verified. If self-certification is accepted, within 90 days of admission, the PHA will verify the information in EIV or through other third-party verification if the information is not available in EIV. The PHA will note the family’s file that self-certification was used as initial verification and include an EIV printout or other third-party verification confirming the applicant’s date of birth and/or disability status.

If the PHA determines that an ineligible family received assistance, the PHA will take steps to terminate that family from the program in accordance with policies in Chapter 12. 21-II.F.

P. 21-19 Initial Voucher
Term
PHA Policy
All SVs will have an initial term of 180 calendar days.

The family must submit a Request for Tenancy Approval and proposed lease within the 180-day period unless the PHA grants an extension.
21-II.F.

P. 21-19 HQS PreInspections
PHA Policy
To expedite the leasing process, the PHA may pre-inspect available units that SV families may be interested in leasing to maintain a pool of eligible units. If an SV family selects a unit that passed a HQS pre-inspection (without intervening occupancy) within 45 days of the date of the Request for Tenancy Approval, the unit may be approved provided that it meets all other conditions under 24 CFR 982.305. The family will be free to select his or her unit.

When a pre-inspected unit is not selected, the PHA will make every effort to fast-track the inspection process, including adjusting the normal inspection schedule for any required reinspections.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1484 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

Proposed Discre�onary Policy Changes for the Proposed Chapter 21 of Administra�ve Plan-Special Purpose Vouchers Section
Page #
Proposed Policy
21-II.F.

P. 21-20 Family Briefing
PHA Policy
In addition to following PHA policy on briefings in Chapter 5, as part of the briefing packet for SV families, the PHA will include a written notice that the PHA will assist the family with moves under portability.

For limited English proficient (LEP) applicants, the PHA will provide interpretation services in accordance with the PHA’s LEP plan (See Chapter 2).
21-II.G.

P. 21-21 Overview
PHA Policy
The PHA will use the same payment standards for HCV and SV. However, the PHA may establish a higher payment standard amount for SVs.
21-II.G.

P. 21-21 Increases in
Payment Standards
PHA Policy
The PHA will not establish an alternative policy for increases in the payment standard. PHA policy in Section 11-III.B. governing increases in payment standards will apply to SVs.

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1485 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth

NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE PHYSICAL INSPECTION

OF REAL ESTATE (NSPIRE)
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) new housing inspection approach, under development, that prioritizes health, safety, and functional deficiencies over those about appearance. NSPIRE is a single inspection standard for all units under the Public Housing, HCV, Multifamily, and Community Planning and Development (CPD) programs. NSPIRE focuses on the areas that impact residents the most, such as the dwelling unit. This model includes objective and clearly stated standards, value-added inspection protocols, and scoring elements that are more defensible and less complex. NSPIRE will replace the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection process.

HUD mandated Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) implement the new rules no later than October 1, 2023. Although the new rules are effective October 1, 2023, HUD has granted the PHAs an operating and compliance period of a year.

As such, the SMHA will be working towards transitioning to HUD’s new NSPIRE inspection standards by no later than October 1, 2024.

NSPIRE Standards Overview
NSPIRE isintended to betteridentify public housing agencies(PHA) and property owners and agents (POA) that are not adhering to minimum compliance standards by:
• Establishing objective, well-defined deficiency definitions developed, tested, and validated in a rigorous collaboration with stakeholders such as PHAs, POAs, resident groups, public health experts, and academics during the NSPIRE Demonstration;
• Reducing the number of inspectable areas at properties to simplify the process and reduce administrative errors related to deficiency misclassification by regrouping the inspectable itemsinto three categoriesfrom five—note that this only changes the grouping of inspectable items; it does not change which items are being inspected;
• Deliberately grouping deficiencies into one of three categories; and • Identifying all health and safety (H&S) deficiencies.

TheNSPIRE Model hasthreemajor components:
(1) Three types of inspections;
(2)three categories of physical deficiencies; and
(3) three inspectable areas.

The three types of inspections include self-inspections (see Self-Inspection); NSPIRE

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1486 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) inspections (see NSPIRE Inspection); and NSPIRE Plus inspections (see NSPIRE Plus Inspection). Note that the Housing Choice Voucher program is only required to have NSPIRE inspections.

The three categories of deficiencies are health and safety; function and operability; and condition and appearance, with each category ideally resulting in emergency work orders, routine work orders, and other maintenance respectively.

The HCV program will retain the pass/fail methodology to conduct NSPIRE inspections and will not use the scoring scale used for other HUD programs. HUD has condensed the inspectable areas into three categories: Inside, Outside, and Unit. "Inside" refers to all common areas and building systems(e.g., HVAC) located inside a building, but not within dwelling units. "Outside" refersto the building site,the building envelope, and any building systems located outside of the building or unit. "Unit" refers to the interior of an individual residential unit.

The transition to these three major components will decrease inspection complexity, simplify the scoring model, and increase consistency in the way the standards are interpreted, and protocols are applied during an inspection.

NSPIRE Resources
Follow the link below to view the publication of the NSPIRE final rule [Docket No. FR6086-F-03]:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/05/11/2023-09693/economicgrowth- regulatory-relief-and-consumer-protection-act-implementation-of-nationalstandards Follow the link below to view the comprehensive list of NSPIRE Inspection Standards:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/reac/nspire/standards Follow the link below to view other pertinent NSPIRE official notices and rules:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/reac/nspire/notices

12.A.c
Packet Pg. 1487 Attachment: Summary of Proposed Changes Fiscal Year 2024-25 [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) 5-Year PHA Plan
(for All PHAs)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Public and Indian Housing
OMB No. 2577-0226
Expires: 02/29/2016
Purpose. The 5-Year and Annual PHA Plans provide a ready source for interested parties to locate basic PHA policies, rules, and requirements concerning the PHA’s operations, programs, and services, and informs HUD, families served by the PHA, and members of the public of the PHA’s mission, goals and objectives for serving the needs of low- income, very low- income, and extremely low- income families Applicability. Form HUD-50075-5Y is to be completed once every 5 PHA fiscal years by all PHAs.

A. PHA Information.

A.1 PHA Name: Santa Monica Housing Authority PHA Code: ___CA 111______ PHA Plan for Fiscal Year Beginning: (MM/YYYY): 07/2020
PHA Plan Submission Type: 5-Year Plan Submission Revised 5-Year Plan Submission Availability of Information. In addition to the items listed in this form, PHAs must have the elements listed below readily available to the public.

A PHA must identify the specific location(s) where the proposed PHA Plan, PHA Plan Elements, and all information relevant to the public hearing and proposed PHA Plan are available for inspection by the public. Additionally, the PHA must provide information on how the public may reasonably obtain additional information on the PHA policies contained in the standard Annual Plan, but excluded from their streamlined submissions. At a minimum, PHAs must post PHA Plans, including updates, at each Asset Management Project (AMP) and main office or central office of the PHA. PHAs are strongly encouraged to post complete PHA Plans on their official websites. PHAs are also encouraged to provide each resident council a copy of their PHA Plans.

PHA Consortia: (Check box if submitting a Joint PHA Plan and complete table below) Participating PHAs PHA
Code
Program(s) in the
Consortia
Program(s) not in the
Consortia
No. of Units in Each Program
PH HCV
Lead PHA:

12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1488 Attachment: 5-YearPlan Fiscal Year 2020 (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan)

5-Year Plan. Required for all PHAs completing this form.

B.1 Mission. State the PHA’s mission for serving the needs of low- income, very low- income, and extremely low- income families in the PHA’s jurisdiction for the next five years.

The mission of the PHA is the same as that of the Department of Housing and Urban Development: To promote adequate and affordable housing, economic opportunity and a suitable living environment free from discrimination.

B.2 Goals and Objectives. Identify the PHA’s quantifiable goals and objectives that will enable the PHA to serve the needs of low- income, very lowincome, and extremely low- income families for the next five years. • Expand access to Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) by attaching project-based vouchers to PSH apartments. • Increase voucher applicant diversity by outreaching to the Santa Monica workforce with the goal of reaching employees who work 25 hours a week or more in Santa Monica.
• Apply for mainstream vouchers, as they are available, to assist non-elderly persons living with disabilities. • Continue to serve veterans and individuals experiencing homelessness by applying for Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing and Continuum of Care vouchers, as they are available.
• Reduce barriers to housing by establishing a funding source to provide insurance to property owners who lease apartments to voucher holders with poor credit.
• Explore options for outsourcing annual eligibility recertification work and shift staff focus to new admissions with the goal of fully utilizing the PHA’s budget authority and maintaining program quality. • Establish relationships with agencies that provide volunteer opportunities and employment services to assist participants who are unemployed or underemployed..
• Expand opportunities to apply for housing by opening waitlists for the Housing Choice Voucher, Affordable Housing, and Preserving Our Diversity (POD) programs and keeping them open continuously. • Maintain housing of low-income households by using available resources to prevent homelessness and support well-being of participants.
• Coordinate with Human Services and service providers to prevent eviction and displacement. • Conduct extensive marketing of the programs and provide education that reduces the stigma of needs based programs. • Develop a client-focused customer service policy;
• Increase community integration for persons with disabilities; • Promote civic engagement of recipients;
• Reduce barriers to housing by increasing total supply of housing for voucher holders to potentially access.

B.3 Progress Report. Include a report on the progress the PHA has made in meeting the goals and objectives described in the previous 5-Year Plan.

Progress Report attached as a separate document.

B.4 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Goals. Provide a statement of the PHA’s goals, activities objectives, policies, or programs that will enable the PHA to serve the needs of child and adult victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. • The PHA will continue to comply with the updated VAWA Reauthorization Act. • The PHA will offer a preference to families that are victims of domestic violence/familial abuse, sexual assault or stalking, who have been displaced in the City of Santa Monica as a result of the victimization. • The City of Santa Monica provides funding for shelter-based services including social services assistance, resource referral, clinical therapy, peer counseling, and court advocacy to victims of domestic violence. Children Empowerment programming and Youth Violence Prevention and Education Workshops are also provided.

12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1489 Attachment: 5-YearPlan Fiscal Year 2020 (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan)

B.5 Significant Amendment or Modification. Provide a statement on the criteria used for determining a significant amendment or modification to the 5-Year Plan.

SMHA defines a “Significant Amendment and Substantial Deviation/Modification” when changes are made to the preferences/priorities on the waiting list (Currently defined in the Administrative Plan), if programs or number of persons to be served is reduced due to the loss of supporting revenue, if changes are made to the FMR but only if it adversely impacts tenants, and changes to the appeals/grievance process if tenants are negatively impacted. When significant changes are proposed SMHA will post a 45-day public review notice (24 CFR 903.17(r)), assure that the amendment is consistent with the Consolidated Plan 24 CFR 903.15 (unless action is taken due to funding reduction of programs) and must be approved by the Housing Commission. HUD approval is required prior to implementation of amendments. An exception to this definition will be made for any of the above changes that are adopted to reflect changes in HUD regulatory requirements and will not be considered significant amendments by HUD.

B.6 Resident Advisory Board (RAB) Comments.
(a) Did the RAB(s) provide comments to the 5-Year PHA Plan? Y N
*Comments provided by RAB will be submitted with the 5-Year Plan. (b) If yes, comments must be submitted by the PHA as an attachment to the 5-Year PHA Plan. PHAs must also include a narrative describing their analysis of the RAB recommendations and the decisions made on these recommendations.

B.7 Certification by State or Local Officials.

Form HUD 50077-SL, Certification by State or Local Officials of PHA Plans Consistency with the Consolidated Plan, must be submitted by the PHA as an electronic attachment to the PHA Plan.

Instructions for Preparation of Form HUD-50075-5Y
5-Year PHA Plan for All PHAs
A. PHA Information 24 CFR §903.23(4)(e)
A.1 Include the full PHA Name, PHA Code, , PHA Fiscal Year Beginning (MM/YYYY), PHA Plan Submission Type, and the Availability of Information, specific location(s) of all information relevant to the hearing and proposed PHA Plan.

PHA Consortia: Check box if submitting a Joint PHA Plan and complete the table.

B. 5-Year Plan.

B.1 Mission. State the PHA’s mission for serving the needs of low- income, very low- income, and extremely low- income families in the PHA’s jurisdiction for the next five years. (24 CFR §903.6(a)(1)) B.2 Goals and Objectives. Identify the PHA’s quantifiable goals and objectives that will enable the PHA to serve the needs of lowincome, very low- income, and extremely low- income families for the next five years. (24 CFR §903.6(b)(1)) For Qualified PHAs only, if at any time a PHA proposes to take units offline for modernization, then that action requires a significant amendment to the PHA’s 5-Year Plan.

B.3 Progress Report. Include a report on the progress the PHA has made in meeting the goals and objectives described in the previous 5- Year Plan. (24 CFR §903.6(b)(2))
B.4 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Goals. Provide a statement of the PHA’s goals, activities objectives, policies, or programs that will enable the PHA to serve the needs of child and adult victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. (24 CFR §903.6(a)(3))
B.5 Significant Amendment or Modification. Provide a statement on the criteria used for determining a significant amendment or modification to the 5-Year Plan.

B.6 Resident Advisory Board (RAB) comments.
(a) Did the public or RAB provide comments?
(b) If yes, submit comments as an attachment to the Plan and describe the analysis of the comments and the PHA’s decision made on these recommendations. (24 CFR §903.17(a), 24 CFR §903.19)

12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1490 Attachment: 5-YearPlan Fiscal Year 2020 (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan)

This information collection is authorized by Section 511 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act, which added a new section 5A to the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as amended, which introduced the 5-Year PHA Plan. The 5-Year PHA Plan provides the PHA’s mission, goals and objectives for serving the needs of low- income, very low- income, and extremely lowincome families and the progress made in meeting the goals and objectives described in the previous 5-Year Plan.

Public reporting burden for this information collection is estimated to average .76 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. HUD may not collect this information, and respondents are not required to complete this form, unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

Privacy Act Notice. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is authorized to solicit the information requested in this form by virtue of Title 12, U.S. Code, Section 1701 et seq., and regulations promulgated thereunder at Title 12, Code of Federal Regulations. Responses to the collection of information are required to obtain a benefit or to retain a benefit. The information requested does not lend itself to confidentiality.

12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1491 Attachment: 5-YearPlan Fiscal Year 2020 (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan)

Summary of Resident Advisory Board Comments, Public Comments, General Public Comments & SMHA Staff Response
RAB member comment on the Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMR): Sixty percent of our 1,680 program participants live in restricted units, with rent determined by City Development Agreements or Tax Credit financing rather than Rent Control or market rates. The Housing Authority seems to favor implementing higher Small Area Fair Market Rent payments, potentially increasing rents arbitrarily and prioritizing owners' profits over tenants' affordability.

RAB member comment on the Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMR): A RAB member expressed concerns that payment standard will increase the rent burden on tenants.

Response: The implementation of SAFMRs is not solely at the discretion of local housing authorities but is now mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as per Notice PIH 2023-32. Additionally, SAFMRs offer a more accurate methodology for determining rent subsidies based on local market conditions, particularly at the zip code level. The SAFMRs also play a pivotal role in promoting housing choice and ensuring fairness in rental assistance programs, aligning with HUD's objectives of fostering affordability and access to decent housing for all. Additionally, the payment standards (rental subsidies) established by the SAFMRs will increase renal subsidy the housing authority can pay on behalf of the tenant to the landlord and significantly reduce rent burden on voucher holders.

RAB members summarized comments on rent Increase policy and how they interact with the Santa Monica Rental Market: Rent increase. These adjustments become effective on October 1st each year.

However, this scheduling approach may raise concerns regarding its consistency with the standard practice recommended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which typically ties rent reexaminations to the lease-up date for each family. Moreover, implementing rent adjustments in line with the local Rent Control Agency's approvals might present challenges, particularly in cases involving deed-restricted properties like those under inclusionary zoning or Low-Income Tax Credit developments, where rent increases may be subject to different constraints compared to market-rate properties.

Response: In reply to your inquiry, the staff has elaborated and refined the Administrative Plans regarding rent increases, presenting a more detailed and comprehensive approach outlined in the Proposed Discretionary Policy Summary. These policies are reiterated consistently throughout the Draft Administrative Plan, providing clear explanations of how rent increases will be implemented across different types of affordable housing in Santa Monica when a voucher is applied.

RAB member comments on HQS inspections: Would like SMHA to define “minor HQS violations” in the paragraph describing standard, permanent replacement housing.

Response: The Administrative Plan, Chapter 8: Housing Quality Standards and Rent Reasonableness, details the physical standards required of units occupied by Section 8 HCV-assisted families and identifies decisions about the acceptability of the unit that may be made by the family based upon the

12.A.e
Packet Pg. 1492 Attachment: Summary of Comments and Responses [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan)

family’s preference. Chapter 8 also identifies life-threatening conditions that must be addressed on an expedited basis.

Public/RAB member comments on a Home Ownership Program: The Housing Authority should administer the Homeownership Program for HCV program participants as a way to assist those of low or extremely low income in purchasing a condo or house.

Response: The Housing Authority does not offer an HCV Homeownership program. Adding such a program would involve evaluating the associated regulations, assessing the feasibility of such a program given the gap between maximum voucher payment standards and real estate prices in Santa Monica, and determining the staffing and other resources needed to support the program. Currently the Housing Authority is focused on completing its core responsibilities according to HUD’s requirements and does not have resources that can be allocated to assessing the feasibility of new programs such as a homeownership program.

Public/RAB member comments on the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program: The Housing Authority should expand and seek out additional funding opportunities and expand the services provided and available in the CoC Program.

Response: The CoC requires ongoing coordination with service providers that help administer the CoC Program. The Housing Authority will review available funding opportunities as they are made available.

RAB member comment on Shared Housing: The Housing Authority should have a shared housing option and allow voucher holders to cohabitate and rent individual rooms in a household with nonvoucher holders.

Response: Thank you for your feedback. The Administrative Plan has already implemented a comprehensive Shared Housing policy enabling this form of cohabitation, as outlined in Chapter 15: Part IV: Shared Housing (15-7) of the Draft Administrative Plan. This policy went into effect July 1, 2023.

RAB member comment on Grants: handy worker grants for low -income residents to fix repairs for longstanding residents that maintenance issues, etc.

Response: Thank you for your feedback. The Housing Authority is currently funded to administer its voucher programs only and do not have additional funding to provide home repair grants. However, the Administrative Plan, Chapter 8: Housing Quality Standards and Rent Reasonableness, details the physical standards required of units occupied by Section 8 HCV-assisted families and identifies decisions about the acceptability of the unit that may be made by the family based upon the family’s preference.

Chapter 8 also identifies life-threatening conditions that must be addressed on an expedited basis.

RAB members comments on Housing Quality Control Standards (HQS):
• The Housing Authority allow for interim inspection outside the annual inspections. • The Housing Authority should add an addendum to the recertification that allows the tenant to list any grievances with the landlord.

Response: The Housing Authority presently permits interim "Special" inspections, as detailed in the Administrative Plan, Chapter 8: Housing Quality Standards and Rent Reasonableness. Staff will persist in

12.A.e
Packet Pg. 1493 Attachment: Summary of Comments and Responses [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan)

advising voucher holders of their tenant rights as outlined in the Chapter and will explore creating a form to address Housing Quality Standards (HQS) documentation issues.

Public/RAB member comments: The Housing Authority should do more to accommodate the Homeless families and those at risk of being homeless.

Response: The SMHA has committed 57 Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) to a supportive housing development at 1413 Michigan Avenue for people experiencing homelessness. Additionally, the SMHA has proposed a new Tier 1 priority that would allocate 20 Housing Choice Vouchers annually to support Santa Monica residents experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. More information about the City’s approach to addressing homelessness can be found on the Addressing Homelessness website. santamonica.gov - Addressing Homelessness
Public/RAB member comments on the development of Affordable Housing: Several comments were received about developing more affordable housing.

Response: Thank you for your feedback. A Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) development of 57 residences at 1413 Michigan Avenue for people experiencing homelessness was provided $11,742,234 in City housing trust fund financing and is currently in construction with an anticipated completion in April 2024. Additionally, the SMHA has allocated 57 project-based vouchers to this PSH development.

Another development of 13 residences at 1342 Berkeley Street primarily targeting young adults at risk of homelessness or experiencing housing insecurity has been provided $9,426,306 in City housing trust fund financing and is anticipated to begin construction during 2024. The SMHA has allocated 13 projectbased vouchers to this development, 8 of which will PSH residences.

Public/RAB member comments about accessibility for Meetings: Several comments were received about developing video or phone accommodations for Town Hall meetings, City Hall Meetings, and Housing Commission meetings.

Response: Thank you for your feedback. SMHA staff was accessible for public feedback through various channels, including phone, walk-ins, scheduled appointments, email, mail, and designated meetings, ensuring inclusivity for the diverse communities we serve. Additionally, the Town Hall meetings (hosted by the Housing Commission), City Hall Meetings, and Housing Commission meetings are subject to the Brown Act which requires the physical presence of members at meetings, except when there is "just cause" or "emergency circumstances" and limits this to 20% of regular meetings per calendar year.

Should the City establish capacity for remote public comment at the start of meetings, this would be afforded to the Town Hall, City Hall, and Housing Commission meetings.

RAB member comment on Saving accounts. The SMHA received a comment about interest bearing account and ABLE accounts.

Response: Thank you for your feedback. Saving accounts and interest-bearing accounts are and how they are calculated for purposed of the income calculation are federally mandated and set by HUD and outline in Chapter 6-II.C: Asset Inclusions and Exclusions, of the Administrative Plan ABLE Accounts [24 CFR 5.609(b)(10); Notice PIH 2019-09] An Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account is a type of tax-advantaged savings account that an eligible individual can use to pay for qualified disability expenses. Section 103 of the ABLE Act mandates that an individual’s ABLE account

12.A.e
Packet Pg. 1494 Attachment: Summary of Comments and Responses [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan)

(specifically, its account balance, contributions to the account, and distributions from the account) is excluded when determining the designated beneficiary’s eligibility and continued occupancy under certain federal means tested programs. The PHA must exclude the entire value of the individual’s ABLE account from the household’s assets. Distributions from the ABLE account are also not considered income. However, all wage income received, regardless of which account the money is paid to, is included as income.

Investment Accounts Such as Stocks, Bonds, Saving Certificates, and Money Market Funds [24 CFR

5.603(b)(1)]
HUD considers financial investments such as stocks and bonds non-necessary items of personal property. Whether non-necessary personal property is counted toward net family assets depends on the combined value of all of the family’s assets.
• When the combined value of net family assets is greater than $50,000, as adjusted by inflation, financial investments such as stocks and bonds are considered part of net family assets. In this case, the value of the family’s checking and/or savings accounts would be counted toward net family assets.
• When the combined value of all non-necessary personal property does not exceed $50,000, as adjusted by inflation, all non-necessary personal property is excluded from net family assets. In this case, the value of the family’s financial investments such as stocks and bonds would not be considered when calculating net family assets.

However, actual income from financial accounts is always included in a family’s annual income, regardless of the total value of net family assets or whether the asset itself is included or excluded from net family assets, unless that income is specifically excluded. When a stock issues dividends in some years but not others (e.g., due to market performance), the dividend is counted as the actual return when it is issued, but when no dividend is issued, the actual return is $0. When the stock never issues dividends, the actual return is $0.

RAB members comment on oversight Committee for landlords: RAB member would an oversight committee to hold owners and management companies accountable.

Response: Thank you for your feedback. The SMHA staff does not have the authority to establish landlord oversight committee. However, the Administrative Plan, Chapter 8: Housing Quality Standards and Rent Reasonableness, details the physical standards required of units occupied by Section 8 HCVassisted families and identifies decisions about the acceptability of the unit that may be made by the family based upon the family’s preference. Additionally, the following resources depending on the issue:

Code Enforcement: santamonica.gov (smgov.net)
County Public Health Department: Online Form - Complaint Form (lacounty.gov) Legal Aid Foundation of LA: LAFLA: Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles | Justice • Equity • Hope City Attorney’s Office: [email protected]

12.A.e
Packet Pg. 1495 Attachment: Summary of Comments and Responses [Revision 2] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1496 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1497 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1498 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1499 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) From:

To: Patrick Komesu
Cc:

Subject: 45 day comment period-Sec.8,HUD
Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 1:47:44 PM

EXTERNAL
2/13/23
Hello. And thanks for taking notice of these comments!
Re:"Zip Code Payment Standards
I understand that there may be a substantial increase in our rents.(I hope I'm wrong!) in the future.

Please greatly reconsider any increase in payment standards for tenants who have been living in their units for more than a few years. Why?: Many of us have been living in our units for a longtime and there have been no upgrades or improvements within our units!.

Please remember :

Rents increases are granted yearly by the Rent Control Board which can handle increased expenses that the property owners might incur.

Also consider that big increases in rent charged & paid by the tenant will further increase the hardship on the tenant.!
If there is no way to prevent the standards . Please, at least, exempt those of us who are on "Old Vouchers", because our alternative options, if any, are limited!!.. Grandfather us in, keep us on the current standard.

Signed & sent by a Very Grateful Recipient!
Bonnie Johnstone
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1500 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) From:

To: Patrick Komesu
Subject: Annual Plan Suggestion
Date: Sunday, February 4, 2024 5:12:50 PM
Attachments: IMG 0027.jpg
IMG 2600.jpg
IMG 2601.PNG

EXTERNAL
Hello Patrick,
William Balch here. I would like to make a suggestion for the Annual Plan. I didn't find an applicable section, so I guess this would best be described as an addendum. Anyway, I would like to see a formation of an oversight committee to hold owners and management companies accountable. I assume that most of these entities are diligent and maintain high standards.

However, I can speak of one that has fallen behind in some areas. I do believe that such a committee would help owners/managers maintain a fair and honest standard of compliance with Santa Monica housing rules and regulations.

We talked on Thursday night about a glitch in my rent payment adjustment for the year beginning February 1, 2024. I didn't receive my notice from SMHA until late January and apparently the management company either hasn't received it, or they received it very late as well. I was billed and paid the old amount on February 1st. I am on auto pay, so it was taken out without any changes. I am also going to email Sylvia Romo to notify her. I'm sure this is no big problem, but it needs to be addressed. Also, when you found out that I am at Neilson Villa on Thursday night you said something to the effect that, That's interesting." You were busy with other people in the room so I didn't pursue an answer to that. But, I have to say it has haunted me wondering what you meant as I have heard some issues by several neighbors.

Can you tell me what you were referring to? I have one ongoing issue that is 6 years in length with no solution on their part in sight. It deals with my upstairs neighbor who has been disturbing my piece from the beginning. Flooding my porch, causing leaks in my kitchen and banging things around on my ceiling all night. She also flooded this apartment so badly before I moved in that the tenant before me had to be relocated. She admitted and bragged about doing it. Management sent her a bill for the damages. cxShe sued the management company and won. On very shading grounds. There is currently no full time manager, just someone on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But, previous full and temp managers refused to talk about it when I said I know the company is afraid of this tenant. All but one that is. She finally admitted behind closed doors that they are indeed afraid to stop the tenant in question. As I'm writing this the latest round of leaks is occuring. I'm at my wits end. I'm attaching a couple examples of her handiwork. One past and the one currently happening. I have several videos, however the files are to large tp send via regular email.

I apologize for this long email, but as I said I can;t deal with anymore of this. I love where I live. I'm very happy here otherwise.

Thank you for your attention and stay dry.

Sincerely,
William Balch
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1501 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) From:

To: Patrick Komesu;
Subject: Comments on housing element draft
Date: Monday, January 22, 2024 12:33:46 PM

EXTERNAL
Hello,
In addition to the comments I made recently concerning bedrooms and disability, I have a few more comments to add.

1. The need for video or phone access to the housing meetings; the City Hall Town Hall tenant-landlord meetings, and City Council meetings where housing and or disability is discussed. Not providing this is disability discrimination. There is no mention of alternative access in the letter I received today regarding these meetings.

2. Developers and City Council must build multi-bedroom units on par with what is needed. There are rarely two bedroom apartments I have never seen three, four, or five bedroom apartments or houses available for rent. The welcome housing density change in the element draft must be reinforced by parallel change in development approval policy.

3. Interest Income:

Missing entirely is a section describing specific policies regarding ABLE accounts, the change in asset limits to no limits. Are work expenses to be deducted from income? Is ABLE interest income counted as income—the state & IRS does not count as income for taxes.

How is the Housing Authority going to calculate interest income on savings when it figures out voucher assistance.

This needs to be rewritten and spelled out in multiple NEW examples so people can make wise choices.

Very specifically is the Housing Authority going to consider interest income— for example on a treasury bill —to be income even though it is not actually spent. This section of the element must be developed to reflect the State changes that allow savings.

4. The city of Marin and other Coastal cities supports the development of housing for environmentally disabled people. Why doesn’t Santa Monica have this?

5. Most Coastal cities have land grant programs where houses are affordable and kept at significantly lower levels than market rent. What is Santa Monica doing for homeownership? There are many people with disabilities who need homeownership in order to be able to have a place that safe and meets their disability needs.

Has Santa Monica considered using the airport land as a land trust where affordable housing can be built with this model successfully utilized throughout California.

Thank you,
Elizabeth Lutz
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1502 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) From: SmHousing Mailbox
To: Patrick Komesu
Subject: FW: public commentary 2024-25 Annual Housing Plan Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2024 9:21:08 AM
Please see the email below.

Thanks you,
From:

Sent: Monday, March 4, 2024 7:49 AM
To: SmHousing Mailbox <[email protected]> Subject: re: public commentary 2024-25 Annual Housing Plan

EXTERNAL
March 4, 2024
SMHA
[email protected]
Patrick Komesu
Housing Authority Administrator
With this letter, I am responding with my input to the Public Notice sent from Mr.

Patrick Komesu, Housing Authority Administrator @ SMHA in order to improve SMHA’s 2024-25 Annual Plan.

I am a member of SMHA’s Rental Advisory Board (RAB), As a disabled senior on HUD’s Rental Assistance Program, I wish to offer this commentary on behalf of myself plus thousands of other Santa Monica low income residents who suffer from similar dilemmas. I reside in a wood frame 5 unit apartment building in Santa Monica. This building is 87 years old. As an occupant residing in a rent controlled unit with a fixed income, there are a multitude of repairs, replacements plus other deferred maintenances that easily falls way under the radar as to what the City of Santa Monica constitutes as habitable living conditions. (e.g. termite infestation and intrusion; original bathroom and kitchen tile worn beyond it’s life expectancy, hidden black mold and a plethora of other abnormalities.

Santa Monica City ought to provide handy worker grants for low income (seniors & disabled) residents. City of Los Angeles, and many other cities and communities have offered such provisions to their needy residents. Please consider this provision into your upcoming budget plan, and please provide this commentary mentioned above as an amendment into the S.M. Annual Administrative Plan.

Respectfully,
Barry Adler
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1503 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) From: SmHousing Mailbox
To: Patrick Komesu
Subject: FW: SMHA Annual Plan Public Comment
Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2024 10:04:25 AM
Sent: Friday, March 1, 2024 10:26 PM
To: SmHousing Mailbox <[email protected]> Subject: SMHA Annual Plan Public Comment

EXTERNAL
Hello!
I’m a voucher holder and wondering if it’s possible to make amendments to SMHA’s Annual Plan where shared housing would allow voucher holders to cohabitate and rent individual rooms in a household with non-voucher participants.

Thank you,
N.Aslanian
Sent from my iPhone
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 12.A.

April 9, 2024

12.A.g
Packet Pg. 1504 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Proposed Annual
and Administrative
Plans
Housing Authority Board
April 9, 2024

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1505 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Introduction
Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA)
• 6 Rental Assistance Programs
• 1,750+ Participants
Public Housing Authority (PHA) Plan Fiscal Year (FY)
2024-25

1. SMHA FY 2024-25 Annual Plan

2. Progress Report on the FY 2020 5-Year Plan

3. SMHA FY 2024-25 Draft Administrative Plan

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1506 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Annual Plan
Project-Based Vouchers Supportive Housing
1413 Michigan Ave. “The Laurel”
Voucher Programs Rental Assistance
NEW Stability Voucher (SV) Program

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1507 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Administrative Plan
Voucher Programs Proposed Administrative Plan FY 2024-25

1. Proposed Discretionary Policy Changes

2. The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA)

3. Chapter 21: Special Purpose Vouchers

4. National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE)

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1508 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Engagement
Outreach Public Comment Period
• January 19, 2024 – March 4, 2024
• Email/Mail Notices on
- December 22, 2023
- January 19, 2024
- February 22, 2024
• Zoom Workshop January 3, 2024
• Live Workshop January 4, 2024
• Presentation at the Housing Commission February 2, 2024 • Presentation and Approval for the Housing Authority Board April 9, 2024 Outreach
• Website
• Email
• Meetings
• Mail

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1509 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Community Impact
Public Input and Comments Response
• Housing Commissioners
• Resident Advisory Board Members
• Voucher holders
• General Public
Access
• Mail
• Email
• Phone
• Meetings
• Office

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1510 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Timeline
Annual and Administrative Plan Process
• HUD Submission by April 17, 2024
• Effective July 1, 2024
• NSPIRE adopted by October 1, 2024
• Full HOTMA compliance by January 1, 2025
Requirements

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1511 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) Conclusion
Staff recommends

1.Hold a public hearing and receive public comment;

2.Adopt the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Santa Monica Housing Authority Annual Plan;

3.Adopt the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Santa Monica Housing Authority Administrative Plan;

4.Authorize the Submission of the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Annual and Administrative Plans to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and

5.Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.

The Santa Monica Housing Authority
Board

12.A.h
Packet Pg. 1512 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6209 : SM Housing Auth Annual Plan) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.A
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Councilmembers Zwick, Torosis, and Davis that the City Council allocate a total of $10,000 from its Discretionary Fund to support our city’s public libraries. Specifically, the funds will support programming around the Pico Branch’s 10th Anniversary Celebration on June 29, which will include oral history kits for community members and organizations to check out and record their personal stories, as well as programming and after-hours staff support for the Main Library’s special Friday preview event to Yallwest, the teen book festival at Samohi, and book giveaways, library activities, storytellers, and performers at the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27.

Prepared By: Esterlina Lugo, Deputy City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Discretionary Funds as of 3.21.24
B. Written Comments

16.A
Packet Pg. 1513
Council Discretionary Funds
As of 3‐21‐24
Sources (All Available Funds are start of FY 2023‐24):

Amount
Unspent and uncommitted funds from prior year $         29,769.72 FY 2023‐24 ‐ New Appropriation 125,150.00
Reappropriation of unused travel funds to Council discretionary funds 9,762.00               Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 11A One‐time appropriation included in midyear budget staff report            50,000.00 Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 11B Total unspent funds and new appropriation 214,681.72 $
Uses (Programmed Discretionary Funds):

Description Amount Programmed Date
Santa Monica Pony League to repair scoreboard at Los Amigos Park $          (5,000.00) Rollover programmed from prior year Ocean Park Association for Annual 4th of July Parade (15,000.00)            Budget Adoption FY 2023‐24, 6/27/23 Business Improvement District (BID) Annual Support (29,000.00)            Budget Adoption FY 2023‐24, 6/27/23 Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) Car Show (7,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16F Expenses to host delegation of municipal and business leaders from Sister City Mazatlan, Mexico (2,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16G Westside Coalition for Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (9,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16H Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to Germany for Samohi Symphony Orchestra (15,000.00)            Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16C Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to San Francisco for Lincoln Middle School band, orchestra, and choir
(5,000.00)
Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16D
Provide funds for the Girl Central, Rockstar Kids, and Peace Camp community programs operated by Church in Ocean Park
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16B
Offset travel expenses for Samohi Co‐Ed Wrestling Team             (5,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16C Provide financial support to seniors aspiring to attend college in the form of application fees, scholarships, and other costs associated with the transition to college. (18,000.00) Council meeting, 1/23/24, Item 16F
Provide support to the Santa Monica High School Choir program to aid students in participating in performances in cathedrals across Spain, including Barcelona, Burgos, and Madrid. (20,000.00) Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 16A
Provide additional funds to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) for programs and events that promote local businesses and build community
(15,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16F
Provide funds to Crow Comedy, Inc. to produce a LGBTQ+ storytelling class and showcase as part of Santa Monica Pride
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16H
Total Programmed (165,000.00) $
Unprogrammed Balance Available 49,681.72 $
3/21/2024

16.A.a
Packet Pg. 1514 Attachment: Discretionary Funds as of 3.21.24 (6342 : Allocation of Council Discretionary Funds to Libraries) 1 David Yakobson
From: Jon Katz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 11:50 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Item 16A - Support
Categories: Green Category

EXTERNAL
Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and City Council:

I am writing to express my support for the expanded funding of our public libraries from the Discretionary Fund.

Thank you to Councilmembers Zwick, Torosis, and Davis for bringing this item forward.

I have been a patron of the Main Library for over a decade. However, as the father of a 19-month-old child, I have grown to appreciate our libraries even more than I already had. The library serves as a community center for so many parts of our community, and the specific programming listed in this item would be well worth our investment.

Thank you so much for supporting the libraries in our community.

Sincerely,
--
Jon Katz
[email protected]
cell: (215) 962-4357
Item 16.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.A.

April 9, 2024

16.A.c
Packet Pg. 1515 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6342 : Allocation of Council Discretionary Funds to Libraries) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White
Subject: 4/9/2024 Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H- Support

EXTERNAL
April 9, 2024
Re: Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers, I am writing in support of items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, and 16H on this evening’s agenda and hope that you will unanimously support each of these items:
 16A- One of our most vital public resources is our public libraries and $10,000 will go a long way towards supporting community programming like the 10th anniversary celebration of the Pico Branch Library on June 29th, programming and after-hours support for the Main Library’s special Friday preview event for Yallwest, and the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th. (full disclosure- I serve on the Virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board and am so excited for the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th and the Pico Branch Library 10th Anniversary Celebration)  16B- Grad Nite is a formative moment for many graduating seniors and everyone should have the opportunity to participate regardless of their (or their family’s) ability to pay for attendance. I support using part of the Council’s discretionary budget to help provide a safe, fun, and inclusive experience for all Santa Monica High School graduating seniors.
 16C- We absolutely need to engage Santa Monica youth in local government and I am grateful to Mayor Brock and Vice Mayor Negrete for bringing this item forward. We know that children are the future and as they are the future, young Santa Monicans should have a hand in shaping that future. I look forward to hearing more about best practices and recommendations to get younger folks more engaged in Santa Monica when the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk return to the Council with recommendations.
 16D- The Public Policy Institute at SMC, in partnership with SMMUSD and with the City’s support, has put on incredible symposiums in the past and with the Council’s support, can continue to build on that track record with an informative and engaging 2024 Public Policy Symposium. I appreciate that Councilmembers Davis, Torosis, and Zwick proposed this item and hope its approval will be unanimous.
 16F- I believe that art is a key aspect of the human experience and vital to the wellbeing of Santa Monicans. Digital Art is a newer and fascinating space that people should have the access to explore and enjoy. I support using Council discretionary funds to support the inaugural Santa Monica Digital New Arts Festival. Thank you to Mayor Brock and Councilmembers de la Torre and Parra for placing this item on the agenda.

Item 16.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.A.

April 9, 2024

16.A.c
Packet Pg. 1516 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6342 : Allocation of Council Discretionary Funds to Libraries) 2  16H- Mental Health is part of our overall health and wellbeing and I am glad that the importance of mental health is now more openly discussed. We need to continue to destigmatize seeking help for mental health and help provide connections to existing mental health resources. Supporting the “Take Action for Mental Health” event is a wonderful way to help normalize and destigmatize mental health.

Thank you for supporting these great causes and initiatives! Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]
Item 16.A.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.A.

April 9, 2024

16.A.c
Packet Pg. 1517 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6342 : Allocation of Council Discretionary Funds to Libraries) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.B
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Councilmembers Zwick, Torosis, and Davis that the Council allocate $20,000 of its discretionary funds to Santa Monica High School Grad Nite, a 501(c)(3), to support a safe and fun graduation night celebration for all Santa Monica High School seniors.

Prepared By: Esterlina Lugo, Deputy City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Discretionary Funds as of 3.21.24
B. Written Comments

16.B
Packet Pg. 1518
Council Discretionary Funds
As of 3‐21‐24
Sources (All Available Funds are start of FY 2023‐24):

Amount
Unspent and uncommitted funds from prior year $         29,769.72 FY 2023‐24 ‐ New Appropriation 125,150.00
Reappropriation of unused travel funds to Council discretionary funds 9,762.00               Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 11A One‐time appropriation included in midyear budget staff report            50,000.00 Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 11B Total unspent funds and new appropriation 214,681.72 $
Uses (Programmed Discretionary Funds):

Description Amount Programmed Date
Santa Monica Pony League to repair scoreboard at Los Amigos Park $          (5,000.00) Rollover programmed from prior year Ocean Park Association for Annual 4th of July Parade (15,000.00)            Budget Adoption FY 2023‐24, 6/27/23 Business Improvement District (BID) Annual Support (29,000.00)            Budget Adoption FY 2023‐24, 6/27/23 Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) Car Show (7,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16F Expenses to host delegation of municipal and business leaders from Sister City Mazatlan, Mexico (2,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16G Westside Coalition for Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (9,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16H Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to Germany for Samohi Symphony Orchestra (15,000.00)            Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16C Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to San Francisco for Lincoln Middle School band, orchestra, and choir
(5,000.00)
Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16D
Provide funds for the Girl Central, Rockstar Kids, and Peace Camp community programs operated by Church in Ocean Park
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16B
Offset travel expenses for Samohi Co‐Ed Wrestling Team             (5,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16C Provide financial support to seniors aspiring to attend college in the form of application fees, scholarships, and other costs associated with the transition to college. (18,000.00) Council meeting, 1/23/24, Item 16F
Provide support to the Santa Monica High School Choir program to aid students in participating in performances in cathedrals across Spain, including Barcelona, Burgos, and Madrid. (20,000.00) Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 16A
Provide additional funds to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) for programs and events that promote local businesses and build community
(15,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16F
Provide funds to Crow Comedy, Inc. to produce a LGBTQ+ storytelling class and showcase as part of Santa Monica Pride
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16H
Total Programmed (165,000.00) $
Unprogrammed Balance Available 49,681.72 $
3/21/2024

16.B.a
Packet Pg. 1519 Attachment: Discretionary Funds as of 3.21.24 (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 1 David Yakobson
From: nicole faries <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 3:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Jennifer Smith; Diana Oliver
Subject: Agenda Item on Samohi Grad Nite
Categories: Blue Category

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete and esteemed Council members, I would like to be at the meeting in person. However, I'm travelling with my family for Spring Break. Therefore, I’m writing to thank you for the support for Samohi Grad Nite over the years. I'm extremely grateful for the Council’s sustained support. I urge you to continue that support this year.

For more than 30 years Grad Nite has celebrated Samohi seniors while keeping them safe from harm on what is statistically the most dangerous night of a teenager’s life. With this in mind, students are not excluded from attending the event due to the cost of the ticket. Scholarships are provided for students if they need it. We want every student who wants to attend Grad Nite to come, and we don’t want cost to be a barrier. The kids have an opportunity to make memories with their classmates and friends for the last time on campus as a student.
2024 will mark the third year Grad NIte is back after a 2 year hiatus due to COVID. We are trying to balance the increased costs of putting on the event in the inflationary post-Quarantine world with fulfilling our goal of providing tickets for all students who want to attend, even those who can’t afford the cost of the ticket. This is where the City’s support is crucial and much appreciated. Please join with many community members in continuing the Samohi Grad Nite tradition.

Again, thank you very much for the support over the years. I hope you will continue to support this wonderful community tradition.

Sincerely,
Nicole Faries
co-Chair, Samohi Grad Nite
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1520 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 2 David Yakobson
From: Jennifer Smith <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 1:25 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Diana Oliver; Jennifer Smith
Subject: Grad Nite on the agenda 3/26/24
Categories: Blue Category

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council Members,
I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your past support for Samohi’s Grad Nite event and ask for you to continue this support.

Apologies for not being able to be there in person, it is SMMUSD’s spring break and I am out of town.

I know many of you are aware of the long standing tradition (over 30 years) of celebrating our seniors and keeping them safe on the most dangerous night of their lives, thus far. There is much excitement this year as we keep the tradition alive and kicking. It has taken a bit of time after Covid to regain momentum but we are recapturing the spirit and support once again from this amazing city. I am always elated when I meet people (and there are many) who tell me "I went to grad nite - what a great event - it’s so great you are still doing it.” The fond and lasting memories are priceless.

I think you might also know this event takes a lot of community support to achieve, the last few years of inflation have driven up the costs to keep it going so we really need your support. Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Smith
Co-chair, Grad Nite
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1521 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Jennifer Smith <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 8, 2024 1:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre
Subject: Grad Nite Request

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor ProTem Negrete, Council Members Davis, Para, de la Torre, Torosis and Zwick, We thank you for considering ongoing support for the 30 year tradition of Grad Nite at Santa Monica High School. As most of you know, as we have been here before, we ask for community support to be able to continue this tradition that started to prevent tragedies on what is statistically the most dangerous night of a young person's life. This is a night that every graduating senior student has access to, has the broadest range touching more students year after year than any other high school function city discretionary funds fund.

We will be coming to you tonight to ask for $20,000 this year as circumstances have shifted and the national economy has led to a nearly 40% increase in costs post Covid.

Grad Nite does not charge the full cost of the event to the students. We supplement $65,000 of the cost by fundraising, and as I think many of you know, nonprofit fundraising has dropped significantly country wide and has not bounced back to pre-covid levels.

No student is denied access to Grad Nite regardless of their ability to pay. Last year we covered over $10,000 in scholarships and we expect about 15% of students attending this year will need some form of financial assistance.

We also wanted to bring to your attention that prior to Covid, Grad Nite had a line item in your budget. We would like to see this return so the sustainability of this beloved event can be assured.

Sincerely and gratefully,
Jennifer Smith and Nicole Faries
Co-Chairs
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1522 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Patti Braun <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 8, 2024 4:58 PM
To: Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; councilmtgitems Subject: Agenda Item 16b Support for Grad Night

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, Council Members Davis, Parra, de la Torre, Torosis and Zwick, Thank you for considering ongoing support for the beloved 30 year old tradition of Grad Nite at Santa Monica High School. As you know, prior to the pandemic, Grad Nite funding was a line item in the City budget. It’s time to bring that funding back!
We are writing in favor of the City’s financial support to enable Samohi to continue to hold this amazing celebration, which began in order to prevent tragedies on what statistically is the most dangerous night of a young person's life.

Every graduating senior at Samohi can participate in this safe (It’s alcohol and drug free, and requires no driving!) and fun all-night culminating celebration! $65,000 of the cost of Grad Nite is covered through fundraising. Last year Grad Nite funded $10,000 in event “scholarships”. We know that 15% of students attending this year will need some form of financial assistance. The City’s help is needed!
Please approve Item 16b, the $20,000 ask from Grad Nite’s leadership; the support of my family (which makes a Grad Nite donation each year) and the support of the Santa Monica community is behind the City providing assistance. Let’s make this special event sustainable. Thank you! Warmly,
Patti and Reiner Braun
1811 Pier Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1523 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Claudia Seizer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 8, 2024 8:16 PM
To: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda Item 16b Support for Grad Night

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor ProTem Negrete, Council Members Davis, Para, de la Torre, Torosis and Zwick, I thank you for considering ongoing support for the 30 year tradition of Grad Nite at Santa Monica High School. As most of you know, as we (school community) has been here before, I ask for community support to be able to continue this tradition that started to prevent tragedies on what is statistically the most dangerous night of a young person's life. This is a night that every graduating senior student has access to, has the broadest range touching more students year after year than any other high school function city discretionary funds fund.

This event has helped my two older boys stay safe, and hope when my youngest is a senior it will do the same.

The committee will be coming to you tonight to ask for $20,000 this year as circumstances have shifted and the national economy has led to a nearly 40% increase in costs post Covid.

Grad Nite does not charge the full cost of the event to the students. They supplement $65,000 of the cost by fundraising, and as I think many of you know, nonprofit fundraising has dropped significantly country wide and has not bounced back to pre-covid levels.

No student is denied access to Grad Nite regardless of their ability to pay. Last year they covered over $10,000 in scholarships and they expect about 15% of students attending this year will need some form of financial assistance.

I also wanted to bring to your attention that prior to Covid, Grad Nite had a line item in your budget. We would like to see this return so the sustainability of this beloved event can be assured, if others are still not able to come back to the budget.

Please approve Item 16b, the $20,000 ask from Grad Nite’s leadership; the support of my family (which makes a Grad Nite donation each year) and the support of the Santa Monica community is behind the City providing assistance. Let’s make this special event sustainable. Thank you! Sincerely and gratefully,
Claudia Seizer
SMMUSD since 2005, and youngest a sophomore at SAMO.

Santa Monica resident for 26 years
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1524 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Erika Bell <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 11:53 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 16B - Grad Nite Support

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor ProTem Negrete, Council Members Davis, Para, de la Torre, Torosis and Zwick,
Thank you for considering ongoing support for the 30 year tradition of Grad Nite at Santa Monica High School. As most of you know, the community support is incredibly important to be able to continue this tradition that was started to prevent tragedies on what is statistically the most dangerous night of a young person's life. This is a night that every graduating senior student has access to, has the broadest range touching more students year after year than any other high school function city discretionary funds fund.

The ask is for $20,000 this year as circumstances have shifted and the national economy has led to a nearly 40% increase in costs post Covid.

Grad Nite does not charge the full cost of the event to the students, and $65,000 of the cost is supplemented by fundraising. Unfortunately, nonprofit fundraising has dropped significantly country wide and has not bounced back to pre-covid levels. No student is denied access to Grad Nite regardless of their ability to pay. Last year $10,000 in scholarships were provided and it's expected that about 15% of students attending this year will need some form of financial assistance.

It's also important to note that prior to Covid, Grad Nite had a line item in your budget. We would like to see this return so the sustainability of this beloved event can be assured.

Thank you and take care,
Erika Bell
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1525 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White
Subject: 4/9/2024 Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H- Support

EXTERNAL
April 9, 2024
Re: Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers, I am writing in support of items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, and 16H on this evening’s agenda and hope that you will unanimously support each of these items:
 16A- One of our most vital public resources is our public libraries and $10,000 will go a long way towards supporting community programming like the 10th anniversary celebration of the Pico Branch Library on June 29th, programming and after-hours support for the Main Library’s special Friday preview event for Yallwest, and the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th. (full disclosure- I serve on the Virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board and am so excited for the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th and the Pico Branch Library 10th Anniversary Celebration)  16B- Grad Nite is a formative moment for many graduating seniors and everyone should have the opportunity to participate regardless of their (or their family’s) ability to pay for attendance. I support using part of the Council’s discretionary budget to help provide a safe, fun, and inclusive experience for all Santa Monica High School graduating seniors.
 16C- We absolutely need to engage Santa Monica youth in local government and I am grateful to Mayor Brock and Vice Mayor Negrete for bringing this item forward. We know that children are the future and as they are the future, young Santa Monicans should have a hand in shaping that future. I look forward to hearing more about best practices and recommendations to get younger folks more engaged in Santa Monica when the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk return to the Council with recommendations.
 16D- The Public Policy Institute at SMC, in partnership with SMMUSD and with the City’s support, has put on incredible symposiums in the past and with the Council’s support, can continue to build on that track record with an informative and engaging 2024 Public Policy Symposium. I appreciate that Councilmembers Davis, Torosis, and Zwick proposed this item and hope its approval will be unanimous.
 16F- I believe that art is a key aspect of the human experience and vital to the wellbeing of Santa Monicans. Digital Art is a newer and fascinating space that people should have the access to explore and enjoy. I support using Council discretionary funds to support the inaugural Santa Monica Digital New Arts Festival. Thank you to Mayor Brock and Councilmembers de la Torre and Parra for placing this item on the agenda.

Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1526 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 2  16H- Mental Health is part of our overall health and wellbeing and I am glad that the importance of mental health is now more openly discussed. We need to continue to destigmatize seeking help for mental health and help provide connections to existing mental health resources. Supporting the “Take Action for Mental Health” event is a wonderful way to help normalize and destigmatize mental health.

Thank you for supporting these great causes and initiatives! Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1527 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) 1 Xavier Mota
From: stephan corbel <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 3:16 PM
To: Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; councilmtgitems; David White; Anuj Gupta; Council Mailbox Subject: Please support funding SAMOHI Grad Nite

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor ProTem Negrete, Council Members Davis, Para, de la Torre, Torosis and Zwick, We thank you for considering ongoing support for the 30 year tradition of Grad Nite at Santa Monica High School. As most of you know, as we have been here before, we ask for community support to be able to continue this tradition that started to prevent tragedies on what is statistically the most dangerous night of a young person's life. This is a night that every graduating senior student has access to, has the broadest range touching more students year after year than any other high school function city discretionary funds fund.

Our team will be coming to you tonight to ask for $20,000 this year as circumstances have shifted and the national economy has led to a nearly 40% increase in costs post Covid.

Grad Nite does not charge the full cost of the event to the students. We supplement $65,000 of the cost by fundraising, and as I think many of you know, nonprofit fundraising has dropped significantly country wide and has not bounced back to pre-covid levels.

No student is denied access to Grad Nite regardless of their ability to pay. Last year we covered over $10,000 in scholarships and we expect about 15% of students attending this year will need some form of financial assistance.

We also wanted to bring to your attention that prior to Covid, Grad Nite had a line item in your budget. We would like to see this return so the sustainability of this beloved event can be assured.

Please support funding Grad Nite - it saves lives and is an all inclusive event for graduating seniors.

Sincerely,
Stephane Corbel
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.B.

April 9, 2024

16.B.c
Packet Pg. 1528 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6343 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to SaMo High Grad Nite) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.C
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Mayor Brock and Vice Mayor Negrete that the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk develop and return to City Council with recommendations to establish a Youth Commission (or Council) based on best practices. The City currently engages youth at PAL (Youth Leadership Council), Virginia Avenue Park (Teen Leadership Council), and the Library (Teen Leadership Council) and a Youth Commission (or Council) would represent an opportunity to expand opportunities for youth to be involved in city government. In addition to evaluating a Youth Commission (or Council), the City Manager and City Attorney are also encouraged to explore other opportunities such as evaluating the potential to add dedicated seats for youth on existing boards or commissions.

Prepared By: Esterlina Lugo, Deputy City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Youth Participation Action Kit
B. Authentic Youth Civic Engagement
C. Written Comments

16.C
Packet Pg. 1529
Institute for Youth, Education, and Families
National League of Cities action kit for Municipal Leaders Promoting
Youth Participation
Issue #3
Made possible with support from

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1530 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) This kit was created not just for you, but for the children, youth, and families in your community. It is based on the latest research and best practices from across the nation and offers a wide-ranging menu of opportunities for municipal leadership to make children, youth, and family issues a community-wide priority. Whether you are ready to launch a major initiative or are just getting started, the ideas in this kit will help you move forward.

NLC’s ongoing series of action kits for municipal leaders, published by the new Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, will address each of the Institute’s five core program areas: education; youth development; early childhood development; the safety of children and youth; and family economic security. The goal is to give you and other municipal leaders throughout the country the ideas and the tools you need to takeaction on these all-important issues for the future of our cities and towns.

Mayors and city councilmembers all across America know that our communities’ success depends on the health and well-being of the nation’s children, youth, and families. Now is the time to act on this knowledge. As a municipal leader, you have the ability to focus the attention of your community on the needs of children, youth, and families. Working with your colleagues in local government, you can strengthen municipal policies, support effective programs, and bring diverse partners to the table in order to make things happen.

NLC and its Institute for Youth, Education, and Families are eager to assist you in these vital efforts. We encourage you to use thisaction kit to get started, and we hope you will contact us whenever we might be of assistance. Institute staff are readily available to provide additional information about the strategies highlighted in each of the action kits and to help you identify steps that make sense for your community.

Donald J. Borut Clifford M. Johnson, Executive Director Executive Director Institute for Youth, Education, and Families National League of Cities National League of Cities
The National League of Cities (NLC) is the oldest and
largest national organization representing municipal governments throughout the United States. NLC serves as a national resource and advocate on behalf of over 1700
member cities and for 49 municipal leagues whose membership totals more than 18,000 cities and towns across the country.

The mission of the National League of Cities is to
strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance.

The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, a special entity within the National League of Cities, helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of the children, youth, and families in their communities. NLC launched the
Institute in January 2000 in recognition of the unique and influential roles that mayors, city councilmembers, and other local leaders can play in strengthening families and improving outcomes for children and youth.

As a national resource to cities and towns across
America, the Institute provides guidance and assistance to municipal officials, compiles and disseminates information on promising strategies and best practices, builds networks of local officials working on similar issues and concerns, and conducts research on the key challenges
facing municipalities. NLC’s Council on Youth, Education, and Families guides and oversees the Institute’s work.

Dear Municipal Leader:

About the National League of Cities: About NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families:

National League of Cities / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1531 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) The Importance of Youth Participation
oung people want and deserve a voice in their communities.

City officials make decisions that affect youth on a daily basis. Yet young people often have no direct role in shaping or influencing local policies and programs. Even well-intentioned efforts to work for youth – by "protecting" them from perceived threats or by "rescuing" those who already are in jeopardy – can prevent us from recognizing the importance of working with youth to identify positive solutions and build stronger communities.

Nothing is more important to the health of our democracy than the active engagement of young people in representative government at the local level. For this reason alone, mayors and city councilmembers across the nation have sought creative and effective ways to ensure that youth – from diverse ethnic, cultural, and language backgrounds – have a “seat at the table” in their cities and towns.

Concerted efforts to encourage youth participation and involvement also can help municipal leaders make better decisions and wiser public investments. Youth frequently are seen as problems to be fixed, but they can be assets and resources when mayors and city councilmembers are seeking effective solutions to community ills. Young people are the foremost experts on their experiences, needs, and interactions with other segments of the community. Involving youth in local decision-making taps this important knowledge.

Finally, youth participation and involvement in local government promotes the full and healthy development of young people.

Through civic engagement, young people gain work experience, acquire new skills, learn responsibility and accountability, develop a greater sense of confidence, empowerment, and membership, and forge meaningful connections with other youth and adults.

Research also suggests young people who are involved in positive activities such as community service and participation in civic affairs are less likely to pursue risky behaviors or get into trouble.

City officials in communities large and small have already taken steps to ensure that youth have a voice and a role in local government. Based on their diverse experiences, this action kit offers advice and a menu of options to guide municipal leaders’ future efforts.

Y
NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1532 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org Options to Consider
here is no one “right” way to promote youth participation and involvement in local government and no single way to begin. The structure of municipal government varies greatly across communities. Local traditions, politics, culture, and the views of young people themselves also shape the opportunities for – and challenges of – engaging youth in city decision-making.

Fortunately, municipal leaders and the young people in their communities can choose among a broad array of options for youth participation and involvement in local government. These options, which can be explored in any sequence and developed separately or in combination with others, include:
✧ Promoting diverse forms of youth service;
✧ Hosting a youth summit or similar forum for discussions involving young people;
✧ Engaging young people in community mapping efforts; and ✧ Establishing a youth council or appointing young people to local boards and commissions.

Youth councils and youth appointments to municipal planning and decision-making bodies create vehicles for the ongoing participation of young people in the workings of local government. While these opportunities for representation by their nature only reach a small fraction of a city's youth population, they make a powerful statement to all young people and adult residents that youth are full and valued members of the community.

Other approaches place greater emphasis on ensuring that large numbers of young people become more active in and connected to the larger community. Youth summits and community mapping efforts led by youth can be very effective tools for defining problems and identifying ways that young people can work with municipal leaders to solve them. Youth service projects offer another way for young people to be part of positive solutions that address community needs.

These approaches are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, the strongest city initiatives combine many of these elements, creating a multi-tier framework for youth participation and involvement.

In this way, large numbers of young people can become engaged in civic activities, and highly motivated youth have opportunities over time to move into more prominent leadership positions.

The key is for municipal leaders to reach out to youth and work with them to pick a place to start. Once the ball is rolling, young people themselves will help to define and refine the vision for youth participation and involvement in local government – which is, after all, exactly the point.

T

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1533 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) Getting Started
he most effective efforts to promote youth participation and involvement in local government begin with a heart-felt belief in its value and importance. Young people will quickly recognize and turn away from city initiatives that are not rooted in a genuine interest in their views and potential contributions. For this reason, successful youth engagement often grows out of a larger commitment by municipal leaders to seek to involve and listen to all citizens within their community, including but not limited to its young people.

When getting started, it is particularly important to reach out to individuals or groups in the community that have a background in youth development – that are accustomed to working with young people and have a sense of their interests and needs. The following tips also can help ensure a strong beginning:

Any successful effort to promote youth participation and involvement requires a sense of ownership and investment by a wide array of young people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and interests. By creating opportunities for dialogue that are constructive and conducive to an honest exchange of ideas, it will quickly become apparent that youth have a lot to say about their communities and how they would like to become more involved.

A focus on youth service can highlight the role of young people as resources in solving community problems. Youth summits can involve large numbers of young people in planning new youth initiatives. By establishing a youth council, the city can make a longer-term commitment to a youth voice in local government.

Municipal and youth leaders should work together to select strategies that respond directly to their goals, priorities, and needs.

Both networks can provide valuable help as the city seeks to promote youth participation and ensure that a diverse cross-section of its young people become involved. Reaching youth from more disadvantaged backgrounds and those from other cultures, ethnic groups, and language minorities is not easy, but with the help of school officials and community groups these young people can be invited to the table and serve as key resources in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the city’s current youth initiatives.

Young people often greet initial overtures of participation and involvement in local government with considerable skepticism, believing that adults will not take their ideas seriously. While seeking consensus about next steps and a long-term action plan for youth involvement, it is important to keep whatever promises municipal leaders make. By following through on these commitments, municipal leaders will build a climate of mutual trust and respect that provides a solid foundation for future efforts.

NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org T
Involve youth early and often.

Select initial strategies carefully.

Turn to schools and community-based organizations for help.

Follow through on commitments.

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1534 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) Working With Young People
or municipal leaders who are just beginning to explore options for involving young people in local government, the prospect of interacting and working with youth on a regular basis can be uncomfortable or even somewhat intimidating. Youth on Board, a national non-profit organization dedicated to youth leadership development, has developed a broad range of materials and advice to help adults and youth work more effectively together. Drawn from its work and cities’ experiences, here are some useful tips to consider:

The ways that young people talk, dress, or wear their hair can evoke wide-ranging, and sometimes markedly negative, reactions from many adults. Differences in background, language, and culture can also lead to these reactions. Yet when adults reach out in a manner that is positive, clear, considerate, and respectful, they open new channels of communication and often discover that their initial judgments and assumptions were way off the mark. A willingness to listen and see youth for who they are is the crucial foundation for genuine partnerships and collaboration.

A thorough orientation when young people join a new council or board is extremely important. For youth to be full and active participants, they also need materials in advance (last-minute faxes won’t work), time to prepare for meetings, and a chance to evaluate and discuss them afterwards. To stay on track, adult leaders or staff should meet with young people for at least a few minutes before and after each meeting.

Activities like “go arounds” and “brainstorms” ensure that everyone has a voice in the decision-making process. They create a dynamic environment that will engage all participants, and they can play a key role in ensuring that youth are heard.

Committee positions and other visible leadership roles should include young people whenever possible. Involving youth deeply in governance fosters their fullest participation and ensures that they are included in important business that occurs between meetings.

Young people’s impact and effectiveness grows when they have the chance to discuss their work, learn new skills, and support one another. This kind of networking re-energizes youth and gives them a broader perspective on local governance.

Changing school schedules, transportation difficulties, and lack of access to computers all can pose obstacles to youth participation.

Even simple steps, such as providing bus passes as is done in Indianapolis, Indiana, or rotating meeting schedules so that every youth can attend at least some sessions, can help overcome these barriers. In general, young people’s competing demands and personal conflicts may differ from those of adults, but they deserve the same consideration in planning meetings and other activities.

Amendments to local ordinances or statutes can give young people a permanent role in local decision-making and leadership.

These steps bolster young people’s confidence that other youth will follow in their footsteps and help convince them that the city’s commitment to youth participation is “for real.” NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org Orient and meet regularly with young leaders.

Make meetings interactive.

Allow young people to lead.

Respect young people’s needs.

Institutionalize young people’s involvement.

F
Work to overcome preconceptions. Encourage youth to network with their peers.

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1535 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) Promoting Youth Service
NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org fforts to promote youth service are one of the simplest ways to ensure that the entire community – including young people themselves – view youth as resources and solutions rather than problems and victims.

Tapping the talents and energies of young people enables cities and towns to undertake projects that otherwise would remain undone. Youth service projects also enable young people to build skills, gain experience, and take advantage of important opportunities to learn new things outside the classroom. Over time, youth who participate in service activities become more engaged in the life of the community and acquire a sense of civic responsibility that can last a lifetime.

Municipal leaders can promote youth service in a variety of ways:

In many instances, young people are not engaged in community service because they have never been asked. By working with local United Ways, youth-serving organizations, and key city agencies, municipal leaders can jump-start collaborative efforts to reach out to youth and create networks that encourage and support community service projects. Joint public service announcements, coordinated outreach efforts within schools and neighborhoods, and a central source of information about service opportunities in the community can go a long way in boosting youth involvement in these activities.

Mayors and city councilmembers can support local youth service campaigns by looking for opportunities to talk to young people about the importance and the benefits of community service.

Visits to local schools and neighborhood community centers – including those where diverse languages, cultures, and backgrounds are common – can enable local elected officials to reach large youth audiences. Working alongside youth on highly visible community service projects also sends a powerful message of perUse the bully pulpit to engage young people.

Organize a local youth service campaign.
sonal commitment, particularly when service activities focus on topics of relevance to young people.

America’s Promise is a national initiative that seeks “to mobilize people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of our nation's youth by fulfilling Five Promises for young people: caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, marketable skills, and opportunities to serve.” Nearly 500 communities nationwide are already working to build community-wide alliances to fulfill all Five Promises for young people who need them. America’s Promise provides these Communities of Promise with a range of resources and connections to help them start up and strengthen their local alliances.

In a number of states and local communities, school districts have developed service-learning programs for students. These programs, coordinated by elementary or secondary schools, are integrated into the academic curriculum and provide structured time for participants to reflect on their service experiences. While cities typically do not have direct control over school programs or curricula, municipal leaders can work with local school officials to develop or expand service-learning projects in their communities.

Become a Community of Promise.

Other options to consider:

E
The Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities (NLCM) joins with many of its member cities each year to sponsor a Youth Award Program that recognizes community service and encourages young people to work on behalf of their communities. Individual cities solicit nominations for the program from junior and senior high schools, and then submit the strongest applications to NLCM for screening by an impartial review committee.

NLCM honors Youth Award Program winners at its annual banquet, and award recipients also receive monetary awards ranging from $50 to $500 from their sponsoring cities.

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1536 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) Hosting a Youth Summit
outh summits provide a forum where youth can interact and brainstorm in a positive and productive environment while community leaders hear, straight from young people, what the city can do to improve and nurture positive youth development. They can also be an effective way to begin a new youth-focused city initiative, or a means of gathering youth views to guide future municipal policies and planning. Here are some suggestions and questions to consider in hosting a successful youth summit:

The views and ideas of young people are essential in planning a summit. Their input increases the odds of a good turnout, and their advice on the contents and structure of summit sessions enhances the likelihood that the summit will be productive and exciting.

While the task of scheduling a summit may seem simple, it raises a host of important questions. Will the summit be held on a weekday or weekend? If it is scheduled for a time when school is in session, what steps will be taken to secure prior approval from parents and/or school officials for young people’s absence from school? How will transportation be handled? Will it be a full-day or half-day summit? Is the location accessible to youth and in a familiar area of the city? Can the site accommodate larger numbers in the event that more young people than expected attend? By organizing youth into groups of no more than ten to a table, and by creating mechanisms to bring summaries of the discussion at each table back to the entire audience, the summit format can help ensure that every voice is heard. Facilitators assigned to each table can also ensure that everyone has a chance to speak, no one dominates the discussion, different viewpoints are treated with respect, and participants focus on the task before them.

Workshops that respond directly to youth interests and needs (e.g., job opportunities, career counseling, cultural diversity, study skills, youth activism, and technology training) will bolster attendance. An exhibit hall showcasing youth-serving agencies in the city can help young people become more aware of services in their neighborhoods, while also promoting new partnerships between the city and community-based organizations.

Local radio advertisements can be quite effective in publicizing the summit. By broadcasting it on a local cable TV public access channel, parents, family members, friends and interested groups can view the proceedings live or on tape.

Youth attending the summit will want to know that their voices were heard and are likely to look for follow-up steps based on the summit discussions. These steps will vary depending on each community’s needs, and may include youth council, mapping, or service options described elsewhere in this kit. What’s important is to find ways to celebrate early accomplishments and sustain the momentum generated by a successful summit.

Some communities, such as Grand Rapids, Michigan, hold youth town hall meetings on a regular basis in each city ward. These meetings, held with community partners, bring youth discussions to the neighborhood level and offer young people the opportunity to identify key issues for city attention. Music and pizza following these meetings add an important element of fun to the sessions.

Pick a time and place that works for young people.

Keep the program focused on youth interests.

Form a planning committee that includes youth.

Take advantage of the media.

NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org Y
The City of Tempe,Arizona Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission sponsors an annual Youth Town Hall.The 2001 event brought together more than 150 youth and community decision makers – including school board members, business leaders, and public service agencies – to discuss issues on enhancing community connections, addressing teen homelessness, and strengthening youth-adult communication. Youth Town Hall gives youth the opportunity to have direct impact into policy affecting them and experience the results. Its published report is presented to the Mayor and City Council for possible action and is widely disseminated in the community. Programs resulting from previous Youth Town Hall recommendations include: teen leadership training; school-based counseling and life skills groups; the Open Horizons Program, which provides day care for children of teen mothers enabling them to complete school; Teen Zone, a program offering recreational and life skills activities; and expanded violence prevention programs in Tempe high schools.

Plan appropriate follow-up activities.

Other options to consider.

Use a format that encourages active participation.

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1537 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) very neighborhood has a variety of resources for young people – places they can go, things they can do, people or groups that they can turn to for help. These resources are essential building blocks for any city that wants to strengthen its policies and programs for youth. Yet municipal leaders often have only a sketchy picture of what is currently available in their community, and as a result they may miss important opportunities for progress on behalf of children, youth, and families.

A number of cities have responded to this challenge by involving young people in well-organized efforts to “map” the neighborhoods in which they live.

Developed by the AED Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, Community YouthMapping enables young people to canvas neighborhoods, using interviews and observations to compile detailed information on places to go, things to do, and services and resources available to them and their families. Key steps in the Community YouthMapping process include:

Young people are the key stakeholders in Community
YouthMapping. It is essential, however, that they have technical, political, and personal support from adults as they collect, analyze, and present the data generated through their canvassing efforts. A key element in this support is the creation of an advisory board composed of city officials, business and religious leaders, community-based agencies, and youth who can guide and promote YouthMapping activities.

While YouthMapping by definition is a community-wide effort, a local youth-related organization or other appropriate agency has to take a lead role in planning and implementation. This lead agency will assume day-to-day responsibility for recruiting, training, and supervising YouthMappers. It will also manage project budgets and community relations throughout the effort.

Some combination of city and private funds will be needed to pay for a project manager and/or coordinator, other staff at the lead agency, and operating costs (ranging from meeting expenses and supplies to computer software and transportation). Cities can include Community YouthMapping in their summer jobs program in order to pay participating youth. They can also work with local schools to secure academic credit or community service stipends for YouthMappers.

Planning Through YouthMapping
Recruitment efforts should be designed to reach young people from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds, engaging youth in sufficient numbers so that they comprise at least 75 percent of each YouthMapping team. Careful attention to initial training will also ensure that youth are able to conduct interviews effectively and to identify and document community resources in their neighborhoods.

The data generated through YouthMapping will tell many stories, revealing which neighborhoods are “resource poor” and what resources appear to be missing, inadequately available, inaccessible, or poorly provided. Past efforts have compared data on crime, student achievement, employment, economic development, and local youth expenditures to YouthMapping information on opportunities and resources for youth in specific neighborhoods.

A well-designed process can accurately define what is working well and build consensus on community strengths and problems, including service or resource gaps that must be filled. A formal report released jointly by youth and municipal leaders offers one way to draw public attention to key findings. Results can also be shared with other communities by posting them on the national Community YouthMapping website.

Youth perspectives can be incorporated into municipal planning efforts in other ways as well. The City of Hampton, Virginia routinely hires young people as staff in its local Planning Department.

These young planners work collaboratively with the department’s professional planners, generating new opportunities and insights that broaden and strengthen the agency’s work.

Establish a community advisory board.

Designate a lead agency.

Develop plans for recruiting and training youth.

NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org E
Detroit was the first community to share its collected Community YouthMapping data on “Community Kiosks” located in public libraries, city government buildings, and other public spaces. These kiosks operate similarly to a bank ATM; they give relevant information on activities for youth in the community and they print out maps on how to access the resources. In addition to the kiosks, the City of Detroit’s Youth Services Division now hires young people to help maintain and analyze the data collected through Community YouthMapping.

Identify funding to support core costs.

Other options to consider:

Use key findings to guide future action.

Work with young people to analyze results.

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1538 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) Starting a Youth Council
outh councils are a popular and effective way to get youth more involved in solving local problems and more actively engaged in the community. Many cities already use youth councils to inject fresh ideas and youth perspectives into local decision-making. Youth councils can also promote community service and foster a better understanding among young people of how municipal government works.

Establishing a local youth council is a substantial but rewarding undertaking.

The following suggestions, drawn from the experience of cities and towns throughout the nation, provide guidance on how to get started.

To ensure genuine youth involvement from the outset, an essential first step is to find a few key young people in the community who can collaborate with a designated staff person on early planning, organizing, and recruitment for the new youth council. Youth summits and focus groups can provide additional ways to bring youth interests and perspectives into the initial planning efforts. The specific method used for soliciting young people’s views is less important than finding some way to give youth in the community a chance to say what’s important to them.

In partnership with youth, the city needs to develop a framework – whether a working charter, constitution, or some other document – that outlines the duties and limitations of the council and its members. While some youth councils have a direct role in the enactment of city ordinances or the allocation of city funds for youth programs, others serve an advisory role and work with city agencies on positive solutions to community problems. Every youth council can play a key role in organizing young people to take a more active role in their community.

One of the great benefits of establishing a youth council is that it provides a vehicle for engaging young people who otherwise wouldn’t be involved in local government. While it is often easy to use student councils or similar groups as sources of referrals or nominations for council membership, cities miss some great opportunities to reflect the full diversity of their communities and bring new voices to the discussion if they rely too heavily upon such “shortcuts” in the recruitment process. Personal recruitment among youth not traditionally “asked to the table” can be very powerful and yield long-term benefits. Efforts to include youth from other cultures, ethnic groups, and language minorities are also extremely important.

By encouraging neighboring communities to start their own youth councils, cities can easily exchange ideas and keep their momentum going. City officials and youth leaders can also reach beyond their own region, contacting youth councils in other states or parts of the country for advice on specific issues and challenges. Finally, a range of national organizations (including those listed on the insert at the back of this kit) offer training and technical assistance of various sorts that may prove helpful to municipal leaders and youth as they work together to build a strong youth council.

Youth councils typically don’t cost a lot of money. At the same time, young people know that cities invest in the initiatives they care about. Even a modest budget for youth council funding and staff support will send a powerful signal that the city is serious about youth participation and committed to doing what is necessary for the youth council to succeed.

The appointment of young people to city boards or commissions (in addition to or in lieu of a youth council) provides another way to bring youth voices into municipal government. By adding youth to key decision-making bodies, cities can empower young people and give them a direct role in establishing local policies or setting city priorities. Some communities have also found that the confidence and participation of youth members rise when they are not alone, but rather serve alongside at least one other young person with whom they can share insights and provide mutual support.

Begin byassessing young people’s interests.

Look beyond your city for collaboration and support.

The Mayor’s Youth Council in Boston has a total of 36 members, including two high school juniors or seniors from each neighborhood of the city. The Youth Council meets regularly with Mayor Thomas Menino and plays a key role in planning and implementing an annual Mayor’s Youth Summit, a Fall Youth Forum, a comprehensive youth survey, and youth mapping activities that generate data for a community YOUTHLINE. The YOUTHLINE helps connect Boston’s young people to available resources in the city online and via a peer listening line. An active leadership program also gives Youth Council members opportunities to participate in training sessions that strengthen team-building, public speaking, and other skills.

NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org Y
Put resources behind your efforts.

Other options to consider:

Define the youth council’s roles and responsibilities.

Reach out to diverse groups of young people.

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1539 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) Examples of Progress
The Youth Opportunities Program builds community capacity to meet youth needs by involving youth in decision-making, providing financial resources, improving youth access to activities, and encouraging youth involvement in community service. The Program provides grants that benefit youth and include the youth voice in their decision-making process. Grants typically require that the recipient engage in some form of community service. One primary vehicle for the Program’s work is the Youth Opportunities Advisory Board. The Board selects its fourteen members to achieve diverse representation (e.g., race, age, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, interests) rather than purely by school success or geography. Board members make funding decisions and provide assistance to grantees. The Program is funded through a percentage of a local sales tax.

Two years ago, Boise passed an ordinance to allow youth to serve one-year terms as voting members on nine boards and commissions and non-voting members on two other boards. Youth appointees attend training on “How to Be a Successful Board Member,” and all adults attended a Youth Sensitivity workshop.

The experience allows municipal decisions to incorporate the youth voice while providing insight into municipal issues.

Under the direction of the Bartholomew County Youth Advocacy Commission, YouthMappers collected baseline information on the youth-serving agencies in their rural town to justify the need for more quality youth services. The process of YouthMapping mobilized the local government. At a town meeting held the month before a local election, the YouthMappers presented their findings and offered recommendations including the idea of the media showcasing positive issues about youth. As a result, the local newspaper began a regular section to address youth contributions to the community. Moreover, after the town meeting, the Mayor instituted an 80-member Youth Council to address youth issues in Columbus.

The Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC) focuses on programs and policies of interest to local youth. It has 25 members nominated either by a school superintendent, principal, teacher, guidance counselor, community leader, or leader of a faith-based institution.

Several of the MYC members will also be appointed to various city boards and commissions this year. Its Teen Summit provided workshops on “Laws that Affect Teens” and “Dealing with Stress, Stereotypes, Depression, and Peer Pressure.” Among other programs, the MYC has a youth town hall meeting where three students from each of the city’s high schools have direct interaction with the Mayor. Using a grant from Youth as Resources, the MYC sponsors service programs such as "Operation Inspiration Carriers" where homeless children receive free backpacks filled with education supplies and hygiene items.

The primary goal in organizing a Community YouthMapping effort was to mobilize communities across Baltimore. It was conducted in the city’s nine Police Districts over a six-month period. Each district identified a local community-based organization to take the lead on managing the day-to-day operation of the project. Using approximately 20 young people per district, it took 2 1/2 weeks to map the entire city. At the end of the mapping process, young people shared the information they collected with the community by conducting “street corner Speakouts” and by participating in Baltimore’s Promise Summit, a citywide meeting of 7,000 people where each citizen was able to vote on five priority goals for youth in Baltimore.

The Plymouth Youth Advisory Council (YAC) presents a consistent voice for the youth population in the city. It mirrors the city council using ward-style representation. It has advised the city government on issues such as a youth curfew, the construction of a youth center, jobs, transportation, and city planning. Its annual Youth Forum includes over eighty youth, the mayor, city council members, and the public. It consists of small group discussions led by youth council members, a larger meeting where teens voice their opinions, and a question and answer session with city officials.

The Natchez Youth Council is composed of students from the city’s four high schools who are selected by their teachers. The Council’s goal is to produce a learning experience on how city government works. After studying municipal issues in 1999, the Youth Council implemented “One Natchez – A Rally Against Racism” for Make a Difference day. The day began with a service project involving youth and adults and concluded with a meeting involving the entire Natchez community where the city council made a commitment to eradicate racism in the town and encourage service projects toward that end.

NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org Boulder, Colorado: Youth Opportunities Program (Pop. 83,312) Columbus (Bartholomew County), Indiana: YouthMapping (Pop. 71,435) ➮
Indianapolis, Indiana: Mayor’s Youth Council (Pop. 741,952) Boise, Idaho: Youth on City Commissions (Pop. 125,738)
Baltimore, Maryland: YouthMapping (Pop. 651,154)
Plymouth, Minnesota: Plymouth Youth Advisory Council (Pop. 65,896) Natchez, Mississippi: Mayor’s Youth Council (Pop. 19,460)

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1540 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) The Farmington Hills Youth Council originated from a roundtable discussion that the mayor had with a group of teenagers and has now progressed to become an official city commission. The mayor assigns at least one youth to various commissions, including Voter Participation, Cable Access Committee, Historic District Commission, Zoning Board, and Planning Board. The Youth Council makes recommendations to the city on the needs and concerns of youth and the community and the appropriate means by which public and private agencies, in cooperation with volunteer efforts, may address such needs and concerns. The Farmington Hills Youth Council also invites other cities to attend its meetings and assists them in the creation of their own youth Council. A training event was held for nearby cities, and a video of it is available for purchase by contacting 248/473-9500.

The Mayor's Youth Council partners with public and private organizations to get youth input on policy and youth concerns. Each year, it gets involved in a different project. This year the council plans to go into high schools with the City Commissioners and do a jam session with questions and answers. This past year, council members organized six Youth Town Hall Meetings that helped youth identify issues in their City and develop solutions for policymakers. The Council devoted the first three to brainstorming of issues and the final three to problem solving on these issues. The council holds an annual event – KidSpeak – where youth in the community have the opportunity to speak before an audience that includes legislators, candidates, state and local administrators, educators, and industry leaders.

The Hampton Youth Commission is a diverse group of high-school aged young people who represent Hampton youth. The Youth Commission champions the youth component of the city's
Comprehensive Plan and appropriates funds to youth initiatives through its grant program. Two youth work as city planners, and the Youth Commission places youth members on other boards and commissions. Two tools are available from the Commission. One is “Shaping the Future: The Hampton Youth Commission,” a video showcasing youth civic engagement. The other is “Working Together, Changing Communities,” a 55-page manual describing the four stages to developing a successful youth commission. The set is $50; contact 727/728-3285 or [email protected].

Originally run by a board of adults with teen input, the GATE program is now solely run by an advisory board composed entirely of youth. The countywide GATE program (formerly known as Tapping the Talents of Teens sponsored by the city of Vancouver before going county-wide) provides grants for youth who are interested in doing community service. Each year, the GATE program chooses one asset for youth on which to focus the bulk of its giving. This past year the Board focused on providing “a more caring school climate” and gave grants of $500. GATE also produces the annual Youth Achievement Awards to honor youth for efforts to build community and engage in service.

The Mayor’s Youth Action Council began in 1999. Youth members have served on city committees to address HUD funding and the uses of city parks. The Council held a youth forum to involve more youth in the issue process, and next year will inaugurate a series of youth forums at each of the high schools in order to achieve accessibility and awareness for all students. The Council also sponsored an anti-racism poster contest to raise awareness for diversity issues among the public and created a Youth Grant Program to allocate funding towards youth projects and events.

The Casper Youth Empowerment Council (YEC) plays an advisory role to the school district, the city council, and the local hospital foundation. Next year, the YEC plans to focus its attention on the dropout rate by encouraging the development of small mentoring groups in secondary schools and giving teens greater access to adult advocates and community resources. YEC has sponsored concerts to raise suicide awareness and to promote volunteerism.

The council also provides grants to youth and youth groups for community services and leadership training. Last year, the YEC organized a youth recognition program called Trailblazers, in partnership with the Rails to Trails project. The Council also sponsors focus groups, which give youth the opportunity to be in leadership roles and at the same time allow other youth to see teenagers just like themselves in such roles.

Grand Rapids, Michigan: Mayor’s Youth Council (Pop. 190, 395) Farmington Hills, Michigan: Youth Commission (Pop. 74,652) Hampton, Virginia: Youth Commission (Pop. 133,793)
Wausau, Wisconsin: Mayor’s Youth Action Council (Pop. 38,426) Vancouver, Washington: Grants Assisting Teen Endeavors (GATE) (Pop. 46,380)
Casper, Wyoming: Youth Empowerment Council (Pop. 49,192) Note: Examples from Boston, MA, Tempe, AZ, and the
Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities are described elsewhere in this kit.

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1541 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) Resources & Information
The Center for Youth Development and Policy Research has four youth development goals: 1) to make available “what works;” 2) to increase the number of people, places, and possibilities available to young people; 3) to strengthen and support local systems in order to build a comprehensive youth development infrastructure; and 4) to increase public will to support positive development for all youth. One key initiative of the Center is Community YouthMapping. Working in teams, young people canvass neighborhoods, block-by-block, identifying and documenting places to go and things to do, as well as an array of services and resources for them and their families. The Center also helps cities create YouthLink, an interactive web site that contains easily accessible youth information, and YouthStation – an interactive computer kiosk – that contains a computer, a touch screen, a keyboard, and a laser printer. The kiosks can dispense information on services for children, youth, and families as well as opportunities for employment, volunteering, education, or recreation.

Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, AED Headquarters 1825 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20009-5721
Telephone: (202) 884-8000. http://www.aed.org/us/youth.html The Arsalyn Program of Ludwick Family Foundation encourages young Americans to become informed and active participants in the electoral process with the goal of ensuring that voting becomes a lifetime commitment on the part of our nation's young adults. Arsalyn technical assistance projects aim at youth and adult representatives of organizations working on civic and political engagement among young people grades five through twelve and/or ages 11-20. The organization also provides arsalINFO, an online database of organizations promoting youth civic and political engagement.

Arsalyn Program, Ludwick Family Foundation, PO Box 1796, Glendora, CA 91740. Telephone: (626) 914 5404. http://www.arsalyn.org/ America’s Promise encourages communities, businesses, and organizations to make commitments to fulfill one or more of the Five Promises (ongoing relationships with caring adults; safe places with structured activities; healthy start and future; marketable skills through effective education; and opportunities to give back through community service).

These partners agree to expand existing youth programs or create new ones and hold themselves accountable by measuring their progress.

Those who build community-wide alliances to fulfill all Five Promises are known as Communities of Promise. These communities form grassroots coalitions among the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors to generate more resources for young people who need them.

America's Promise – The Alliance for Youth, 909 N. Washington Street, Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-1556. Telephone: (703) 684-4500. http://www.americaspromise.org/
The Innovation Center is a partner with the National 4-H Council and helps sponsor the Council’s “At the Table” initiative that encourages youth involvement in community decision-making. The Innovation Center’s network of youth and adult staff and partners seek, test, and promote innovative concepts and practices in order to provide cutting edge tools for youth workers in diverse settings. Its Building Community: A Toolkit for Youth and Adults in Charting Assets and Creating Change gives users what they need to create youth/adult partnerships, identify community assets, create community vision and action plan, and mobilize local change.

Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development, 7100 Connecticut Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815-4999. Telephone: (301) 961-2837. http://www.theinnovationcenter.org/
The National 4-H Council's mission is to build a world in which youth and adults learn, grow, and work together as catalysts for positive change. 4-H – one of the largest youth organizations in the U.S. with more than 6.6 million participants – is located in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Its Youth-Corporate Connections Team offers grants for youth in local communities. Its public service campaign – “Are You Into It?™” – has raised awareness about community service and increased the number of 4-H’ers who volunteer. National 4-H Council partners with the Cooperative Extension System, communities, and other organizations to provide technical support and training, develop curricula, create model programs, and promote positive youth development.

National 4-H Council, 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.

Telephone: (301) 961-2800. http://www.fourhcouncil.edu/index.htm The National Network informs public policy, educates the public, and strengthens the field of youth work. Members operate out of agencies, community centers, classrooms, storefronts, houses, vans, and on the streets providing direct services to youth. Additionally, NNY and its members promote the positive development of youth through community service, peer education, alcohol-and drug-free teen clubs, drama groups, adventure-based programs, and youth involvement on governing boards and other decision-making bodies. NNY also serves as a powerful advocate in Washington, D.C., on key legislation and spending affecting youth. NNY produces two newsletters, a journal, fact sheets, training manuals, and other resources. The Network's annual symposium brings together youth workers, young people, decision-makers and local, state, and national leaders from across the country.

National Network for Youth, 1319 F Street, NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20004. Telephone: (202) 783-7949. www.nn4youth.org
America’s Promise
Innovation Center for Community Youth Development
National Network for Youth (NNY)
➮
NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families / 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC 20004 / 202 626 3000 / www.nlc.org National 4-H Council
Arsalyn
Academy for Educational Development:

Center for Youth Development and Policy Research (the Center)

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1542 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) The National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC)'s mission is to build vital, just communities with young people through service-learning. NYLC operations have forged a path for service-learning by convening the national service-learning field annually since 1989; assisting in the renewal and reform of elementary, secondary, community, and higher education; advocating for progressive youth, educational, and national service policies; developing and publishing service-learning and leadership curriculum; providing training and technical assistance for young people and adults; and providing programs and services that are multicultural in content and seeking to engage individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

National Youth Leadership Council, 1667 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55108. Telephone: (651) 631-3672. http://www.nylc.org/
The Prudential Spirit of Community Initiative encourages young people to become actively involved in making their communities better places to live. The Center for Creative Leadership, one of the world's foremost authorities on leadership principles, developed the PYLI's interactive, state-of-the-art curriculum. It provides the caliber of leadership training typically available only to corporate executives and government leaders.

It features a challenging series of lessons and exercises on community needs analysis, goal setting, team building, community mapping, project planning, decision-making, and other leadership dynamics. The curriculum culminates in a service project, created and implemented by the participants, and a final graduation ceremony. PYLI provides seminars throughout the country.

Prudential Youth Leadership Institute, Prudential Insurance Company of America, 751 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102-3777
Telephone: (202) 729-8142. http://www.pyli.org/
The Center for Youth as Resources (CYAR) serves as the national and international umbrella organization for 73 Youth as Resources (YAR) programs located in 21 states, as well as abroad. Local YAR programs, governed by boards composed of youth and adults, provide grants for youth-initiated, youth-led community projects. Their projects tackle a range of social issues that concern youth – from health, housing, education, and the environment to drug abuse, gangs, illiteracy, and crime.

Through instructional materials, technical assistance, and training conducted by experienced youth and adults, CYAR helps local YAR programs start, develop, and expand. YAR programs are parts of existing youth initiatives or community institutions, or may be separate nonprofit organizations.

Center for Youth as Resources Headquarters, 1000 Connecticut Ave, NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: (202) 261-4131. http://www.yar.org/index.html
Youth on Board's work is based on building mutually respectful relationships; ownership of communities; skills; and permanent societal change. It trains young people and adults in the hard and soft skills they need to work as peers. The philosophy is that dealing with agendas and budgets requires dealing with attitudes and relationships. Youth on Board provides consulting and training for organizations and municipalities that are interested in involving youth in decision-making. Adults and youth facilitate these training sessions. Topics include “Understanding Adultism - Looking at Barriers that Inhibit Youth Involvement” and “Recruiting Young People for Your Project.” Youth on Board, 58 Day Street, 3rd floor, P.O. Box 440322, Somerville, MA 02144. Telephone: (617) 623-9900 x1242. http://www.youthonboard.org/ Youth Service America is a resource center and premier alliance of more than 200 organizations committed to increasing the quantity and quality of opportunities for young Americans to serve locally, nationally, or globally. SERVEnet (http://www.SERVEnet.org) – YSA's comprehensive web site – matches the skills, experience, and enthusiasm of volunteers of all ages with local organizations that need their participation. In addition to posting events, job openings, news, and best practices, affiliates can find resources and best practices online to improve the sustainability and effectiveness of their programs. YSA sponsors an annual conference of service learning professionals and National Youth Service Day – both in cooperation with the National Youth Leadership Council. On Youth Service Day, which occurs annually in April, communities, schools, and local organizations organize and promote service projects.

Youth Service America, 1101 15th St. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005.

Telephone: (202) 296-2992. www.ysa.org
National Youth Leadership Council
Prudential Youth Leadership Institute (PYLI)
Rafiq Abdus-Sabur, the 2000-2001 AmeriCorps Promise Fellow for NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, prepared initial drafts of many sections of this kit and researched key issues during its early stages. John E. Kyle, the Institute’s Program Director for Outreach and Strategic Planning, supervised these efforts and is the author of many of the original NLC publications and materials upon which this kit is based. The Institute’s 2001-2002 AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, Nnanna Ogbu, collected and summarized city examples and resources that can assist municipal leaders. Cliff Johnson, the Institute’s Executive Director, provided overall editorial direction, and Jan Hammett was responsible for the kit’s design and layout.

Many city youth advisors and young people who have been involved in NLC’s youth participation activities during the past several years provided helpful comments on drafts of the kit’s main sections. Their comments have clearly made the final kit a stronger and more useful document.

Preparation and distribution of this kit was made possible by a grant from the MetLife Foundation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation provides financial support for many aspects of the Institute’s work, including the action kit series of which this publication is a part.

Youth as Resources (YAR)
Youth on Board
Youth Service America (YSA)

16.C.b
Packet Pg. 1543 Attachment: Youth Participation Action Kit (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council)

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Authentic Youth Civic
Engagement

NATIONAL
LEAGUE

OF CITIES

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1544 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) 2 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Authentic Youth Civic Engagement
Planning an opportunity for youth to engage in city government? How do you make sure it’s authentic?
Authentic youth civic engagement provides
young people meaningful opportunities to
contribute their experiences, knowledge and
solutions to city issues. To create and sustain
authentic youth civic engagement, city leaders
and staff can follow three core values:
• Treat youth as valuable partners in the work of
local government;
• Prepare and support youth to take on
meaningful roles in addressing important issues;
and
• Respect and listen to youth.

City leaders may also want to proactively and
deliberately avoid symbolic youth engagement
that can feel good but risks ultimately
alienating youth from civics and government.

When city leaders begin to build or expand
youth civic engagement efforts, four initial
steps support success:

Scan and evaluate the authenticity of
existing youth engagement efforts in the
city.

Assess the city’s readiness for authentic
youth engagement opportunities. NLC’s
Youth Engagement Perceptions SelfAssessment can support this step.

Consider the different ways that cities
create structures for youth voice. This
and other resources from NLC provide
examples and initial considerations for the
most prevalent structures.

Plan for a structure that supports strong
partnerships between youth and adults
and provides youth with meaningful
opportunities to provide input.
1 2
3 4

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1545 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT 3

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1546 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) 4 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Youth Councils/Mayors Youth Advisory
Boards
Youth councils are common in cities of diverse
sizes across the country. NLC’s Introductory
Brief on Starting a Youth Council provides
more information.
• Advocacy: The San Francisco Youth Council
successfully advocated for a legislative change
by the San Francisco City Council to provide
free public transportation to youth of low and
moderate income.
• Outreach: The Park City, Utah, Youth Council
polled teens to help decide how to provide
effective teen programming and presented these
results to the City Council.
• Programming: The Rye, New York, Youth Council
helps teens find work and gain professional
experience by partnering with businesses to
match them with teens looking for experience.
• Youth-led Grants: Milwaukee’s Youth Council
voted to allocate $35,000 in Community
Development Block Grant funds for youth
homelessness based on their understanding of
the community’s needs.

Youth Summits
As a single or recurring event, youth summits
maximize the number of youth who can
participate in informing local elected officials.

NLC’s Hosting a Youth Summit resource will
provide initial planning steps.
• Santa Fe: The mayor and other elected officials
of Santa Fe, New Mexico listened to the concerns
of young people at a Youth Summit.
• Roanoke: The City of Roanoke, Virginia, recently
started hosting Youth Summits to give teens an
opportunity to be heard by other residents in the
community.

Local Examples
Examples of various youth engagement structures from cities across the country demonstrate what youth can achieve when given the opportunity.

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1547 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT 5

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1548 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) 6 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1549 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT 7
Participatory Budgeting
An advanced youth civic engagement
structure provides youth authority to allocate
a portion of the city’s budget to youth-driven
priorities. Participatory Budgeting 101 can help
a city get started and refers to other available
resources.
• Boston: Boston’s youth council facilitates a Youth
Participatory Budget process to direct spending
of $1,000,0000 toward diverse projects, such
as new fans in schools without central air
conditioning and improved lighting at disused
playgrounds.
• Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh Youth Participatory
Budget Committee, including students from each
city district, decides how to spend a portion of
the city budget.

Youth Participation in Local Elections
An emerging trend lowers the voting age in
municipal elections to 16-17 years old. NLC’s
brief on Lowering the Voting Age provides an
introduction to considerations and steps.
• Takoma Park, Maryland: In Takoma Park,
Maryland, the first municipality to lower the
voting age to 16 in the U.S, 44 percent of
registered teens voted in the 2013 municipal
election, compared to 10 percent overall turnout.
• Greenbelt, Maryland: The Greenbelt Youth
Advisory Council led a successful advocacy
campaign to lower the voting age to 16 for
municipal elections.

For more information on authentic youth civic engagement, review NLC’s Authentic Youth Civic Engagement Guide and other resources referenced in this document.

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1550 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council)

NATIONAL
LEAGUE

OF CITIES

16.C.c
Packet Pg. 1551 Attachment: Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) 1 David Yakobson
From: Jon Katz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 11:44 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Item 16C - Support
Categories: Yellow Category

EXTERNAL
Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and City Council:

I am writing to express my strong support for the proposal put forth by Mayor Brock and Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete regarding the establishment of a Youth Commission within our city. This initiative is crucial in fostering civic engagement among our youth and ensuring that their voices are heard in all matters concerning our community.

Engaging young people in local governance is not only a matter of democratic principles but also a means to cultivate future leaders who are informed, empowered, and invested in the well-being of our city. By establishing a Youth Commission, we provide our young citizens with a platform to actively participate in decision-making processes, contribute their perspectives, and advocate for issues that are pertinent to them and their peers.

Additionally, exploring opportunities to incorporate dedicated seats for youth on existing boards or commissions would enhance the inclusivity of our governance structures and ensure that young voices are integrated into all aspects of decision-making.

Investing in the civic education and participation of our youth is an investment in the future vitality and prosperity of our city. I urge City Council to vote to support this item and implement measures that prioritize youth engagement in local governance.

Thank you so much for bringing this item forward.

Sincerely,
--
Jon Katz
[email protected]
cell: (215) 962-4357
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024

16.C.d
Packet Pg. 1552 Attachment: Written Comments (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White
Subject: 4/9/2024 Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H- Support

EXTERNAL
April 9, 2024
Re: Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers, I am writing in support of items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, and 16H on this evening’s agenda and hope that you will unanimously support each of these items:
 16A- One of our most vital public resources is our public libraries and $10,000 will go a long way towards supporting community programming like the 10th anniversary celebration of the Pico Branch Library on June 29th, programming and after-hours support for the Main Library’s special Friday preview event for Yallwest, and the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th. (full disclosure- I serve on the Virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board and am so excited for the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th and the Pico Branch Library 10th Anniversary Celebration)  16B- Grad Nite is a formative moment for many graduating seniors and everyone should have the opportunity to participate regardless of their (or their family’s) ability to pay for attendance. I support using part of the Council’s discretionary budget to help provide a safe, fun, and inclusive experience for all Santa Monica High School graduating seniors.
 16C- We absolutely need to engage Santa Monica youth in local government and I am grateful to Mayor Brock and Vice Mayor Negrete for bringing this item forward. We know that children are the future and as they are the future, young Santa Monicans should have a hand in shaping that future. I look forward to hearing more about best practices and recommendations to get younger folks more engaged in Santa Monica when the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk return to the Council with recommendations.
 16D- The Public Policy Institute at SMC, in partnership with SMMUSD and with the City’s support, has put on incredible symposiums in the past and with the Council’s support, can continue to build on that track record with an informative and engaging 2024 Public Policy Symposium. I appreciate that Councilmembers Davis, Torosis, and Zwick proposed this item and hope its approval will be unanimous.
 16F- I believe that art is a key aspect of the human experience and vital to the wellbeing of Santa Monicans. Digital Art is a newer and fascinating space that people should have the access to explore and enjoy. I support using Council discretionary funds to support the inaugural Santa Monica Digital New Arts Festival. Thank you to Mayor Brock and Councilmembers de la Torre and Parra for placing this item on the agenda.

Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024

16.C.d
Packet Pg. 1553 Attachment: Written Comments (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) 2  16H- Mental Health is part of our overall health and wellbeing and I am glad that the importance of mental health is now more openly discussed. We need to continue to destigmatize seeking help for mental health and help provide connections to existing mental health resources. Supporting the “Take Action for Mental Health” event is a wonderful way to help normalize and destigmatize mental health.

Thank you for supporting these great causes and initiatives! Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024

16.C.d
Packet Pg. 1554 Attachment: Written Comments (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Cynthia Rose <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 3:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Council Mailbox; [email protected]; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Christine Parra Cc: David White; [email protected]; Emery Cunningham Subject: Support Item 16C: Establishing Youth Council Commission Attachments: 2024-04 SaMoSSA-YLC Support 16C Support Establishing Youth Council Commission.pdf

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica Mayor, City Council and City Manager
The Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance (SaMoSSA) and the SaMoSSA Youth Leadership Collective are thrilled to support item 16C for the City of Santa Monica to establish a youth council or commission and to advance youth participation in the City's commissions generally. Please find our letter of support attached.

Cynthia Rose, Cris Gutierrez and Emery Cunningham
--
Cynthia Rose
Co-Chair
Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance
SaMoSafeStreets.org
I acknowledge with respect and gratitude the Tongva, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples on whose traditional territory I live and work.

Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024

16.C.d
Packet Pg. 1555 Attachment: Written Comments (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council)

April 9, 2024
RE: Item 16C Support Establishing Youth Council Commission Dear Santa Monica City Mayor and Council Members:

The Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance (SaMoSSA) and the SaMoSSA Youth Leadership Collective are thrilled to support item 16C for the City of Santa Monica to establish a youth council or commission and to advance youth participation in the City's commissions generally, all of which needs to be based on best practices. We strongly encourage that there be capacity-building for a steady, smart cadre of young people ready to serve on a potential youth council/commission and to be confident to apply for other commissions as practical.

For decades we have been a part of youth-led or youth-partnered endeavors with many of Santa Monica's young people, who have been engaging the community or advocating with deftness and insight for significant policies that have helped influence and shape Santa Monica's progressive policies and leadership in numerous fields beyond youth programs and schools, including, but not limited to::

• the City's budget priorities,

• sustainability measures and ordinances,

• climate actions,

• multi-modal mobility concerns,

• nuclear abolition and peace resolutions,

• social justice and environmental justice commitments, etc.

More and more of our community's youth take their civic engagement seriously. It's time that our City is organized to take youth seriously on a long-term basis as part of the City's advisory and decision-making structures.

As Emery, a senior at Santa Monica High School, states, “Inviting the youth perspective into Santa Monica’s administration will help us advance these priorities by expanding participation in the discussion. When youth become part of the conversation, we are better representing our community and can therefore approach better solutions.”

We appreciate this item for a youth council/commission before the City Council this evening and look forward to a unanimous approval so the concept can become a local reality.

Sincerely,
Cynthia Rose Cris Gutierrez
Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Street Alliance Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance Emery Cunningham
Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance /
Youth Leadership Collective
SaMoSafeStreets.org
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.C.

April 9, 2024

16.C.d
Packet Pg. 1556 Attachment: Written Comments (6344 : Establishment of a Youth Council) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.D
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Councilmembers Davis, Torosis and Zwick that the City Council allocate up to $8,333 of their discretionary funds to the Public Policy Institute at Santa Monica College to support the 2024 Public Policy Symposium - an event jointly sponsored by Santa Monica College and Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District.

Prepared By: Esterlina Lugo, Deputy City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Discretionary Funds as of 3.21.24
B. Written Comments

16.D
Packet Pg. 1557
Council Discretionary Funds
As of 3‐21‐24
Sources (All Available Funds are start of FY 2023‐24):

Amount
Unspent and uncommitted funds from prior year $         29,769.72 FY 2023‐24 ‐ New Appropriation 125,150.00
Reappropriation of unused travel funds to Council discretionary funds 9,762.00               Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 11A One‐time appropriation included in midyear budget staff report            50,000.00 Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 11B Total unspent funds and new appropriation 214,681.72 $
Uses (Programmed Discretionary Funds):

Description Amount Programmed Date
Santa Monica Pony League to repair scoreboard at Los Amigos Park $          (5,000.00) Rollover programmed from prior year Ocean Park Association for Annual 4th of July Parade (15,000.00)            Budget Adoption FY 2023‐24, 6/27/23 Business Improvement District (BID) Annual Support (29,000.00)            Budget Adoption FY 2023‐24, 6/27/23 Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) Car Show (7,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16F Expenses to host delegation of municipal and business leaders from Sister City Mazatlan, Mexico (2,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16G Westside Coalition for Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (9,000.00)              Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16H Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to Germany for Samohi Symphony Orchestra (15,000.00)            Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16C Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to San Francisco for Lincoln Middle School band, orchestra, and choir
(5,000.00)
Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16D
Provide funds for the Girl Central, Rockstar Kids, and Peace Camp community programs operated by Church in Ocean Park
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16B
Offset travel expenses for Samohi Co‐Ed Wrestling Team             (5,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16C Provide financial support to seniors aspiring to attend college in the form of application fees, scholarships, and other costs associated with the transition to college. (18,000.00) Council meeting, 1/23/24, Item 16F
Provide support to the Santa Monica High School Choir program to aid students in participating in performances in cathedrals across Spain, including Barcelona, Burgos, and Madrid. (20,000.00) Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 16A
Provide additional funds to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) for programs and events that promote local businesses and build community
(15,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16F
Provide funds to Crow Comedy, Inc. to produce a LGBTQ+ storytelling class and showcase as part of Santa Monica Pride
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16H
Total Programmed (165,000.00) $
Unprogrammed Balance Available 49,681.72 $
3/21/2024

16.D.a
Packet Pg. 1558 Attachment: Discretionary Funds as of 3.21.24 (6345 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to Public Policy Institute at SMCC) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 12:09 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Council Discussion Items for SM College Public Policy Comment for 16D
From: Ellen Hannan <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2024 6:12 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; David White <[email protected]>
Subject: Council Discussion Items for SM College Public Policy

EXTERNAL
I strongly object to this large amount of City funds without an itemized list of the uses for over $8000. How much money is to be included by SMC and SM/Malibu USD? Are they contributing equal amounts? Is the amount for this inhouse meeting at SMC over $24000?
Where is it held? Who is invited to attend?
I am watching your spending very carefully? Since you have completely ignored the needs of the neighbors organizations since the Covid shut downs it is impossible for us to meet in person or fund outreach services to our residents,
Ellen Hannan
1218 9th St Santa Monica CA 90401
Item 16.D.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.D.

April 9, 2024

16.D.b
Packet Pg. 1559 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6345 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to Public Policy Institute at SMCC) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White
Subject: 4/9/2024 Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H- Support

EXTERNAL
April 9, 2024
Re: Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers, I am writing in support of items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, and 16H on this evening’s agenda and hope that you will unanimously support each of these items:
 16A- One of our most vital public resources is our public libraries and $10,000 will go a long way towards supporting community programming like the 10th anniversary celebration of the Pico Branch Library on June 29th, programming and after-hours support for the Main Library’s special Friday preview event for Yallwest, and the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th. (full disclosure- I serve on the Virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board and am so excited for the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th and the Pico Branch Library 10th Anniversary Celebration)  16B- Grad Nite is a formative moment for many graduating seniors and everyone should have the opportunity to participate regardless of their (or their family’s) ability to pay for attendance. I support using part of the Council’s discretionary budget to help provide a safe, fun, and inclusive experience for all Santa Monica High School graduating seniors.
 16C- We absolutely need to engage Santa Monica youth in local government and I am grateful to Mayor Brock and Vice Mayor Negrete for bringing this item forward. We know that children are the future and as they are the future, young Santa Monicans should have a hand in shaping that future. I look forward to hearing more about best practices and recommendations to get younger folks more engaged in Santa Monica when the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk return to the Council with recommendations.
 16D- The Public Policy Institute at SMC, in partnership with SMMUSD and with the City’s support, has put on incredible symposiums in the past and with the Council’s support, can continue to build on that track record with an informative and engaging 2024 Public Policy Symposium. I appreciate that Councilmembers Davis, Torosis, and Zwick proposed this item and hope its approval will be unanimous.
 16F- I believe that art is a key aspect of the human experience and vital to the wellbeing of Santa Monicans. Digital Art is a newer and fascinating space that people should have the access to explore and enjoy. I support using Council discretionary funds to support the inaugural Santa Monica Digital New Arts Festival. Thank you to Mayor Brock and Councilmembers de la Torre and Parra for placing this item on the agenda.

Item 16.D.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.D.

April 9, 2024

16.D.b
Packet Pg. 1560 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6345 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to Public Policy Institute at SMCC) 2  16H- Mental Health is part of our overall health and wellbeing and I am glad that the importance of mental health is now more openly discussed. We need to continue to destigmatize seeking help for mental health and help provide connections to existing mental health resources. Supporting the “Take Action for Mental Health” event is a wonderful way to help normalize and destigmatize mental health.

Thank you for supporting these great causes and initiatives! Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]
Item 16.D.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.D.

April 9, 2024

16.D.b
Packet Pg. 1561 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6345 : Allocation of Discretionary Funds to Public Policy Institute at SMCC) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.E
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Recommendation to accept Helen Finkelstein's resignation from the Human Services Commission and authorize the City Clerk to publish the vacancy Prepared By: Xavier Mota, Staff Assistant III
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Resignation Notice

16.E
Packet Pg. 1562
1 Xavier Mota
From: Ivette Gomez
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 12:00 PM
To: Xavier Mota
Subject: FW: REMINDER NOTICE to Human Svs Commission - ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS (FORM 700) DUE 4/01/2024
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
Hi Xavier,
See Helen’s request to be removed from the Human Services Commission. Let me know if anything else is needed from her.

From: Helen Finkelstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 8:50 AM
To: Form700 <[email protected]>
Cc: Ivette Gomez <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Re: REMINDER NOTICE to Human Svs Commission - ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS (FORM 700) DUE 4/01/2024

EXTERNAL
I request to be removed as a Commission Member of the Human Services Commission. Please advise procedure.

Helen Finkelstein
3103091725
On Sat, Mar 30, 2024 at 2:39 PM Form700 <[email protected]> wrote:

Just a friendly reminder, the deadline to file your annual Form 700 is Monday, April 1, 2024. Forms must be filed electronically through Netfile. Paper filings are not accepted.

For links and instructions on how to file electronically, please see the attached notice. If you encounter any issues logging in, please respond to this email for assistance.

Esterlina Lugo, CMC
Deputy City Clerk
City of Santa Monica
City Clerk's Office
From: Form700
Sent: Friday, March 8, 2024 12:20 PM
Subject: NOTICE - ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS (FORM 700) DUE 4/01/2024 Importance: High

16.E.a
Packet Pg. 1563 Attachment: Resignation Notice (6353 : Resignation: Human Services Comm. - H. Finkelstein. 16.E. (2 mins.)) 2 Good afternoon,
It’s that time of year again to e-file your annual Form 700. Forms must be filed electronically through Netfile no later than Monday, April 1, 2024. Paper filings are not accepted. Failure to file statements in a timely manner may result in penalties including, but not limited to, late fines.

For instructions on how to file electronically, please see the attached notice. If you encounter any issues logging in, please respond to this email for assistance.

Thank you,
Esterlina Lugo, CMC
Deputy City Clerk
City of Santa Monica
City Clerk's Office

16.E.a
Packet Pg. 1564 Attachment: Resignation Notice (6353 : Resignation: Human Services Comm. - H. Finkelstein. 16.E. (2 mins.)) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.F
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Mayor Brock, Councilmember de la Torre, and Councilmember Parra that the City Council allocate up to $10,000 from its Discretionary Fund to Santa Monica College to spend on expenses related to inaugural Santa Monica Digital New Arts Festival – an innovative, inclusive, and diverse sixmonth long festival that celebrates the synthesis of art and science by focusing on the diverse and highly fascinating work of Digital Art. The DNA Festival brings together Santa Monica’s leading cultural institutions: Santa Monica College, Bergamot Station Arts Center, and 18th Street Arts Center in cooperation with the Santa Monica Arts Commission’s Media Arts Subcommittee, LA ACM SIGGRAPH and the EZTV Online Museum, offering free admission to more than 16 events across 12 venues from June 22, 2024 to November 21, 2024 (Additional information is attached) Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. DNA Fest SM 24 roster
B. DNA for AC 3-18 prez
C. Discretionary Funds as of 4.4.24
D. Written Comments
E. PowerPoint Presentation

16.F
Packet Pg. 1565
1 DNA FESTIVAL SANTA MONICA Inaugural year 2024
“Larger Than Life” (1985) Dave Curlender & David Goodsell A cultural initiative presented by Santa Monica College’s Department of Art, Center for Media & Design and Barrett Gallery; Bergamot Station Arts Center’s bG Gallery, Craig Krull Gallery, Galerie XII, Lois Lambert Gallery, Rose Gallery, Robert Berman Gallery and 18th Street Arts Center
Producing partners are LA ACM SIGGRAPH, Santa Monica Arts Commission's Media Arts Subcommittee, Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, & the EZTV Online Museum.

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1566 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 2 Roster of Events

June 22-thru July 21.

Left: Digital image by David Em (1970s) Right: Digital image by Victor Acevedo (1990s) DNA: 4th of 4, 1st of many” Retrospective Digital Arts Exhibition: a 40-year survey of over 20 artists. Barrett Gallery, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Campus.

June 23
Ulysses Jenkins telepresence performance (1990) with Kit Galloway ECI, & EZTV “Reconsidering Early Telepresence” Panel discussion including Electronic Café International’s Kit Galloway. Organized by Anastasia Chernysheva. Barrett Gallery, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Campus.

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1567 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 3 Sept. 7.
(to coincide with the 30th Anniversary of Bergamot Station and its inclusion in the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time: Art & Science Collide series) “Libra” (2005) Kate Johnson (1969-2020) video still from digital video Robert Berman Gallery: “Future Perfect” Group Digital Art Show (part of PST) Bergamot Station (part of 30th Anniversary Celebration)

“Kings Road” (2023) Mona Kuhn
Galerie XII “Kings Road” large -scale digital video installation by Mona Kuhn, Bergamot Station (part of 30th Anniversary Celebration)

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1568 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 4 “Unmasking” (2024) Nikolina Page, still from digital video

Lois Lambert Gallery “The Analog Brain” group exhibition of six emerging women artists exploring consciousness and the sector beyond art & science. Bergamot Station (part of 30th Anniversary Celebration) Part of PST.

Related panel discussions day/time TBD
4) Lois Lambert Gallery: panel discussion and performance art & music related to “The Analog Brain”
David Em in the 1970s
5) Craig Krull Gallery: panel discussion including David Em, moderated by Dina Chang

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1569 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 5 Musician/scientist Diego Morales leads a multicultural group of musicians, dancers and performance artists in interpreting art/science exhibitions 6) Diego Morales & Friends- musical interpretations of PST art at Bergamot
“Planet Earth” (1990) Tom Van Sant

7) “Planet Earth” Tom Van Sant installation curated by Janet Owens Driggs. 18th Street Arts Center’s Airport Campus.

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1570 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 6 Sept 17
“Open Sky” – Joan Collins conceives and presents an evening of large-scale projection with live dance and installation art. NOTE: Producer Joan Collins is actively fundraising for this event.

Sept 19
“Hacking the Timeline” panel discussion about mainstreaming digital art into art history. Dr. Pietro Rigolo, Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art, Getty Research Institute, Joel Ferrere, Director, LACMKA Lab, Melanie Lenz, Curator of Digital Art, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Pascaline Moricome, Visiting Professor, University of Jules Verne (France), Andrea Forendar, Curator/Historian.

Presented by Robert Berman Gallery. Santa Monica College (either at Main campus or Center for Media and Design).

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1571 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 7 Oct 24
“VR Babies” #1 (2023) AI generative art by GWC
“VR Babies” panel discussion and premiere screening of documentary on the real concerns as well as opportunities for educators and parents on early adoption of immersive technologies, Winn Schwartau, Susan Wright, Marc Sachs. Generative art by GWC. Santa Monica College (either at Main campus or Center for Media and Design
To coincide with the publication of pioneering author/lecturer/information security expert Winn Schwartua’s latest book: The Art & Science of Metawar.

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1572 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 8 Nov 21
(finale)
Alina Kalinouskaya
“Movement and Holographic Telepresence”. In collaboration with University of Nebraska Medical School’s advanced imaging and holographic laboratory, and discussion/demonstration and holographic dance performance, transmitted to Nebraska holographically to a simultaneous audience congregating at the medical school. Alina Kalinouskaya, Dancer/Conceptual Artist, Dr. Gregory Carpenter, Producer/Conceptualist.

University of Nebraska Medical School’s Holographic Theater.

Note: budget still be fundraised to send transmission back from Nebraska to Santa Monica.

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1573 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 9 Still in Planning stages (events confirmed, date/time TBD Panel discussion (day/time/venue TBD) on Ethical Considerations for the Arts in AI and technological adoption. Linda Glenn, J.D., LLM, Alina Kalinouskaya, Jon 9 (date/time TBD 18th Street Arts Center)
Architecture and Digital Art: panel discussion organized by Summer Vaughn, AIA. Santa Monica College. (day/time TBD0
“Between Thoughts” (2003) Kate Johnson
Tribute to Kate Johnson: digital video collaborations. Screening in conjunction with scholarly essay by British researcher/curator/historian Andrea Foenander (at 18th Street Ares Center)
Writers Boot Camp event
Pico Youth & Family Center event

16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1574 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 10 16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1575 Attachment: DNA Fest SM 24 roster (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) SANTA MONICA’S DIGITAL NEW ARTS FESTIVAL
JUNE 22, 2024- NOV. 21, 2024
a new, innovative six-month long festival that celebrates the synthesis of art and science by focusing on the diverse and highly fascinating works of Digital Art.

DNA digital new arts

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1576 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 12 VENUES, 14 CONFIRMED AND 5 PENDING EVENTS
Bringing together three of Santa Monica’s leading cultural institutions: Santa Monica College, Bergamot Station Arts Center, and 18th Street Arts Center in an initiative in cooperation with the Santa Monica Arts Commission's Media Arts Subcommittee, LA ACM SIGGRAPH & the EZTV Online Museum DNA digital new arts

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1577 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival)

LEADING INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS
DNA digital new arts
Adding to SMC’s already established commitment to Digital Media & Design as well as Art & Art History, world leaders in digital art will help SMC’s reputation as a center for digital art history.

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1578 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) SANTA MONICA'S ‘CULTURAL CORRIDOR’
THE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, STARTING AT SMC’S

BARRETT GALLERY, GOING THROUGH BERGAMOT
STATION AND 18TH STREET ARTS CENTER AND ENDING
AT SMC’S CENTER FOR MEDIA & DESIGN
All ff hMfilfidl
DNA digital new arts

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1579 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA digital new arts

THREE CAMPUSES OF

SANTA MONICA
COLLEGE:

BARRET GALLERY
(PERFORMING ARTS CENTER)

MAIN CAMPUS
(DEPARTMENT OF ART)

CENTER FOR MEDIA
& DESIGN

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1580 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA digital new arts

SIX GALLERIES AT
BERGAMOT STATION:

BG GALLERY

CRAIG KRULL GALLERY

GALERIE XII

LOIS LAMBERT GALLERY

ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY

ROSEGALLERY
PLUS

WRITERS BOOT CAMP

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1581 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA digital new arts 18TH STREET ARTS CENTER

OLYMPIC CAMPUS
(POSSIBLE OUTDOOR SCREENING)

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1582 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival)

EXPERIMENTS IN TELEPRESENCE
& SANTA MONICA’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD
DNA digital new arts

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1583 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) THE FUTURE OF TELEPRESENCE:

COLLABORATION WITH U OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL SCHOOL’S
HOLOGRAPHIC THEATER. ART & MEDICAL PRESENTATION
DNA digital new arts

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1584 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA digital new arts

THESE THREE SANTA

MONICA INSTITUTIONS

ARE ALL PRESENTING

COMPELLING EXAMPLES

OF THE DIVERSITY OF

ALL THE DIGITAL ARTS,

INCLUDING VISUAL,

DANCE, MUSIC AND
TELEPRESENCE.

If not unprecedented, this is at the very least a very rare and exciting possibility.

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1585 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA digital new arts
2024 IS THE YEAR
“ART & SCIENCE COLLIDE”
5 DNA E V E N T S A R E PA RT O F T H E GETTY’S
PAC I F I C S TA N D A R D T I M E : A RT & S C I E N C E C O L L I D E Multiple anniversaries and synergies, making SaMo a hub for PST.

The opportunity to brand SMC, Bergamot & 18th Street as world recognized centers for Digital Art.

Forth of a four-year online collaboration between LA ACM SIGGRAPH & EZTV Online Museum The festival began when SMC wished to do an exhibition in acknowledgement of the 45th anniversary of EZTV and its
40 years of collaborations between EZTV and SIGGRAPH
Then Robert Berman offered to include the festival as part of his participation in PST which occurs during the 30th anniversary of Bergamot Station Arts Center
The ‘DNA’ of DNA

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1586 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) NEXT YEAR & BEYOND?
DNA digital new arts
“Everywhere in Between” (2015)
Bergamot Station

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1587 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) OR
?
or

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1588 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) SANTA MONICA’S DIGITAL NEW ARTS FESTIVAL
JUNE 22, 2024- NOV. 21, 2024
a new, innovative six-month long festival that celebrates the synthesis of art and science by focusing on the diverse and highly fascinating works of Digital Art.

DNA digital new arts

16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1589 Attachment: DNA for AC 3-18 prez (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) Council Discretionary Funds
As of 4-4 24
Sources (All Available Funds are start of FY 2023 24):

Amount
Unspent and uncommitted funds from prior year $ 29,769.72 FY 2023 24 New Appropriation 125,150.00
Reappropriation of unused travel funds to Council discretionary funds 9,762.00 Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 11A One time appropriation included in midyear budget staff report 50,000.00 Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 11B Total unspent funds and new appropriation 214,681.72 $
Uses (Programmed Discretionary Funds): Description Amount Programmed Date Santa Monica Pony League to repair scoreboard at Los Amigos Park $ Rollover programmed from prior yea (5,000.00) r Ocean Park Association for Annual 4th of July Parade (15,000.00) Budget Adoption FY 2023 24, 6/27/23 Business Improvement District (BID) Annual Support (29,000.00) Budget Adoption FY 2023 24, 6/27/23 Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) Car Show (7,000.00) Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16F Expenses to host delegation of municipal and business leaders from Sister City Mazatlan, Mexico (2,000.00) Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16G Westside Coalition for Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (9,000.00) Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16H Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to Germany for Samohi Symphony Orchestra (15,000.00) Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16C Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to San Francisco for Lincoln Middle School band, orchestra, and choir
(5,000.00)
Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16D
Provide funds for the Girl Central, Rockstar Kids, and Peace Camp community programs operated by Church in Ocean Park
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16B
Offset travel expenses for Samohi Co Ed Wrestling Team (5,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16C Provide financial support to seniors aspiring to attend college in the form of application fees, scholarships, and other costs associated with the transition to college. (18,000.00) Council meeting, 1/23/24, Item 16F
Provide support to the Santa Monica High School Choir program to aid students in participating in performances in cathedrals across Spain, including Barcelona, Burgos, and Madrid. (20,000.00) Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 16A
Provide additional funds to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) for programs and events that promote local businesses and build community
(15,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16F
Provide funds to Crow Comedy, Inc. to produce a LGBTQ+ storytelling class and showcase as part of Santa Monica Pride
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16H
Total Programmed (165,000.00) $
Unprogrammed Balance Available 49,681.72 $
4/4/2024

16.F.c
Packet Pg. 1590 Attachment: Discretionary Funds as of 4.4.24 (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) From: Council Mailbox
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Support for Funding for DNA Festival Santa Monica Date: Monday, April 8, 2024 9:58:45 AM
Attachments: image001.png
image002.png
From: MEYER_WALTER <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 8, 2024 9:51 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]>
Cc: Michael Masucci <[email protected]>
Subject: Support for Funding for DNA Festival Santa Monica

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council Members,
Thank you for considering the motion to give financial support to DNA Festival Santa Monica, the digital arts festival that SMC, Bergamot Station & now 18th Street Arts Center are working together on. Should funding be approved by Council, the funds would go to SMC, and would be used for travel expenses for scholars, and some remaining funds for the June 22 Barrett show. In the slight chance that any remaining money remains, such funds should go to the other events taking place at SMC, in conjunction with Bergamot Station.

As the former chair of the Public Art Committee and Vice Chair of the Arts Commission for Santa Monica, I sought to bring the various constituencies that serve the city to greater synergy. One great example of this was GLOW! Where the college, city and private entities implemented a world class art festival. I am grateful to Michael Masucci who has carried on this tradition and coordinated with colleagues across the city including private for and nonprofit arts institutions like the galleries at Bergamot Station and 18th Street.

As a resident in the city, I am proud of our continued fiscal responsibility where we use our taxpayer funds to maximal value by partnering with outside entities to magnify the impact that they have. The individual galleries, nonprofits and SMC have already agreed to significant contributions of space, time, resources (monetary and in kind) for these events surrounding the DNA Festival Santa Monica. The resources that are being requested today will allow this seasonal arts festival to also be on the global stage by bringing scholars outside the area to participate and amplify the project to an international audience.

The City of Santa Monica continues to be a leader in the arts as evidenced by the yearly creative capital study and its long-standing commitments to promoting art and Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1591 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) culture as part of its larger vision and motto- Happy People in a Happy City! The city is also known for its neighborly approach to governance and cultural activities. The DNA Festival Santa Monica will contribute to our creative economy, not only by highlighting the digital art and digital economy that is housed here, but also firmly placing the history of that economy in our region and centering it in our city.

Additionally, it brings together three of the largest non-city cultural institutions: SMC, Bergamot and 18th St. In many ways this goes beyond what GLOW! accomplished as it is an unprecedented, and extremely rare neighborhood-wide initiative, in what we are calling Santa Monica's "Cultural Corridor". Activations happening across the city will act as a unifying force connecting us as a community and centering our creative economy and how deeply intertwined the arts and the sciences are and have always been.

Beyond the benefits to the city, as a professor and chair of the Art Department at SMC, I can speak to the value to our students to engage and participate in global conversations around Digital Art and Digital Cultural Production. The academic lens that will inform and inspire SMC students as to both the history as well as current opportunities for them in digital arts also contributes to the knowledge base of our city and strengthens the connections and partnerships between the college and city. This festival illustrates the unique role that Santa Monica has played in several areas of the digital arts, and how through these early artist experiments, many things, such as use of the internet, video chats, digital animations, and photo editing, are now commonplace and enjoyed well beyond just the arts. We are working to make this festival an ongoing event, which can build partnerships between educators, students, working artists, and audiences, continuing the branding Santa Monica as a world leader in the creation, presentation, and appreciation of the digital arts: serving as both a laboratory for new development, as well as preserver of the classic works of the past. The positioning of the academic content at SMC showcases how residents of our city have open and easy access to the college, where they can learn about these tools and how they can participate in this creative economy.

Lastly, many of these events of DNA are included in the Getty's region-wide initiative "PST- Arts & Sciences Collide, " which will have its own international audience. This is a special opportunity for the city to be listed as a sponsor of events and have Santa Monica be a hub of PST-related activity. People across the region will be informed about PST Art & Science and our residents will have a plethora of activities that the city will have proudly sponsored.

I am remiss that I am not able to attend the council meeting. This is our Spring Break and my 3 daughters are all students at SMC and we had a family vacation planned for some time. I am always available to discuss the matter in greater detail via phone or zoom.

Thank You! for your service to our City, and for taking the time to read this letter, and I appreciate all the good things that you do for our community! Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1592 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) All the BEst,
Walter
Walter J. Meyer
smc.edu/resources
Department Chair- Art
Center for Art History and the Digital Humanities
Support the SMC Art Department Here!
Office- ART 216
310.434.8266
Finance Director- Art Historians of Southern California My goal as chair of the art department is to serve students and close equity gaps while placing art & its history at the center of all things SMC.

Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1593 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White
Subject: 4/9/2024 Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H- Support

EXTERNAL
April 9, 2024
Re: Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers, I am writing in support of items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, and 16H on this evening’s agenda and hope that you will unanimously support each of these items:
 16A- One of our most vital public resources is our public libraries and $10,000 will go a long way towards supporting community programming like the 10th anniversary celebration of the Pico Branch Library on June 29th, programming and after-hours support for the Main Library’s special Friday preview event for Yallwest, and the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th. (full disclosure- I serve on the Virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board and am so excited for the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th and the Pico Branch Library 10th Anniversary Celebration)  16B- Grad Nite is a formative moment for many graduating seniors and everyone should have the opportunity to participate regardless of their (or their family’s) ability to pay for attendance. I support using part of the Council’s discretionary budget to help provide a safe, fun, and inclusive experience for all Santa Monica High School graduating seniors.
 16C- We absolutely need to engage Santa Monica youth in local government and I am grateful to Mayor Brock and Vice Mayor Negrete for bringing this item forward. We know that children are the future and as they are the future, young Santa Monicans should have a hand in shaping that future. I look forward to hearing more about best practices and recommendations to get younger folks more engaged in Santa Monica when the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk return to the Council with recommendations.
 16D- The Public Policy Institute at SMC, in partnership with SMMUSD and with the City’s support, has put on incredible symposiums in the past and with the Council’s support, can continue to build on that track record with an informative and engaging 2024 Public Policy Symposium. I appreciate that Councilmembers Davis, Torosis, and Zwick proposed this item and hope its approval will be unanimous.
 16F- I believe that art is a key aspect of the human experience and vital to the wellbeing of Santa Monicans. Digital Art is a newer and fascinating space that people should have the access to explore and enjoy. I support using Council discretionary funds to support the inaugural Santa Monica Digital New Arts Festival. Thank you to Mayor Brock and Councilmembers de la Torre and Parra for placing this item on the agenda.

Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1594 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 2  16H- Mental Health is part of our overall health and wellbeing and I am glad that the importance of mental health is now more openly discussed. We need to continue to destigmatize seeking help for mental health and help provide connections to existing mental health resources. Supporting the “Take Action for Mental Health” event is a wonderful way to help normalize and destigmatize mental health.

Thank you for supporting these great causes and initiatives! Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1595 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 3:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Attention of Councilman De La Torre: Brief Speech in Support of the DNA Festival Related to item 16F. Thanks!
From: Yogan Muller <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 3:42 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Cc: Michael Masucci <[email protected]>
Subject: Attention of Councilman De La Torre: Brief Speech in Support of the DNA Festival

EXTERNAL
Hello,
Michael Masucci, the founder of the DNA festival, advised me to send you the following speech. I support and deeply believe in Michael's initiative.

I wanted to join tonight's session, but I must excuse myself to focus on an additional class I was asked to teach this week.

Below is the 2-minute speech I wrote and intended to share tonight. I am also attaching a portrait to create a sense of human connection.

I'd be very grateful if you could forward this email to Councilman De La Torre.

Yours sincerely,
Yogan Muller
--
Yogan Muller, Ph.D.

Photographer, www.yogan-muller.com
Lecturer '20-'24, UCLA Design Media Arts
Senior Researcher, UCLA Counterforce Lab
Good evening, it is an honor to be here tonight as Mona’s Studio Assistant and as a Lecturer at the UCLA Design Media Arts Department.

We live in extraordinary technological, political, social, and environmental times. DNA is an initiative for this major moment. And we can count on this year's landmark Getty PST festival to amplify what we do during the first edition.

When Michael and I sat down to talk about DNA a few weeks ago, his vision, energy, and decade-long commitment to media arts were contagious.

Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1596 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 2 As an educator, I am convinced that showcasing the immersive work of blue-chip artists like Mona will let the public engage first-hand–and thus become more familiar–with a rapidly evolving media landscape through sensory and emotional perceptions.

As such, DNA can become an event of great significance for Santa Monica and the iconic Bergamot Station, making our city a space and hub for forward-thinking, education, inclusivity, and experimentation.

Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1597 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) 3 Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.F.

April 9, 2024

16.F.d
Packet Pg. 1598 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) SANTA MONICA’S DIGITAL NEW ARTS FESTIVAL

INAUGURAL YEAR
JUNE 22, 2024- NOV. 21, 2024
16 VENUES, 18 CONFIRMED (AND COUNTING) EVENTS

BRINGING TOGETHER THREE OF SANTA MONIC A'S LEADING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS: SANTA MONICA COLLEGE,
BERGAMOT STATION ARTS CENTER & 18 TH STREET ARTS CENTER Innovative six-month festival celebrating the synthesis of art and science, focusing on diverse and highly fascinating works of Digital Art, including visual art, music, dance, performance art, writing and architecture.

DNA FESTIVAL SANTA MONICA

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1599 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) SANTA MONICA’S
‘CULTURAL CORRIDOR’
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, STARTING AT SMC’S BARRETT

GALLERY, GOING THROUGH BERGAMOT STATION
AND 18TH STREET ARTS CENTER, ENDING AT SMC’S

CENTER FOR MEDIA & DESIGN

WE ENVISION IN TIME EXPANDING THIS REGION TO INCLUDE THE

MAIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND ULTIMATELY ONTO THE MYLES

PLAYHOUSE AND CAMERA OBSCURA, CARVING A CONTINUUM OF

CREATIVITY FROM THE PACIFIC OCEAN TO THE EASTERN
BOUNDARY OF THE CITY.

All events are free of charge. Most are family friendly.

DNA

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1600 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival)

LEADING INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS
DNA
Adding to SMC’s already established commitment to Digital Media & Design as well as Art & Art History, world leaders in digital art will help SMC’s reputation as a center for digital art history. Both local experts from LACMA and the Getty, a curator that has worked at Sotheby's, as well as international leaders from places such as London’s Victoria & Albert Museum are committed to participate.

Defining a movement and context, and Santa Monica’s unique role in creating it.

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1601 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA

THREE CAMPUSES OF

SANTA MONICA
COLLEGE:

BARRET GALLERY
(PERFORMING ARTS CENTER)

MAIN CAMPUS
(DEPARTMENT OF ART)

CENTER FOR MEDIA
& DESIGN

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1602 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA

TEN GALLERIES AT BERGAMOT
STATION:

BUILDING BRIDGES

BG GALLERY

CRAIG KRULL GALLERY

GALERIE XII

LOIS LAMBERT GALLERY

MARSHALL GALLERY

ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY

ROSEGALLERY

VON LINTEL GALLERY

WILLIAM TURNER GALLERY
PLUS

WRITERS BOOT CAMP
A hub for the Getty’s PST “Art & Science Collide” and
for DNA, Bergamot will be a central part of
Bergamot’s 30th Anniversary celebration

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1603 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA Both its Airport as well as Olympic locations

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1604 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival)

A RARE AND INNOVATIVE COMBINATION, BREAKING

THROUGH BOUNDARIES, BRINGING TOGETHER ART

EXHIBITIONS, SCREENINGS, PERFORMANCES, THAT IS
PART FESTIVAL, PART ART FAIR AND PART CONFERENCE.

HOME GROWN AND UNIQUELY SANTA MONICAN
Supported through the volunteer efforts of Arts Commissioners, Gallerists, Educators, Curators, Technologists, Scientists, Community Members, Educators, Arts Administrators, and of course, Artists.

Partial support through Cultural Affair’s Art of Recovery Micro Grants Program, ACM SIGGRAPH, Epson, and PerroniUSA DNA

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1605 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival)

EXPERIMENTS IN TELEPRESENCE
& SANTA MONICA’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD
DNA Santa Monica’s Unique Contributions to Art & Digital Tech History

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1606 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) DNA
THE FUTURE OF TELEPRESENCE:

COLLABORATION WITH U OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL SCHOOL’S
HOLOGRAPHIC THEATER. COMBINING ART & MEDICINE,

PRESENTING THE POSSIBILITY FOR SMC TO BE A WORLD

LEADER IN THIS EMERGING FIELD

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1607 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) NEXT YEAR & BEYOND?
DNA
“Everywhere in Between” (2015)
Bergamot Station

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1608 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) WWW.DNAFESTIVALSM.COM
DNA
LET US BUILD THE FUTURE OF THIS EXCITING ADDITION TO SANTA MONICA’S ALREADY RICH,

ROBUST AND DIVERSE CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM, AND PAVE THE WAY FOR BRANDING THE CITY

AS A RECOGNIZED WORLD CENTER, AND LEADER, IN THE DIGITAL ARTS & SCIENCES

THANK YOU

FESTIVAL SANTA MONICA

16.F.e
Packet Pg. 1609 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (6357 : Brock/Parra/de la Torre Item - DNA Festival) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.G
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Mayor Brock that the City Council allocate $5,000.00 from the Council Discretionary funds to the Elks Lodge of Santa Monica to cover costs associated with the rental of sound system, small stage, chairs, and related event expenses for the Memorial Day event the Elks Lodge and American Legion Post are hosting at Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica on May 27, 2024 and direct the City Manager to promote the event on the City’s social media platforms
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Discretionary Funds as of 4.4.24

16.G
Packet Pg. 1610
Council Discretionary Funds
As of 4-4 24
Sources (All Available Funds are start of FY 2023 24):

Amount
Unspent and uncommitted funds from prior year $ 29,769.72 FY 2023 24 New Appropriation 125,150.00
Reappropriation of unused travel funds to Council discretionary funds 9,762.00 Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 11A One time appropriation included in midyear budget staff report 50,000.00 Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 11B Total unspent funds and new appropriation 214,681.72 $
Uses (Programmed Discretionary Funds): Description Amount Programmed Date Santa Monica Pony League to repair scoreboard at Los Amigos Park $ Rollover programmed from prior yea (5,000.00) r Ocean Park Association for Annual 4th of July Parade (15,000.00) Budget Adoption FY 2023 24, 6/27/23 Business Improvement District (BID) Annual Support (29,000.00) Budget Adoption FY 2023 24, 6/27/23 Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) Car Show (7,000.00) Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16F Expenses to host delegation of municipal and business leaders from Sister City Mazatlan, Mexico (2,000.00) Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16G Westside Coalition for Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (9,000.00) Council meeting, 8/22/23, Item 16H Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to Germany for Samohi Symphony Orchestra (15,000.00) Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16C Provide financial assistance for travel expenses to San Francisco for Lincoln Middle School band, orchestra, and choir
(5,000.00)
Council meeting, 10/24/23, Item 16D
Provide funds for the Girl Central, Rockstar Kids, and Peace Camp community programs operated by Church in Ocean Park
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16B
Offset travel expenses for Samohi Co Ed Wrestling Team (5,000.00) Council meeting, 11/28/23, Item 16C Provide financial support to seniors aspiring to attend college in the form of application fees, scholarships, and other costs associated with the transition to college. (18,000.00) Council meeting, 1/23/24, Item 16F
Provide support to the Santa Monica High School Choir program to aid students in participating in performances in cathedrals across Spain, including Barcelona, Burgos, and Madrid. (20,000.00) Council meeting, 2/27/24, Item 16A
Provide additional funds to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) for programs and events that promote local businesses and build community
(15,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16F
Provide funds to Crow Comedy, Inc. to produce a LGBTQ+ storytelling class and showcase as part of Santa Monica Pride
(10,000.00) Council meeting, 3/19/24, Item 16H
Total Programmed (165,000.00) $
Unprogrammed Balance Available 49,681.72 $
4/4/2024

16.G.a
Packet Pg. 1611 Attachment: Discretionary Funds as of 4.4.24 (6358 : Brock Item - Memorial Day Event Elks Lodge) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.H
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Vice Mayor Negrete, Councilmember Davis, and Councilmember Parra that the City Council, as part of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, approve City Sponsorship of Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s “Take Action for Mental Health” event taking place on June 1, 2024 on the Santa Monica Pier by directing the City Manager to waive all City Fees for Purpose Driven Solutions, the event planning organization LACDMH has contracted with to produce the event and collect sponsorships. City Fees related to the “Take Action for Mental Health” event include, but are not limited to, the application, administrative, neighborhood notification, business license, parking, and zero waste plan fees associated with the use of the Pier in an amount up to $15,482.08 of waived fees
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Written Comments

16.H
Packet Pg. 1612
1 Xavier Mota
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White
Subject: 4/9/2024 Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H- Support

EXTERNAL
April 9, 2024
Re: Council Agenda Items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, 16H
Dear Mayor Brock, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers, I am writing in support of items 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16F, and 16H on this evening’s agenda and hope that you will unanimously support each of these items:
 16A- One of our most vital public resources is our public libraries and $10,000 will go a long way towards supporting community programming like the 10th anniversary celebration of the Pico Branch Library on June 29th, programming and after-hours support for the Main Library’s special Friday preview event for Yallwest, and the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th. (full disclosure- I serve on the Virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board and am so excited for the Arts & Literacy Festival on April 27th and the Pico Branch Library 10th Anniversary Celebration)  16B- Grad Nite is a formative moment for many graduating seniors and everyone should have the opportunity to participate regardless of their (or their family’s) ability to pay for attendance. I support using part of the Council’s discretionary budget to help provide a safe, fun, and inclusive experience for all Santa Monica High School graduating seniors.
 16C- We absolutely need to engage Santa Monica youth in local government and I am grateful to Mayor Brock and Vice Mayor Negrete for bringing this item forward. We know that children are the future and as they are the future, young Santa Monicans should have a hand in shaping that future. I look forward to hearing more about best practices and recommendations to get younger folks more engaged in Santa Monica when the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk return to the Council with recommendations.
 16D- The Public Policy Institute at SMC, in partnership with SMMUSD and with the City’s support, has put on incredible symposiums in the past and with the Council’s support, can continue to build on that track record with an informative and engaging 2024 Public Policy Symposium. I appreciate that Councilmembers Davis, Torosis, and Zwick proposed this item and hope its approval will be unanimous.
 16F- I believe that art is a key aspect of the human experience and vital to the wellbeing of Santa Monicans. Digital Art is a newer and fascinating space that people should have the access to explore and enjoy. I support using Council discretionary funds to support the inaugural Santa Monica Digital New Arts Festival. Thank you to Mayor Brock and Councilmembers de la Torre and Parra for placing this item on the agenda.

16.H.a
Packet Pg. 1613 Attachment: Written Comments (6359 : Negrete/Davis/Parra Item - Waive Fees Mental Health Day Event) 2  16H- Mental Health is part of our overall health and wellbeing and I am glad that the importance of mental health is now more openly discussed. We need to continue to destigmatize seeking help for mental health and help provide connections to existing mental health resources. Supporting the “Take Action for Mental Health” event is a wonderful way to help normalize and destigmatize mental health.

Thank you for supporting these great causes and initiatives! Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]

16.H.a
Packet Pg. 1614 Attachment: Written Comments (6359 : Negrete/Davis/Parra Item - Waive Fees Mental Health Day Event) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024
Agenda Item: 16.I
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Request of Mayor Brock, Vice Mayor Negrete, and Councilmember Parra that the City Council adopt the attached resolution objecting to the County of Los Angeles’ Implementation of the Clean Needle Distribution Program in the City of Santa Monica
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Interim City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:

A. Resolution re Needle Program
B. Written Comments

16.I
Packet Pg. 1615
1 City Council Meeting: April 9, 2024 Santa Monica, California RESOLUTION NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA OBJECTING TO THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES’ IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

CLEAN NEEDLE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA WHEREAS, at the March 19, 2024, meeting, Council directed the City Manager and City Attorney to prepare and return for Council approval within 30 days a resolution expressing the City’s disapproval of Los Angeles County’s implementation of the “Harm Reduction Services” program, or clean needle distribution program, in the City of Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, the Council supports harm reduction services as an option to connect individuals who are not readily accessing healthcare, behavioral health, and substance abuse services; and
WHEREAS, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration harm reduction services can:
• Connect individuals to overdose education, counseling, and referral to treatment for infectious diseases and substance use disorders. • Distribute opioid overdose reversal medications (e.g., naloxone) to individuals at risk of overdose, or to those who are likely to respond to an overdose.
• Lessen harms associated with drug use and related behaviors that increase the risk of infectious diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, and bacterial and fungal infections.

16.I.a
Packet Pg. 1616 Attachment: Resolution re Needle Program (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 2 • Reduce infectious disease transmission among people who use drugs (including those who inject drugs) by equipping them with sterile supplies, accurate information and facilitating referrals to resources. • Reduce overdose deaths, promote linkages to care, facilitate co-location of services as part of a comprehensive, integrated approach. • Reduce stigma associated with substance use and co-occurring disorders. • Promote a philosophy of hope and healing ― by employing people with living and lived experience in leadership and in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of services. People with lived experience can also model for their peers what meaningful change can look like in their lives.
• Build community and increase protective factors ― for people who use drugs and their families.

WHEREAS, the Council understands that under the auspices of Los Angeles County, the Venice Family Clinic provides a range of harm reduction services in Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, the Council desires for Los Angeles County in implementing hard reduction services in Santa Monica to consider the impacts of providing these services in City parks and near schools and implement alternative approaches; and WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code Section 121349.2, states “[l]ocal government, local health officials, and law enforcement shall be given the opportunity to comment on clean needle and exchange programs on a biennial basis. The public shall

16.I.a
Packet Pg. 1617 Attachment: Resolution re Needle Program (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 3 be given the opportunity to provide input to local leaders to ensure that any potential adverse impacts on the public welfare of clean needle and exchange programs are addressed and mitigated” (emphasis added); and
WHEREAS, in Grant Park Neighborhood Association v. Department of Public Health et al., the California State Court of Appeal for the Third Appellate District issued an opinion holding that the Department of Public Health (DPH) failed to follow statutory procedures to allow local officials and communities to provide input before the DPH issued a permit to operate a privately run Clean Needle Program in Santa Cruz County.

The essence of the holding is that local communities must be consulted prior to implementation of the program. However, that consultation is meaningless if the Department then ignores the input from local officials and the community; and WHEREAS, the Council finds it necessary to clarify that it does not object to the County providing harm reduction services in Santa Monica, but rather the Council objects to one aspect of harm reduction services that is the provision of clean syringes in or near City parks and schools; and
WHEREAS, the Council is affirming its request that the provision of clean syringes must be indoors at more suitable locations; and
WHEREAS, the record should reflect that the City Council, not the City Manager, City Attorney, nor any other City officials or staff determines official City policy on matters such as this.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. The City of Santa Monica supports harm reduction as an important tool to connect individuals to healthcare, behavioral health, and substance abuse

16.I.a
Packet Pg. 1618 Attachment: Resolution re Needle Program (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 4 resources but objects to the County of Los Angeles Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Bureau’s (County) distribution of clean needles and other drug paraphernalia in parks or near schools.

SECTION 2. The City strongly demands that the County relocate the distribution of clean needles and other drug paraphernalia indoors, away from City parks and schools and that the program should require a one for one exchange of clean for used needles.

SECTION 3. This resolution shall be transmitted to County officials.

SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.

APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
Doug Sloan, City Attorney

16.I.a
Packet Pg. 1619 Attachment: Resolution re Needle Program (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: John Alle <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:09 AM
To: Arthur Jeon
Cc: Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock; David White; Douglas Sloan; City of Santa Monica; Clerk Mailbox; Jeanette Gant; Micah Akerson; Erika Aklufi; Danielle Noble; Ramon Batista; andrew gomez; Roberto Lucio; Thomas McLaughlin; Jose Rodriguez; Annette Farmer; Maryanne LaGuardia; Albin Gielicz; Alisha Brady; [email protected]; Arati Desai Wagabaza; Lori Brown; John Smith; John Alle; Evan Meyer; [email protected]; Luke Cain; Peter Bosen; T GROSSMAN; Elaine Golden-Gealer; Eric Sedman; Michele Aronson; Aisling Winders; Julia Ladd; Peter TRINH; [email protected]; Anuj Gupta; [email protected]; dominic gomez; Jenna Grigsby; Attorney Mailbox; Shawn R. Kehoe; Andrew Thomas; SMDP Editor; Susan Cline; [email protected]; Michele A Wittig; [email protected]; Attorney Mailbox; Joe; Jenny Rush; Stan Epstein; [email protected]; Gary Tsai; Tricia Crane; [email protected]; Turbella; Phil Brock; Lauren Howland; [email protected]; Matthew Hall; Richard Drapkin; [email protected]; Planning Commission Comments; Dawn Fairchild; [email protected]; councilmtgitems; MK; Dan Charn.

Subject: Even worse.....

EXTERNAL
Dear Arthur,
In last Friday's meeting in Van Nuys Barbara Ferrer and Gary Tsai (the panel) said no more than 40% of needles get returned, not 60%. And they don’t track that data so I don’t even believe it. It's all based on models. And why would any addict hold on to a needle for an entire week? And there is no way that employees from the County, Venice Family Clinic or the City can walk hundreds of acres that make up Reed, Palisades and Tongva Parks to find needles in the grass, flower beds and against fencing, buildings and monuments.

The record shows that City employees have been hurt by unintentionally coming across the used sharp needles, and others transferred when they dared to raise concerns to City Management.

The lawsuit proceeds. The Venice Family Clinic and our two former mayors, former City Manager and current City Manager David White, will also be held accountable for keeping the program hidden from the public for two years. Our City Council and current Mayor, despite numerous requests, never followed up and personally met with Barbara Ferrer and Dr, Gary Tsai. From September 2022 to February 2024, no follow-up action was taken by Council to raise the issue in Council as a 16 item...until a residents and business group, The Santa Monica Coalition, filed the lawsuit. Our current Mayor told me personally he was unaware that Dr. Gary Tsai's office was in the LA County Health Department's Alhambra office.

Residents and businesses had to actually do an 'end-around' their own city leaders and file a lawsuit. Unheard of. The City Council and current and former Mayor also sat by quietly as Santa Monica City Manager David White signed and published a Joint Proclamation with the LA County Health Department on June 7, 2023, endorsing the Needle Distribution Program on behalf of the City.

In the meantime, Santa Monica City employees were hurt by discarded needles while working in the Parks. So much so that they were placed on temporary disability. We have a crisis on our hands in the parks made worse by needles being distributed and randomly discarded in the Parks. The video and audio recording of the LA County Health Department's Meeting should be available today, and will be important for you to see and listen to.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1620 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 2 Regards,
John Alle
--
John E. Alle

JOHN ALLE COMPANY
www.johnallecompany.com
www.thesantamonicacoalition.org
Cell: (310) 990-7124
Office: (626) 795-1511 (310) 319-1511
The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation to the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Kindly delete.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1621 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: John Alle <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 3, 2024 12:40 PM
To: Arthur Jeon
Cc: Tati Simonian; David White; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; [email protected]; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems Subject: Joint Statement
Attachments: needle distribution.pdf

EXTERNAL
Dear Arthur,
Great conversation yesterday, as always.

Per your request, attached is the Joint Statement from the LA County Department of Public Health and City of Santa Monica Regarding Harm Reduction Services.

This is an endorsement of the Open Air Needle Distribution component of "Harm Reduction" that 70% of residents who were polled disapprove of and that 22,000 letters have been sent so far in opposition.

The Needle Distribution started in 2019. Our City Managers and Mayors kept it covert until I discovered it firsthand with a reporter and later with a group of Moms. The "Joint Statement" was the first mention from our City of the program since the City Council issued a general letter in September 2022 to the LA County Board of Supervisors, reluctantly signed by then-Mayor Sue Himmelrich, asking the Board of Supervisors (not the LA County Health Department) to move the program out of our parks. Seventeen (17) months passed thereafter without our City Council discussing the Needle Distribution, addressing the growing number of transient addicts coming to our parks, and/or agreeing to discuss the growing problem and additional motions as a 16 Item to the Council Agenda.

Only the lawsuit filed by The Santa Monica Coalition prompted our Mayor and City Council to act.

City Manager David White and then-City Councilmember Phil Brock each told me that then-Mayor Gleam Davis urged and gave permission to City Manager David White to issue and publish the "Joint Statement ''. The question from many of the 5,000 members of The Santa Monica Coalition and residents was "who is the City, and who authorizes endorsements on behalf of the City? Is it the City Manager, City Council or City Staff? Incredibly, only our City Managers and past Mayors Kevin McKeown, Sue Himmelrich and Gleam Davis, seem to know and keep secret, that based on a 13-page document agreed to by the City of Santa Monica and the LA County Health Department still in effect from 1963, the County may not initiate any programs in Santa Monica without the City openly discussing and approving.

LA County Health Director Barbara Ferrer and her colleague Dr. Gary Tsai have refused to meet with our current mayor Phil Brock. Brock told me he was not even aware Gary Tsai's office was in Alhambra. in the recent Harm Reduction Meeting I and others attended with Barbara Ferrer and Dr. Gary Tsai, I was able to get Ferrer and Tsai to finally agree to take our current Mayor Phil Brock's phone call to discuss the growing problem.

The Joint Statement is a 'puff piece'.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1622 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 2 1) The program is not restricted to curbside. County employees hand out needles in the park. (I and others know this first-hand because we were offered needles and the package by County employees while sitting down in the park covered in blankets.)
2) LA County and Venice Family Clinic employees do not collect needles. They are found in all areas of the parks' hundreds of acres. And why would an addict even consciously remember to hold on to a needle week-to-week to exchange the next time?
3) No data is collected except the recipient's initials. No questions asked about when the recipient last shot up. There is no follow-up. And it's dangerous for employees to close the door of their van and interact one-on-one. Residents and tourists have been brutally attacked by homeless addicts laying on a bench or ground. 4) Contrary to the document City Manager David White published, there are no containers anywhere in or near the parks. We have DTSM Park Ambassadors and City Employees on audio stating such.

Santa Monica's City Manager and City Council Members do not discuss Public Records that show City Park employees have been injured and placed on disability as a result of encountering used sharp needles in the grass and flower beds of our parks. At least one City Parks employee was stabbed and others who have voiced concerns about what they have seen have been retaliated against and re-assigned other jobs.

After last Friday's Harm Reduction Meeting, Members of The Santa Monica Coalition spoke to employees in charge of the program and non-profits who administer the Needle Distribution. The program budget is scheduled to increase from $3 million to over $30 million this year, with some of the same non-profits our Santa Monica City Council grants money to, but remain unaccounted for by the non-profits during the last 2 years. https://smdp.com/2024/03/06/santa-monica-isbroke/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_campaign=Newspack%20Newsletter%20(107617) You are correct about how you described LA County Health Director Barbara Ferrer and her colleague, Dr. Gary Ferrer. "Stupid is as Stupid does". I would also describe and include Santa Monica's City Manager, three former Mayors and several current Council Members to that category.

The lawsuit filed by The Santa Monica Coalition is underway, with others to follow. https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c833Xat1uX0dNGaOaFJ7ItwQ John Alle
--
John E. Alle

JOHN ALLE COMPANY
www.johnallecompany.com
www.thesantamonicacoalition.org
Cell: (310) 990-7124
Office: (626) 795-1511 (310) 319-1511
The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation to the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Kindly delete.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1623 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1624
Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1625
Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1626
Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Arthur Jeon <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 3, 2024 2:04 PM
To: John E. Alle
Cc: Tati Simonian; David White; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; [email protected]; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems Subject: Re: Joint Statement
Attachments: needle distribution.pdf

EXTERNAL
Thanks for this, John. I will respond to a larger group.

On Apr 3, 2024, at 12:39 PM, John Alle <[email protected]> wrote:

Dear Arthur,
Great conversation yesterday, as always.

Per your request, attached is the Joint Statement from the LA County Department of Public Health and City of Santa Monica Regarding Harm Reduction Services.

This is an endorsement of the Open Air Needle Distribution component of "Harm Reduction" that 70% of residents who were polled disapprove of and that 22,000 letters have been sent so far in opposition.

The Needle Distribution started in 2019. Our City Managers and Mayors kept it covert until I discovered it firsthand with a reporter and later with a group of Moms. The "Joint Statement" was the first mention from our City of the program since the City Council issued a general letter in September 2022 to the LA County Board of Supervisors, reluctantly signed by then-Mayor Sue Himmelrich, asking the Board of Supervisors (not the LA County Health Department) to move the program out of our parks. Seventeen (17) months passed thereafter without our City Council discussing the Needle Distribution, addressing the growing number of transient addicts coming to our parks, and/or agreeing to discuss the growing problem and additional motions as a 16 Item to the Council Agenda.

Only the lawsuit filed by The Santa Monica Coalition prompted our Mayor and City Council to act.

City Manager David White and then-City Councilmember Phil Brock each told me that then-Mayor Gleam Davis urged and gave permission to City Manager David White to issue and publish the "Joint Statement ''. The question from many of the 5,000 members of The Santa Monica Coalition and residents was "who is the City, and who authorizes endorsements on behalf of the City? Is it the City Manager, City Council or City Staff?
Incredibly, only our City Managers and past Mayors Kevin McKeown, Sue Himmelrich and Gleam Davis, seem to know and keep secret, that based on a 13-page document agreed to by the City of Santa Monica and the LA County Health Department still in effect from 1963, the County may not initiate any programs in Santa Monica without the City openly discussing and approving.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1627 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 2 LA County Health Director Barbara Ferrer and her colleague Dr. Gary Tsai have refused to meet with our current mayor Phil Brock. Brock told me he was not even aware Gary Tsai's office was in Alhambra. in the recent Harm Reduction Meeting I and others attended with Barbara Ferrer and Dr. Gary Tsai, I was able to get Ferrer and Tsai to finally agree to take our current Mayor Phil Brock's phone call to discuss the growing problem.

The Joint Statement is a 'puff piece'.
1) The program is not restricted to curbside. County employees hand out needles in the park. (I and others know this first-hand because we were offered needles and the package by County employees while sitting down in the park covered in blankets.)
2) LA County and Venice Family Clinic employees do not collect needles. They are found in all areas of the parks' hundreds of acres. And why would an addict even consciously remember to hold on to a needle week-to-week to exchange the next time?
3) No data is collected except the recipient's initials. No questions asked about when the recipient last shot up. There is no follow-up. And it's dangerous for employees to close the door of their van and interact one-on-one. Residents and tourists have been brutally attacked by homeless addicts laying on a bench or ground.
4) Contrary to the document City Manager David White published, there are no containers anywhere in or near the parks. We have DTSM Park Ambassadors and City Employees on audio stating such.

Santa Monica's City Manager and City Council Members do not discuss Public Records that show City Park employees have been injured and placed on disability as a result of encountering used sharp needles in the grass and flower beds of our parks. At least one City Parks employee was stabbed and others who have voiced concerns about what they have seen have been retaliated against and re-assigned other jobs.

After last Friday's Harm Reduction Meeting, Members of The Santa Monica Coalition spoke to employees in charge of the program and non-profits who administer the Needle Distribution. The program budget is scheduled to increase from $3 million to over $30 million this year, with some of the same non-profits our Santa Monica City Council grants money to, but remain unaccounted for by the non-profits during the last 2 years.
https://smdp.com/2024/03/06/santa-monica-isbroke/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_campaign=Newspack%20Newsletter% 20(107617)
You are correct about how you described LA County Health Director Barbara Ferrer and her colleague, Dr. Gary Ferrer. "Stupid is as Stupid does". I would also describe and include Santa Monica's City Manager, three former Mayors and several current Council Members to that category.

The lawsuit filed by The Santa Monica Coalition is underway, with others to follow. https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c833Xat1uX0dNGaOaFJ7ItwQ John Alle
--
John E. Alle

JOHN ALLE COMPANY
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1628 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 3 www.johnallecompany.com
www.thesantamonicacoalition.org
Cell: (310) 990-7124
Office: (626) 795-1511 (310) 319-1511
The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation to the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Kindly delete.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1629 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Caro Vilain <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 8, 2024 7:10 PM
To: Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Christine Parra
Subject: I oppose item 16I

EXTERNAL
Dear council,
I strongly oppose item 16I.

This program has already proven to save lives, and a generous amount of scienƟfic data was already provided to you, notably by council member Davis, to illustrate the posiƟve effects of needle exchange programs, and 4 of you chose to ignore it, so I won’t bother with facts.

I’ll just share my opinion as a resident, which is that I’m ashamed of these 4 council members. Like many people, I moved to Santa Monica because it is known for being a progressive city, and a leader on many issues. And yet, we now have a council majority that choses to go the opposite direcƟon and ignore the data.

I don’t frequent Reed park daily, but I frequent it semi-regularly and I ride my bike right along the park several Ɵmes per week, and I can tell you that if the safety of children at Saint Monica’s TRULY was a concern of yours, you’d be taking a closer look at the ridiculous amount of traffic violaƟons commiƩed by drivers around the park and school every single day around pickup and drop off, but I guess that doesn’t fit your agenda.

Instead, you’re ignoring that, and opposing a program designed to help the people that it came to find at Reed park.

The fact that you didn’t understand how the program works, why it takes place where it does, and why it’s beneficial is one thing. The fact that you conƟnue to oppose it aŌer all of these facts have been presented to you is… embarrassing.

I oppose item 16i, and so should you.

Caro Vilain, 90404
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1630 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Jason Mastbaum <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 10:54 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis
Subject: 4/19/2024 16i

EXTERNAL
I know the Feels Not Reals Slate refuses to listen that anything that disagrees with what they've heard on Fox News or from our local resident Trump-loving lunatic John Alle, but once again, the fact of the matter is that the needle program is in Reed Park because that's where the drugs users are, the needle program is not why the drug users are in Reed Park.

If you move the program inside then you're simply going to make matters worse because the program will no longer be where the drug users are--and as Councilmember Davis pointed out at the last council meeting, NOBODY IS GOING TO WANT THE PROGRAM IN THEIR BUILDING.

Shame on every single councilmember who's trying to make sure that Reed Park is full of dirty needles.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1631 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: John Alle <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 11:07 AM
To: Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Gleam Davis; Caroline Torosis; [email protected]; Douglas Sloan; David White; Clerk Mailbox Subject: Proposed Council RESOLUTION Objecting to the Implementation of the Clean Needle Distribution in Santa Monica
Attachments: Snapshot-45047 (5) (1).pdf

EXTERNAL
I have reviewed the proposed Resolution referenced above and attached below (16 I Item) and have the following items I would like added - -
1) Statement that no informal or formal agreement be negotiated or concluded without City Council approval during Public Session
(This would preclude the City Manager from negotiating with County Health professionals by verbal or written agreement on any new programs requested by the County Health Department) 2) Restrict the City Manager from amending or revising, or revoking the current Health Services AGREEMENT 1514CCS FILE No. 65, signed on July 5, 1963, for any of short or long term, without knowledge and approval of the City Council and notice to the Public.
3) Mandate that any meeting regarding this Needle and Pipe Distribution Program, heretofore discussed between the County Health Department's Dr. Gary Tsai and the Santa Monica City Manager, include the current Mayor and a minimum of one Councilmember.
4) Require periodic follow-up by the City Attorney, or City Manager and Mayor, with the LA County Health Department, specifically Dr. Gary Tsai. to determine if the County Health Department is adhering to the Resolution. Periodic followup shall be no less than every 45 days. 5) Require monthly meetings to discuss the implementation of the County Harm Reduction Program among the Mayor, City Manager, Police Chief and Fire Chief.
6) Require public notice on the City's website on a weekly basis of the County's Harm Reduction Program in Santa Monica, including the days and hours of service in each designated location within the City of Santa Monica.

Respectfully,
John Alle
John E. Alle

JOHN ALLE COMPANY
www.johnallecompany.com
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1632 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 2 www.thesantamonicacoalition.org
Cell: (310) 990-7124
Office: (626) 795-1511 (310) 319-1511
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1633 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Arthur Jeon <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 11:52 AM
To: John E. Alle
Cc: Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Gleam Davis; Caroline Torosis; [email protected]; Douglas Sloan; David White; Clerk Mailbox; David White; City of Santa Monica; Jeanette Gant; Micah Akerson; Erika Aklufi; Danielle Noble; Ramon Batista; [email protected]; Roberto Lucio; Thomas McLaughlin; Jose Rodriguez; Annette Farmer; Maryanne LaGuardia; Albin Gielicz; Alisha Brady; [email protected]; Arati Desai Wagabaza; Lori Brown; John Smith; John Alle; Evan Meyer; [email protected]; Luke Cain; Peter Bosen; [email protected]; Elaine Golden-Gealer; Eric Sedman; Michele Aronson; Aisling Winders; Julia Ladd; Peter TRINH; [email protected]; Anuj Gupta; [email protected]; dominic gomez; Jenna Grigsby; Attorney Mailbox; Shawn R. Kehoe; Andrew Thomas; SMDP Editor; Susan Cline; [email protected]; Michele A Wittig; [email protected]; Attorney Mailbox; Joe; Jenny Rush; Stan Epstein; [email protected]; [email protected]; Tricia Crane; [email protected]; Turbella; Phil Brock; Lauren Howland; [email protected]; Matthew Hall; Richard Drapkin; [email protected]; Planning Commission Comments; Dawn Fairchild; [email protected]; Mouse@hiroller.com; Dan Charn.; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Re: Proposed Council RESOLUTION Objecting to the Implementation of the Clean Needle Distribution in Santa Monica
Attachments: Snapshot-45047 (5) (1).pdf

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
Thank you, John. I would like to add this article about the Kensington District of Philadelphia, the apex of bad policy thrust upon, in this case, a minority community that doesn’t want it. Smart people are revisiting this policy nationwide because it’s destroying neighborhoods. Please read it.

To me, “Harm reduction” is a bankrupt idea that doesn’t take into account the reality of the drugs on the streets NOW.

Or the reality that I see every day. The velocity of the human disintegration is startling. It also doesn’t take into consideration the residents who have had their Commons given away. If you Council Members up for reelection think residents won’t vote on this issue alone, you are in a fantasy world. What else affects us more than unstable addicts in our parks and carports (I’ve got two addicts living in the alley behind my block alone)? Ask yourself, what harm is being reduced for anybody here?
Meanwhile, this is from yesterday at 5:30 pm at Reed Park—addicts and dealers gathering to get their nightly fix at 5:30 pm. What a disgrace and failure. Across the nation policymakers and citizens have had enough. Have you? Arthur Jeon
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1634 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 2 On Apr 9, 2024, at 11:06 AM, John Alle <[email protected]> wrote:

I have reviewed the proposed Resolution referenced above and attached below (16 I Item) and have the following items I would like added - -
1) Statement that no informal or formal agreement be negotiated or concluded without City Council approval during Public Session
(This would preclude the City Manager from negotiating with County Health professionals by verbal or written agreement on any new programs requested by the County Health Department) 2) Restrict the City Manager from amending or revising, or revoking the current Health Services AGREEMENT 1514CCS FILE No. 65, signed on July 5, 1963, for any of short or long term, without knowledge and approval of the City Council and notice to the Public.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1635 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 3 3) Mandate that any meeting regarding this Needle and Pipe Distribution Program, heretofore discussed between the County Health Department's Dr. Gary Tsai and the Santa Monica City Manager, include the current Mayor and a minimum of one Councilmember. 4) Require periodic follow-up by the City Attorney, or City Manager and Mayor, with the LA County Health Department, specifically Dr. Gary Tsai. to determine if the County Health Department is adhering to the Resolution. Periodic follow-up shall be no less than every 45 days. 5) Require monthly meetings to discuss the implementation of the County Harm Reduction Program among the Mayor, City Manager, Police Chief and Fire Chief. 6) Require public notice on the City's website on a weekly basis of the County's Harm Reduction Program in Santa Monica, including the days and hours of service in each designated location within the City of Santa Monica.

Respectfully,
John Alle
John E. Alle

JOHN ALLE COMPANY
www.johnallecompany.com
www.thesantamonicacoalition.org
Cell: (310) 990-7124
Office: (626) 795-1511 (310) 319-1511
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1636 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) From: Steven Johnson
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 16.i. -- Resolution on Needle Distribution in Santa Monica Parks Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:01:25 PM
Attachments: image001.png
Esteemed Councilmembers,
Thank you for Council's March 19 robust discussion around the County Health Department's Harm Reduction and Needle Distribution program currently taking place in three of our Santa Monica public parks.

In our following Recreation & Parks Commission meeting on Thursday, March 21, we reviewed the Council discussion and voted unaminously to reaffirm our Commission objective of ending needle distribution at Reed, Tongva and Palisades Park.

We highlighted in particular that Reed Park is an especially sensitive location due to its proximity to a K-12 school and a senior living facility; and within the park, there is also a children's playground and community meeting spaces where recovery groups host regular meetings (all within view of regular, open-air drug use).

Since Dr. Gary Tsai came in-person and gave a presentation to the Recreation & Parks Commission on February 15, the County has yet to share details of whether any other community in Los Angeles County has this "mobile" program in their public parks. When directly asked, Dr. Tsai vaguely noted MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, but could cite no others, further offering no examples of regular needle distribution close to other "sensitive" locations, such as schools and libraries.

Made to feel singled out as we are, the Santa Monica community has continued to voice its opposition to the distribution of needles and other paraphrenalia in our parks.

A County Health Department public forum, held on the Friday of Easter weekend in Van Nuys, was announced on very short notice (posted on Twitter on the 26th for a meeting held on the 29th), but was nevertheless attended by members of the Santa Monica community who were articulate in their objections and questions about the program. Video from the meeting has still not been released.

The resolution before you tonight in Item 16.I. reads as a compromise in wording from the debate on March 19. In the past, Council has been united in its opposition to needles in the parks, though not opposed to other harm reduction services.

Please consider approving a resolution tonight that reflects the Santa Monica community's opposition to needle distribution in our parks, and work with County officials to bring these supportive services indoors and away from sensitive locations.

Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1637 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) Thank you.

Steven Johnson
Chair, Recreation & Parks Commission
Cc: Recreation & Parks Commissioners, Jenny Rogers, Chief Bautista, David White Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1638 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 1 Xavier Mota
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 12:30 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; David White; [email protected]
Subject: 4/9/2024 Council Agenda Item 16I- Oppose

EXTERNAL
April 9, 2024
Re: Agenda Item 16I
Dear Mayor Brock, Vice Mayor Negrete, and City Councilmembers, As I shared in my letter to the Council when this item came before you on March 19th as item 16J, I am disappointed by this misguided attempt to eliminate or restrict the harm reduction services provided by the County’s syringe exchange program.

I urge you to reject the resolution for item 16I.

I have included my comments from the March 19th item for your reference (without attachments):
“I urge the Council to reject the proposed action in Item 16J as the program does not “encourage continued use of illegal and dangerous drugs” and in fact, it actually saves lives by not only reducing potential transmission of dangerous blood-transmitted diseases such as hepatitis, HIV, or bacterial infections but also by connecting people who use (illegal) drugs to treatment programs for drug use disorders. According to the CDC, people who participate in syringe services programs or syringe exchange programs are 5 times more likely to enter treatment for drug use disorders (see:
https://www.cdc.gov/ssp/syringe-services-programs-faq.html) Syringe exchange programs have been shown to not only improve health outcomes for people who use drugs, but also provide a safer pathway for drug users to enter treatment, and reduce healthcare costs for municipalities by limiting disease transmission. These programs do not cause more needles in public places (because they provide a place for people to safely dispose of used syringes), and they do not lead to increases in crime or drug use. You don’t have to take my word for it- I have attached a factsheet and FAQs from the CDC on Syringe Exchange programs for your convenience and reference. (the factsheet and FAQs are also available on the CDC website here:
https://www.cdc.gov/ssp/docs/SSP-FactSheet.pdf and https://www.cdc.gov/ssp/docs/SSP-FAQs.pdf ) Restricting access to such programs would cause real harm to the people who use them and our community as a whole.

Please vote no on item 16J and reject the false narrative that proven harm reduction methods like syringe exchange programs hurt our community.”
If there are alternatives we would like to explore other ways to address these issues such as perhaps developing “safe use sites” or working with our county partners to better understand the strategies behind the locations used, or providing more public safe sharps disposal resources, let’s do that. But let’s not unilaterally seek to reject a program that has literally saved hundreds of lives (in Santa Monica) by preventing overdoses, Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1639 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution) 2 limiting the spread of blood-borne diseases that are transmitted by reusing syringes, and connecting people suffering from drug use disorders with recovery & treatment services.

Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
[email protected]
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024
Item 16.I.

April 9, 2024

16.I.b
Packet Pg. 1640 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (6360 : Brock/Negrete/Parra Item - Clean Needle Distribution)