RESOLUTION NUMBER: 6533-2023
CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL AUTHORIZING A JOINT APPLICAIOTN WITH ST VINCENT DE PAUL FOR A PROJECT HOMEKEY GRANT APPLICATION FOR 845 GRAVENSTEIN HIGHWAY NORTH AND FINDING THE PROJECT EXEMPT UNDER CEQA SECTION 15332, CLASS 32 WHEREAS, the City of Sebastopol completed a comprehensive General Plan update with adoption of a new General Plan on November 15, 2016, and adopted an Updated Housing Element on January 3, 2023; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA, codified at Public Resources Code § 21000 et seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines (14 CCR, § 15000 et seq.), on November 15, 2016, the City Council certified and adopted an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Sebastopol General Plan (the “Project”; State Clearinghouse No. 2016032001); and
WHEREAS, The Department of Housing and Community Development (“Department”) has issued a Notice of Funding Availability, dated September 9, 2021 (“NOFA”), for the Homekey Program (“Homekey” or “Program”). The Department has issued the NOFA for Homekey grant funds pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 50675.1.3 (Assem. Bill No. 140 (2021-2022 Reg. Sess.), § 20.).; And, WHEREAS, the City of Sebastopol, a Municipal Corporation desires to jointly apply for Homekey grant funds with with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul District Council of Sonoma, Incorporated (“Corporation”). Therefore, Co-Applicant is joining Corporation in the submittal of an application for Homekey funds (“Application”) to the Department for review and consideration.; And, WHEREAS, The Department is authorized to administer Homekey pursuant to the Multifamily Housing Program (Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 50675) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code). Homekey funding allocations are subject to the terms and conditions of the NOFA, the Application, the Department-approved STD 213, Standard Agreement (“Standard Agreement”), and all other legal requirements of the Homekey Program.; And,
WHEREAS, St Vincent de Paul District Council of Sonoma County, Incorporated, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, has approached the City of Sebastopol with a request to jointly apply for State of California housing and Community Development Grant funding under the Project Homekey, Round 3 grant program; and,
WHEREAS, St Vincent de Paul proposes to apply for Project Homekey Round 3 funding to construct twenty-two (22) to construct twenty-two units of extremely low-income housing at 845 Gravenstein Highway; and
WHEREAS, St Vincent de Paul will be responsible for the construction and operation of the Project, including all costs associated with City staff assistance, the physical development and on-going operations; and
WHEREAS, this grant program requires a Public Entity to be an applicant jointly with a non-profit organization to be eligible for the funding; and
WHEREAS, the Project is also consistent with the CG: General Commercial District and applicable development standards of the Zoning Ordinance, in that permanent affordable housing is permitted in the CG: General Commercial District, and will comply with the applicable development standards.; And, WHEREAS, the Project is consistent with the General Plan Land Use designation of the General Commercial in that it involves construction of affordable housing adjacent to other residential uses. The Project is
further consistent with the following General Plan Goals, Policies and Actions:
Policy A-3 Encourage a variety of housing types such as multi-family units, mixed use housing, ADU and JADUs, single-family attached (townhouses), and other typologies that make housing more affordable.
Policy A-4 Promote the development of new housing units affordable to extremely low, very low-, low-, and moderate-income households and housing units that are affordable to and appropriate for special needs households, including seniors, extremely low-income households, disabled persons, developmentally disabled persons, farmworkers, large families, and persons experiencing homelessness.
Policy D-1 To ensure all residents have access to adequate housing, the City will work to promote and affirmatively further fair housing opportunities throughout the community for all persons regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, ethnic background, disability, medical condition, or characteristics protected by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and any other State and Federal fair housing and planning law.
Policy D-2 The City will encourage long-term and permanent affordability of lower and moderate-income and special needs housing.
Policy D-3 The City will continue to educate the community about fair and affordable housing.
Policy D-4 The City will continue efforts to improve housing opportunities for special needs households, including seniors, disabled persons, developmentally disabled persons, extremely low-income households, farmworkers, large families, and persons experiencing homelessness.; And,
WHEREAS, the Proposed Project to construct affordable housing at 845 Gravenstein Highway North is consistent with the following City Council Goals:
Goal 5: Provide Open and Responsive Municipal Government Leadership
5.3.3. Encourage and increase public awareness of City Policies, decisions, programs and all public processes and meetings, by investigating effective methods of communication and obtaining feedback from the community.; And,
WHEREAS, the construction of 22 units of permanent affordable housing at 845 Gravenstein Highway North is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, pursuant to Section 15332, Class 32, in that it is complies with the General Plan land use designation of General Commercial and the applicable goals and policies of the Land Use Element and Community Identity Element, as contained in this staff report and the proposed Resolution.
The project is also consistent with the CG: General Commercial District and applicable development standards of the Zoning Ordinance, in that permanent affordable housing is permitted in the CG: General Commercial District. Furthermore, the lot is substantially less than five (5) acres; located within City limits; generally surrounded by urban uses; and does not have any identified endangered or rare species.
Finally, the site is in an urbanized area, which can be served by required utilities and public services, and the project would not result in significant traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality impacts in that it only involves one modest-sized building, and both traffic and air quality studies determined that the project would not create any significant impacts; utility service can be readily provided; and the project is subject to standard requirements to protect water quality.
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public meeting to consider the item on May 16, 2023, and heard public comment; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Sebastopol City Council hereby adopts a Resolution that:
1. Co-Applicant is hereby authorized and directed to submit a joint Application to the Department in response to the NOFA, and to jointly apply for Homekey grant funds in a total amount not to exceed $15 million.
2. If the Application is approved, Co-Applicant is hereby authorized and directed to enter into, execute, and deliver a Standard Agreement in a total amount not to exceed $22 million, any and all other documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to secure the Homekey funds from the Department and to participate in the Homekey Program, and all amendments thereto (collectively, the “Homekey Documents”).
3. Co-Applicant acknowledges and agrees that it shall be subject to the terms and conditions specified in the Standard Agreement, and that the NOFA and Application will be incorporated in the Standard Agreement by reference and made a part thereof. Any and all activities, expenditures, information, and timelines represented in the Application are enforceable through the Standard Agreement. Funds are to be used for the allowable expenditures and activities identified in the Standard Agreement.
4. The City Manager of the City of Sebastopol is hereby authorized to execute any documents related to Project Homekey Documents on behalf of Co-Applicant for participation in the Homekey Program, and his designee, the Planning Director of the City of Sebastopol, is hereby authorized to submit, individually, grant Application documents.
The above and foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted at a meeting by the City Council on the 16th day of May, 2023.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City of Sebastopol City Council by the following vote:
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Maurer, Zollman, Vice Mayor Rich and Mayor Hinton Noes: Councilmember McLewis
Absent: None
Abstain: None
ATTEST: ______________________________
Mary Gourley, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, MMC
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Larry McLaughlin, City Attorney