Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "affordable housing"

SACRAMENTO OFFICIALS BEGIN POST-REDEVELOPMENT TRANSITION

2012-02-07T20:13:55Z

Agency Will Continue Focus on Core Competencies of Affordable Housing, Community Revitalization, and Job Creation

Sacramento, CA | Officials of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) have transferred assets and debts formerly held by the Redevelopment Agency to the City of Sacramento and the County of Sacramento as of February 1, the date on which all redevelopment agencies in California ceased to exist under AB 1X26, the Dissolution Act.

“We’re not going to pity ourselves over the unfortunate demise of redevelopment because there is still a great need for the things that redevelopment was able to accomplish,” said La Shelle Dozier, SHRA Executive Director. “We’re still here and we’re still in the business of serving people in need of affordable housing, and creating jobs to help grow Sacramento’s economy. We’re going to channel our energy and expertise into finding another way to keep renewing and rebuilding Sacramento’s communities so that they can thrive.”

The City Council and the Board of Supervisors each elected to serve as the Successor Agency for their respective redevelopment agencies and they are now responsible for paying the enforceable obligations of the former RDAs. SHRA will not administer the wind down activities of the City or County Successor Agencies but will provide supportive services during the transition.

SHRA has managed and administered housing and non-housing redevelopment on behalf of the City and County for nearly 40 years. As Successor Agencies, the City and County only elected to administer the non-housing functions of winding down the RDAs. Under the legislation, the City and County Housing Authorities will serve as the Successor Housing Agencies responsible for the housing assets and functions performed by the former RDAs. SHRA will continue to manage funded housing related activities on behalf of the Successor Housing Agencies including housing projects that were approved prior to June 29, 2011 when the Governor signed the Dissolution Act.

www.shra.org

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Disclosure: Angela Jones is the Public Information Officer for SHRA.

Redevelopment winds down, city must decide next step

2012-01-26T01:49:24Z

Mere days before the Feb. 1 deadline to end redevelopment, the City Council is faced with two important decisions: what role the city will take in the aftermath, and what will happen to agency staff when redevelopment ends.

Although the City Council did not take any action at the meeting Tuesday, City Manager John Shirey outlined the next steps for council members as the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency winds down.

Shirey is the former executive director ~~president~~ of the California Redevelopment Association.

SHRA is the agency responsible for redevelopment in Sacramento County and the city.

An important factor in the process is figuring out what responsibilities the city will take on, and which ones will be taken over by other agencies, Shirey said.

In August, the City Council agreed to take over the non-housing functions of SHRA.

The city is responsible for managing current construction projects and making required payments on bond debt and other financial obligations.

With redevelopment being disbanded altogether, though, the housing assets and activities of SHRA have to be disposed of as well.

The city could assume that responsibility – or it could allow the city’s Housing Authority to take it over, which is what Shirey encouraged the City Council to have the city do.

If the city Housing Authority assumes those responsibilities and they continue to be managed by the SHRA, Shirey said, Housing Authority staff would have the benefit of the expertise of SHRA staff to administer the ongoing housing activities and assets.

Another problem the city is faced with is how it will handle staffing.

Currently, SHRA provides staff for all redevelopment programs in the city and the county.

Once the redevelopment agency is disbanded Feb. 1, staffing duties will have to be transitioned from SHRA to whatever entity takes over.

There are nearly 100 employees working on various projects at this point, Shirey said, and not all of those people will be needed in the transition.

That means layoffs for a majority of those employees.

Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said Tuesday that she is concerned about potential layoffs.

“I hope that if any layoffs occur, that management is included and it’s not just the workers who take the hit,” she said. “I’ve seen that happen too many times.”

Bernadette Austin, a housing finance analyst with SHRA, spoke to the council on behalf of staff members who have worked behind the scenes on redevelopment projects such as the La Valentina housing project.

“I couldn’t do my job without (those staff members),” Austin said. “They helped create projects that really mean something to the community.”

Austin urged the council to keep as many current staff members in place as possible throughout the transition.

Shirey said attempts are being made in the Capitol to extend the dissolution deadline from Feb. 1 to April 15, but it’s not certain that legislation will make it to the governor’s desk in time to make a difference.

Redevelopment dissolution will be on the agenda at the Jan. 31 meeting, and the City Council is expected to take action then.

Editorial Note: A correction was made to this article after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information added.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Mutual Housing chosen as finalist for Inspired Giving

2012-01-25T19:07:22Z

Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association recently was chosen as a finalist for the Inspire Giving award, a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce that encourages civic-minded leadership, volunteerism and philanthropic giving.

The other finalists are Raft, Roseville Home Start, Seniors First and Soil Born Farms.

Mutual Housing develops and operates permanently affordable housing in Sacramento and Yolo county that builds strong and stable communities through resident participation and leadership development. With more than 900 homes, it serves some 2,700 low- to moderate-income residents, half of whom are children.

Raft helps educators transform the learning experience through "hands-on" education that inspires the joy and discovery of learning.

Roseville Home Start transitions homeless families into affordable, sustainable permanent housing and self- sufficiency, through a system of housing and support services that is comprehensive, flexible, accessible and accountable.

Seniors first strives to keep Placer County senior citizens living independently and comfortably in their own homes as long as possible.

Soil Born Farms is an urban agriculture and education project that connects food, health and the environment.

Winners will be announced at the 117th annual dinner and business awards of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce on January 27.

Inspire Giving is the endowment fund of Project Inspire, a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce. Inspire Giving was established in 2009 in partnership with the Sacramento Region Community Foundation and the Leadership Sacramento Class of 2009. Project Inspire offers businesses turnkey activities that encourage their employees to lead, volunteer and give. For more information about Project Inspire, visit: http://www.metro-inspire.org/.

For more information about mutual housing, visit www.mutualhousing.com.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

HUD AWARDS $300K CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS PLANNING GRANT TO SACRAMENTO HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY

2012-01-23T23:07:20Z

SACRAMENTO, CA | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator Ophelia Basgal joined Congresswoman Doris Matsui in Sacramento announced on January 10 that Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency will receive a $300,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant. Sacramento is one of 13 cities nationwide receiving this funding to begin grassroots efforts to revitalize the Twin Rivers Community Housing, a distressed public housing development at 321 Eliza Street, and transform the Sacramento River District-Railyards neighborhood.

“All across the country, local planners are serious about rolling up their sleeves to transform distressed neighborhoods into choice neighborhoods,” said Ophelia Basgal. “This community can now begin the comprehensive planning needed to turn the distressed housing at Twin Rivers Community Housing in the River District-Railyards area – a long-neglected neighborhood – into a viable and sustainable mixed-income community that supports positive outcome for families.”

Building on nearly 20 years of success through HUD’s HOPE VI Program, Choice Neighborhoods links housing improvements with a wider variety of public services including schools, public transit, and employment opportunities. The program is a centerpiece of the Obama Administration’s interagency Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, a collaboration between HUD and the Departments of Education, Justice, Treasury and Health and Human Services. With support from the White House Domestic Policy Council and White House Office of Urban Affairs, the interagency partnership supports local solutions for sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods with the affordable housing, safe streets, and good schools all families need.

“With this funding, SHRA, the City of Sacramento and its partners will be able to put their full effort into creating a blueprint to provide critical social services, cradle to college education opportunities, and affordable housing in the River District,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. “The Choice Neighborhood planning grant will truly help transform and revitalize the River District.”

Sacramento is the only grant recipient west of the Mississippi.

“I am extremely pleased that HUD has selected Sacramento County to receive this very important grant,” said La Shelle Dozier, executive director of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. “Working with our partners, this award will help us find ways to make our obsolete public housing community a more viable asset for the surrounding neighborhood as well as the low income families that we are serving.”

Key partners in Sacramento's planning effort are California Endowment, California State University – Sacramento, City of Sacramento, River District Property and Business Improvement District, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, Sacramento Steps Forward, Twin Rivers Unified School District, and UC-Davis Center for Regional Change.

As a result of partnerships like these, the Obama Administration is making it easier for local leaders who are working to redevelop neighborhoods to also access support for cradle-to-career educational programs through the Education Department’s Promise Neighborhoods initiative, public safety strategies through the Justice Department, and community health center improvements through the Department of Health and Human Services.

HUD received 71 submissions for FY 2011 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants from communities across the U.S. Successful applicants demonstrated their intent to transform neighborhoods while leveraging outside investments and other federal dollars to plan for high-quality public schools, outstanding education and early learning programs, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs and well-functioning services. HUD is focused on directing resources to address three core goals – housing, people and neighborhoods.

The communities awarded the planning grants announced today will build the capacity needed to undertake a successful neighborhood transformation and create a choice neighborhood. These grants enable communities to create a comprehensive Transformation Plan, or road map over the next 18 months to transform distressed public and/or assisted housing within a distressed community. This Federal support provides a significant incentive for the local community to take critical steps to create viable neighborhood transformation.

Congress approved the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative with the passage of HUD’s FY 2010 budget, and in FY 2011 authorized HUD to use $65 million to provide competitive grants to assist in the transformation, rehabilitation and preservation of public housing and privately owned HUD-assisted housing. Congress recently appropriated $120 million for Fiscal Year 2012. Choice Neighborhoods builds on the successes and lessons of HUD’s HOPE VI program and widens the traditional pool of eligible applicants beyond public housing authorities to include local governments, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit developers (who apply jointly with a public entity).

Sacramento’s application can be viewed at http://www.shra.org/Housing/PublicHousingProgram/
ChoiceNeighborhoodsInitiative.aspx.

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Disclosure: Angela Jones is the Public Information Officer for Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. www.shra.org

HUD AWARDS SACRAMENTO HOUSING AUTHORITY HIGH PERFORMER DESIGNATION FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

2012-01-23T22:51:56Z

SACRAMENTO, CA | For the first time in its history, the Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento has received a High Performer designation on the Public Housing Assessment System Score Report from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Housing Authority received a PHAS total score of 90 out of 100. The assessment period covered the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010.

“This is a great accomplishment for the Housing Authority,” said La Shelle Dozier, Executive Director of Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, a Joint Powers Agency which includes the Housing Authority. “We redoubled our efforts to improve our performance in all of the scoring categories and this time we’ve been rewarded for our hard work.”

The PHAS Indicators score in several categories including physical, financial, management and resident satisfaction. The City Housing Authority owns and maintains over 2,200 housing units, including two large housing communities that are more than 50 years old.

“A large percentage of our housing inventory is obsolete and maintaining these units is a huge challenge, particularly with the budget constraints that we are all experiencing,” said Nick Chhotu, Assistant Director of Public Housing for the Housing Authority. “I really want to thank our Housing Authority staff for overcoming the challenges and helping us earn this important award.”

The High Performer designation means that the Housing Authority will be eligible to apply for certain grants and to receive a higher allocation of capital funds.

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Disclosure: Angela Jones is the Public Information Officer for Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. www.shra.org

How Registered Sex Offenders can Challenge “Jessica’s Law” Residency Restrictions

2011-12-22T17:30:03Z

Q. My brother is going to get out of jail soon, and we were planning on him moving in with me, but his parole officer told him he couldn’t because he has to register as a sex offender and I live too close to an elementary school, which is against “Megan’s Law” or “Jessica’s Law” or something like that. Isn’t there anything we can do? I’m afraid if he doesn’t live with me he will be homeless.

Jerri

A. California’s Megan’s Law requires anyone convicted of a wide range of crimes, including forcible sex crimes involving non-consenting adults and most sex crimes involving children, prostitution, and child pornography, to register as a sex offender upon release on parole or probation or discharge from custody. California Penal Code § 290. Proposition 83, the Sexual Predator Punishment and Control Act, or “Jessica’s Law,” which amended Megan’s Law on November 8, 2006, forbids any registered sex offender from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park where children regularly gather. California Penal Code § 3003.5(b).

Your brother is not alone in facing a very bleak prospect. According to the Prison Law Office, a nonprofit public interest law firm which engages in class action and other impact litigation on behalf of prisoners, these residency restrictions have forced many parolees to become homeless because they are unable to find affordable, compliant housing.

Jessica's law has been challenged in courts as being too restrictive. Your brother may wish to ask a court to review his case. The Prison Law Office, which has been involved in many of these challenges, has produced a packet of forms and instructions that parolees can use to ask for an immediate stay of the restrictions while their individual cases are being heard by the courts. The packet is available for free on the web at http://www.prisonlaw.com/pdfs/ModelHabeasFull,Dec10.pdf. An additional fill-in-the-blank form, required by all California state courts in this type of case, can be downloaded from the California Courts’ website at http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/mc275.pdf.

You should be aware that local cities, towns and counties are permitted to adopt ordinances which impose further restrictions on where you can live. If you are not in Sacramento and are unsure whether your residence is in compliance with local law, check with someone who is familiar with your community’s laws.

Good luck!

Do you have a question for the County Law Librarian? Just email sacpress@saclaw.org. If your question is selected your answer will appear in next Thursday's column. Even if your question isn't selected, though, I will still respond within two weeks.

Coral Henning, Director
@coralh & @saclawlibrarian
www.saclaw.org

Local families need food and toys for children

2011-12-19T20:16:25Z

For families barely making ends meet, holidays are a difficult time. Many parents at Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing communities are having a hard time providing gifts for their children this year.

“This time of year can be especially trying for parents in our communities,” said Rachel Iskow, Executive Director of Mutual Housing. "In fact, half of Mutual Housing's 2600 residents are children."

People can help by dropping off non-perishable food and new, unwrapped children’s gifts at the Mutual Housing office, 8001 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento 95820 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Thursday, December 22nd.

“We will make sure your donation gets to a family right away,” said Iskow.

For after-hours or alternative drop-off locations, call Trish Nguyen, Mutual Housing community organizer, at 916-595-9431.

Founded in 1988, Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association develops and operates well-designed rental housing for the diversity of the region’s households.

Through Mutual Housing’s focus on leadership, the nonprofit also provides training and mentoring as well as educational programs, community-building activities and services for residents and neighbors. For more information, visit http://www.mutualhousing.com.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Mutual Housing celebrates opening of the Highlands

2011-12-09T15:37:09Z

Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association celebrated the grand opening of the Highlands yesterday. The celebration included tours of the 90-apartment community and a ceremony honoring Darrell Steinberg, State Senate President Pro Tem and author of the California Mental health Services Act (Proposition 63) that provides partial operating support for the development.

Located on a 3.5-acre parcel in the McClellan Redevelopment Area, the Highlands has 66 efficiency apartments for formerly homeless people and 12 studio apartments and 12 three-bedroom ones for people of modest means.

The complex has a community room and kitchen, a computer lab and conference room as well as offices for staff. The community room will be used for educational workshops in energy conservation, leadership training, financial management and youth programs. Resident councils also will use the room for meetings.

Six courtyards with deciduous trees, tables, benches and planter boxes connect the buildings. One courtyard boasts a recycled metal sculpture, named "Gertie", by Sacramento artist Steve Cook.

All units have tankless water heaters with ductless heating in the smaller units and evaporative coolers in the larger as well as energy-efficient appliances. Solar panels also were installed. Mutual Housing staff expect the project to be certified green by Building It Green later this year.

Mutual Housing's first foray into homeless housing, a medical clinic and social services, provided by the nonprofits Turning Point, The Effort and Lutheran Social Services of Northern California, are on site. Funding for Turning Point services comes from the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services.

Development costs were $5 million. Construction costs were $14 million. Long-term operating costs are supported by substantial capitalized operating revenues. Wells Fargo Bank was the construction lender.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act partially funded the development. Operating support comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency and the California Mental Health Services Act Housing Program.

The Highlands is the 15th multifamily development of the local nonprofit in the two-county region.

Sacramento-based Cynthia Easton Architects and Chico-based Sunseri Construction, Inc. were the architects and general contractor, respectively.

Founded in 1988, Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency selected to receive $150,000 Community Challenge Planning Grant from HUD

2011-11-22T22:46:41Z

Sacramento, CA | The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency is a recipient of a $150,000 Community Challenge Planning Grant from the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. The Agency will administer the grant on behalf of the Housing Authority of the County of Sacramento and is one of only two grantees in the state of California. The highly competitive 2011 Sustainable Communities grants totaled $97 million. Only 27 communities and organizations will receive the Community Challenge grants.

The goal of the Sustainable Communities grants is to help communities improve their economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, quality schools, and transportation. HUD’s Community Challenge Grants are intended to reform and reduce barriers to achieving affordable, economically vital and sustainable communities.

“On behalf of the Sacramento County Housing Authority and our partners, SHRA is pleased to be selected to receive this important award,” said SHRA Executive Director La Shelle Dozier. “This grant will greatly assist our efforts to strategically position Sacramento for the economic turnaround and to leverage other public/private investment that will help create the quality of life benefits of affordable housing, livable neighborhoods, and healthy lifestyles that our residents need and deserve.”

The grant awarded to SHRA will be used to successfully design a Transit Oriented Development Loan Fund in partnership with a broad range of community interests. The new program will partner with nonprofit and for-profit developers, capitalize on historically low land values, and address the current lack of available credit to acquire land for affordable housing. The fund will provide financing for strategic property acquisition in current and future transit corridors and to preserve and expand affordable housing opportunities in proximity to public transit. The commitments made through the TOD Loan Fund will ultimately leverage other public and private investment into the local housing market. The TOD Loan Fund will build upon local planning and policy initiatives that promote equitable TODs, help secure scarce developable properties near transit and position Sacramento for equitable development and inclusive TOD communities when the market returns.

Additionally, the grant will address a key component of successful TOD neighborhoods which is local jobs and neighborhood services by evaluating the opportunity for creating a food distribution hub near a TOD neighborhood. In addition to providing jobs for local residents, the food hub will also provide access to local fresh fruit and vegetables in urban neighborhoods currently lacking full service grocery stores.

Core partners include California Endowment, Clearinghouse CDFI, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, Teichert Construction, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Valley Vision, Sierra Health Foundation, Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization, Merchants Bank, Housing California and Farmers Bank, Five Star Bank.

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Ciraulo hired by Mutual Housing

2011-11-21T17:48:15Z

Rich Ciraulo has been hired as the Director of Asset Management by Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association. In this role, he is responsible for planning and monitoring the operations and financial performance of Mutual Housing’s 15 regional communities. Ciraulo will handle acquisitions, refinancing and rehabilitation to preserve the portfolio as well as develop and maintain investor and lender relationships. He also will implement long-term strategies to improve performance that meets the nonprofit’s goals.

Prior to joining Mutual Housing, Ciraulo was a Senior Project Manager at Mercy Housing California. At Mercy, he oversaw the planning, financing, design and construction of their mixed-use, multi-and single-family developments. He also secured financing, negotiated contracts and leases, managed contractors and carried out community outreach.

Ciraulo has been in the housing and construction field for more than 17 years. He has a Master’s degree in civil engineering from Stanford University.

Founded in 1988, Mutual Housing develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Romero appointed new board chair

2011-08-08T19:50:28Z

Mindy Romero has been appointed the new chair of the board of directors Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association. She replaces Greg Chew, who remains on the board.

A researcher at the Center for Regional Change, University of California, Davis, Romero also is a doctoral candidate in the UCD Department of Sociology.

Romero has been on the board for the past three years and was with the Yolo Mutual Housing Association’s board before the two nonprofits affiliated. She lives in Davis.

Mutual Housing develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency Receives National Award for Its Successful Reorganization of Electronic Waiting List Applications

2011-07-29T22:00:34Z

Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) has been named a 2011 recipient of the prestigious National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Merit Award for its efforts to reorganize electronic database waiting lists for the Sacramento region. SHRA received the award for the Access Code for Wait List in Administrative Innovation category. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in housing and community development programs throughout the nation.

“I am very proud of this unique model that the Sacramento Public Housing Authority has developed for our applicants,” said SHRA Executive Director La Shelle Dozier. “This process has created greater efficiency and better service in the way we help place families into housing where they choose to live.”

SHRA officials say because families went to the housing site to obtain an access code, those who applied were more likely to become residents. This means less staff resources were necessary. Almost twice as many families became residents with the access codes than before the access codes were implemented.

“We are extremely pleased with the way applicants respond to this electronic application process,” said MaryLiz Paulson, SHRA Assistant Director. “Using computers and Internet technology has turned out to be a highly preferred and practical way for applicants to quickly and easily complete the first steps to get placed on the wait list and subsequently into a safe, affordable place to live.”

The award was presented at NAHRO’s National Conference in Louisville, KY.

Disclosure: Angela Jones is the Public Information Officer for Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

Sacramento redevelopment future in jeopardy

2011-07-09T01:21:03Z

The future of development and affordable housing projects in Sacramento is starting to look pretty grim. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state budget into law June 29, putting two new bills into effect that significantly impact redevelopment agencies: ABx26 and ABx27.

“There is no good news in any of this,” said La Shelle Dozier, executive director for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA). “It’s very detrimental, given the fact that we have an economy that’s struggling.”

The two bills go hand-in-hand. ABx26 says redevelopment agencies can opt to discontinue redevelopment activities and be dissolved.

ABx27 says that if redevelopment agencies pay a first-year lump sum payment and then commit to annual “continuation payments,” they will be allowed to continue their redevelopment activities – with additional limitations and without any tax increment funding from the state.

Tax increment funding through a redevelopment agency is one way cities and counties are able to finance redevelopment and affordable housing activities.

Over the last six years, tax-increment funding has resulted in the production of 7,329 housing units in the Sacramento area, including 3,189 units for very-low income and homeless families, Dozier said.

According to the provisions of the new legislation, redevelopment agencies have until Oct. 1 to either dissolve or make the first-year continuation payment to continue redevelopment activities.

“We are conducting an analysis of current projects to see how we would generate (our) estimated $22 million payment as well as an evaluation of projects if the agency must be dissolved,” Dozier said.

Each redevelopment agency is subject to a specific first-year and continuation payment schedule, calculated using a formula outlined in ABx26.

For SHRA, which is an authority of both the city and the county of Sacramento, the “year one” payment amount would be $22 million, Dozier said, and continuation payments are estimated to be approximately $5 million every year after that.

~~Once the SHRA governing boards have an opportunity to review the completed analysis, Dozier said, they will give the agency their recommendations on the options available.~~

Once the agency has an opportunity to review the completed analysis, Dozier said, she will give the SHRA governing boards recommendations on the options available.

“Right now, we’re in a state of limbo,” Dozier said.

At this point, several major redevelopment projects in Sacramento are currently stalled, Dozier said.

These include the 800 K Street project, a mixed-use development to help revitalize the center of downtown; the 65-acre Township 9 project, which is a $1.7 billion mixed-use urban fill development, and Veterans Village, a proposed new construction development in the Mather Redevelopment Area that would provide affordable housing for veterans.

Some projects that have already been approved, however, would not be affected by the new legislation, including the Seventh and H streets project, the La Valentina project on 12th Street, and the Hotel Berry renovation project, Dozier said.

These three projects are slated to provide, in total, nearly 250 affordable housing units and create more than 400 jobs, according to Dozier.

"(Redevelopment agencies) do great work – phenomenal work,” said Eric Rasmusson, a Sacramento lobbyist who works on local housing issues. “But we can't afford them the same way anymore. That's the message of this state budget."

By eliminating redevelopment agencies, Brown anticipates a $1.7 billion savings in cost offset to the state general fund.

“Right now, we’re prohibited from engaging in any new redevelopment activity,” Dozier said, “so we’re focusing on existing projects to keep them moving forward.

“We’re hoping for relief from the courts so that we can continue working on projects that were heading toward various stages of approval,” she added.

Kathy Fairbanks, a representative of the California Redevelopment Association (CRA), said the association plans to file a lawsuit in the next couple of weeks challenging the new legislation.

“It’s unconstitutional,” Fairbanks said. "Proposition 22 passed last November by an overwhelming majority, and it specifically prohibits the state from doing anything with local funds, including redevelopment funds.”

Fairbanks said that, if ABx26 and ABx27 are allowed to stand, it will mean redevelopment agencies that are not eliminated will be forced to abandon projects – and any resulting jobs and economic opportunity – in order to make the required continuation payments to the state.

In the lawsuit, the CRA will seek an immediate stay of the two bills. If the court grants a stay, some or all of the provisions of the bills would be suspended until the court makes a final decision. Until a stay is issued, however, the legislation will remain in force.

There are 397 active redevelopment agencies throughout California, according to the CRA website.

The elimination of redevelopment in Sacramento would have significant unintended consequences, according to the SHRA website, including “no way to monitor affordable housing developments, no funding to put more money into affordable housing projects in the future, as well as direct and indirect job losses.”

“With the economy in its current condition,” Dozier said, “this is not a time to be putting redevelopment agencies out of business.”

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Editorial Note: Corrections have been made to this article after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information has been added.

Moving forward with K Street redevelopment plans

2011-06-23T02:02:53Z

With the approval of the 700 block project on K street, developers Bay Miry and Ali Youssefi are closer to realizing their long-awaited vision.

But that vision has changed in some unexpected ways since its initial proposal.

First, that vision “got a lot bigger,” Miry said.

When Miry and Youssefi were awarded the project in July 2010, they didn’t have access to the interior of the buildings at the project site.

“The initial proposal was very conceptual in nature,” Youssefi said. “We knew that if our team was selected we'd have the opportunity (later) to refine the project design based on a thorough inspection of all the buildings.”

Once they were handed keys in late August, they had a chance to fully explore what the building had to offer – and what they found was surprising.

“We realized that there’s tons of character and potential to not only create basement concepts, but also rooftop concepts,” Youssefi said. “Sacramento just doesn’t have nearly enough rooftop restaurants and businesses.”

The discovery allowed them to nearly double the amount of retail space offered in the plan from 37,480 to more than 64,000 square feet – and increased the total cost of the project from $35.5 million to about $47.7 million.

The housing element of the project also changed.

Initially, the plan called for 136 rental housing units, but the design underwent some architectural changes, and the overall appearance of the block was modified and the number of rental units increased by one.

The level of affordable housing also changed from all moderate-income units at the start to a mix of 60 percent low- to moderate level affordable income housing units and 40 percent units rented at market rate.

“The affordability and total number of housing units fluctuated for several months as we were refining the design of our project and evaluating different sources of financing,” Youssefi said.

(An in-depth look at affordable housing is covered here.)

A portion of the project relies on affordable housing subsidies – funding that critics have called into question.

During the discussion of the project at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Sacramento Housing Alliance Policy Director Bob Erlenbusch said the public subsidy is being applied inappropriately.

“The current proposal … over-subsidizes the affordable units in the development,” Erlenbusch said. “It’s significantly higher than the average (for the area) and is based on unreasonably high market rents.”

Erlenbusch said, “Simply put, SHA feels that there is too much subsidy for hardly any affordability.”

The developers disagree.

“Having the units be a mix of low/moderate and market rates creates a diverse community,” Youssefi said.

It also provides apartments to “an under-served demographic – people who don't qualify for traditional low-income housing but who can't necessarily afford the market rents in downtown Sacramento,” Youssefi added.

Miry noted that the city has invested a lot of money in projects in the downtown area that target low- and very-low-income thresholds.

“To balance that out in the K Street area,” Miry said, “there was a strong desire (from Miry and Youssefi and the Economic Development group) that there be a healthy portion of market-rate housing in the block as well.”

Council members applauded the revised proposal as they completed the agreement with developers and gave their approval for the project.

“This is a very exciting project,” said Councilwoman Angelique Ashby. “This (project) is what we are trying to do: rebuild our city. Make it a special place for people to come together. (This project) provides solutions for everyone who wants to be a part of downtown.”

Where Do They Go From Here?

Now that the project has City Council approval, Miry and Youssefi turn their attention to the next two steps in the process: finalizing project financing and securing building permits.

“Everything we’ve worked on architecturally so far was the conceptual drawings package required for Planning Department approval,” Miry said. “Now we go into specific detail of how we are actually going to construct the project.”

The developers need to complete and submit final construction drawings and get them reviewed and approved by the building department before breaking ground on the project.

Miry said it will take two to three months to complete the construction drawings and another two to three months to obtain approval from the city building department.

“After that, we’re ready to go,” Miry said.

Both D & S Development and CFY Development have their own in-house contracting licenses, and will oversee the actual construction.

“We’ll be (sub-contracting) some work, but the day we have permit in hand, we’ll be able to start the demolition process,” Miry said. “If (the building department) will issue a demo permit ahead of the building permit, we’ll start even sooner.”

Ashby and Councilman Kevin McCarty underscored the importance of the 700 block project with praise for the benefits of moving the project forward.

“We’re always saying ‘jobs, jobs, jobs,’ ” McCarty said. “Well, (this project) means 400 jobs for our community. This is great.”

“It’s a true partnership between the (Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency) and the business community, and a partnership with the community at large,” Ashby added.

Miry and Youssefi said a lot of people have wanted to see K Street revitalized for a long time.

“We’re confident we’ll be able to put it together by the new year timeframe,” Miry said. “We’re going to see a cool new Renaissance here on K Street pretty soon.”

Bay Miry talks about getting approval of the 700 block project from MelissaCorker on Vimeo.

New senior apartments break ground on Auburn Boulevard

2011-04-12T17:57:00Z

Officials from the County Redevelopment Agency (www.shra.org) and developer BRIDGE Housing Corporation broke ground today on a new 138-unit apartment complex for low income seniors in the Old Foothill Farms community at 5400 Auburn Boulevard, the site of a former Kmart retail center.

“I think this project is going to be a great synergy for the community and for this corner,” said Supervisor Susan Peters whose district includes the Old Foothill Farms community.

The development is the first project that BRIDGE Housing will build in Sacramento. President and CEO Cynthia Parker says the apartments will be a catalyst for revitalizing the area.

“This is a first step to attracting other development and that’s what we’re celebrating today,” said Parker.

In 2008, the Redevelopment Agency began acquiring parcels at this location. Since that time, SHRA worked diligently to develop a plan for the revitalization of the property that would also impact and benefit the Auburn Boulevard corridor and incorporate the needs of the community. After careful analysis, the proposed use for the site included new construction of a senior apartment complex to anchor the first phase of redevelopment of this property. The Agency assisted the project with $8.5 million in redevelopment funds.

“This is where redevelopment gets involved in breathing new life back into our older commercial corridors,” said La Shelle Dozier, SHRA Executive Director. “We depend heavily on redevelopment funds to come back into the community so we’re working hard at the state level to preserve this flexible tool that we use in creative ways to make these types of project come to fruition.”

Other project funding includes an award of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the Tax Credit Allocation Committee, construction lending from Wells Fargo Bank and equity investment from Wachovia Affordable Housing Community Development Corporation

This site which is largely comprised of the former K-Mart parking lot has been a major cause of concern for residents and frequent travelers since the store closed in 2000. The loss of jobs at the McClellan Air Force Base and the resulting change in business environment for these commercial corridors left very little hope for a successful and vibrant re-use of this property. Residents, business owners and community leaders sought out suggestions and answers to address concerns of this community.

The Foothills Farms Senior Apartments will include 138 affordable senior apartments on 4.5 acres of this site. There are a total of four buildings, three of which will be three-stories and served by elevators. The fourth building is a two-story. These buildings will be linked together with breezeways at the second story level, and will surround a main courtyard designed with gazebos, a patio area. Additional amenities for the senior residents include a clubhouse, swimming pool, bocce court and community gardens. The clubhouse will be appointed with a full kitchen, library, crafts room, and common laundry facilities.

The project is expected to be completed next summer. Prospective applicants may call (916) 484-4007 or visit http://www.bridgehousing.com/FoothillFarms for information.

Ground broken on downtown SRO

2011-03-29T02:36:30Z

Construction has begun on Sacramento's newest single-resident occupancy building downtown.

On Monday, a backhoe operator and other construction workers continued demolishing an old foundation at Seventh and H streets. The eight-story, 150-unit mid-rise being built there by Mercy Housing is the first new structure going up in the railyards redevelopment project area.

Once completed, the $47.4 million affordable housing project, known simply as “Seventh & H,” will be one of the city's largest permanent supportive housing projects. Half of the units will be reserved for homeless or recently homeless people, and the rest is aimed at downtown workers making $20,000 to $25,000 a year.

"Seventh and H is a very important part of the larger solution of affordable housing," said Rich Ciraulo, project manager for Mercy Housing in West Sacramento.

Work began March 17 to remove remnants of a building that once housed the Sacramento Police Department's patrol station and police academy. The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, a project partner, bought the land from the city in 2008. The agency then donated the land, worth $3.1 million, and tore down the old building to allow for new construction.

Demolition crews from contractor J.R. Roberts/Deacon of Citrus Heights were still pulling foundation debris out of the ground Monday. The soil will be recompacted, then new foundation construction will begin.

The concrete-frame building will use concrete and steel-reinforced piles that are 65 to 70 feet deep to avoid pile driving in land next to an electric substation that powers the Capitol and a large part of downtown, Ciraulo said.

"SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) has been warning us all along to be very careful," he added.

Architects Mogavero Notestine Associates of Sacramento and SERA Architects of Portland designed the building. The exterior will be covered with tan brick and metal panels. Second-floor roof gardens are included in the design. The cost increased from $41 million to include a full solar panel array on the roof, a solar water-heating system, a larger health clinic and other features.

Support services will include programs on health, education, community integration and finances. The Effort, a Sacramento nonprofit health services provider, will offer primary health and behavioral health services in a 5,200-square-foot clinic located in the building on H Street.

Construction is expected to be complete in October 2012. Six months prior, Mercy will start interviewing prospective tenants with help from local nonprofits and agencies that work with the homeless. Mercy Housing also will enlist real estate brokers to find restaurant tenants for two other ground-floor spaces on Seventh Street.

Mercy Housing and SHRA cobbled together $21.7 million in federal low-income housing tax credits through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, about $20 million in redevelopment funding – which includes tax increment affordable housing set-aside funds – plus other funding from the Federal Home Loan Banks and the California Housing Finance Agency.

"When you put it in the context of what's going on with the larger economy and what's going on with affordable housing right now, it's very exciting to have it be a reality," Ciraulo said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter at The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

SHRA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HONORED AS NCBW BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR

2010-11-25T00:16:58Z

La Shelle Dozier, Executive Director of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency has been named Business Woman of the Year by the Sacramento chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

“I am truly humbled to be chosen for this wonderful award,” said Ms. Dozier. “I feel privileged to be in a position that allows me to make a positive difference for people who are most in need of help to better their lives. I could not have achieved this honor without the support of my wonderful family and the dedication of those with whom I am fortunate to work with SHRA.”

Ms. Dozier oversees redevelopment and community development strategies in the City and County of Sacramento, and the provision of housing for more than 50,000 low income residents. She administers a $269 million budget and a workforce of 291 employees.

According to the NCBW, the awards luncheon has been the philanthropic arm of the Sacramento Chapter since the event debuted in 2001. The event supports educational programs, public service campaigns and scholarships.

More than 100 nominees were considered for Women of Excellence awards in two special categories: Business/Business Woman of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award. The luncheon brings together business and community leaders who gather to celebrate the accomplishments of their colleagues and was attended by nearly 600 participants.

SACRAMENTO HOUSING AUTHORITY OPENS WAIT LISTS ON NOV 29

2010-11-22T21:35:34Z

Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press is not affiliated with The Sacramento Housing Authority. Please visit http://www.sacwaitlist.com for more information.

The Sacramento Housing Authority will open wait lists for Public Housing and Downtown Elderly Project Based vouchers in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV/formerly Section 8) programs for online applicants at 12:01 a.m., Monday, November 29, 2010.

Wait lists will open for public housing that is owned and managed by the Housing Authority.

Another wait list will open for project based vouchers in housing designated for Elderly families. The head of household spouse or the co-head of household must be at least 55 or older to apply and priority is given to families aged 62 and older.

The vouchers are not transferable to other housing on the private market.

Applicants may apply online directly to the communities where they want to live.

Online pre-application submission is recommended since applicants will be placed on the wait lists according to the date and time the application is submitted, and by the number of bedrooms needed.

A confirmation receipt is immediately issued after the pre-application is submitted online.

To apply online for all wait lists opening on Monday, use any computer with Internet access and go to www.sacwaitlist.com.

The wait lists will remain open until further notice.

Paper pre-applications are available for the newly opened waiting lists at most community centers in the greater Sacramento area.

A complete list of the community centers is available at www.shra.org. On the website, click the Apply for Housing tab in the left menu.

Hotel Berry renovation to start next month

2010-09-22T04:34:25Z

Work to renovate the historic Hotel Berry, 729 L St., will commence next month, after the City Council held its final public hearing on the issue Tuesday night.

“This is a project we’ve been working on for some time,” said Christine Weichert, assistant director of Housing and Community Development. “This is the very last step in a long process.”

The public hearing was required before the financing could be undertaken for the $24.5 million project.

According to Weichert, Jamboree Housing of Irvine, Calif., will be working on the renovation project. The funding comes from a mixture of tax credits, federal stimulus funding and redevelopment housing agency funds.

“We did take a thorough look at this because it involves debt, and we have no issues or concerns,” City Treasurer Russ Fehr told the council in response to a question from Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy. “The money is already there. It’s in essence being reclassified.”

No members of the public spoke at the hearing.

The renovation is scheduled to be completed within a year and a half, Weichert said.

The historic hotel was built in 1929 and is located adjacent to the Greyhound station downtown. According to a previous Sacramento Press article, it was purchased in 2007 by AF Evans and Trinity Housing for restoration.

“That was just the time when the market started collapsing,” Weichert said. “They couldn’t get all their financing ... so we ended up owning it.”

Since the 1970s, the hotel had been used for affordable housing, referred to as a single-room occupancy (SRO) hotel.

“It’s affordable housing for people who are earning 45 percent or less of the area’s median income,” Weichert said. “It’s got 104 units.”

Many of those units were inhabited until about six months ago, when tenants were moved to other residences. The last tenant left in June, according to Weichert, who added that the tenants received moving assistance and will have the option to return when the renovation is complete.

“This hotel desperately needs renovation,” Weichert said. “Very little reinvestment has occurred since (it was built).”

Currently, the hotel is plagued by pockets of mold and other issues related to deterioration, said Jeree Glasser-Hedrick, housing finance program manager for Housing and Community Development.

During the renovation, each room will be outfitted with a kitchenette so it will be a self-contained living space, and the ground floor will be remodeled. A Mexican restaurant that formerly occupied a portion of the ground floor will be used as community space.

“It’s going to be exciting to get this thing rehabbed,” Weichert said.

“This is a terrific project,” said City Councilman Ray Tretheway.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Housing and Redevelopment Agency partnership renovates foreclosed home with NSP funds

2010-07-08T21:31:43Z

The first foreclosed home purchased by the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency is under renovation and will soon be for sale and occupancy at an affordable price under a partnership program that SHRA developed using the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The home is located at 3525 34th Street in Oak Park.

SHRA has partnered with NeighborWorks Homeownership Sacramento as a volume builder under the Property Recycling Program. The PRP works with governmental, non-profit and for-profit partners to provide access to properties and funding to remove the blight of foreclosures through redevelopment activities, acquisition and rental of affordable housing, and acquisition and rehabilitation of single family homes for sale throughout Sacramento. The PRP is complimentary to the other programs funded under the NSP, all of which seek to reduce the impacts of foreclosures.

“This partnership program is a huge a win-win effort for Sacramento’s neighborhoods ravaged by foreclosure, vacant properties and parcels, and investors who have no connection to the community,” said SHRA Executive Director La Shelle Dozier. “We’re working with organizations whose mission mirrors our own which is to invest in areas where the market alone cannot ensure change and to provide affordable housing opportunities that help hard-working, deserving families realize the American dream.”

SHRA officials say that over the next year, the Agency will be collaborating with NeighborWorks Sacramento to renovate and resell approximately 30 homes like this first home which the Agency purchased from Wells Fargo through the National Stabilization Community Trust. The NCST is designed to facilitate the transfer of foreclosed and abandoned properties
from financial institutions nationwide to local governments to promote productive property reuse and neighborhood stability.

“Under the NCST, Wells Fargo also provided an investment of $750,000 to NeighborWorks which leveraged other funds to buy the property,” said Chris Pahule, Assistant Director of Housing and Community Development. “With this partnership strategy, modest income families will have great opportunities to buy quality, energy efficient homes.”

SHRA is administering $3 million in NSP funds allocated to the PRP. To date, 59 properties have been acquired and six are under construction. The Agency estimates the program will address 100 properties over the next five years.

Affordable housing defined

2010-05-04T04:05:34Z

Everyone wants "affordable" housing. But few people know what that is.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has defined affordable housing as no more than 30 percent of a household's income.

That means you shouldn't be paying more than 30 percent of your income for housing — whether mortgage payments or rent — plus utilities each month.

"People think affordable housing means just one thing. But it doesn't," said Sandra Hamameh, program director for the Sacramento Housing Alliance. "It means being able to afford a place to live, at whatever stage you're in in your life."

Levels of affordability are also based on an area's median incomes. The median incomes for Sacramento County, based on 2009 figures, are $50,950 for a single person, $58,250 for a two-person household and $72,800 for a family of four.

For housing to be affordable, that single person should pay no more than $1,274 per month; the couple, or parent and child, household shouldn't pay more than $1,456; and the family of four should pay $1,820 or less, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

Income levels that fall below the median include low income, very low income and extremely low income.

Low incomes are those at 80 percent of the median:
• $40,800 for a single person, making affordable housing no more than $1,020 a month;
• $46,600 for two people, and $1,165 a month for affordable housing;
• $58,250 for four people, and $1,456 a month for housing.

Very low incomes are those at 50 percent of the median:
• $25,500 for a single person, and $637 a month for affordable housing;
• $29,100 for two, and $727 a month for housing;
• $36,400 for four, and $910 a month for housing.

Extremely low incomes are those at 30 percent of the median:
• $15,300 for a single person, and $382 a month for housing;
• $17,500 for two, and $437 a month for housing;
• $21,850 for four, and $546 a month for housing.

Affordable housing may include subsidized housing projects such as multi-family apartments or single-family homes built or leased through public-private programs.

Single-resident occupancy units, or SROs, boarding houses and other arrangements offer housing for extremely low-income residents, but little of such housing exists, said Hamameh.

HUD has a housing choice voucher program known as Section 8 for elderly and disabled people, very low-income families, and homeless or otherwise-eligible veterans. Recipients use the vouchers to rent or buy housing.

Extremely low-income housing may also be occupied by people whose only income comes from monthly supplemental security income (SSI), Social Security or disability checks. A person getting $474 monthly SSI checks can afford rent of no more $142. A widow who now gets $718 a month in Social Security and $240 from her husband's retirement fund can afford rent of $287, Hamameh said.

In 2010, fair market rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Sacramento County is $852, according to HUD. Some people who can't find safe, quality affordable housing end up renting from private owners who still charge "fair market rate" for substandard housing, said Hamameh, whose organization has been advocating for affordable housing since 1989.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Read the story about the proposal for the biggest SRO in Sacramento here .

A life-changing home for homeless, working poor

2010-05-04T04:05:00Z

A proposal is in the works to create one of the largest permanent supportive housing projects in the city.

The $41 million building at Seventh and H streets also is poised to become the city's newest single-resident occupancy, or SRO, structure. The infill project would feature sustainable design and materials, so the developers and architects will ask the U.S. Green Building Council to certify it as a sustainable building.

But perhaps most unique about the public-private project being developed by Mercy Housing and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency is that it would offer support services to formerly homeless people in innovative and mixed-population permanent housing. Its architects are Mogavero Notestine Associates of Sacramento and SERA Architects of Portland.

Half of the mid-rise's 150 units will be set aside as for homeless people. The other half will become home to the working poor: low-income workers who earn 40 percent to 50 percent of the median income, or $20,000 to $25,000 a year.

The 7th and H Mixed-Use Affordable Housing project differs from transitional housing, such as Mercy Housing's Quinn Cottages, which provide up to two years of transitional housing close to downtown.

"We (represent) that next step, to what is now permanent supportive housing. You don't have to leave," said Rich Ciraulo, project manager for Mercy Housing in West Sacramento. "Instead, you are put in an environment where there are a lot of supportive services and community building, and an attempt to really support your reconnection to the rest of society."

Supportive programs will focus on health, education, community integration and finances.

An on-site 3,800-square-foot, federally qualified health clinic will serve residents and the public. The Effort, a Sacramento nonprofit health services provider, will operate primary health and behavioral health services.

Doctors, nurses and physician assistants will provide health screenings, immunizations, lab work and other medical care. At least one licensed clinical social worker will provide therapeutic counseling and recovery support groups will have a space to meet.

Mercy Services Corporation will handle property management. Three on-site resident service coordinators, working as case managers, will connect tenants with community resources and on-site services.

By working with other service organizations, the service coordinators will identify people who qualify as homeless. They would come directly from transitional housing, including emergency shelters, or off the street. Tenants for other units would have to qualify based on income, Ciraulo said.

Two property managers will also work on site. The building's entrance will be secure, with tenants and guests checking in with 24-hour front desk clerks.

Residents will have access to tutoring, computer classes and leadership training, as well as career counseling and financial literacy and planning. They also will have opportunities to work within the broader community via volunteering, community watch groups and other programs. An on-site job-training program is being explored, Ciraulo said.

Public spaces are vital for building a sense of community and encouraging people to get out of their units and interact with neighbors, he said.

Inside, the project's public-space centerpiece will be a community room with an adjacent communal kitchen — a large gathering place where residents can hang out and bond at events like Thanksgiving dinner. Three smaller lounges will be on alternating floors of the eight-story building.

"You really want to feel like you're invested in where you live and who your neighbors are, and like this is a very special place to live," Ciraulo said.

Outside public spaces also will improve residents' quality of life and give them access to fresh air in private settings, he said. Two second-floor roof gardens will be for residents' exclusive use. Each lounge will have a balcony facing Seventh Street.

The building also will have a computer room. While some money has been budgeted for equipment, Mercy Housing is trying to get computers donated.

Mercy is proposing ground-floor retail such as a cafe or bakery, that would be an amenity to the neighborhood, Ciraulo said.

The project is being designed to fill a gap in care for homeless people who were getting help with health, mental health and substance abuse issues while on the street. Tenants will be able to receive those services onsite instead or be connected with new services.

"It's really critical that services are matched if you're trying to house homeless or formerly homeless people," said Tim Brown, director of Sacramento Steps Forward, a nonprofit formerly known as the Ending Chronic Homelessness Initiative.

The project also is designed to help people working at low-wage jobs downtown by providing housing close to their jobs, Ciraulo said.

Sacramento has some mixed-population, supportive-housing developments, such as one near Arden Fair Mall. This one is being modeled after Portland's Richard L. Harris Building at 8 NW 8th St., which has won awards for affordable housing innovations and integrating housing and social services. SERA Architects designed that project.

The building is intended to create 122 of the 200 SRO units the city must replace by 2011, under its own ordinance, said Christine Weichert, assistant director of housing and community development for SHRA.

Sitting behind the Sacramento County Jail, the project at Seventh and H streets would include 122 studios measuring 325 square feet that rent for $206 to $581, and 28 one-bedroom units for $207 to $619. Both would have full kitchens and bathrooms, unlike standard SROs, which usually have kitchenettes and communal bathrooms, Ciraulo said.

Rent will be income-based. Mercy Housing will target people on Social Security or disability for most units. Whether tenants are formerly homeless or low-wage workers, they will pay 30 percent of their income, he said.

In the 1970s, Sacramento had about 3,000 SRO units. A 2006 city ordinance called for no net loss of the remaining 712 SRO units.

"Preservation of the SROs is vital to including a much-needed piece in the housing continuum," said Sandra Hamameh, program director for the Sacramento Housing Alliance.

Proposals call for the project to be largely publicly funded. Mercy, which is quite possibly the largest provider of service-enriched housing in the area, and SHRA are going after local, state and federal funding, including highly competitive federal tax credits, Weichert said.

Several sources will pay for services, including public funding and fund raising. Community services will be used as much as possible, and some services — such as those for resident service coordinators — will be integrated into the building's operating budget. About 15 percent of the operating costs would be set aside for services, Ciraulo said.

The city's Planning Commission is set to give final approval to the project May 6. The Sacramento City Council is expected to be asked to provide some funding at a June meeting, said Weichert, adding that the amount will be determined within two weeks.

Developers hope to have financing in place by September. If so, construction could begin by February. The building would be expected to open by October 2013.

With its mix of housing and support services, the project would keep a wider range of people with different income levels downtown, said Robert Tobin, president and chief executive officer of Cottage Housing, which operates the Quinn Cottages at 16th and North A streets.

"This is a population that is vulnerable," he said. "It really helps if you can have some support on site."

Graphic provided by Mercy Housing. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter covering business and development for The Sacramento Press.

Read more about what defines affordable housing here

7th & H Street SRO Proposal

2010-04-16T03:45:51Z

Mercy Housing California of West Sacramento proposing affordable housing at the corner of 7th & H Street that will include 122 studios (325sf) and 28 one bed room (500sf) units as well as sixteen parking spaces, retail and health clinic on the ground floor. This eight story 102 foot tall building’s designed to replace other single room occupancy (SRO) units in downtown that are going to be replaced with other developments in the future.

There will be 3,900sf of retail space as well as 3,750sf health clinic, residential lobby, and a structured parking garage. 7th & H will also be designed to have a LEED-Silver standard and registered with the US Green Building Council. This project is the first mid-rise residential tower in the newly redefined Central Core District, and the first project to use the new Urban Design Guidelines. It located across the street from the County Jail and on an existing RT light rail line located along the north side of H Street, and a future RT line proposed on the east side of the 7th Street.

The project will require the Planning Commission approval of entitlements and to combine 5 existing parcels into one lot for the commercial condominium purposed. The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear this project on April 21st and then again on May 6, 2010 for Final action.

Officials, company careful with demolition

2009-12-22T05:12:13Z

The final demolition of a former Sacramento police building has been halted again while concerns over an adjacent power station are worked out.

Advantage Demolition was preparing to demonstrate Monday how the last two exterior walls could be pulled down safely next to transformers at a historic power station, now known as SMUD Station A, at Sixth and H streets. The station, whose origins date to 1895, supplies power to up to 40 percent of downtown Sacramento, said Sacramento Municipal Utility District spokesperson Dace Udris.

Demolition of the building at Seventh and H streets began several months ago to make way for a 160-unit affordable housing project being built by the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Mercy Housing California and Mogavero Notestine Associates. Demolition was suspended until Monday, when officials from SHRA, SMUD and the city visited the site to watch a demolition demonstration. The work was halted for further discussion of the process that will be used.

"SMUD is uncomfortable, and I understand why," said Robert Scott of Advantage Demolition, a family-run company based in Eldorado Hills.

The company's most technical demolition jobs are handled by Scott and his uncle Peter Scott, who owns the business. For this building, Robert Scott will put 13 years of experience to work running the excavator, which will pull the concrete block walls into the interior of what's left of the building, he said. The exterior was built to resemble brick.

After Christmas, the Scotts will meet with officials to address concerns and to demonstrate the technique on a roughly 26-foot section of wall facing H Street. The most concern arose over the possibility concrete chunks could fly out from the other wall, which runs along one side of the substation, and hit electrical equipment. The company will install tarps between the substation and the wall to control debris, Robert Scott said.

"I've been in this situation many times," he said. "I have yet to have an accident."

The demolition could be completed within days once the go-ahead is given. Demolishing the rest of the walls should take a few hours. Prepping — installing tarps and making the site safe — will take a day, while cleanup will take two to three days, Scott said.

For years, the building under demolition was the city's patrol station. Patrol officers were based there, while patrol cars were housed in a garage where the federal courthouse now sits. Police administration headquarters were located at the site of the present Sacramento County Public Law Library, said Sacramento Police Department spokesperson Norm Leong.

In 1994, the building was converted into the city's first non-live-in police academy. Forensics also was based there. The building had so much history for Sacramento police that some officers grabbed concrete "bricks" as mementos once it started coming down, Leong said.

"There's history there," he said.

SHRA is overseeing the nine-story project to build one-bedroom and studio apartments, along with ground-floor retail and a clinic, to replace low-income, single-residency occupancy units on K Street Mall or elsewhere downtown and to help develop permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people. The tenants would be primarily single people with low-wage jobs. Mercy Housing California hopes to establish one-third to half of the units for "special needs" tenants who have been homeless or at-risk in other ways, according to an SHRA staff report.

Sacramento Housing Alliance Affordable Housing Bus Tour

2009-10-03T04:39:04Z

Thursday afternoon, about 50 seniors, homeless and other community members participated in the Sacramento Housing Alliance Affordable Housing Bus Tour. The tour surveyed 10 different housing options and stopped to provide in-depth tours of three housing complexes.

Guided by Shamus Roller, director of the SHA, Ken Cross, CEO of Sacramento Habitat for Humanity and Paul Ainger, Mercy Housing project developer, the four-hour tour began and ended at the SHA office in Midtown.

"It's important to know what affordable housing means," Ainger said. According to the federal government, housing is considered "affordable" when a person renting or buying it spends no more than 30 percent of his or her income for housing.

"Affordable housing is an economic stimulus," Roller added.

"None of these [properties on the tour] are owned by non-profits," Ainger said. "They are all owned by for-profit guys."

The first stop was the 84-unit complex Serna Village, located in McClellan. A transitional housing community developed by Mercy Housing of California and Cottage Housing, Inc., the complex consists of one- to four-bedroom residential units.

The bus unloaded and took an in-depth tour of the community. One requirement for residency is to have children. Arla, who did not give her last name, gave a speech detailing her experience in Serna Village to the tour group.

She was referred to Serna Village through Quinn Cottages, another housing site for single homeless individuals run by Cottage Housing, Inc. She and other residents, besides meeting minimum requirements, must identify and commit to other lifestyle changes in order to remain in the community, she said.

"You're able to be yourself [here]," Arla added. "I'm in college for the first time in 18 years. It's an awesome program."

Like Arla, Kelly Dean, another Serna Village resident, spoke of her recovery from drug addiction. Dean held a six-month-old baby in her arms during her speech.

Serna Village offers parenting classes, mental health and drug and alcohol recovery programs, she said. "They take people from a homeless nightmare and turn them into the American Dream."

Rent at Serna Village is determined on a case-by-case basis and the average tenant stays for 14 months out of a two-year limit, said Cottage Housing's executive director, Robert Tobin. He also mentioned that Cottage Housing plans to more than double its residential capacity from 241 to 500 units over the next decade.

Victory Townhomes in North Sacramento was the tour's next stop. Developed by Sacramento Mutual Housing Association in 2003, the complex holds 21 three and four-bedroom town homes and tenants are allowed to stay as long as they want.

It serves people who are considered very low income, earning less than 50 percent ($25,500) of the 2009 annual Sacramento Area Median Income, $51,950. But it doesn't lack in high-tech amenities, explained Rachel Iskow, SMHA's executive director.

For one, the town homes are part of Sacramento's first green street, on Dixieanne Avenue, and have solar panels on their roofs. It's the first multifamily development to incorporate photovoltaics, or solar energy.

Opened in 2003, the property also offers a computer lab and free wireless Internet access. Residents who complete a computer literacy series in the computer lab and donate community service hours receive a free computer, which residents can keep.

The last facility toured was the Forrest Street build site developed by Sacramento Habitat for Humanity. When completed, the site, which features four three-bedroom, two-bathroom, single-family homes, will be SHFH's 200th home completed worldwide.

Though it is unclear when the homes will be completed, they are all expected to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "gold" certification, the second highest award possible.

Qualifying families must be low income (80 percent AMI, $40,800 or less annually) and their current housing situation must be overcrowded, unsafe or overpriced. Once approved, the family must complete 500 hours of "sweat equity" by helping to complete their own home, someone else's, or contribute in some other capacity in an SHFH office. The family must then make payments on the home.

Though the building of the homes is sponsored by local corporations, "families earn homes," said Cross, SHFH's director. "These are not handouts."

The tour then drove by The Park at Del Paso Nuevo, Loaves and Fishes, Quinn Cottages, 1801 L. St., Freemont Mews Apartments, and a former Safe Ground location at 1220 C St. owned by Mark Merin. The tour did not have time to stop as planned at Vintage at Natomas Field, St. Francis Terrace, Francis House, St. Anton Building or Pensione K, all of which have affordable housing options.

"I love the tour," said Sister Libby Fernandez, director of Loaves and Fishes. "It's wonderful to see a variety of affordable housing with good resident services."

"There are not enough shelters and not enough transitional housing," added Tina Reynolds, Safe Ground board member. She announced to the bus that Safe Ground is close to completing a shelter near Bannon Street which will use Tuff Sheds as transitional housing for three to 18 months.

Its goal is to have built-in bathrooms, cooking and laundry facilities and solar power, she added.

"There is a lack of SRO-type housing. Most homeless are single males," said John Krayntz, a homeless man and Safe Ground "elder," or leader, who once lived at 1220 C St. "The tour showed a lot of stuff that was very good, but there is still a need for [housing with] more services and disability advocacy."

Jill Hurley, who lives in Riverview Plaza, a low-income independent living facility downtown, said that she wanted to see more accessible showers built into affordable housing for seniors. "The biggest reason for hospital visits [among seniors] is falling and the most dangerous place is the bathroom."

For more information on affordable housing, please visit the SHA website.

Photographs one through six show Serna Village. Photographs seven through show of Victory Townhomes. Photograph ten shows the SHFH's Forrest Street build site.

SHA Affordable Home Tour

2009-10-01T17:20:37Z

On Thursday afternoon, October 1st, the Sacramento Housing Alliance (SHA) will host a bus tour showcasing a variety of affordable residential communities in the City and County of Sacramento. The SHA Affordable Housing Bus Tour will feature a diverse range of housing options from homes for people transitioning out of homelessness to homes for lower middle class families. Visits will focus on developments that, through public and private partnerships, provide homes for families earning $40,000 or less.

Participants will see 10 affordable residential communities along the tour route including walking tours at three of the sites. The first stop is a visit to Serna Village, a healing residential community housing formerly homeless families. The route then continues to Victory Townhomes, a housing development built by Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA) that includes a financial education program, youth development program, and a computer lab.

The third stop is one of Sacramento Habitat for Humanity’s latest build sites which consists of four new single family homes on Forrest Street in the Del Paso area. The homes are being built with “sweat-equity” where the future homeowners help construct their new home with the help of construction experts and volunteers. The Forrest Street site will also be home to a celebration recognizing the United Nations World Habitat Day on Monday, October 5, 2009, following the bus tour.

About 31% of Sacramento’s population is considered very low income. This means that they make less than 50% of the area’s median income or $36,400 for a family of four or $25,500 for an individual. These people include seniors, persons with disabilities, young families and college students. According the California Bureau of Labor Statistics a few of the professions that may also fall into lower income categories are teachers, paramedics, bank tellers, baristas, and retail clerks. While rental housing costs have decreased slightly, the economic downturn has put additional strain on families through unemployment, furloughs and lower wages.

The Sacramento Housing Alliance has been on the forefront of advocacy for lower income families and homeless people in the greater Sacramento region for 20 years. SHA is a coalition of organizations and individuals including non-profit and for profit developers, environmentalists, civil rights advocates, homeless service providers, architects, and business professionals. SHA works to break-down myths about affordable housing and highlights the importance of building communities with a range of housing types to meet the needs of all people in Sacramento. SHA’s goal is to make home a reality for everyone.

For more information about the Sacramento Housing Alliance and future SHA events, please visit www.sachousingalliance.org or e-mail sha@sachousingalliance.org. The bus tour is made possible with support from Citi and from the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.