RDA housing set-aside funds to cover Housing Element cost overrun

March 15, 2001
Santa Paula News

The City Council approved $14,470 to be paid out for Draft Housing Element cost overruns from Redevelopment Agency Housing Set-Aside funds at the March 5 meeting.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe City Council approved $14,470 to be paid out for Draft Housing Element cost overruns from Redevelopment Agency Housing Set-Aside funds at the March 5 meeting.According to the report by Planning Director Tom Bartlett, the “extensive level of effort expended to date. . .has well exceeded that anticipated in the original scope of services,” budget of about $40,000.Factors contributing to the costs include the “high level of scrutiny and extensive criticism of 1990 Census data which was out of the planning team’s control,” a greater number and “more specialized public input workshops and hearings,” than initially planned, a more detailed site survey of existing residential areas, the longer timeframe of the project, additional copies - at $15 each - of the draft document and at least one more public hearing.“For example, after the first Community Workshop, much of the data presented was criticized by the public, requiring extensive additional effort to bring in secondary data sources,” such as post census projections which in many cases were “less reliable than our original information,” wrote Cotton-Bridges consultant Karen Warner.One public workshop turned into three, and a request by Councilwoman Laura Flores Espinosa and Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation led to the development of a slide show of county affordable housing projects for use in the second workshop, Warner added.
The billing rate for Cotton-Bridges personnel has also risen over the extended project completion schedule and the council has requested yet another hearing to review an updated draft Housing Element.“What is the wisdom was of getting the money out of the Housing Set Aside fund,” asked Councilman John Procter.“It was recommended by the city manager and after checking with the (RDA) director,” Ken Cott, “he confirmed we can do that,” said Bartlett.“We have as a council encouraged more public input,” said Procter. “There’s not any problem with the extra expenditure. . .we asked,” for more meetings on the draft Housing Element.Councilman Rick Cook agreed but said an additional meeting held January 6 at the Community Center was also involved and “could have impacted costs. . .I also want to note that meeting was not done at our request.”



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