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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 09192006 - HA.1 ' Y a HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA TO: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS --� FROM: Rudy Tamayo, Executive Director DATE: September 19, 2006 SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE COMMENCEMENT OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE MARTINEZ UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR PURCHASE OF ALMOND STREET PROPERTY FOR POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND HEAD START FACILITY i SPECIFIC REQUEST (S) OR RECOMMENDATION (S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDED ACTION: RATIFY Housing Authority's response to Martinez Unified School District's notice of intent to sell property on Almond Street, Martinez, APN 375-272-001; AUTHORIZE the Executive Director of the Housing Authority to commence negotiations with the Martinez Unified .School District for thei possible purchase of 1.5 acres of surplus property on Almond Street, Martinez, for the possible development of single-family homes and a Head Start facility. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT: If this project is ultimately apprived, the Housing Authority intends to finance the purchase and development of the property through available grants and temporary pre-development and construction loans. It is anticipated that no County general funds will be needed to fund this purchase. III. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND I - I On March 6, 2006, the Housing Authority was notified by the Martinez Unified School District of the availability of surplus property, pursuant;to Government Code Section 54222. The vacant property is located in unincorporated Martinez, and was once the location of an elementary school. Almond Street, Vine Avenue, and Palm Avenue, in a neighborhood known as Mountain View, bound the property. The Housing Authority respond)d to the notification and expressed interest in purchasing the property for the purpose of creating an affordable home ownership development. The Board is requested to ratify the Housing Authority's response to the School District, a copy of which is attached. Additionally, the Housing Authority had preliminary staff level discussions with the Contra Costa County Community Services Department concerning the possible construction of a new Head Start facility on three parcels of the thirteen-parcel site. Staff has nearly completed due diligence actions and is prepared to begin .CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X IYES SIGNATU Rudy Tamayo/cxecutilf Director I RECOMMENDATION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): i "ACTION OF BOARD ON / ` (1 {O APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTER V .;DIRECTED Staff to consider recreational component for this site. VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS (ABSENT_' v�'-�� ! ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF :Cheryl Grover a Martinez resident)?and member . COMMISSIONERS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Mt. View Improvement Association spoke against ATTESTED .approval of this item, stating a ,park- would JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF .be more desirable for this site. THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS S AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR I. BY DEPUTY i H:UudyHayes\MSOFFICE\WINWOI2,1)\BOARD\BO-Aimond Street Purchase.doc i I i BO-Almond Street Purchase September 19, 2006 Page 2 i I negotiations with the Martinez Unified School District to purchase the property. See attached Executive Summary. .The Advisory Housing Commission of the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa approved this recommendation at their regular meeting on August 21, 2006. IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: i Should the Board of Commissioners elect not to authorize staff to pursue discussions with the Martinez Unified School District, Housing Authority staff will not pursue such discussion. I I i I I I i i i i I i I i I i I I i i I I I i i i I i I i i i I i i HOUSING UTHORI I `�' • Of1HE COUNTY Of CONTRA COSTA May 3, 2006 I 1;.,. I Mr. Timothy Rahill Assistant Superintendent Martinez Unified School District 921 Susana Street Martinez, CA 94553 j Re: Notice of Availability of Surplus School District Property— APN 375-272-001, Almond Street, Martinez Dear Mr. Rahill, i In response to your letter dated 3/6/06, the Housing Authority of Contra Costa County is hereby notifying the School District of our intent to negotiate the purchase of the above cited property. While we are considering a partnership with the County's Head Start program for development of the property, we are prepared to begin negotiation for the purchase at your earliest convenience. Please contact me at (925) 957-8025 to discuss the next steps, or by e-mail at rmoore(�u.contracostahousin�_ or��. i Sincerely, i I I I Robert Moore Acting Development Director I I i I i I I I I I i I I I I I ' I 3133 ESTUDILLO STREET • P.O. BOX 2759 • MARTINEZ. CALIFORNIA 94553 • PHONE(925)957-8000 • FAX(925)372-0236 www.contracostahousinq.orq I I I I I I i i I I I i I I Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa Almond Street Property — Future Housing Development Proposal I Project Goal: To begin implementation of HUD's FY 2006-2011 Strategic Framework involving home ownership. HUD has identified ' ka key mission for this period to increase home ownership opportunities for lower or moderate-income households. To this end, the Housing Authority proposes to developi its first home ownership program that creates new affordable housing. I Project Description: The Almond Street property is a 1.5-acre site located in unincorporated Martinez and is surplus land currently owned by the Martinez Unified School District. California law requires that school districts offer surplus property for sale first to another public agency through the surplus property disposition process. The property is located in a fully developed residential area, and bounded by Almond Street, Vine Avenue, Sycamore Street and Palm Avenue. The property is currently zoned R-6. The Housing Authority was notified on March 6, 2006 by the School District of the property availability, at which time the Housing Authority began an initial feasibility study of the site's suitability for a single-family home ownership development. After the study found no significant impediments to such development, the Housing Authority, on May 10, 2006, formally notified the School District of the intent to negotiate for the purchase for the property. At that time, the Housing Authority learned that the County Community Services Department was interested in purchasing or leasing a portion of the site for relocation of a Martinez Head Start facility. Preliminary project development plans consider the following: • Construction and sale of:approximately 10 single-family detached homes. • Three of the ten single family of homes would be targeted for below median income households. The balance would be priced at market or below market rate, with preference for first-time homebuyers. • The County's Head Start program may occupy three parcels of the site to construct a preschool/day care facility. Preliminary discussion indicates a favorable outcome for a day care center. I The Housing Authority has taken a number of actions as part of the due diligence procedure. A property value i assessment by a HUD-certified assessor has been prepared, and is available for review. The assessed value has been determined to be $1.3 million. The Housing Authority has met with a group of neighborhood residents, including representatives from !the Mountain View Improvement Association (MVIA). The MVIA is interested in the site as a location for a park. While the neighborhood has an existing park several blocksito the south, MVIA is interested in this site for a more centrally located play area. MVIA recognizes that the Housing Authority is negotiating with the School District through the State- mandated disposition process, and is not in direct opposition to the construction of housing. However, many feel the best use of the site would be for a park. General neighborhood opinion seems to be considerably less unified, with some in oppositioi to the park plan and in favor of single-family home development. i An initial meeting with County Planning staff has determined that no zoning modifications would be needed for a development as outlined above. Environmental documents from the abatement Viand demolition of a previous school structure are under review. NEPA/CEQA environmental review reports will be completed before the Board approves acquisition of the property. A property title review is also underway. i i I I I I H:UudvHaves\MSOI'I-'ICE\WINWOItD\130ARD\BO-Almond Street Property I:ixccutive Summary.doe I