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Agenda Item 26.

City Council Meeting

Meeting Date:	06/16/2020
FROM:	Bill Gallardo

Subject:

Consideration and Adoption of Resolution Approving Submittal of Grant Application and Receipt of Local Government Planning Support Grant Program Funds

RECOMMENDATION

1. Adopt the resolution approving the submittal and receipt of a grant application in an amount up to $150,000 in funding under the Local government Planning Support Program Funds, also referred to as the Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Grant Program;

2. Authorize the City Manager to apply for and execute the Standard Agreement and all necessary contracts, payment requests, and amendments for the purposes of securing the grant funds with the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD);

3. Authorize the City Manager to execute subsequent Professional Services Agreements with consultant(s) to carry out the programs approved from this grant in an aggregate amount not-to-exceed $150,000; and

4. Amend the Community Development Department’s revenue and expenditure budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 by the amount awarded in the next quarterly budget adjustments.

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION

In the 2019-20 Budget Act, California Governor Gavin Newsom allocated $250 million for all regions, cities, and counties to support activities that meet state housing planning requirements and the state’s identified housing needs, including accelerating housing production. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has established the Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Grant Program to make $119 million of the funding allocated by the Governor available to cities and counties as grants which can be used to update housing elements and other housing policy and planning documents, and can be used to fund planning exercises that would bring the city into compliance with the sixth cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).

LEAP grants are non-competitive and awarded based on available funding. The City of Brea is eligible for up to $150,000 in grant funds. Applications must be submitted by July 1, 2020. All activities must be completed and paid for by the City, and then submitted to the State for reimbursement by December 31, 2023.

Similar to the SB-2 Planning Grant Program, which the City of Brea was awarded in 2020, LEAP provides support to jurisdictions to engage in planning activities that would facilitate the acceleration of housing production. LEAP may be utilized in a variety of housing-related planning activities, including preparations for the sixth cycle of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).

Under this grant program, local governments are provided an eligibility allowance based on community population. The maximum grant amount for a jurisdiction of Brea’s size (for localities with a population under 60,000) is $150,000. Staff is preparing a grant application for submittal to HCD before the July 1, 2020 deadline, to fund a range of planning analyses, policy and program evaluation that will better inform discussions about housing production in the City of Brea.

Specific Brea projects will be further identified and Council will receive future updates regarding how the funding is proposed for use. It is likely the grant requests will be for several individual projects. The program guidelines require that the grant request be accompanied by an adopted City Council resolution, which endorses the request. The resolution would approve the submittal and receipt of a grant application for funding through the State of California, Department of Housing and Community Development, Local Government Planning Support Program Funds.

FISCAL IMPACT/SUMMARY

The grant request of $150,000 is the maximum amount a city our size can apply for. The minimum award amount is $25,000. There is no match requirement from local jurisdictions requesting grant funds. FY 2020-2021 revenue and expenditure appropriations will be increased in the Community Development Department’s budget by the amount awarded in the next quarterly budget adjustments. City staff time is required for processing the grant applications and administering/managing the projects funded by the grant would be absorbed as part of the staff workload.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

William Gallardo, City Manager
Prepared by: Linda Sok Tang, Management Analyst I
Concurrence: Tracy Steinkruger, Community Development Director

Attachments
Resolution