pages: CityCouncil/2022-04-05.pdf, 21
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CityCouncil | 2022-04-05 | 21 | Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft expressed support for the matter; stated Alameda is among a couple other cities in the County to have received funds. The Community Development Director stated Alameda and Oakland were the only cities in the County to receive funding. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired whether Council is being asked to take $1 million out of the City's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the project and the City will not be reimbursed for the funding. The Community Development Director responded in the affirmative; stated there is service provider funding for five years and staff will actively be pursuing future grant funding. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired whether the grant funding language commits the City to provide the transitional housing for more than five years. The Community Development Director responded in the affirmative; stated the County requires a 20 year commitment; the City received $2.3 million from the County; the State requires a 15 year commitment; staff has 5 years secured already; staff will continue to find additional funds. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired whether the City will need to come up with 15 years of funding for the project if the grant money is accepted, to which the Community Development Director responded in the affirmative. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired where funding will come from in the future. The Community Development Director responded staff will be pursuing other funding opportunities; stated there is currently a lot of energy around homeless housing efforts; there will continue to be opportunities at the federal, State and local levels; staff will be aggressively pursuing the opportunities and will look into private funding as well as fundraising; noted Dignity Moves is also pursuing alternative funding. Councilmember Herrera Spencer stated that she has not seen an updated five-year forecast update; expressed concern about the City committing to 20 years of funding for the project and funding coming from the General Fund if it cannot be found somewhere else. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated ARPA funds are not General Fund money; Council has allocated a portion of ARPA funds to address homelessness; she agrees with comments related to the housing and homelessness crisis throughout the State; money is being allocated to address homelessness; the City is laying a strong foundation; doing nothing leaves people to languish and die on the streets, which has a cost. Councilmember Herrera Spencer stated that she understands ARPA funds are not General Fund; ARPA funds will not continue for 20 years; inquired whether the funding for the program would come from General Fund in the future once ARPA funds are exhausted; inquired whether ARPA is a short-term commitment. The Assistant City Manager responded in the affirmative; stated ARPA funding only runs through 2026; funding for homelessness and housing issues will be up against other Council priorities; the City is committing to an ongoing funding obligation; the project creates new 20 | CityCouncil/2022-04-05.pdf |