HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 206-05!I
~ Meet other community development needs having a particular urgency, or posing a
serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community.
Palo Alto has historically expended all of its CDBG funds on projects benefiting low-and very-
low-income persons.
There are three primary' CDBG program activity areas:
Public Services: Social service activities that benefit low-income persons. The maximum
amount that can be expended under this category is 15 percent of the grant allocation and 15
percent of the program income for the previous year. For fiscal year 2005/06, the maximum
available for public services is $127,392.
Public Service Cap Calculation:
2005/06 Entitlement Grant
Program Income -Housing Improvement Program 2004/05* (Est.)
Program Income -PAHC 2004/05* (Est.)
$849,281 x 15% =
$779,281
$35,000
$35,000
$127,392
*Federal regulations require the public service and planningladministrationcaps to be calculated
on program income for different years.
Planning and Administration: This category may be used to reimburse for fair housing
activities, CDBG program management, oversight and coordination, environmental reviews,
and general planning activities. Federal regulations limit the amount that can be spent in this
category to 20 percent of the grant and 20 percent of the estimated program income for the
following year. For fiscal year 2005/06 funding is limited to a maximum of$164,856.
Planning! Administration Cap Calculation:
2005/06 Entitlement Grant (Est.)
Program Income -HIP 2005/06* (Est.)
Program Income -PAHC 2005/06* (Est.)
$779,281
$35,000
$10,000
$824,281 x 20% = $164,856
*Federal regulations require the public service and planning/administration caps be calculated
on program income for different years.
Capital Projects: Capital improvement activities such as housing acquisition, rehabilitation,
accessibility, and public improvements are the primary focus of the CDBG program. There are
no funding limitations in this category.
CDBG Applications
Applications for 2005/07 funding were mailed to area housing and human service providers on
October 12, 2004 and posted to the City's website. A notice announcing the availability of
applications for 2005/06 and 2006/07 CDBG funding was published in the Palo Alto Weekly on
October 13,2004. A proposal-writing workshop was conducted on November 3, 2004 to assist
CMR: 206:05 Page 3 of9
35,000
10,000
28,788
$915,639
Estimated program income for 2005106 from the City's Housing
Improvement Program (HIP), a single-family residential rehabilitation
program that is no longer operational
Estimated program income for 2005106 from the Palo Alto Housing
Corporation that is generated when rental income exceeds expenses on
specific properties acquired or rehabilitated with CDBG funds
Actual program income received in previous years in excess of the
estimated amounts that were allocated
*The amount of entitlement grant is not confirmed until the President has signed a budget bill
approved by the United States Congress.
Funding Recommendations -FY 05106
The chart on the following page shows the applications that were received and the CAC and
staff funding recommendations. It should be noted that changes might be necessary in the event
that the City's entitlement grant is increased or decreased when the President signs the actual
budget. Attachment A is a narrative explaining the funding requests and funding
recommendations in more detail.
CMR: 206:05 Page 5 of9
available at Have Family House and First Step for Families. In addition, the Maple Street
Shelter serves single adults in Redwood City. Shelter Network's housing programs allow
residents to reconnect with permanent housing, jobs, and the skills and resources necessary to
. break the cycle of homelessness .
. Priority Need: Transitional housing and supportive services for homeless families with children.
Discussion: Shelter Network's facilities are important resources for homeless individuals and
families with children from northern Santa Clara County. The facility expects to serve 45
homeless families representing m·ore than 150 parents and children. It is expected that three to
eight families from Palo Alto will be served at the family facilities (representing approximately 8
to 24 parents and children). In addition, they plan on serving 20-30 homeless individuals in their
Maple Street shelter.
5. Clara-Mateo Alliance (CMA)/lnn Vision -Family Shelter Wing
795 Willow Road, Bldg. 323-D, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding
FY 05/06 $25,000 $20,900
FY 06/07 $25,000
Staff/CAC
Recommendation
$21,392
$20,750
Proposal: The Clara-Mateo Alliance has 18 emergency shelter beds and six transitional housing
units devoted to homeless families. Annually, 125-160 individuals are provided with housing
and supportive services. The agency is proposing to serve a minimum of three homeless families
with children from Palo Alto. In addition, they will provide extensive on-site supportive services
to all program participants, including food, clothing and medical care.
Priority Need: Shelter, supportive services, and transitional housing for homeless families and a
Day Center for homeless women and children.
Discussion: This project is an important resource for the growing number of homeless families
with children in northern Santa Clara County. The family program has accomplished its goals of
serving Palo Alto families in the last fiscal year.
6. Clara-Mateo Alliance (CMA)/lnn Vision -Shelter and Supportive Services
795 Willow Road, Bldg. 323-D, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding Staff/CAC
Recommendation
FY 05/06 $35,000 $25,000 $21,000
FY 06/07 $35,000 $20,350
Proposal: Clara-Mateo Alliance (CMA) provides a 63-bed shelter for homeless individuals and
couples, and thirty transitional housing rooms for graduates of the shelter. They provide
supportive services aime.d at increasing self-sufficiency and finding and maintaining stable
housing. The shelter targets the under-served populations such as homeless persons with .
disabilities, mental illness, psychiatric disorders, and chronic substance abusers.
, Priority Need: Shelter and services for persons who are homeless.
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Priority Need: Supportive services for lower-income persons.
Discussion: Staff and the CAC do not recommend funding for this program at this time because
they are no longer operating the dayworker center. They are also requesting 52% of the program
costs from the City of Palo Alto, while they only propose to serve 5 Palo Alto individuals in each
fiscal year.
9. Mid-Peninsula Alano Club -MPAC Operations
1155 Reed Avenue, Unit E, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding
FY 05/06 $16,000 N/A
FY 06/07 $16,000
Staff/CAC
Recommendation
$5,000
$5,000
Proposal: The Mid-Peninsula Alano Club (MP AC) provides a physical location where those in
and or seeking recovery from addictive substances may gather, meet, share and support one
another. MPAC exists to provide a safe, clean and sober environment for all those seeking
and/or in recovery from addictive substances, welcoming all their friends, family members and
guests. MP AC is proposing to expand its outreach and services to more people with the
assistance from the City. They currently have 141 dues-paying members and another 250-300
people frequent the club every month.
Priority Need: Supportive services for lower-income persons.
Discussions: Staff and the CAC recommend partial funding for this program. MP AC is the only
center of its kind in the local area and provides an important service to the community.
However, they are requesting 23% oftheir program costs for the City and have not submitted
applications to other jurisdictions for funding.
FAIR HOUSING/ADMINISTRATION
9. Fair Housing Services -Determined through RFP
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding Staff/CAC
Recommendation
FY 05/06 $26,800 $26,800 $26,800
FY 06/07 $26,800 $26,800
Proposal: The City of Palo Alto will issue a j oint Request for Proposals (RFP) to Provide Fair
Housing Services for North Santa Clara County with the Cities of Mountain View and
Sunnyvale. The Cities seek investigation, counseling and legal referrals for victims of housing
discrimination; community education and outreach regarding fair housing law and practices; and
research, analyses, and reporting for City staff and officials regarding fair housing practices.
Priority Need: Fair Housing Services.
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Discussion: Staff and the CAC recommend $75,000 in funding for this project. There are less
than 75 beds of housing for single homeless youth in the County and an estimated 1,200 youth
living on the streets. Approximately 2% ofthe youth served at Our House come from Palo Alto.
Staff and CAC recommend additional funding in the amount of $25,000 in the event that the City
is unable to acquire an affordable housing site with CDBG Housing Development funds.
14. Economic and social Opportunities -Housing and Energy Services Program
1445 Oakland Road, San Jose, CA 95112 '
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding Staff/CAC
Recommendation
FY 05/06 $60,000 $60,000 $60,000
FY 06/07 $60,000 $60,000
Proposal: Agency proposes to assist a minimum of26 low-income Palo Alto households with
home improvement services. These services· are designed to identify and improve hazardous
conditions in homes, improve accessibility and use for seniors and individuals with disabilities,
improve energy efficiency and make necessary minor repairs in order to avoid more expensive
solutions in the future.
Priority Need: Conservation of energy and improved accessibility for individuals with physical
disabilities.
Discussion: Staff and the CAC recommend that this project receive $60,000 in funding in each
-fiscal year. Energy efficiency and the modification of units for thosewho are physically disabled
are identified as priorities in the City's Housing Element Update, 1999-2006. Economic and
Social Opportunities addresses these needs by providing services designed to improve safety and
use, enhance affordability and preserve affordable housing. In addition, staff and the CAC
recommend that ESO administer the Lytton Gardens countertop Lavatory Project and receive an
additional $86,575 specifically for that purpose.
15. Stevenson House -Walk-In CoolerlFreezer and Windows and Doors
455 E. Charleston Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding Staff/CAC
Recommendation
FY 05/06 $104,607 $38,200 for Hot -0-
FY 06/07 $103,641 Water Pipe Upgrade $163,248
Proposal: Stevenson House provides 120 units of affordable rental housing to low-income
seniors. Since seniors are living longer, and there are almost no assisted living facilities for low-
income seniors, Stevenson House is attempting to provide supportive services to their residents
to help them maintain their independence as long as possible. Their proposal is to replace the
walk-in cooler and freezer and the windows and doors in the common areas.
Priority Need: Rehabilitation of affordable rental housing.
Discussion: Staff and the CAC recommend $163,248 in funding for this project in fiscal year
2006/07. The CDBG program has some unexpended funds from a project in fiscal year 2003/04
that will not be able to proceed. Because ofthe urgency of the freezer and the City's need to
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J o expend the additional funds in a timely manner, the recommendation is for the freezer to be
completed by April 30, 2005 with the excess funds and that the windows and doors component
be allocated $163,248 in fiscal year 2006/07. The CDBO program anticipates allocating $45,000
for the new freezer in the current fiscal year. In addition, if the City is unable to make progress
in locating an affordable housing site by September 15,2005, staff and the CAC recommend that
the project be allocated the funds in fiscal year 2005/06.
16. Bridge Housing Corporation -Fabian Way Senior Apartments
901 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding
FY 05/06 $300,00 N/A
Staff/CAC
Recommendation
-0-
Proposal: Bridge Housing has the exclusive right to acquire a parcel at 901 San Antonio Road for
senior affordable housing. This development, to be called, Fabian Way Senior Apartments, will
provide 6,6 apartments for very low-income seniors. It would be contiguous to a new
redevelopment effort underway by adjacent landowners that is expected to create condominiums,
a recreation center and a senior assisted living community. This project has a Below Market
Rate (BMR) requirement of 34 units. Bridge Housing is requesting CDBO funds for
predevelopment costs associated with the non-BMR units, a total of 31 units.
Priority Need: Acquisition of affordable rental housing
Discussion: Staff and the CAC do not recommend funding for this project because
predevelopment costs associated with housing development are subject to the administrative cap
in the CDBO program. The administrative cap is limited to $164,856 in fiscal year 2005/06 and
needs to cover the costs of administering the CDBO program as well as provide funding to the
City'S fair housing provider.
17. City of Palo Alto -CDBG Housing Development Fund'
Planning Department, City Hall
Funding Request 2004/05 Funding
FY 05/06 $400,000 $409,312
FY 06/07 $400,000
Staff/CAC
Recommendation
$401,816
$329,662
Proposal: The City would like to acquire an affordable housing site, using a combination of City
general funds, as well as cdbg funds. Land in the City is very expensive and can sell for between
$3-5 million per acre. The City Real Estate department is currently evaluating the feasibility of a
site at the direction of the Finance Committee. Staff and the CAC recommend $401,816 in
funding for theCDBO Housing Development Fund to assist the City in purchasing a site.
Priority Need: Affordable rental housing.
Discussion: Although the CAC and staff do recommend funding for the acquisition of an
affordable housing project, it is recommended that the progress of seGuring the site be evaluated
in mid-September 2005. If there has not been a substantial amount of progress in securing the
site by September 15, staff and the CAC have proposed some funding alternatives for the funds
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allocated to the CDBG Housing fund. The primary reason for this is that the City must experid
CDBG funds in a timely manner or risk losing future CDBG funds. The alternative funding plan
is to provide an additional $86,575 to Economic and Social Opportunities to replace the sinks in
an additional floor to the Lytton Gardens skilled nursing facility; an additional $25,000 to the
Emergency Housing Consortium for their Our House Youth Project; and $163,248 to Stevenson
House for replacement of windows and doors in the common areas of their senior housing
facility. The remaining $126,993 will be allocated with fiscal year 2006107 funds.
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Table of Contents
list of Figures . .
3-1: Concentration of Minority Populations ...................................................... 16
3-2: Concentrations of Lower-Income Households .......................................... 18
3-3: Location of Residential Care Facilities ....................................................... 23
3-4: HIV/AIDS Cases by County Region ............................................................ 28
3-5: Elevated Blood Levels by Zip Code ........................................................... 38
A-1: Zip Code of Survey Participants ................................................................ 134
City of Palo Alto 3 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Purpose and Content
Introduction
The City of Palo Alto's 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan describes local conditions and resources,
identifies priority housing, human service and community development needs, and outlines a
strategy to address the identified needs. The Consolidated Plan was developed under the
guidelines established by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
and it serves as the application for four major HUD formula programs:
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
• HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME)
.• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
• Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG)
Of the four formula programs, CDBG funds are the only ones received by the City of Palo Alto on
an entitlement basis directly from HUD. Funding from any of the other sources would require a
successful grant application in a competitive process administered by either the State of
California or HUD. The Consolidated Plan serves as a guide to insure that Federal funds are
directed toward the most urgent community needs, and that funding decisions are consistent
with identified priorities and strategies. The Plan links identified community needs to the federal
and local resources available to meet those needs.
Additionally, the Consolidated Plan is intended to initiate a collaborative process whereby a
unified vision is established for community actions, and partnerships are strengthened among all
levels of government and the private sector. The Consolidated Plan serves four separate, but
integrated, functions: as a planning document for the jurisdiction; as an application for federal
funds;· as a strategy to be followed in carrying out HUD programs; and as an action plan that
provides a basis for assessing performance.
National Goals: The Consolidated Plan must primarily benefit low-income persons in accordance
with the three basic goals of the four formula grant programs:
• Provide decent housing
• Provide a suitable living environment
• Expand economic opportunities
The City of Palo Alto has prepared its Consolidated Plan for the period 2005-2010 in compliance
with 24 CFR 91 and the ensuing regulations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development.
City of Palo Alto 4 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Introduction
1.2 Coordinating and Managing the Process
The City's Department of. Planning and Community Environmeht administers the CDBG Program
addressing housing and affordable housing programs. The Department of Community Services
oversees the annual allocation of General Fund Human Service contracts, works with the Human
Relations Commission on needs assessments, diversity issues, and provides staff liaisons to
Citywide volunteer task forces (Le. Child Care, Mediation, and Youth Council). The Housing
Authority of the County of Santa Clara (HACSC) administers the local Section 8 housing subsidy
program, and has provided bond financing for the acquisition of affordable housing projects
within the City.
The majority of housing and human service strategies will be accomplished by supporting local
non-profit organizations that provide programs and services for lower income residents. The City
will cooperate and work with these groups to ensure the development of affordable housing
and approp~iate services within the community.
As part of the development process of the Consolidated Plan, the staffs of the CDBG entitlement
cities of Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Gilroy, Mountain View, Cupertino, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara
and the County of Santa Clara met a number of times to discuss data resources and to
coordinate requests for information to both public and private county -wide agencies.
Palo Alto City staff actively participates in the Santa Clara County Collaborative on Housing and
Homelessness. This Countywide group brings together governmental agencies, homeless service
and shelter providers, homeless persons, housing advocates, and affordable housing developers
to develop coordinated approaches .to homeless issues. This increases cooperation and
coordination among the participants in developing more effective programs to address the
problem of homelessness and lack of affordable housing in Santa Clara County. These efforts
are expected to continue.
1.3 Housing and Community Development Needs
As in 2000, a top issue of community concern has been the increasing gap between housing
costs and low-and moderate-income wages. This gap not only creates ·a need for more
affordable housing (particularly rental housing), but also threatens individuals and families at the
lowest income levels with homelessness. Extremely high housing costs also impact the ability of
low-and moderate-income households to pay for other necessities (health care, child care,
transportation, etc.) and affect access to housing choices in a tight housing market.
A second priority need continues to be preventing homelessness and moving the homeless to
self-sufficiency, with permanent housing, life skills for self-SUfficiency, and employment skills.
Homelessness is both a local and regional issue with which Palo Alto and its neighbors in Santa
Clara and San Mateo counties have grappled for years. Federal funding for homeless facilities
and services emphasizes two principles: 1) providing a continuum of care to m~ve homeless
individuals and families from shelter to permanent housing and eventual self-sufficiency; and 2)
ending chronic homelessness within ten years.
Other important housing needs are: 1) to preserve the limited supply of affordable, subsidized
rental housing in Palo Alto pptentially at-risk of converting to market rate housing (400 units), and
2) conserving the condition of pre-1970 housing (owner and rental) that shelter low-and
moderate-households, estimated at nearly 2,700 units.
City of Palo Alto 5 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Introduction
City Affordable Housing Fund
The Affordable Housing Fund is a local housing trust fund established by the City Council to
provide financial assistance for the development, acquisition and rehabilitation of housing
affordable to extremely low, very low, low and moderate-income households. The Affordable
Housing Fund is the umbrella name for five distinct sub-funds for affordable housing. The two
primary local housing trust funds were formerly known as the Housing Reserve Fund, but on
October 27, 2003, the City Council approved new guidelines for all of the City's affordable
housing funds including the ones composed of federal housing monies; the funds were renamed
as part of those changes. The Affordable Housing Fund is now composed of:
Commercial Housing Fund -this fund is used primarily to increase the number of new affordable
housing units for Palo Alto's work force. It is funded with mitigation fees required from developers
of commercial and industrial projects. As of December 31,2004, the Commercial Fund had an
available balance of approximately $1,100,000.
Residential Housing Fund -this fund can be used for acquisition, rehabilitation, new construction
and predevelopment of low-income housing. It is funded with mitigation fees provided under
Palo Alto's Below Market Rate (BMR) housing program from residential developers, and money
from other miscellaneous sources, such as proceeds from the sale or lease of City property. It is
also used to pay for administration and consultant contracts necessary to carry out the BMR
program. As of December 31, 2004, the Residential Fund had an available balance of
approximately $1,200,000.
Housing Trust of Santa Clara County (HTSCC) -The HTSCC is a public/private initiative, dedicated
to creating more affordable housing in Santa Clara County, using a revolving loan fund and
grant-making program to complement and leverage other housing resources. The City of Palo
Alto contributed $500,000 toward the initial $20 million investment capitalization. The Palo Alto
Housing Corporation received a $400,000 award of funds for the Oak Court family rental project.
In addition, the Opportunity Center received $500,000 from the HTSCC. The Housing Trust
received a $2,000,000 award in February 2004 from the State, in the same competition as the
City, under the State's Proposition 46 Housing Trust Fund Grant Program.
Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) -The Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) is a relatively new
source of funding for affordable housing as a result of the passage of Proposition 46 in
November 2002. The purpose of this program is to provide low-interest loans to developers of
affordable housing. The MHP General funds may be used for multifamily rental and transitional
housing projects involving new construction, rehabilitation, or conversion of nonresidential
structures. MHP Supportive Housing funds may be used for multifamily rental housing projects
involving new construction, rehabilitation, acquisition and rehabilitation, or conversion of
nonresidential structures for permanent rental housing only: Palo Alto Housing Corporation and
applied for and received MHP funds in the amount of $4,555,064 in the first round of funding. In
addition, Community Working Group/Housing Authority of Santa Clara County (Opportunity
Center) applied for and received funds in the amount of $7.5 million in February 2004.
Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) Local Housing Trust Funds -Another component of
Proposition 46, the housing bond approved by voters in November 2002, is funding for new and
existing local housing trust funds. A local housing trust fund is a public or private partnership
created to receive on-going revenues for affordable housing production. Local revenues
supporting the fund can include commercial impact fees, ongoing fundraising, or local taxes
such as Transient Occupancy Tax, as well as local government's general funds. The City of Palo
Alto applied for a grant from the State in November 2003. The State announced in February
2004 that Palo Alto was receiving an award of $1,000,000. The City's $1,000,00 award will be
City of Palo Alto 8 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Introduction
used to help subsidize a future rental housing project, either new construction or acquisition and
rehabilitation, to be determined in the next two years by the City Council.
Santa Clara County Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) -The Santa Clara County Board of
Supervisors created the Office of Affordable Housing in July 2002 and established a set-aside of
$18.6 million for projects. One of the objectives for this fund is to leverage funding to affordable
housing projects. The Community Working Group (Opportunity Center) received one of five
awards from the available allocation of $7.7 million in the first round of funding. They received a
$2 million award in September 2003.
1.5.2 Projects and Activities to Be Funded in 2005 -2006
Housing Activities
The City of Palo Alto's Consolidated Plan and Housing Element both emphasize the great need
for affor!=lable housing for low and very low-income households in Palo Alto. While all types of
housing are needed in the City, the Consolidated Plan focuses on the creation and preservation
of rental housing with an emphasis on housing for very low-and low-income persons especially
those who are homeless, at-risk of becoming homeless, those with special needs, and families
with children.
The Consolidated Plan proposes a five-year strategy to develop 125 newly constructed rental
units over the 2005-2010 planning period. The 125 units would be affordable to households in the
very low-or low-income categories and would meet a portion of the housing production goals
mandated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). For this fiscal year, the Palo
Alto City Council adopted the creatiOn of new affordable rental housing as one of their top five
priorities. Proposed activities and funding levels are:
• CDBG Housing Development. Fund -$401,816. The City is proposing to acquire an
affordable housing site,. using a combination of City general funds as well as CDBG funds.
• Palo Alto Senior Housing, Inc. (Stevenson House) -$163,248. Stevenson House is a 120-
unit residential facility for low-income seniors located at 455 East Charleston Road in Palo
Alto.
• Community Housing, Inc. (Lytton Gardens) -$86,575. Community Housing, Inc. proposes
to renovate 27 bedrooms in its skilled nursing facility.
• Emergency Housing Consortium (Our House Youth Program) -$75,000. EHC is proposing
an expansion that will include drop-in services, 10 beds of emergency shelter, 12 beds of
transitional housing, and five apartments for City Year/Americorps participants.
• Economic and Social Opportunities -Housing and Energy Services Program -$60,000.
ESO proposes to assist a minimum of 26 low-income Palo Alto individuals with home
improvement services.
City of Palo Alto 9 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Coordinating and Managing the Process
Chapter 2
Coordinating and Managing the Process
2.1 Institutional Structure
The affordable housing, community development and human service delivery system in the City
of Palo Alto is comprised of a number of components that complement each other.
2.1.1 Public Institutions
The City's Department of Planning and Community Environment administers the CDBG Program
addressing housing and affordable housing programs, as well as the 1998-2010 Comprehensive
Plan adopted by the City Council. The Department of Community Services oversees the annual
allocation of General Fund Human Service contracts, works with the Human Relations
Commission on needs assessments, diversity issues, and provides staff liaisons to Citywide
volunteer task forces (i.e. Child Care, Mediation, and Youth Council). The Housing Authority of
the County of Santa Clara (HACSe) administers the local Section 8 housing subsidy program,
and has provided bond financing for the acquisition of affordable housing projects within the
City.
2.1.2 Non-Profit Organizations
The majority of housing and human service strategies will be accomplished by supporting local
non-prOfit organizations that provide programs and services for lower income residents. The City
will cooperate and work with these groups to ensure the development of affordable housing
and appropriate services within the community.
2.1.3 Private
The City will work with private for-profit industry, particularly financial and development groups,
to encourage housing and economic development opportunities.
The major problems and gaps in the delivery of affordable housing and social services include:
1) limited funding and long waiting lists, 2) inconsistency in annual funding sources and amounts,
3) increasingly stringent federal regulations, and 4) a fragmented social service system that
responds to a specialized "problem" rather than the needs of the whole person or family. To help
address some of these problems, the City convenes "Human Service Provider Network" meetings
semi-annually with local non-profit agencies to facilitate collaboration and to discuss ideas for
sharing services and responding to declines in funding.
The City of Palo Alto works with the County of Santa Clara to secure mortgage credit
certificates for first time homebuyers as well as bond financing and refunding of tax-free
mortgage revenue bonds for rental housing. Since most support service agencies are County-
based, the City cooperates with the other jurisdictions to insure that there is no duplication of
services and that there is as efficient a delivery system as possible. The City continues to
cooperate with the County and the HACSC on their applications for funding of various
programs, as well as coordinating the delivery of social services throughout the community.
City of Palo Alto 11 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Coordinating and Managing the Process
An on-going partnership continues with the northern Santa Clara County cities. The
development of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) and the information in
the Countywide Fair Housing Study of 2003 was a catalyst for further actions that resulted in the
development of a specific Request for Proposals for Fair Housing Services entered into jointly by
the cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View and Sunnyvale. This type of collaboration was the first of
its type between the northern regional cities of Santa Clara County. The goal was to obtain
expanded services for ~ach city's residents at a cost-effective rate. Staff worked on all aspects
of the criteria development, interview and ranking process and the final contract negotiations.
Outreach and public information about fair housing has significantly expanded as a result of the
competitive process and joint contract. In addition, staff organized a focus group of
countywide participants to determine the composition and mission of a Countywide Fair
Housing Task Force that was a recommended action item in the Countywide Fair Housing Study
and included in the City'S AI.
The City does not intend to take any actions to significantly change the institutional structure
during the five-year Consolidated Plan period. The City coordinates with nonprofit organizations
that focus on specialized services which benefit Palo Alto residents, such as Project Sentinel for
fair housing education and counseling. As discussed above, the City coordinates its activities
with other public agencies through a countywide collaborative and with local/regional
nonprofit organizations in the delivery of public services and facilities for special needs groups.
This collaborative approach helps address gaps in services, although the primary barrier to
addressing gaps in service is the lack of adequate funding to meet 100 percent of needs
described in this document.
2.2 Coordination
As part of the development process of the Consolidated Plan, the staffs of the CDBG entitlement
cities of Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Gilroy, Mountain View, Cupertino, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara
and the County of Santa Clara met a number of times to discuss data resources and to
coordinate requests for information to both public and private countywide agencies.
As the lead agency for implementing the Consolidated Plan, the City's Planning and Community
Environment Department coordinates the delivery of programs and services through the
following methods:
1. The City issues a notice of funding availability every two years to nonprofit community
organizations to accept funding requests for projects, programs, and services that
address the City's highest priority community needs.
2. The City participates in quarterly meetings with housing and community development .
program representatives from each of the cities in Santa Clara County and from the
County. These meetings are intended to share information about federal program
implementation issues, to coordinate funding decisions for regional programs operated
by nonprofit organizations, and to coordinate relations with HUD.
3. The City participates, through the countywide Continuum of Care, in a coordinated
regional approach to identifying and addressing homeless needs.
4. The City collaborates with the Cities of Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View on
programs serving the northern section of Santa Clara County, such as a joint Request for
Proposals and contracting process for Tri-Cities Fair Housing Services.
Palo Alto City staff actively participates in the Santa Clara County Collaborative on Housing and
Homelessness. This Countywide group brings together governmental agencies, homeless service
City of Palo Alto 12 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
racial/ethnic composition of households indicates that 77.9 percent of households in Palo Alto
are headed by Whites, but only 14.5 percent by Asians and 3.3 percent by Hispanics. This
reflects the typically larger household size for Asian and Hispanic households.
Figure 3-1 shows the locations of concentrations of minority populations in the City. For the
purpose of the Consolidated Plan, HUD defines a "concentration" as a census tract with a
proportion of a particular group greater than that of the citywide average for that group. A
high concentration is defined as a census tract with at least twice the County average for that
particular group. On the Census tract level, there are three tracts in Palo Alto that have a
concentration of Asian populations, primarily in the northern par of the City. There are no other
, identified minority concentrations. Many of the areas with high concentrations of black and
Asian households overlapped with areas where 51 percent of population was low and
moderate·income, an indication of the relatively lower incomes of these minority households.
3.1,2 Concentrations of Low Income Population
According to the 2000 Census, the households in Palo Alto had a median income of $90,377,
which was approximately 21.6 percent higher than Santa Clara County's median income of
$74,335. Household income is an important consideration when evaluating housing and
community development needs, because low incomes typically constrain a person's ability to
procure adequate housing or services. Although Palo Alto has a relatively high median income,
affordable housing is out of reach for many residents, particularly for low-and moderate-income
households. This issue is discussed later in this section. The identification of areas of the City
where low-and moderate·income households are concentrated is important in creating
strategies to address neighborhood needs in a comprehensive manner. Table 3-2 shows the
income definitions used by HUD for the CDBG Program.
Table 3-2
HUD Income Definitions
%of
Income Group Area MFI
Extremely Low Income 0·30%
Very Low Income 31·50%
Low Income 51·80%
Middle Income 81·95%
. Upper Income Above 95%
Note: Federal housing and community development resources are typically not
available for households with incomes above 80% of the Area MFI. Therefore,
differentiating the Middle Income group from the Upper Income group under the
federal definitions is not critical.
City of Palo Alto 15 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
3.1.4 Income Distribution
Based on the Palo Alto income definitions specified above, approximately 16 percent of the
City's total households in 2000 were within Extremely Low Income and Very Low Income levels,
and 6.9 percent were within the Low Income level (Table 3-3). In Palo Alto, lower income
households comprised 22.9 percent of all households.
Table 3-3
H ouse 0 nco me >y ace h Id I b R IE h .. (2000) t nlClty
% Extremely Low
and
very Low % Middle/
Total % ofTotal Incomes % Low Income Upper Incomes
Households Households Households (0-50% MFI) (51-80% MFI) (>80% MFI)
White 19,750 78.1% 16.0% 6.9% 77.0%
Hispanic 863 3.4% 35.3% 6.2% 58.4%
Black 550 2.1% 31.2% 14.5% 54.1%
Asian/PI 3,699 14.6% 18.8% 6.7% 74.3%
All Households ·25,211 100.0% 17.5% 6.8% 75.5%
Source: HUD CHAS Data Book, based on 2000 U.S. Census.
The proportion of households with Low Income or less was significantly higher among Hispanic
(41.5 percent) households than for other households (Table 3-4). Between 1990 and 2000, all
households for which data were available experienced an increase in the proportion of lower
income households, except for Black households, which experienced a substantial decrease.
The largest increase in lower income households was by Hispanic households.
Figure 3-2 depicts the
concentrations of low-and
moderate-income households
based on HUD's Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG)
program criteria. The CDBG
program defines income
concentration as any block group
with 51 percent or more of the
population earning incomes less
than 80 percent of the area MFI.'
On the Census tract level, there
Table 3-4
Lower-Income Households by Race/Ethnicity
(1990-2000)
% of Lower % of Lower
Income Income
Households Households
Household 2000 1990
White 22.9% 20.1%
Hispanic 41.5% 32.6%
Black 27.6% 41.6%
Asian/Pacific Islander 25.6% N/A
Total Households 24.4% 21.7%
were four tracts in the northwestern N/A-not available
portion of Palo Alto that had a Source: HUD CHAS Data. 1993 and 2003
concentration of lower income households.
, Exceptions to the general rule apply in communities that do not have any census tract block groups containing 51
percent or more low and moderate-income households.
City of Palo Alto 17 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
3.2 Current Housing Needs
Current housing need refers to household with housing problems, which vary according to
household type, income, and tenure. The Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS),
developed by the U.S. Census Bureau for HUD provides detailed information on housing needs
by income level for different types of households. Detailed CHAS data based on. the 2000
Census is included in Table 3-5. As defined by HUD, housing problems include: 1) units with
physical defectS (lacking complete kitchen or bathroom); 2) overcrowded conditions (housing
units with more than one person per room); 3) housing cost burden, including utilities, exceeding
30 percent of gross income; or 4) severe housing cost burden, including utilities, exceeding 50
percent of gross income.
This section describes current housing needs for all low and moderate-income households. The
following section provides more detail on the special housing needs of particular population
groups.
Some highlights include the following:
• In general, renter households had a higher level of housing problems (42.9 percent) than
owner households (31.7 percent). Owners, as a group, had fewer problems. Among all
owners, 67.1 percent of extremely low-income, 45.6 percent of very low-income, and
33.2 percent of low-income owner households experienced housing problems. Cost
burden was a major component of these problems.
• Large family households had the highest level of housing problems regardless of income
level. All of the very low-income and low-income large family renters experienced
housing problems, as did 72.1 percent of extremely low-income large family renters. All
of the extremely low-income and very low-income large family owners also experienced
housing problems, as did 81.5 percent of low-income large family owners. The primary
housing problem was cost burden.
• A significant proportion of small family households also experienced housing problems.
Approximately 83.6 percent of extremely low-income, 78.3 percent of very low-income,
and 74.5 percent of low-income small family renter households had housing problems.
Cost burden was the primary problem. Among owner households, 71.9 percent of
extremely low-income and 72.9 percent of very low-income households had housing
problems.
• A high percentage of elderly households, primarily renters, suffered housing problems.
Approximately 59.8 of all elderly renters (including 66.4 percent of extremely low-income
and 77 percent of very low-income elderly renters) suffered from a housing problem.
Cost burden was a major component of housing problems for elderly renters. Elderly
owners generally experienced fewer housing problems (18.3 percent).
3.2.1 Disproportionate Housing Need
Disproportionate need refers to any need that is more than 10 percentage points above the
need demonstrated for all households, based on the CHAS table for the jurisdiction. For
example, 63.8 percent of large renter families (a subset of renter households) experienced
housing problems compared to 42.9 percent of all renter households o( 31.7 percent of all
households. Thus, large families that are renting have a disproportionate need for housing
assistance.
City of Palo Alto 19 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Name of Jurisdiction:
Palo Alto, California
Elderly
1 & 2 Small
member Related
Household by Type, Income, & households (2. to 4)
Housing Problem (A) (B)
1. Household Income <=50%
MFI 1,181 589
2. Household Income <=30%
MFI 877 335
3. % with any housing problems 66.4 83.6
4. % Cost Burden >30% 62.4 80.6
5. % Cost Burden >50% 42.0 70.1
6. Household Income >30% to
<=50%MFI 304 254
7. % with any housing problems 77.0 78.3
8. % Cost Burden >30% 77.0 64.6
9. % Cost Burden >50% 42.8 45.3
10. Household Income >50 to
<=80%MFI 147 294
11. % with any housing problems 76.9 74.5
12.% Cost Burden >30% 76.9 69.4
13. % Cost Burden >50% 43.5 21.8
14. Household Income >80% MFI 608 2,470
15. % with any housing problems 37.5 25.3
16.% Cost Burden >30% 34.2 15.0
17. % Cost Burden >50% 4.1 1.0
18. Total Households 1,936 3,353
19. % with any housing problems 59.8 39.5
20. % Cost Burden >30 56.9 30.1
21. % Cost Burden >50 30.3 13.1
Table 3-5
blems bv H
Source of Data:
CHAS Data Book
Renters
large
Related All
(5 or Other Total
more) Households Renters
(C) (D) (E)
85 1,095 2,950
53 710 1,975
71.7 75.4 72.7
52.8 73.9 69.4
45.3 . 59.9 53.3
32 385 975
100.0 97.4 86.2
75.0 90.9 79.2
12.5 55.8 47.6
24 600 1,065
100.0 67.5 71.5
58.3 58.3 63.9
0.0 20.0 23.3
195 3,604 6,877
51.3 19.0 23.8
17.9 16.5 17.6
0.0 1.0· 1.2
304 5,299 10,892
63.8 37.7 42.9
33.2 34.3 37.0
9.2 15.0 17.0
Housing and Community Development Needs
hold I
Data Current as of:
2000
Owners
Elderly large
1&2 Small Related All
Member Related (5 or Other Total Total
households (2 to 4) more) Households Owners Households
(F) (G) (H) (I) (J) (l)
924 307 29 223 1.483 4,433
487 178 25 124 814 2,789
58.1 71.9 100.0 88.7 67.1 71.0
58.1 57.9 100.0 88.7 64.0 67.8
46.2 55.6 40.0 72.6 52.1 52.9
437 129 4 99 669 1,644
33.9 72.9 100.0 59.6 45.6 '69.6
33.9 53.5 100.0 55.6 41.3 63.7
16.9 53.5 100.0 35.4 27.2 39.3
.. 415 85 54 120 674 1,739
16.9 52.9 81.5 54.2 33.2 56.6
16.9 52.9 81.5 54.2 33.2 52 -12.0 52.9 55.6 37.5 25.2 24
3,087 6,510 1,055 1,570 12,222 19,099 .
9.9 20.2 22.3 25.5 18.5 20.4
9.9 19.4 13.3 24.8 17.2 17.3
3.2 4.0 2.4 8.3 4.2 3.1 I
4,426 6,902 1,138 1,913 14,379 25,271 I
18.3 22.9 27.1 33.1 23.2 31.7 !
18.3 21.4 18.7 32.4 21.7 28.3 i
10.1 6.9 6.1 .15.7 9.0 12.4J
Note: Data presented in this table is based on special tabulations from sample Census data. The number of households in each category usually deviates slightly from
the 100% count due to the need to extrapolate sample data out to total households. Interpretations of this data should focus on the proportion of households in
need of assistance rather than on precise numbers.
Source: HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) Databook, 2000.
City of Palo Alto 20 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
.-• I \0:
Housing and Community Development Needs
Extremely Low Income Households
Compared to the percentage of all households in Palo Alto with a housing problem (20.4
percent). extremely low-income households experienced a disproportionate housing need. In
this income group. about 71 percent of all households had housing problems. Specifically. a
higher percentage of renter households (72.7 percent) had housing problems compared to
owners (67.1 percent).· All household subgroups in this income category met the criteria for
disproportionate housing need.
Very Low Income Households
Approximately 45.6 percent of all very low-income households experienced one or more
housing problems. Thus. very low-income households also have a disproportionate need
compared to the general population. Again. renters experienced a greater need compared to
owners. as 86.2 percent of renters experienced some type of housing problem. compared to
45.6 percent of owner households. Very low-income large family renter households had the
greatest level of need of all very low-income households. with 100 percent facing some type of
housing problem. Elderly owner households were the only household subgroup that did not
experience a disproportionate housing need.
Low Income Households
Approximately 56.6 percent all low-income households experienced housing problems. Low·
income renter h9useholds were more than twice as likely as owner households (71.2 percent to
33.2 percent) to experience housing problems. primarily cost burden. Large family renter
households experienced the highest percent of housing problems compared to other low·
income households (100 percent). As in the very low-income category. elderly owner
households were the only household subgroup that did not experience a disproportionate
housing need.
3.2.2 Special Needs Housing
Palo Alto residents with "special needs" may have difficulty finding decent, affordable housing.
In Palo Alto, these special needs groups include seniors, disabled persons, female-headed
households, large households, persons with AIDS, and persons with alcohol and/or other drug
addictions.
This section provides a detailed discussion of these groups with special housing needs. The type
of housing required by these special needs groups vary. Some individuals can live in
conventional housing, but with modifications to meet their physical capabilities. Others may
need financial assistance in paying housing costs or maintaining their homes. Still others may
require assistance with daily chores and self-care to stay in their homes.
Even with assistance, some individuals require specialized housing due to their physical, health,
developmental, and/or mental condition. Licensed community care facilities can provide this
specialized housing for those who need a supervised environment with on-site support for daily
living. Table 3-6 provides an overview of licensed community care facilities in Palo Alto. Figure
3-3 depicts the locations of these facilities. There are 10 licensed community care facilities in
Palo Alto, with a capacity of 633 beds. There are also facilities not licensed by the California
Department of Social Services that provide similar housing in the City, but the capacity of these
facilities is unknown.
City of Palo Alto 21 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-6
L' Icense dC C ommumty are F Tt' aCllles
Capacity Capacity by Type of Disability
Number of (number of beds
Type of Facility Facilities or persons) Mental Developmental
Group Home 1 6 0 0
Elderly Residential 7 562 0 0
Social Rehabilitation 1 12 0 0
Adult Day Care 1 53 0 53
Total 10 633 0 53
Notes:
1. The specialized care columns are not mutually exclusive. For example, a facility may have a
capacity of 10 beds, with 8 beds for developmentally disabled children and 4 of the 10 beds are
designed to accommodate non-ambulatory children.
2. Group homes provide specialized treatment for persons under age 18.
3. Small family homes provide care to children in licensees' own homes. Small family residents are
usually children on probation, developmentally disabled children, children with other special
needs, and some foster children.
4. Elderly residential facilities provide care for persons age 60 and above.
5. Social rehabilitation facilities provide 24-hour non-medical care and supervision in a group setting to
adults recovering from mental illness who temporarily need assistance, guidance or counseling.
6. Adult day care facilities provide programs for frail elderly and developmentally disabled and/or
mentally disabled adults
Source: State of California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division, 2003.
Seniors
Seniors are persons age 65 and over. Seniors are considered a special needs group, as they
tend to have more health problems than the popula~ion at large. These health problems may
make it more difficult for seniors to live in typical housing and to live independently. Seniors with
serious health problems may need to live in licensed community care facilities or similar facilities,
Also, low and moderate-income senior households are potentially in particular need for housing
assistance. Many seniors live on fixed incomes such as Social Security and pensions. Increases in
living expenses would make it more difficult for seniors to afford needed housing. Financially
strained senior homeowners may have to defer their home maintenance needs.
The 2000 Census counted 9,140 residents in Palo Alto age 65, and over, which represented
approximately 15.6 percent of the City population. The senior population increased by 5.8
percent from 1990. Countywide, the senior population is expected to increase by almost 90
percent between now and 2020, with the population of seniors over the age of 85 years
expected to almost double in size. These figures suggest there will be an even greater demand
for a range of housing opportunities, such as independent living facilities, assisted housing or
congregate care facilities, group homes, and other living arrangements for seniors.
Approximately 4.9 percent of seniors living in the City had incomes below the poverty level in
1999 (450 seniors total). The majority of those persons (254) were elderly over the age of 75 years.
Most of these elderly persons lived outside family households. While there were a very small
number of elderly persons living below the poverty level, it is important to note that many elderly
households in Palo Alto were still living on limited incomes. For example, data from the HUD
CHAS tables indicate that approximately 41.9 percent of all elderly households had incomes
that were classified as low-income or lower (see Table 3-5).
City of Palo Alto 22 2005 -2010 Consolidated Pian
Housing and Community Development Needs
Approximately 69.7 percent of all elderly households live in owner-occupied housing units and
the remaining 30.3 percent are renters. While renter households represent less than one-third of
all elderly households, the percentage of low-income or lower households who are elderly and
rent is significant. Approximately 68.6 percent of all elderly renter households in 2000 were in
those income categories.
In regard to supportive .living facilities for elderly, there are nursing care facilities as well as non-
profit and for-profit residential care facilities in the City of Palo Alto. Lytton III provides skilled
nursing care for approximately 128 elderly persons. Lytton III is part of the Lytton Gardens
complex (Lytton I, II, III and Lytton Courtyard), which is the only development in Palo Alto that
provides a full range of living options for lower income elderly from independent living to assisted
living to skilled nursing care.
Frail Elderly. HUD requires that Consolidated Plans discuss the housing needs of the frail elderly.
"Frail elderly," for the purpose of this analysis, is defined as seniors with one or more conditions
that affect major life functions, such as their ability to live independently ("go-outside-home"
disability) or care for themselves ("self-care" disability). The frail elderly face the same housing
issues as seniors in general, but require greater assistance for their housing needs due to their
condition.
The 2000 Census indicated that 32.6 percent of the elderly population in Palo Alto had a
disability. The Census counted 5,969 disabilities among residents in the City wllO are 65 years of
age or older (Table 3-2). Ofthese disabilities, 680 were self-care disabilities, and 1,484 were go-
outside-home disabilities. It should be noted that seniors may have more than one type of
disability; therefore, the number of disabilities do not necessarily correspond to the number of
seniors with disabilities.
Persons with Disabilities
Palo Alto is home to residents (other than seniors) with disabilities that prevent them from being
employed, restrict mobility, or make self-care difficult. Disabilities are defined as mental, physical
or health conditions that last over six months. In addition to sensory, physical and mental
disabilities, the 2000 Census tracked the following disabilities:
• Employment disability: A condition that restricts a person's choice of work and prevents
that person from working full-time.
• Go-outside-home disability: A physical or mental condition that makes it difficult to go
outside the home alone.
• Self-care disability: A physical or mental condition that makes it difficult to take care of
one's personal needs;
Persons with disabilities often face housing challenges due to their lower incomes and special
physical or developmental needs. According to 2000 Census figures, approximately 10.2
percent of persons with disabilities in Palo Alto age 21 to 64 had incomes below the poverty
level. This percentage is greater than the citywide poverty rate of 4.8 percent.
Access to affordable housing is critical to disabled persons who earn low incomes or rely on
government benefits as their primary source of income. Persons with self-care and mobility
limitations may require special housing design features, such as wider doors for wheel chairs,
holding bars, ramps, and special bathroom fixtures. Also, persons with disabilities may face
discrimination in the housing market because of their need for wheelchairs, home modifications
City of Palo Alto 24 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Persons with Developmental Disabilities
The San Andreas Center, a non-profit organization serving persons with developmental
disabilities, estimates that 3,100 developmentally disabled adults are over the age of 18, and 60
percent of them are living at home with their parents. Therefore, about 1,850 developmentally
disabled individuals in the .. County could potentially need some kind of housing. Based on Palo
Alto having 3.5 percent of the County's popUlation, it is estimated that there are about 65 City
residents with developmental disabilities who may need housing. However, some of these
developmentally disabled adults may stay at home, so the potential need may not be as great.
However, housing availability is not the only issue associated with developmentally disabled
adults. The Housing Choices Coalition (HCC) estimated that there are 970 people in Santa Clara
County who now live in community residential facilities (Le., group homes). Of these residents,
about 300 people (30 percent) would choose more independent living, were it available. Many
of the developmentally disabled live on Social Security income with additional income from
work, family or other sources. The coalition reports that it is not uncommon for a disabled adult
to earn less than $10,000, making it extremely difficult to find affordable housing, which would
allow for more independent living.
Female-Headed Households
Affordable housing is one of the more significant needs of female-headed households. Many
times, their limited household incomes constrain the ability of these households to "afford"
housing units. Consequently, these households may have to pay more than they can afford for
housing for themselves and their children. Or, they may have to rent a housing unit that is too
small for their needs, because it is the only type of housing they can afford. Other housing-
related needs that affect female-headed households include assistance with security deposits,
/ locating housing close to jobs, availability of affordable child care services, and proximity to
transit services.
The 2000 U.S. Census reports that there were 1,220 female-headed households in Palo Alto. These
households represented 6.7 percent of all households in the City. Lower household income is
one of the more significant factors affecting single parent households. For example, married
couple families in Palo Alto reported a median family income of $101,537 annually for 1990
census purposes. However, for female-headed households, the annual median household
income was $58,625, or 57.7 percent of the median income of a married couple family. Limited
household income levels affect the ability of these households to locate affordable housing.
Large Households
Large households are defined as those with five or more members. Large households may be
considered a special needs group because the availability of adequately sized, affordable
housing units for such households is often limited. To save for necessities such as food, clothing
and medical care, low-and moderate-income large households may reside in units that are too
small, resulting in overcrowding. Furthermore, families with children, especially those who are
renters, may face discrimination or differential treatment in the housing market. As previously
noted, discrimination based on familial status is one of the most reported categories of
discrimination in Palo Alto.
The 2000 Census reports 1,619 households with five or more members in Palo Alto, representing
6.4 percent of all households (Table 3-8). The comparable figure for the County in 2000 was 15.5
percent. Large owner-households were more prevalent (8.2 percent) than large renter
households (4.0 percent). The special census tabulations for HUD further indicate that among the
City of Palo Alto 26 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
large households in the City, approximately 34 percent experienced some form of housing
problems, which include overcrowding, cost burden, or substandard housing conditions. This
illustrates that Palo Alto has a need for affordable housing units with three or more bedrooms. To
provide affordable home ownership opportunities for low-income families, the City uses CDBG
funds, . State Multifamily Housing Program funds, and local housing funds to assist in the
construction of family housing and provide first-time homebuyer assistance to qualified families.
Table 3-8
arqe ouse 0 ro Ie L H h Id P fI
Special Need Group Households' Lower Income2 Housing Problems2
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Large Households 1.619 6.4 % 192 13.3% 502 34.0%
All Households 25.216 100.0% 6.172 24.4% 8.011 31.7%
Sources: 1) 2000 U.S. Census. 2) HUD CHAS. 2003.
Persons with H IV/AI OS
Persons with HIV I AIDS may face biases and misunderstanding about their illness that affect their
access in the housing market. Due to their illness. many persons with HIV I AIDS have lower
income levels and need housing assistance. According to the National Commission on AIDS, up
to half of all Americans with AIDS are either homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless,
due to their illness, lack of income or other resources, and weak support network.
According to September 2004 statistics from the California Department of Health Services, there
have been 3.548 residents in Santa Clara County recorded with AIDS. Of these. 1.554 residents
are currently alive. In addition, there have been 852 recorded cases of people with HIV in the
County. According to a May 2003 report prepared by the Santa Clara County Public Health
Department, approximately 18 percent of the AIDS cases recorded in the County were from the
North County area. which includes Palo Alto. Table 3-9 provides a breakdown of HIV/AIDS cases
in the County by location, based upon the 2003 report, which has the most recent information
available regarding cases by location. Figure 3-4 illustrates the County regions utilized in the
report.
Approximately 1 percent of HIVI AIDS cases were homeless. According to the AIDSIHIV
Community Services Plan for Santa Clara County, 10-15 percent of the homeless population is
HIV -infected.
City of Palo Alto 27 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
percent of the adult male population, and the number of women with similar problems at 6
percent. Abusers of alcohol and other drugs have special housing needs during treatment and
recovery. Group quarters typically provide appropriate settings for treatment and recovery.
Affordable rental units provide housing during the transition to a responsible lifestyle.
'In its Annual Report FY 2003, the Santa Clara County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services
indicated that there were 9,358 adult admissions to the County's substance abuse programs
from July 2002 to June 2003. In that same time period, there were 10,236 discharges from these
programs. These figures include duplicated admissions and discharges, so the actual number of
persons admitted or discharged is less, but the precise number is unknown. The median length
of stay for those treated in residential programs was 35 days, while it was 84 days for those
treated in outpatient programs. No data are available concerning the residences or housing
status of persons admitted or discharged.
3.3 New Construction Needs
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) has estimated that the City needs to provide
adequate housing sites to accommodate 1,397 units for the time period of 1999.20062, out of a
total of 230,743 units for the ABAG region. This represents approximately 0.6 percent of the total
regional housing need. After adjusting for the housing units already provided between 1999 and
2001, and for housing units either approved or under construction at the time the City'S Housing
Element was prepared, .the City revised the estimate to 781 units from 2001·2006, or 156 units per
year. Assuming that this amount is produced annually from 2004 to 2006, and that the regional
housing need from 2007 to 2009 would be the annual average of the original 1999·2006 needs
allocation for Palo Alto as determined by ABAG, the City would be required to construct an
additional 870 units during the 2004·2009 time period. According to ABAG's Regional Housing
Need Determination, the City needs to accommodate 381 units -for lower income households.
3.4 Housing Market Conditions
This section addresses characteristics of the housing supply in Palo Alto, including type, age,
condition, costs, and availability. The implications of these housing characteristics with respect
to housing programs are also examined.
3.4.1 Housing Characteristics
The 2000 Census reported 26,155 housing units in Palo Alto, representing an increase of 3.1
percent since 1990 (Table 3·10). This growth rate was less than half that of Santa Clara County
as a whole. The California Department of Finance estimated that there were 27,019 housing
units in Palo Alto in 2004 -an increase of 3.3 percent from the 2000 totaL
2 Subsequent to the adoption of the ABAG plan, the California Legislature extended the time period
covered by that plan by one year. For the purpose of the Consolidated Plan analysis, the original
timeframe of 1999 -2006 is used.
City of Palo Alto 29 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Commu'nity Development Needs
Jurisdiction
Palo Alto
Santa Clara County
Table 3-10
Housing Growth
Housing Units
1990 2000 2004
25.359 26.155 27.019
540.240 579.329 600.707
Percent Change
1990-2000 2000-2004
3.1% 3.3%
7.2% 3.7%
Sources: 1990 and 2000 U.S. Census; 2004 California Dept. of Finance E-5a Report.
Housing Type
Single-family homes are the predominant housing type in Palo Alto. According to the California
Department of Finance estimates, single-family housing accounted for 61.3 percent of the
housing stock in the City (Table 3-11). This is a comparable proportion to that of single-family
homes in the County. Multiple-family housing represented 38.1 percent of the housing stock in
the City, which is a higher percentage than that for the County. The combined percentage of
multiple-family and mobile home housing in Palo Alto is greater than that for the County,
indicating a greater diversity of the City's housing stock and a greater availability of affordable
housing to meet the needs of lower-income households.
Table 3-11
H T 2004 De-ouslng IYI
Housing Type
Total Single Multiple Mobile
Jurisdiction Households Family Family home
Palo Alto 27.019 61.3% 38.1% 0.6%
Santa Clara County 600.707 63.0% 32.0% 3.2%
Source: 2004 California Dept. of Finance E-5a Report
Mobilehomes
While Table 3-11 shows that mobilehomes constitute a small percentage of the total housing
units in both Palo Alto and the County, they nevertheless are a significant source of affordable
housing in the region. Mobilehomes provide an affordable housing resource for thousands of
households countywide. Table 3-12 lists the number of mobile home and RV parks in the County,
along with the total number of spaces.3
3 The California Department of Housing and Community Development licenses mobilehome and RV parks.
Table 3-10 shows the number of mobilehome and RV spaces. not mobilehomes. Mobilehomes not located
in a mobilehome or RV parks are not included in the Department's licensing records.
City of Palo Alto 30 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-12
M b'l H o Ie omean d RV P k ' S t CI ar S In an a ara C ounty
# of MHP #ofRV #ofRV
Location # ofMHP Spaces Parks Spaces
Santa Clara County 105 18.106 13 1.189
Campbell 2 243 0 0
Gilroy 4 349 1 158
Los Gatos 2 138 0 0
Milpitas 4 566 0 0
Morgan Hill 7 816 5 792
Mountain View 9 1.178 0 0
Palo Alto 1 104 0 0
San Jose 59 10.756 5 160
Saratoga 0 0 1 42
Sunnyvale 18 4.060 1 37
Note: No mobile home parks or RV parks were recorded In Cupertino. Los Altos. Los Altos
Hills. Monte Sereno or the City of Santa Clara.
Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development. Code
Enforcement Division (November 2004)
Approximately 87 percent of mobilehome occupants in Santa Clara County own their homes.
Between 90 and 95 percent of mobilehome occupants rent spaces in mobile home parks.4 The
rising cost of mobilehome expenses and space rents over the past decade has significantly
increased the housing cost burden of mobilehome residents. At the time of the 2000 Census. the
median income for County mobilehome residents was approximately $55.000. about 75 percent
of median income for all households. The median income for seniors living in mobilehomes was
particularly low. about $38.500. The 2000 Census reported that about one-third (32 percent) of
mobilehome residents are non-seniors. including many families with children.
Housing Tenure and Vacancy
Tenure
The tenure of a community's housing stock '(owner versus renter) influences several aspects of
the local housing market. Tenure preferences are primarily related to household income.
composition, and age of the householder. The stability of single-family residential
neighborhoods is influenced by tenure, with ownership housing evidencing a much lower
turnover rate than rental housing, Housing overpayment (cost burden), while faced by many
households regardless of tenure, is more prevalent among renters, because renters tend to have
significantly lower incomes than homeowners in relation to their housing costs.
Approximately 57.2 percent of the housing units in Palo Alto are ow'ner-occupied (Table 3-13).
This reflects the greater proportion of single-family housing units in the City. The proportion of
renters in Palo Alto is greater than the proportion of multifamily units in the City, indicating that
some single-family units are used as rentals.
4 An exact percentage cannot be calculated because it is unknown exactly how many occupied RV spaces were
counted by the Census Bureau as mobilehomes.
City of Palo Alto 31 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
'.
Vacancy
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-13
H T Dusing enure
2000 2004
Jurisdiction Owner % Renter % %Vacant
Palo Alto 57.2% 42.8% 3.19%
Santa Clara County 59.8% 40.2% 2.31%
Source: 2000 U.S. Census; 2004 California Dept. of Finance E·5a
Report
,In 2004, the California Department of Finance reported a vacancy rate of 3.19 percent in the
City for all housing units. Countywide, the housing vacancy rate was 2.31 percent. However,
this vacancy rate includes vacant units such as second homes, recreational homes and
seasonally occupied units. These units are generally not available for sale or rent.
The availability of housing to those looking for a home primarily depends on the number of
unoccupied units for sale or rent at anyone time. The percentage of such homes is the
effective vacancy rate. The effective vacancy rate varies from month to month and typically
follows economic trends. In general, a vacancy of at least five percent assures that consumers
have adequate choices when looking for housing. At that rate, vacant units are available to
facilitate mobility and property owners should be able to increase rents moderately without
placing undue burden on tenants. When vacancy rates drop below five percent, the increased
demand and reduced supply allow rental rates and housing prices to rise disproportionately to
household income. The City's Planning Department, which calculates apartment vacancy rates
on a bi-annual basis for complexes with three or more dwelling units, determin'ed that the
apartment vacancy rate in June 2004 was 1.56 percent. This indicates a very tight market for
rental units.
3.4.2 Housing Costs and Affordability
Ownership Housing Cost
According to the California Association of Realtors, the median price for a home in Palo Alto,
including single-family residences and condominiums, ,increased 8.4 percent between 2003 and
2004 (Table 3-14). In December 2003, the median home price was $749,500. In December 2004,
this increased to $812,500. The increase in Palo Alto's median home price is less than that for
Santa Clara County.
City of Palo Alto 32 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-15
R t I R en a . S I ates In eecte dS CI C anta ara ounty J'd' . UriS Ictlons
2000 Census
Median Rent
Jurisdiction # of Rooms 2004 Average Rents (all units)
Studio $1.011
Cupertino 1 BR $1.198 $1,693 2 BR $1,692
3 BR $2,034
Studio $752
Gilroy 1 BR $B96 $936 2 BR $1,191
3 BR $1,750
Studio $862
Mountain View 1 BR $958 $1,222 2 BR $1,349
3 BR $1.793
Studio $1,078
Palo Alto 1 BR $1,311 $1,349 2 BR $1,937
3 BR $2,428
Studio $815
San Jose 1 BR $994 $1,123 2 BR $1,331
3 BR $1,908
Studio N/A
Santa Clara 1 BR $1,089 $1,238 2 BR $1,381
3 BR $1,830
NI A -not available
Source: 2000 Census. Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara (2004).
Tabl.e 3-16
Fair Market Rents in Santa Clara County
# of Rooms FY 2000 FY 2005 Percent
FMR FMR Chanqe
Studio $886 $942 +6.3%
HUD Fair Market 1 BR $998 $1,107 +10.9% Rent (FMR) for 2 BR $1,221 $1,313 +7.5% Santa Clara Co.
3 BR $1,673 $1,779 +6.3%
Source: City of City of Palo Alto (2000). HOUSing AuthOrity of the County of Santa Clara
(2004).
The City supports the Section 8 rental assistance program, and contracts with the Housing
Authority of the County of Santa Clara to administer the Section 8 program. In addition, the City
has supported the Oak Court Apartments project, which is a family rental apartment
development of 53 units affordable to very low and low-income households. The project is
scheduled for completion in 2005.
City of Palo Alto 34 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-18
Age 0 f S k ( Housing toc 2000
Year Built Number of Units Percent ofTotal
1939 or earlier 4,209 16.0%
1940-1949 3,511 13.4%
1950-1959 7,587 29.0%
1960-1969 4,016 15.3%
1970-1979 3,337 12.7%
1980-1989 1,925 7.3%
1990-2000 1,570 6.0%
Total 26,155 100.0%
Source: 2000 u.s. Census
In an effort to improve overall housing conditions in Palo Alto, the City operates a Code
Enforcement program. The Planning and Community Environment and Police Departments
perform the code enforcement function for the City. Identification of potential code violations
occurs primarily through informal field observations, as well as complaints received from
residents. The City utilizes general funds to finance code enforcement activities. In addition, the
City provides CDBG funding to Economic and Social Opportunities (ESO) to provide minor home
repairs and accessibility improvements to income eligible households.
Housing Deficiencies
Available Census data also offers two indicators of housing stock deficiencies: the number of
units lacking complete plumbing and kitchen facilities. As indicated in Table 3-19, 84 units in the
City lacked complete plumbing, and 349 units were without kitchen facilities. It is not known if
any units had both deficiencies. The rate of substandard units as related to plumbing was lower
for the City than for the County, it was more than double the County's rate as related to kitchen
facilities. Census data does not provide details on whether any of the housing units lacking
complete plumbing or kitchen facilities are single room occupancy (SRO) units, which could
account for the recorded deficiencies.
Table 3-19
Housing toc De IClencles S k f' 2 00 (0 )
Units Lacking Complete Units Lacking Complete
Plumbinq Kitchen Facilities
Number of % ofTotal Number of % of Total
Jurisdiction Units Units Units Units
Palo Alto 84 0.32% 349 1.30%
Santa Clara County 2,867 0.47% 3,289 0.54%
Source: 2000 u.s. Census
Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Lead poisoning is the number one environmental hazard to children in America today.
Approximately 434,000 children across the U.S. aged one to five years have lead blood levels
greater than the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations. Lead poisoning causes
10 reductions, reading and learning disabilities, decreased attention span and hyperactivity and
aggressive behavior. Several factors contribute to higher incidences of lead poisoning:
• Children under two are especially vulnerable;
City of Palo Alto 36 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
• Low-income children are at eight times higher risk for lead poisoning than wealthier
children;
• Black children have five times higher risk than White children;
• Hispanic children are twice as likely as White children to have lead poisoning;
• Children in older housing are at higher risk; and
• Up to 50 perc~nf of children in distressed neighborhoods have some level of lead
poisoning.
Lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning. The age of the housing stock is the key
variable for estimating the number of housing units with lead-based paint. Starting in 1978, the
use of all lead-based paint on residential property was prohibited. National studies estimated
that 75 percent of all residential structures built prior to 1978 contain lead-based paint, and that
older structures have the higher percentages. Not all units with lead-based paint are hazardous.
Testing for lead in dust, soil, deteriorated paint, chewable paint surfaces,. or friction paint
surfaces is required to assess the whether the amount of lead is hazardous. Deteriorated units,
particularly those with leaky roofs and plumbing, and rehabilitated units where there was not a
. thorough cleanup with high-phosphate wash after the improvements. were completed, are
particularly prone to high levels of lead. Figure 3-5 shows the cases of elevated blood lead levels
in Santa Clara County by ZIP code. As shown in Figure 3-5, there are no reports of significantly
high lead levels in children residing in Palo Alto.
CHAS data provide the number of housing units constructed before 1970 that were occupied by
lower income households. This data can be used to approximate the extent of lead-based
paint hazards among lower-income households. While information on units constructed before
1978 is not available from CHAS, estimates based on the pre-1970 stock provide a worst-case
estimate of the extent of lead-based paint hazards. Citywide, an estimated 2,014 units
occupied by lower income households (O-aO percent MFI) may contain lead-based paint (Table
3-20). Generally, rental housing in Palo Alto is well maintained which may reduce lead paint
hazards for all tenants. In owner-occupied housing, very few lower-income households are
affected by lead paint hazards, due to the high market value of such housing. Lead paint in
owner-occupied housing is not likely to be a problem of higher-income households, which have
the economic resources to remodel their homes. Therefore, the actual number of older housing
units with lead-based paint hazards is lower than indicated in Table 3-20.
Year Units
Built
Before
1970
Table 3-20
Housing Occupied by Lower-Income Households
with Potential Lead-Based Paint Hazard
Estimated No. of Units with LBP and
No. of Units Occupied by Lower Occupied by Lower Income
Income Households Estimated Households
Extremely Very Low Low Percent Extremely Very Low Low·
Low (0-(31-50% (51-80% Units with Low (0-(0-50% (51-80%
30% MFI)' MFI) MFI) LBp2 30% MFI) MFI) MFI)
553 899 1,235 75% 414 674 926
1 Owner-occupied umts for extremely lOW-Income group not available. Figure Includes only rental units.
Z Based upon national studies.
Source: HUD CHAS Data, 2003.
City of Palo Alto 37 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
The City's housing and CDBG staff provide information and referral to property owners,
developers and non-profits rehabilitating older housing about lead-based paint hazards. Also,
the City currently requires that any housing rehabilitated with City financial assistance must be
inspected for the existence of lead-based paint hazards. The City will provide financial
assistance for the abatement of such hazards in these rehabilitated units.
3.5 Public and Assisted Housing Needs
3.5.1 Public Housing
The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara (HACSC) manages 555 public housing units
throughout Santa Clara County. Most of these units (494) are exclusively for lower-income
seniors, while only 25 units are exclusively for lower-income families. There are no public housing
units in Palo Alto.
3.5.2 Tenant-Based Rental Housing Assistance
The City of Palo Alto contracts with HACSC to administer its rental assistance programs,
specifically the Section 8 Voucher program. Currently, 250 City households receive tenant-
based rental assistance through the voucher program. There are another 48 applicants on the
waiting list. Table 3-21 presents a breakdown of Section 8 participants qnd waiting list
applicants.
City of Palo Alto
s ectlon 8 P
Table 3-21
d . P I artlclpants an Applicants In aoAto
Participants
Disabled 29
Elderly 159
Disabled and Elderly 23
Non-Disabled and Non-Elderly 39
Total 250
Waiting List Applicants
Disabled 11
Elderly 12
Disabled and Elderly 5
Non-Disabled and Non-Elderly 20
Total 48
Source: Housing AuthOrity of the County of Santa Clara
39 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
3.5.3 Inventory of Assisted Housing Units
Table 3-22 provides data on the City's assisted multi-family housing stock by various government
assistance' programs.
Table 3-22
Pa 0 Ato S b 'd' d R u SI Ize I enta HouslnQ Deve opments (J anuary 5 200 )
Project Name and Location Date' Units Type of Hou'seholds Served
ExistingUnits
Stevenson House, 455 E. Charteston 1968 120 Seniors
Colorado Park, 1141 Colorado Ave. 1972 60 Families/Seniors (17 units Section 8)
'Palo Alto Gardens, 648 San Antonio 1973/1999 156 Families/Seniors
Arastradero Park, 574 Arastradero 1974/1995 66 Families/Seniors (47 units Section 8)
Lytton Gardens I, 656 Lytton Ave. 1975 218 Seniors
Webster Wood Apts., 941 Webster St. 197812001 68 Families/Handicapped (4 units)
Lytton Gardens 11,656 Lytton Ave. 1979 100 Seniors (50 independent living, 50 residential care)
'Sheridan Apartments, 360 Sheridan 1979/1998 57 Seniors/Disabled (56 units Section 8)
Elm Apartments, 129 Emerson St. 1980 11 Families (8 units Section 8 mod. rehab.)
Pine Street House, 1259 Pine St. 1981 1 Families
'Ferne Apartments, 101-131 Ferne Ave. 1981 16 Families (6 units Section 8 mod. rehab.)
Terman Apartments, 655 Arastradero 1985 92 Families/Seniors (72 units Section 8)
Emerson South, 3067 Emerson 1985 6 Small Families/Single Adults
Curtner Apts., 300-310 Curtner Ave. 1985 9 Families (9 units Section 8 mod. rehab.)
'Waldo Apartments, 3039 Emerson 1987 6 Families (3 units Section 8 mod. rehab.)
California Park Apts., 2301 Park Blvd. 1989 45 Families/Handicapped (1 unit)
'Oak Manor Apts., 630 Los Robles 1991 33 Families (23 units Section 8)
Plum Tree Apartments, 3020 Emerson 1991 10 Families
Lytton Courtyard, 330 Everett Ave. 1994 51 Seniors (50 units Section 8)
Barker Hotel. 439 Emerson St. 1994 26 Sinqle Adults/Handicapped (5 units)
'Emerson North, 3051-3061 Emerson 1994 6 Small Families/Adults (1 unit Section 8 mod. rehab.)
'Emerson House, 330 Emerson St. 1996 4 Small Families/Handicapped
'Ventura Apts., 290-310 Ventura Ave. 1997 12 Families (1 unit Section 8 mod. rehab.)
Alma Place SRO, 753 Alma St. 1998 107 Single Adults/Handicapped
Page Mill Court, 2700 Ash St. 1998 24 Developmentally Disabled Adults
Total 1,304
Under Construction
Oak Court Apts., 845 Ramona 2005 53 Families (Completion spring 2005)
Opportunity Center, 33 Encina Ave. 2006 89 SRO -Single Adults/Family/Homeless (Completion
summer 2006)
Total 142 . . • Rental Units (290 Units In eight proJects) provided In lieu of on-site Below Market Rate (BMR) UnitS, or funded With BMR In·lieu fees .
, Date development completed. Second year is date development was preserved for affordable housing.
Source: City of Palo Alto staff, January 2005.
City of Palo Alto 40 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
non-profit Palo Alto Housing Corporation in 1998, and the Section 8 contract is renewed
annually.
3.6 Barriers to Affordable Housing
Constraints to the provision of adequate and affordable housing are posed by market,
governmental, and infrastructure and environmental factors. These constraints may result in
housing that is not affordable to low-and moderate-income households, or may render
residential construction economically infeasible for developers. Constraints to housing
production significantly impact households with low-and moderate incomes and special needs.
3.6.1 Potential Governmental Constraints
Potential governmental constraints to affordable housing development include the following:
Land Use Controls
The City's Zoning Ordinance is the primary tool used to manage the development of residential
units in Palo Alto. Residential districts that are allowed in Palo Alto vary from Residential Estate to
High Density Multiple-Family Residence. Moreover, residential development is permitted in all
other zones except the Public Facilities Zone. Permitted densities, setback requirements,
minimum lot sizes and other factors vary among the residential districts. The City's Zoning
Ordinance allows a range of residential densities. The Residential Estate zone allows just one
residential unit per one acre. In contrast, the High Density Multiple-Family Residence allows up to
40 residential units per acre. The range of densities provided for in the City's Zoning Ordinance is
not considered to be a constraint on afforda~le housing development.
In addition to the specific residential districts, there is the "Planned Community (PC) District" that
is intended to accommodate developments for residential, commercial, professional or other
activities, including a combination of uses. It allows for flexibility under controlled conditions not
attainable under other zone districts, and allows for more density. The Planned Community
District is particularly intended for unified, comprehensively planned developments that are of
substantial public benefit. Some affordable housing has been produced within the PC zone,
such as the Opportunity Center and Alma Place. However, one constraint to the PC zone
related to housing is a requirement for a finding of public benefit. In a high cost area such as
Palo Alto, additional public benefits discourage residential PC zone proposals. A program in the
City'S Housing Element calls for the development of a Planned Development Zone similar to the
PC zone, but without the public benefit finding.
The City currently is in the process of updating its Zoning Ordinance ... Changes are proposed to
zoning districts and development standards, among other subjects. Some of the proposed
changes would have an impact on the provision of housing. These include the following:
• Create and apply the following four new Mixed Use zoning standards: (1) A "Live/Work"
designation that permits individuals to live on the same site where they work; (2)
"Retail/Office"; (3) "Residential/Retail"; and (4) "Residential/Office" designations that
permit a mix of uses on the same site or nearby sites.
• Revise land use and zoning designations as needed to encourage medium-density
housing (20-25 units per acre) within or near Neighborhood Centers served by public
transportation to support a more vital mix of commercial activities.
City of Palo Alto 42 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Housing and Community Development Needs
Allow for increased housing density immediately surrounding commercial areas and
particularly near transit centers.
Evaluate zoning incentives that encourage the development of diverse housing types,
including smaller, more affordable units and two-and three-bedroom units suitable for
families with children.
Create a Planned Development zone that allows the construction of smaller lot single
family units and other innovative housing types without the requirement for a public
benefit finding.
Amend zoning regulations to permit residential lots of less than 6,000 square feet where
smaller lots would be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
Modify parking requirements to allow higher densities and reduced housing costs in areas
appropriate for reduced parking requirements.
Enact development regulations that encourage rehabilitation of historic residential
buildings, remodeling of older multifamily rental buildings and retention of smaller single
family residences.
Standards should be revised to accommodate affordable housing and multifamily
densities so that PC zoning is hot needed; the densities are currently not achievable due
to FAR, parking, open space, etc. requirements.
Site Development Regulations
In certain instances, the City's site development regulations can be viewed as a constraint to
housing development. The City recognizes that its residential neighborhoods are distinctive and
wants to preserve and enhance their special features. Since Palo Alto is basically a :'built-out"
community, most new single family residential development is going to occur in existing
neighborhoods through either infilliots or demolition/remodeling of existing structures. Therefore,
the regulations guiding development are intended to ensure that much of what Palo Alto
cherishes in its residential areas, such as open space areas, streetscapes with mature
landscaping and variety in architectural styles, is preserved and protected.
Several site development regulations, however,' are recognized in the City's Housing Element as
needing assessment and possible revision to reduce the constraints on developing housing. One
program calls for amending the zoning regulations to permit residential lots of less than 6,000
square feet where appropriate. Another program calls for modifying parking requirements to
allow higher densities of housing in areas where jobs, services, shared parking and transit will
reduce the need for parking. Other programs call for allowing increased density around
commercial areas and near transit centers, and for conSidering minimum density requirements
which could result in more housing, as well as more affordable housing.
Local Processing and Permit Procedures
There are various levels of review and processing of residential development applications,
depending on the size and complexity of the development. For example, single family use
applications that require a variance or home improvement exception can be handled by the
Zoning Administrator. More complicated applications, such as subdivision applications or
rezoning, require review and approval by the Planning Commission arid City Council and, in
some instances, the City'S Architectural Review Board.
City of Palo Alto 43 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Application Process. Residential development applications that fall under the responsibility of
the Zoning Administrator are usually processed and a hearing held within 6-8 weeks of the
application submittal date. This includes review by the Architectural Review Board, which is
required for all residential projects except singly developed single family houses and duplexes.
Rezoning and minor subdivision applications typically have a longer time frame, since they must
be heard before both the Planning Commission and the City Council. Generally, an application
will be heard by the Planning Commission 7-10 weeks after application submittal. Local
ordinance requires the City Council to consider the Planning Commission recommendations
within 30 days; therefore, there would be a maximum of 30 more days after the Planning
Commission hearing for the City Council's action on the application. If the application is for a
major site and design or Planned Community rezoning, then the Architectural Review Board will
conduct a hearing after the Planning Commission hearing, which could affect the time frame
for approval. Furthermore, all of the time frames referenced above assume that all
environmental assessment and/or studies have been completed for the development.
Additional time will be required if there are any environmental issues that need to be studied or
resolved as a result of the environmental assessment.
Architectural Review Board. Architectural Review Board (ARB) approval is required for all
residential projects except singly-developed single family homes and duplexes. The ARB sets
certain standards of design in order to maintain the high quality of housing in Palo Alto. The ARB
process may add time and may result in requiring a higher level of design, materials and
construction, which can be a constraint to the development of housing. However, the level of
review and the upgrade in materials has the long-term benefit of lower maintenance and higher
retention of property values. Moreover, the construction of thoughtful and well-designed multi-
family housing has sustained community support for higher density projects and has resulted in
community support for residential projects at all income levels. The preferences on materials are
sometimes waived for affordable housing projects.
Building Codes and Regulations. In regard to codes and enforcement, the City has adopted
the Uniform Building Code (UBC), which establishes minimum construction standards. Although a
locality may impose more stringent standards, it cannot adopt any that are less restrictive than
those of the UBC. Thus, the City cannot modify the basic UBC requirements. The City also
administers certain State and Federal mandated standards in regards to energy conservation
and accessibility for disabled households. In reviewing these standards, certain requirements
especially in regard to handicapped accessibility may be viewed as a constraint to housing
production. The City has no direct control over these types of requirements other than working
with local legislators on a federal and state level to modify and make the requirement more
realistic.
Development and Impact Fees
The City's development fee structure does not appear to be a significant impediment to
residential development. Residential developments are charged fees according to the value of
the project for building, planning and fire review fees. For example, a residential unit with a value
of $200,000 would be charged $2,684 for building, planning and fire fees. For infill and individual
single family development, the public works fees are minimal and estimated to be less than $500
per unit. For a residential subdivision, the most significant public works fee would be the fee for a
Street Work Permit, which is 5 percent of the value of the street improvements. The City's Utility
Department does charge for sewer and water hookups. The City has joined with 26 other cities
and San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties to implement procedural changes that will
standardize modifications to the Uniform Building Code and submittal requirements for building
permits and building permit fees.
City of Palo Alto 44 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs .
The City collects impact fees from new residential and commercial development. These fees
are used to mitigate impacts new development would have on City facilities. On March 25,
2002, the Palo Alto City Council approved new impact fees for parks, community centers and
libraries. These impact fees apply to new residential and nonresidential development approved
after January 28, 2002. These impact fees would cost approximately $10,894 per single-family
home, and approximately $7,137 per unit of a multi-family development. While these impact
fees would add to the cost of developing housing in Palo Alto, they are considered necessary to
reduce the impacts the new development would have on City parks, libraries and community
centers. The City has determined that these impact fees are the most equitable method of
financing the cost of constructing new facilities or expanding existing facilities in response to
increased demand. .
Other public service districts that are outside of the control of the City may charge fees. The
most significant of these are school impact fees. The Palo Alto Unified School District imposes a
fee per square foot for residential units. Los Altos School District services a small portion of the
City of Palo Alto and also imposes a school impact fee.
Below Market Rate (BMR) Program
The City's BMR Program has been in existence since 1974. The program was initiated to fill a gap
in affordable housing between households making above moderate-income, who it was felt
. could afford their own housing, and low-income households, who could be assisted by other
state and federal programs. The basic requirement is 15 percent of the units being built.
Projects of five acres or more must provide a 20 percent BMR component. The City requires that
BMR units be included in for-sale and rental residential projects of five or more units, and that the
units be mixed throughout a project. The program has built-in provisions that result in the units in
the program being more affordable over time when compared to market-rate units and median
income households.
Because the affordable housing provisions in the BMR Program would make it more difficult for
housing developers to recoup costs on these units, these provisions could discourage some
housing projects in Palo Alto. Therefore, the BMR program could be considered a constraint.
However, in high cost cities such as Palo Alto, this type of program is a necessity to augment the
production of moderate cost housing.
Infrastructure
The City of Palo Alto is an older and well-established community in terms of infrastructure. The
City owns and manages its utilities, including water and electricity. According to staff from the
City Public Works Department, there are no significant infrastructure constraints that would
affect anticipated residential development. The City's wastewater and water systems both have
sufficient capacity to serve expected residential growth, although some local service lines need
expansion or extension.
While there appear to be no significant infrastructure constraints on a citywide basis, there may
be constraints on a site-by-site basis, depending on the site's proximity to existing utility and
service lines and whether there would be a need to provide additional connections or upgrades
to those lines. These types of improvements would typically be the responsibility of the property
owner/developer.
City of Palo Alto 45 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
3.6.2 Non-Governmental Constraints
There are a number of costs involved in the development of ho.using. These include land and
co.nstruction costs, sales and marketing, financing and pro.fit. Because these Co.sts are so. "market
sensitive," it is difficult for a Io.cal go.vernment to. reduce them in any way. Listed below are so.me
of the mo.re significant ~arket-related issues.
Land Availability
Palo. Alto. is basically a "built-out" community. Only 1.4 percent o.f the City's land area is vacant.
There is only one piece o.f vacant, residentially zoned land greater than 10 acres in size
remaining in the City. The lack of vacant land, however, has resulted in an effort to. "recycle"
land parcels with commercial or industrial zoning that are vacant o.r have other land uses that
are eco.no.micaily marginal. The City'S Io.ng-term policy is to. discourage the rezoning o.f
residential land to. commercial use, while encouraging the rezoning o.f commercial lands for
residential use.
In additio.n, the City'S BMR pro.gram will result in the pro.ductio.n o.f units of moderate-inco.me
ho.using, depending o.n the number o.f market rate units built. The City has established and is
pro.Posing, as part of its Ho.using Element, numerous policies and programs to. enco.urage the
additio.nal develo.pment o.f ho.using, particularly ho.using affordable to. very low-, Io.w-and
mo.derate-income ho.useho.lds. These include allewing fer increased densities near transit;
consideration ef requiring minimum densities; zoning incentives for smaller, mere affordable
housing; evaluatien ef seco.nd dwelling unit regulatiens to. enceurage the creation o.f more units;
revised regulatio.ns to allo.w residential Io.ts ef less than 6,000 square feet and medificatiens to.
reduce parking requirements when ho.uses are lecated near jebs, services and transit.
There are currently 142 units ef ho.using fer extremely low-, very Io.w-and Io.w-inceme ho.useho.lds
currently under constructien in Palo Alto. -Oak Co.urt (53 units) and 0pPo.rtunity Center (89 units).
Ho.wever, even with the stro.ng commitment o.f the City to. previde affordable heusing, it will be
difficult for Pale Alto. to. pro.vide the necessary units for ho.useho.lds with mederate-inco.me (80-
120% AMI). The primary reasens are a lack of available land and the limited availability o.f
subsidy funds. The City will centinue to. use public and private resources to. make a go.ed-faith
effo.rt to. provide as many units as it can in meeting the State-required need. Also, the City will.
maintain its ewn cemmitment to. previde housing for all inceme groups and a diversity o.f heusing
thro.ugho.ut Pale Alto..
Land and Construction Costs
The actual cests of develo.ping and building heusing in Palo. Alto. ceuld be viewed as a
co.nstraint to. ho.using, especially affordable heusing. As discussed previeusly, vacant land is
scarce in Pale Alto.. The scarcity ef vacant land has resulted in increased cests of purchasing any
available land. Residentially zoned pro.perty can sell for o.ver $100 per square foo.t or more,
depending en its location and develo.pment petential. Individual single family lets, if available,
are typically $1 millien or more in price for a 5,000 to. 16,000 square fo.et Io.t. Thus, a o.ne-acre site
with multiple-family zo.ning would be werth in excess ef $4 millio.n. The City centinues to. review
non-residentially designated areas and underutilized sites fer petential residential uses and is
enco.uraging the integratio.n of residential use into. cemmerGial/industrial areas.
Co.nstructio.n costs in Palo. Alto. are also. expensive, but are similar to. tho.se ef surro.unding
cemmunities. Discussio.ns with private and non-prefit develepers and City staff indicate that
residential censtructio.n costs can range frem approximately $75 per square feot to. $100-200+
City of Palo Alto 46 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
per square foot, depending on amenities and the quality of construction materials. It becomes
difficult to build housing, particularly affordable housing, with this range of construction cost. For
example, using $100 per square foot as an estimate, a 2,000 square foot home would cost
$200,000 just for construction costs and excluding land costs, off-site improvements, processing
fees and financing costs. In order to develop housing that is affordable, especially to very low-
and low-income households, public subsidies are required because of the high cost of land and
construction.
Financing Costs
Financing costs are primarily dependent on national economic trends and policy decisions. In
recent years, interest rates on mortgages have been among the lowest rates in history, making
borrowing money for home purchases less expensive. Financing from both mortgage brokers
and retail lenders (banks, savings and loans) is available in the Palo Alto·area. The availability of
financing is not a constraint to the purchase of housing in Palo Alto. However, financing for
development of condominiums, rental housing and mixed use projects can still be difficult to
obtain. Financing costs for subsidized housing are reasonable, but obtaining the subsidy is more
difficult, as the competition for the limited available funds is very high.
Environmental Constraints
There are some areas in the City that have specific environmental areas of concern. There are
approximately 12 sites in the foothill area of the City that are within a specific earthquake fault
zone area. These sites require in-depth soils reports and peer review as part of their development
use approval. Moreover, the entire City is subject to moderate to severe earth movement during
a seismic event.
According to the City Public Works Department staff, approximately 25-30 percent of the City is .
within the flood hazard zone. Structures within this zone must meet certain building requirements
when expanding or improving the property if the improvement is greater than 50 percent of the
value of the property.
Some areas of the City have isolated cases of pollution of the soil and groundwater that may
require cleanup, and the close proximity of groundwater to the surface may limit excavation
and require additional foundation stabilization. Finally, many available sites are limited by noise
constraints from vehicular traffic and railroad trains. Sound walls or additional noise barriers may
be required to reduce noise to acceptable levels for residential use. These requirements could
be viewed as constraints in that they increase the cost and may prohibit owners from
undertaking improvements. The City, however, has limited control over these requirements, since
they are primarily regulated by state and federal agencies.
3.7 Fair Housing
3.7.1 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
The City completed an Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing in 2003. The AI evaluated
potential impediments· to fair housing and made recommendations for the removal of these
impediments. The AI identified the following potential impediments:
• The lack of affordable housing restricts people in their ability to purchase or rent housing.
Census data show that the primary groups affected by the lack of affordable housing
are low and moderate-income people. People of color, families with children, and
City of Palo Alto 47 2005 -201 0 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
persons with disabilities have a disproportionate problem in finding housing in Palo Alto
and Santa Clara County when compared to young, white, higher income, able.-bodied
purchasers and renters without children.
• The lack of available housing creates an inadequate pool of housing stock. The
predominance of single family residences compared to the amount of multi-family
housing in Palo Alto also affects the availability and affordability of housing choice.
• The lack of land available for housing construction been identified as the primary
obstacle for both nonprofit and for-profit developers trying to develop housing.
• Related to the scarcity of land, the price of land suitable for new housing is too high for
the construction of low to moderate-income housing without subsidies.
• Discrimination continues to influence who may find housing in Palo Alto and who may
not. Families with children and persons with disabilities remain the largest single classes
affected by discrimination in Palo Alto. Although there is no readily available information
on the accessibility of housing in Palo Alto for persons with disabilities, it is likely that many
units and projects do not meet current standards of accessibility as mandated by the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), since most of the City's housing stock was built prior
to the adoption of ADA in 1991.
• Application processes for the limited amount of federal and state housing funds
available are highly complex and competitive. The myriad of federal requirements such
as prevailing wage, property acquisition regulations, environmental standards,
relocation, etc., also add considerably to the cost of creating affordable housing with
. federal or State subsidies.
Federal reductions in the already insufficient supply of funding for housing, along with the need
for increased subsidies in high cost areas, results in fewer affordable units being created in Palo
Alto. The distribution of tax credits for developing affordable housing is problematic because the
allocation system set at the State level typically limits the number of units per year in Santa Clara
County. At times, this means projects in Palo Alto cannot be funded.
3.7.2 Fair Housing Policies and Programs
The City of Palo Alto has a number of current policies and programs which encourage fair and
equal housing choice. The City also maintains a strong commitment to the creation of
affordable housing opportunities -the City Council in 2002 reaffirmed that it is one of the
Council's top five priorities for the City. A list of fair housing programs follows:
• Palo Alto has employed a Housing Coordinator since 1992 to facilitate the production of
affordable housing in Palo Alto through nonprofit partnerships and technical assistance.
• Palo Alto has a Below Market Rate (BMR) Program, which currently consists of 179 below
market home ownership units and 101 below market rate rental units. The units are
located throughout the City in privately constructed residential developments. They are
provided by the private market under the City'S inclusionary zoning policies in the
Housing Element, which have been in effect since 1974. The City contracts with the Palo
Alto Housing Corporation to administer the Program.
• The Palo Alto Housing Corporation (PAHC) created and distributed a resource guide to
affordable (and assisted) housing in Palo Alto and the vicinity in June 1994. The booklet
City of Palo Alto 48 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
was funded with CDBG funds, and' is currently available online in addition to paper
copies that were last updated and reprinted in June 2002.
• The City provided CDBG funds to the Palo Alto Housing Corporation to research and
complete an Asset Management Plan and a Property Management Procedures Manual.
The purpose of the Plan and Manual are to increase the capacity of the organization to
plan and administer an ever-increasing number of assisted/affordable housing units
within the City.
• The City· provides general fund support to Project Sentinel to provide Information and
Referral services about landlord/tenant laws and conduct a citywide tenant/landlord
mediation program. This frequently helps tenants to resolve disputes and remain in their
housing.
• Palo Alto's Rental Housing Stabilization Policy (Palo Alto Municipal code 9.68.030) requires
Palo Alto landlords to annually offer one-year written leases to tenants. The purpose of
the ordinance is to provide tenants with some assurance of stability under the terms of a
written lease and to minimize displacement in a rental housing market which affords
them few and expensive options.
• The City currently contracts with Project Sentinel to provide fair housing services including
information and referral, community outreach and education, discrimination complaint
checking and investigation, legal referrals and assistance in resolving complaints. The
City collaborated with the Cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale to issue a joint North
County RFP for Fair Housing Services and selected one service provider for the North
County area. Project Sentinel audits rental housing in Palo Alto and has conducted
special projects such as a poster contest to celebrate Fair Housing Month in April.
Activities of Project Sentinel to increase public awareness about fair housing include
widespread advertising, frequent radio Public Service Announcements; distribution of
brochures, annual workshops for apartment owners and managers; educational
presentations; listings on websites; and booths at events.
• Project Sentinel also collaborates with regional fair housing advocates and service
providers by participating in meetings such as the Bay Area Annual Fair Housing
Leadership Conference, Northern California Fair Housing Coalition, Annual Conference
of the National Fair Housing Alliance, State Department of Fair Employment and Housing
Legislative Update Workshop, and the Santa Clara County Housing Task Force.
• The Palo Alto Human Relations CommisSion (HRC) investigates, reviews, advocates for
and advises the City Council on matters relating to maintaining a non-discriminatory
atmosphere in Palo Alto. The HRC, in collaboration with police officials, investigate and
document any instances of local hate crimes.
• Chapter 9.74 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code prohibits discrimination against families
with minor children in housing. The ordinance lists specific prohibited rental practice
activities including the application of restrictive occupancy standards.
• The City Attorney's Office handles cases brought to their attention involving
discriminatory rental practices.
• The City participated in the 2000-02 Fair Housing in Santa Clara Study, which examined
fair housing issues on a Countywide level. The study had several recommendations to be
undertaken collaboratively, including the creation of a Countywide Fair Housing Task
Force made up of various entitlement jurisdictions, HUD, the Department of Fair
Employment and Housing, and fair housing service providers. City of Palo Alto staff
represents the North County on the task force.
City of Palo Alto 49 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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3.8 Homeless Needs5
All the entitlement jurisdictions in Santa Clara County have long recognized that homelessness is
a regional issue. The best available data on the homeless is only available for the entire County.
Data presented in this section is thus based on stati~tics for the entire County, as presented in the
County's 2004 Continuum of Care (CoC) application to HUD. HUD requires that each
entitlement jurisdiction identify needs and gaps in services within its boundaries. To meet those
HUD requirements, the countywide characteristics and demographics of the homeless, and the
needs and gaps in facilities and services identified in that application were allocated to each
entitlement jurisdiction based on the last zip code of residence of homeless persons entered into
the Homeless Management Information-Santa Clara (HMIS) as of November 30, 2004. At that
time, the HMISdid not include client data from all agencies serving the County's homeless. The
entitlement jurisdictions in the County have determined it is the best available data as to where
persons last resided before becoming homeless. For that reason, that HMIS data was used as
the basis for allocating the countywide data from the CoC to each entitlement jurisdiction.
The following section summarizes the housing and supportive service needs of the homeless in
Palo Alto, as well as persons and families at risk of becoming homeless. This section also includes
an inventory of services and facilities available to serve the City's homeless population and those
who are at risk of becoming homeless. Service and facility gaps in the Continuum of Care are
also identified.
3.B.1 Nature and Extent of Homelessness
Homeless Population
Since homelessness is a regional issue, data presented in this section is based on statistics for the
entire County. Characterization by jurisdiction of the homeless population, the availability of
. facilities and services, and gaps in service are based. on the countywide data and data
generated under the County's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), a federally-
required collaborative database that tracks homeless clients by last reported permanent place
of residence.
Table 3-24 and Table 3-25 are the most recent detailed estimates of the homeless population in
Palo Alto and Santa Clara County (based on the County's 2004 Continuum of Care application
to HUD). It is estimated that there are 102 homeless persons in the City. In Santa Clara County,
there are an estimated 7,214 persons who are homeless, of which 37.7 percent have shelter. In
Palo Alto, 41 homeless persons (40.2 percent) are sheltered.
In December of 2004, the cities in Santa Clara County and the County jointly sponsored a two-
day homeless count (conducted by a consultant who specializes in these counts) to assess the
homeless population in the County's 351 census tracts. Based on the preliminary reSUlts, there
were 7,121 unduplicated cases of homelessness, of which 4,877 were individual cases and 1,232
were persons in family groups. The survey takers could not determine or did not record the
family status of the remaining 1,012 cases. Of the 7,121 cases, 2,778 were counted in homeless
shelter facilities.
5 Unless otherwise noted,. statistics cited in this report are from the Santa Clara County-wide Consolidated
Continuum of Care Application (2004).
City of Palo Alto 50 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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Homeless Individuals
As indicated above, homeless individuals comprise approximately 73.5 percent of the homeless
population in Palo Alto, compared with 69.4 percent of the homeless population in the County.
Unsheltered homeless individuals account for 52.9 percent of the total homeless population in
the City. According to information in the Santa Clara Countywide Five-Year Continuum of Care
Plan (Countywide Five-Year Plan), approximately 74 percent of the urban homeless are single-
adults. The overwhelming majority of single homeless adults are male (about 75 percent).
Homeless Families
Members of homeless families make up slightly over one-quarter of the homeless population in
Palo Alto. By comparison, almost one-quarter of the urban homeless population in the County
are members of homeless families. Members of homeless families make up almost one-quarter of
the urban homeless population in the County. Single mothers head the majority of homeless
families -66 percent according to the Countywide Five-Year Plan. The Countywide Five-Year
Plan also stated that 227 dependent children accompanied 284 homeless people surveyed, or
approximately 44.4 percent of the total sample. This was an increase from a 1995 study of the
homeless in the County, which indicated that children in homeless families comprisep23 percent
of the total 'sample. .
Homeless Subpopulations
Table 1 also provides a breakdown of the homeless population by subpopulations. A description
of each subpopulation and their estimated number in Palo Alto follows. As with the homeless
population in general, characterization of the homeless subpopulations are based on the
County's HMIS data, the allocation of which have been assigned according to the proportion of
clients in the HMIS database that reported Palo Alto as his or her last place of permanent
residence.
Chronically Homeless
The Interagency Council on Homelessness has defined someone who is "chronically homeless" as
"being disabled and either being continuously homeless for a year or more or having had at
least four homeless. episodes during the last three years,"6 There are an estimated total of 14
chronically homeless persons in Palo Alto. Countywide, there were 931 chronically homeless
persons. Of this total, only one-fifth were in shelters.
Persons with Severe Mental Illness
Severe mental illness includes the diagnose~ of psychoses (e.g. schizophrenia) and the major
affective disorders (e.g. bipolar, major depression). To qualify as chronic, the illness must have
existed for at least one year. According to national estimates, approximately one percent of
the adult population meets a definition of severe mental illness based on diagnosis, duration,
and disability.
In Palo Alto, there are an estimated 14 homeless persons who are seriously mentally ill. In the
County, there were 952 such homeless persons. According to the Countywide Five-Year Plan, 90
percent of the homeless identified as mentally ill were single.
6 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Strategies for Reducing Chronic Street Homelessness,
January 2004.
City of Palo Alto 53 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
The major barrier to stable, decent housing for the seriously mentally ill is the availability of
affordable housing. A substantial majority of persons in this population depend solely on Social
Security Insurance (SSI) payments. These payments, which averaged $5507 in 2004, permit very
few persons in this population to afford rental housing on the open market.
Persons with Substance Abuse Problems
In past surveys, substance abuse appeared to be a major factor in the cause of homelessness.
A substantial number of homeless surveyed in 1997 (25.9 percent) stated that substance abuse
had precipitated continual job loss and a subsequent inability to pay rent, resulting in eviction
from their homes. An estimated 12 homeless persons in Palo Alto had chronic substance abuse
problems, either with alcohol or with other drugs, or sometimes with a combination of
substances. Santa Clara County had 816 homeless persons with substance abuse problems.
Veterans
There are an estimated four homeless persons in Palo Alto who are veterans. In the County,
there were 285 homeless veterans. The Countywide Five-Year Plan indicates that the
percentage of homeless reporting as veterans has decreased over time. In 1995, 26 percent of
the homeless reported they were veterans. In 1999, that proportion decreased to 20 percent.
No information is available explaining this decrease. Based on figures in Table 1, veterans now
comprise only four percent of the homeless population.
Persons Infected with HIV/AIDS
The National Commission on AIDS states that up to half of all Americans with AIDS are either
homeless or in imminent danger of becoming homeless due to their illness, lack of income or
other resources, and weak support networks. The Commission further estimates that 15 percent
of all homeless people are infected with HIV. Within Santa Clara County, 136 homeless persons
reported having HIV/AIDS, which is less than two percent of the total homeless population. In
Palo Alto, it is estimated there are two homeless persons with HIV I AIDS.
In 2000, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors provided funding to the Billy DeFrank
Lesbian and Gay Community Center to complete a social services and health services needs
assessment, which included a survey of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Of
those surveyed, 12 percent lived in non-permanent or unstable housing. Two percent reported
living on the streets, which is similar to the percentage of HIV/AIDS homeless indicated in Table 1.
Persons Suffering Domestic Violence
Many single women and women with children become homeless as the result of domestic
violence. According to a study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 34 percent of the cities
surveyed identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness.Nationally,
approximately half of all women and children experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic
violence.s Homeless women often require additional counseling to work through psychological
impairment from physical abuse to transition into the mainstream.
7 U.S. Social Security Administration at www.socialsecurity.gov/policy/docslquickfacts/state_stats/ca.html. Average
SSI payment for all of California. including federal SSI payment and state supplement.
B National Coalition for the Homeless. NCH Fact Sheet #1: Why Are People Homeless? September 2002.
City of Palo Alto 54 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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In Santa Clara County, there were 462 homeless persons who were victims of domestic violence,
or approximately 6.4 percent of the total homeless population. The estimated number of such
persons in Palo Alto is seven. According to the Countywide Five-Year Plan, (em ale respondents
toa survey identified fleeing from domestic violence as one of the three primary reasons for their
homelessness.
Youth
The Countywide Five-Year Plan states that the fastest growing segment of the homeless
population is children. Approximately 25 percent of newly homeless persons in the County were
children under 18. Of the estimated homeless population in Palo Alto, two were youth. In the
County, there were 136 homeless youth who were not part of a homeless family. These homeless
youth are difficuluo track because of their highly transient nature, their distrust of adults, and
their distrust of services, usually born out of fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized.
3.8.2 Needs of Persons Threatened with Homelessness
The "at-risk" population is comprised of lower income families and individuals who, upon
experiencing a major life crisis that creates severe financial distress Gob loss, medical
emergency, etc.), might lose their housing and end up becoming homeless. Extremely low-
income households (those earning 30 percent or less of median family income) are considered
to be at greatest risk of becoming homeless. The overwhelming majority of these families
typically experience a housing cost burden, paying more than 30 percent of their incomes for
housing. In more severe cases, such families pay more than 50 percent of their incomes for
housing.
The at-risk population also includes individuals who are in imminent danger of residing in shelters
or living on the streets. This is primarily due to the lack of access to permanent housing and the
absence of an adequate support network, such as immediate family members or relatives in
whose homes they could temporarily reside. These individuals, especially those being released
from penal, mental or substance abuse facilities, require social services that help them make the
transition back into society and remain off the streets. Based on the criteria discussed above
and available data, there are probably between 20,000 and 30,000' Santa Clara County
households who are at risk of becoming homeless.9 Using the share of homeless as determined
by the County's HMIS, it is estimated that there are 300 to 450 at-risk households in Palo Alto.
Keeping people from becoming homeless requires emergency funds to pay for housing, food,
and medical care. Homeless prevention also requires adequate planning for medical
discharges, eviction prevention and relocation assistance, and coordination with code
enforcement officials to minimize displacement of lower income households. Access and
contact points for those who become homeless include the Shelter Bed Hotline, on-line and
telephone intake and referral services, an Emergency Assistance Network (EAN) agency, Legal
Services, the San Jose and County Homeless Coordinators, and any number of homeless service
and mainstream human services agencies. These agencies will assess the needs of the homeless
individual or household, and find appropriate assistance whenever possible.
9 As an example of the potential homeless risk among extremely low-income households. HUD reported that. in
2000. nearly 36.000 such households paid more than 50 percent of their incomes for housing expenses.
City of Palo Alto 55 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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3.8.3 Inventory of Facilities and Services for the Homeless and
Persons Threatened with Homelessness
Palo Alto, along with Santa Clara County and its incorporated cities, provides a variety of
programs to assist homeless persons and persons and families threatened with homelessness.
Many of these programs target specific groups, such as the mentally ill and persons with
HIV/AIDS. Some of the programs operate on a countywide basis, while others are limited to a
specific geographical area.
Inventory of Palo Alto Facilities .
Facilities that are typically part of an inventory include emergency shelters, transitional housing
and permanent supportive housing. Emergency shelters provide temporary shelter for homeless
individuals and families. Transitional housing provides shelter for families making a transition from
homelessness to permanent housing. Permanent supportive housing provides services that
enable an individual or family to avoid homelessness. Based on the geo-coding of the
countywide inventory contained in the County's 2004 Continuum of Care application to HUD,
there are no homeless facilities in Palo Alto. However, as presented below, the City and
organizations based in Palo Alto offer· services to homeless persons or those at risk of
homelessness. Also, the City has financially supported organizations that operate shelters in the
vicinity, with CDBG funds and from its own general fund.
Inventory of Santa Clara County Facilities and Services
As previously stated in this section, homelessness is a regional issue, and is not restricted to a
specific jurisdiction. Homeless individuals and families are found throughout Santa Clara County.
In acknowledgement of this, and in order to more efficiency deliver services to the homeless, the
County has been working with local jurisdictions (including Palo Alto) and various homeless
service and housing providers to develop a countywide Continuum Of Care. For this reason, a
description of homeless facilities and services available in Santa Clara County is provided below.
While not all these facilities and services are available to City residents, some are available to
homeless City residents at large, while others are available to speCific subpopulations such as
domestic violence victims.
This section presents the homeless facilities and services available in Santa Clara County under
three broad categories: 1) Housing Information and Assistance Programs, 2) Outreach Programs,
and 3) Supportive Services. Within each category are subcategories describing facilities and
services that are similar in character. In the interest of providing a thorough and comprehensive
description of homeless facilities and services, some of these programs may· be described in
several subcategories. Information for County homeless facilities and services came from the
County's 2004 Continuum of Care application to HUD.
Housing Information and Assistance Programs
Programs in Santa Clara County that provide housing information and assistance are grouped in
the following subcategories: 1) Rental/Mortgage/Move-ln Assistance, 2) Information and Referral
to Prevention Services and Available Housing, 3) Preventing Evictions and Job loss, 4) Preventing
Discharge into Homelessness, 5) Transitional Housing/Post-Graduation/After-Care, and 6)
Preserving Housing Affordable to Extremely low-and Very low-Income Households. Proposed
programs are also described.
City of Palo Alto 56 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
• The weekly Housing Listing, a collaborative project of Community Technology Alliance
and the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara, offers information about rental
units available to Section 8 participants.
• Community Technology Alliance's Shelter Bed Hotline (1-800-7SHElTER) gives callers
information about emergency shelter in the nine Bay Area Counties. County callers can
hear information in English and Spanish, and, for most shelters, can talk directly to shelter
staff to inquire about bed availability without incurring toll charges.
• The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System's Gateway provides a toll-free
number (1-800-704-0900) that people may call to enter an alcohol or drug detoxification
program.
• A collaborative of homeless-targeted and mainstream food providers have published
and disseminated a fold-out, color brochure setting forth in easy-to-follow format
food/nutrition opportunities for homeless people in the area. Many families are faced
with choosing between purchasing food and paying for rent.
• Community Technology Alliance's "HousingSCC," a collaborative project with Housing for
Independent People, offers online information about subsidized housing, searchable by
waiting list status, services and amenities on site and unit size.
• Santa Clara Adult Education provides extensive referral and information services during
. regular business hours.
Preventing Evictions and Job Loss
• The Mental Health Advocacy Project (MHAP) provides information and referrals and free
legal representation to individuals with mental health or developmental disabilities who
are facing eviction or termination from housing programs like Section 8 or Shelter Plus
Care. MHAP works to educate clients and service providers, to prevent homelessness,
and to promote fair housing through its extensive outreach, training and client
advocacy.
• legal Aid of Santa Clara County provides eviction defense and advice on fair housing,
employment rights and conflict resolution.
• The East San Jose Community Law Center of Santa Clara Law School provides
. educational materials and workshops on employment rights for Welfare-to-Work
participants and County social service agency staff.
• EHC's Homeless Services staff provides fair housing assistance and tenant advocacy.
• Community Technology Alliance's HousingSCC website gives information about tenant
rights and responsibilities to help prevent eviction.
• Housing First, a collaborative of EHC, InnVision and the Housing Authority of the County of
Santa Clara, provides home-based case management for families at risk of
homelessness. The case managers and housing specialist work with the families and the
landlord to prevent eviction and to encourage stabilization.
City of Palo Alto 58 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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Preventing Discharge into Homelessness
• The Providing Assistance with Linkages to Services (PALS) program provides assessment,
treatment and discharge planning to persons with mental illness who are incarcerated,
and housing assistanceand supportive services upon release.
• The Santa Clara County Valley Health and Hospital System's Mental Health Department
has .a 24-hour unit that works with acute psychiatric hospitals, long-term psychiatric
facilities, and State hospitals that serve County residents to ensure that individuals are not
discharged from those institutions to the streets. Department case managers work with
clients well before the date of discharge. Strategies include calling relatives to see if they
can provide housing for the client. All board and care homes are contacted for possible
placement. Supplemental money is used to provide motel rooms until permanent
placement can be found.
• InnVision works closely with the County's Departm~nt of Alcohol and Drug Services to link
transitional housing beds with individuals actively engaged in a treatment program.
• Foster Care has a Life Skills program which works with youth who are one year away from
leaving foster care. This program provides help with identifying appropriate housing, how
to manage finances, how to access medical services and how to access higher
education and/or training where appropriate.
• The County's Social Services Agency sponsors six Independent Living Program service
sites, enabling it to assist eligible youth to achieve self-sufficiency prior to and after
leaving the foster care system.
• The County Valley Medical Center's case managers work with patients who are about to
be dismissed. The goal is to identify stable housing and to follow up with medical care
when appropriate. The case managers work with family members and agencies in the
community to identify programs that match the needs of the patients.
•. The Hospital Council of Northern and Central California (HCNCC) has a countywide
intensive case management program for frequent user patients of hospital emergency
departments in Santa Clara County. This is a collaborative project among County and
non-profit agencies and County hospitals to eliminate unnecessary use of emergency
departments and reduce avoidable hospitalizations. The project partners include a
number of hospitals and medical centers, and the County's Office of Affordable Housing,
Department of Alcohol and Drug Services, Department of Mental Health, and Social
Services Agency.
The Adult Dual Diagnosis Treatment Drug Court provides substance abuse treatment for
substance abusing adults who are charged in adult criminal courts and might otherwise
be sentenced to jail. The court is designed to target effective treatment services to
break the cycle of criminal behavior, alcohol or drug abuse, and incarceration by
funding alcohol and drug treatment and additional services that support substance
abuse treatment.
• The HousingSCC website enables staff at medical and correctional facilities, as well as
the clients they serve, to search for and obtain low-income housing prior to client
discharge. Searches can be performed based on a combination of criteria such as
income, wait list status, unit size, number in family and supportive services offered.
Search results. contain pertinent information on each property, such as location,
City of Palo Alto 59 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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application procedure, average time on wait list, size of units available, rent amount and
deposit requirements.
• The Santa Clara County Superior Court's Mental Health Court brings together the Superior
Court, the criminal justice system, the mental health system, the drug and alcohol system,
and community treatment to reach defendants with pending criminal cases who are
mentally ill, often with co-occurring disorders that relate to mental illness and substance
abuse, and to release them from jail into community treatment consistent with public
safety. The entire focus of the court is treatment and successful re-entry into the
community. InnVision works closely with the Superior Court to assist with direct
placement into reserved mental health beds at Julian Street Inn.
• The County Superior Court established the nation's first Juvenile Mental Health Court in
2001, thus increasing effectiveness of community mental health treatment for juvenile
offenders who are accused of less serious offenses. Many youth with serious mental illness
have had a protracted involvement with the juvenile justice system. Through early
identification of available resources for those youth suffering from developmental
disabilities, organic brain syndromes, and brain conditions with a genetic component,
the goal of effective juvenile rehabilitation and community safety is addressed, as well as
expediting the processing within the juvenile justice system for youth with serious mental
illness.
• Working in partnership with the HCNCC, as a member of the Silicon Valley Health
Coalition, InnVision assists hospital case managers with direct placement into beds at
Montgomery Street Inn and CommerGial Street Inn.
Transitional Housing/Post-Graduation/ After-Care
• EHC provides after-care case management to formerly homeless clients who have
moved to permanent housing to help prevent a return to homelessness during the
precarious first year of independence. This program is seeking renewal funding.
• The Concern for the Poor's San Jose Family Shelter employs a full-time after-care case
manager.
• St. Joseph's The Worker House provides men, women and children six-month after-care
case management, including securing furniture and household needs.
• Health Connections provides transitional housing with case management support to
facilitate successful transition to and ongoing success in permanent housing for HIV+
individuals.
• InnVision's The Way Home, in partnership with the Community Services Agency of
Mountain View and Los Altos, operates a transitional house in Mountain View that
provides housing for up to six previously homeless persons, in order to assist them in
making the transition to permanent housing.
Proposed Housing Information and Assistance Programs
The proposed Life Skills, Mentoring and Aftercare Project (LifeMAP) will match 30 participants
with mentors and will provide counseling and transitional support for up to 120 women exiting
the Women's Correctional Facility each year. The program will benefit the participants by
reducing their re-entry into the criminal justice system and by providing them with post-custody
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support and guidance to enable them to become productive, self-sufficient members. of our
community.
The Bill Wilson Center's proposed Transitional Housing Program for youth will provide post-
graduate rental subsidies. This will ensure that clients who transition into permanent housing will
be able to maintain that housing.
The Deputy County 'Executive has convened a working group to coordinate a countywide
discharge planning system. Homeless prevention services are anticipated. In October 2003, the
Board of Supervisors approved $500,000 to fund mental health aftercare services through the
PALS Program to address the "critical needs of mental health clients exiting the Criminal Justice
System."
Outreach Programs
The point of entry to the County's Continuum of Care system for the homeless is often through
outreach, which actively targets homeless people on the streets or in encampments, especially
those who do not seek services on their own. Initial contact may also take place at many other
points along the Continuum of Care. Key elements include street outreach workers on foot and
in mobile teams who are part of Health Care for the Homeless, or a service provider program.
Locallaw enforcement officials work with homeless program staff to identify and assist those in
need of services. Because there are large numbers of both rural and urban homeless people in
Santa Clara County, a variety of outreach methods are required. Thus, outreach occurs through
shelter day centers, a safe haven for the homeless mentally ill, and through mobile outreach
workers who work on the streets.
The infrastructure for this communication system exists through Community Technology Alliance,
a non-profit service provider and a lead agency of the Bay Area Regional Initiative. A toll-free
shelter bed hotline (1-800-7SHELTER) provides information about shelter in the nine Bay Area
Counties. County callers can hear information in Spanish or English, and in most cases speak
directly to shelter staff for accurate information about current bed availability. The Community
VoiceMaii system provides telephone capability directly to the homeless or near-homeless,
enabling them to attain housing and job information to increase their independence, self-
esteem, and self-determination. .
Outreach programs in Santa Clara County are grouped in the following subcategories: 1) all
persons, 2) chronically homeless, 3) veterans, 4) seriously mentally ill, 5) substance abusers, 6)
persons with HIV / AIDS, 7) domestic violence victims, 8) youth, and 9) seniors. Street outreach
programs and proposed programs are also described.
Outreach to All
• InnVision's Urban Ministry of palo Alto and Community Inns outreaches to all
subpopulations through communication and referral with other social service agencies,
churches and synagogues, and through County mental health workers.
• The Clara Mateo Alliance outreaches through networking with all County non-profits
serving homeless people, and by advocacy and education in the community.
• HelpSCC, an Internet-based directory of up-to-date, accurate information about
County health and human services, allows staff at agencies and populations at risk to
find the services they need. Housing SCC provides online information about subsidized
housing searchable by wait list status, services, amenities and population served.
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• The Santa Clara Unified School District, Santa Clara Adult Education's Career
Advantage Retraining and Placement (CARP) program outreaches to all sub-
populations of homeless persons through its eight instructors currently teaching/advising
at multiple shelter sites throughout the County. The teachers describe the CARP
programs to the" shelter clients, and distribute written publications concerning the
program. In addition, mailers are sent to shelter staff so that they also are aware of the
offering and can refer clients.
• The Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos conducts outreach by
working with local Police Departments and other social se"rvice agencies so that
homeless persons are directed to the Agency for assistance. The Agency also conducts
outreach in the community through distribution of brochures and through community
presentations.
• MHAP performs regular outreach at homeless shelters, Grace Baptist Community Center
and County mental health offices to educate homeless individuals about their rights
and to provide referrals and advocacy to clients of services.
The Homeless Care Force, a private organization based in Sunnyvale, has a Mobile Food
and Clothing for the Homeless program that delivers meals and clothing to where the
homeless live. Many of these homeless persons are not otherwise engaged in the
Continuum of Care. Through this contact, the program has been able to engage and
then successfully refer many homeless persons to Continuum of Care service and
housing providers.
• Contact Cares, a program of the Bill Wilson Center, provides telephone crisis line training
for volunteers to "listen bigger and better," to empathize, pe congruent, set limits and
caringly confront.
• Community Technology Alliance's HelpSCC offers information on over 1,800 programs in
Santa Clara County.
• HousingSCC includes search criterion for subsidized housing specifically for veterans,
seniors and the homeless, and supportive services for the mentally ill, substance abusers,
people with HIV / AIDS, and domestic violence victims.
Outreach to Chronically Homeless
• The City of San Jose is the lead agency for the Hardest Hundred project, seeking funds to
expand the mobile outreach team to make contact with homeless persons on the streets
who are living with mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, or who are dually diagnosed,
to address their immediate needs.
Through Community Technology Alliance, chronically homeless clients of St. Joseph
Cathedral's Office of Social Ministry and other programs that serve the chronically
homeless are offered Community VoiceMail.
Outreach to Veterans
• The Clara Mateo Alliance, located at the Veterans Administration (VA) building in Menlo
Park, conducts specific outreach to all of the VA programs and has special referral
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systems with some of the programs (e.g., the VA Emergency Room) so that veterans can
be referred for an instant bed at the Clara Mateo shelter.
• The VA Palo Alto Health Care System has identified outreach to homeless veterans as
one of their "special emphasis" priority issues in its strategic plan and tracks its success in
meeting that goal· in a strategic plan report card. It participated in the community's
application for funding under the Collaborative Initiative to End Chronic Homelessness,
which was jointly funded by HUD, the VA and the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS).
• The County's Social Services Agency's Veterans Services program outreaches to veterans
who may be qualified for mainstream benefits.
• The County's Shelter Plus Care Program regularly conducts trainings for Veterans
Association case managers concerning the housing and services available through that
program so that those case managers can outreach to and properly identify and refer
clients to the Shelter Plus Care program.
• The HelpSCC on-line information and referral system identifies veteran services through a
quick search icon.
Second Start outreaches to homeless veterans, specifically targeting chronically
homeless veterans, through canvasses of areas frequented by this population, including
street canvassing.
InnVision and EHC link their clients who are veterans with resources through liaisons with
the VA, Order of the Purple Heart and the Downtown Veterans Center.
MHAP, which provides information and referral and free legal representation to
individuals with mental health or development disabilities, regularly outreaches at the VA
and homeless shelters.· . .
Beginning April 2004, EHC, in partnership with the VA Homeless Coordinator, offered
veteran-specific services at the Homeless Services Center at Markham Terrace on
Tuesdays and Thursdays each week. The VA sends staff for eligibility determination and
enrollment in the VA system. EHC provides transportation to all veterans within the EHC
system to the service center on those days. In addition, EHe publicizes the availability to
all veterans through communication with other veteran service providers and non-profit
providers who serve veterans.
Outreach to Seriously Mentally III
• The Santa Clara County Shelter Plus Care program conducts trainings for case managers
at shelters which serve the mentally ill, so that case managers will outreach to, and
appropriately identify and refer clients to, the Shelter Plus Care program.
• InnVision's Julian Street Inn, the only facility of its type in Northern California, provides a
day rehabilitation program for homeless individuals with serious mental illness. The
emergency shelter beds at this facility are reserved for homeless seriously mentally ill
individuals. The Safe Haven program provides a sanctuary to seriously mentally ill
individuals who are not yet enrolled in programs to obtain benefits. Outreach efforts also
occur at the Julian Street Inn.
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• The HelpSCC on-line information and referral system identifies mental health services
through a quick search icon.
• Through Community Technology Alliance, clients at InnVision's safe haven, Julian Street
Inn, are offered Community VoiceMail.
• Second Start collaborates with EHC to provide on-site services to chronically homeless
seriously mentally ill people at EHC's Borregas Court facility. Second Start also outreaches
to homeless mentally ill persons, specifically targeting the chronically homeless, through
canva'sses of areas frequented by this population, including street canvassing.
• EHC provides information through pamphlets and brochures targeted to homeless and
chronically homeless people with serious mental illnesses. This information is distributed
through the Office of Empowerment and at the Self-Help Centers and Community
Center. EHC also outreaches and provides 24 units of permanent supportive housing to
single adults with serious mental illness at Borregas Court, and provides 20 subsidized units
of SRO housing to people with disabilities (mostly seriously mentally ill and dual diagnosis)
at the newly constructed Markham Plaza. Through a grant from HUD, it outreaches to
and provides supportive servic~s to those with serious mental illness/multiple diagnoses,
including meals, peer social groups, and other supports, at the Community Center of
Markham Plaza. This program replicates the successful model piloted (and still running)
at the 95-unit Markham Terrace.
• MHAP, which provides information and referral and free legal representation to
individuals with mental health or development disabilities, regularly. outreaches at Grace
Baptist Community Center, homeless shelters, licensed residential care facilities and
unlicensed group homes. The Project provides training to mental health service
providers, board and care operators, shelter staff, and Welfare to Work program
PClrticipants.
• The County Department of Mental Health's Office of Client Empowerment provides
mental health consumer support at homeless service providers' sites.
• St. Joseph Cathedral provides street outreach every Wednesday and Saturday.
• The Gardner Family Health Network provides outreach through its medical services
mobile van, which is strategically located throughout Santa Clara County at shelters,
community centers, day centers, parks and other sites where street-based homeless are
known to congregate.
Outreach to Substance Abusers
• The Santa Clara County Shelter Plus Care program works closely with the County's
Department of Alcohol and Drug Services to outreach to, identify and refer clients into
the Shelter Plus Care program.
• The HelpSCC on-line information and referral system identifies substance abuse services
by a quick search icon.
• Second Start collaborates with and provides on-site services to homeless people with
substance abuse issues at EHC's Reception Center and Fifth Street facilities.
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• Clients at InnVision's Cecil White Center, Georgia Travis Center, and Urban Ministry
receive on-site medical support through Gardner Family Health Network and Kaiser
Health Foundation, including care for HIV / AIDS. InnVision also works closely with the
County's mobile AIDS Van to provide on-site testing and counseling and Economic and
Social Opportunities to provide education and referral services to HIV / AIDS at-risk
individuals.
• MHAP, which provides information, referral and free legal representation to individuals
with mental health or development disabilities, regularly outreaches at Needle
Exchange, homeless shelters and transitional housing programs serving homeless people
with HIV / AIDS.
• Through Community Technology Alliance, Community VoiceMaii is provided to clients of
AIDS Legal Services and Health Connections.
Outreach to Domestic Violence Victims
• Support Network for Battered Women (based in Mountain View), Asian Americans for
Community Involvement, Community Solutions, and Next Door Soluti(;ms to Domestic
Violence specifically outreach to homeless women who have been the victims of
domestic violence.
• The HelpSCC on-line information and referral system identifies services for domestic
violence clients through a quick search icon.
• Second Start outreaches to homeless persons who have been victims of domestic
violence through the Second Start Neighborhood Self-Sufficiency Center and in
collaboration with CaIWORKS.
• EHC provides information through pamphlets and brochures targeted to homeless and
chronically homeless people who are victims of domestic violence. This information is
distributed through the Office of Empowerment and at the Self-Help Centers and
Community Center.
• InnVision's program, which serves women and children, includes domestic violence
prevention workshops as part of the curriculum. InnVision also has opened HomeSafe, a
transitional housing program designed specifically for survivors of domestic violence, in
Santa Clara and San Jose.
• MHAP, which provides information, referral and free legal representation to individuals
with mental health or development disabilities, regularly outreaches at homeless shelters
and transitional housing programs which serve victims of domestic violence.
• St. Joseph's Family Center outreaches to clients who are victims of domestic violence
through women's, men's and couple support groups, and by reserving some of its beds
for families that have fallen victim to domestic violence.
• Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence maintains a full-time advocate, located at the
CalWORKS office, to assist homeless battered women who are seeking welfare. Clients
are offered housing within the HomeSafe transitional housing system. In addition, the
local domestic violence agencies work with the County CalWORKS staff to provide
training on how to provide services sensitive to battered women.
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Battered wom~n who are seeking welfare are referred by the County's Social Services Agency
to the Support Network for Battered Women for services such as counseling, legal support and
emergency shelter. In addition, the Support Network and other local domestic violence
agencies have worked with the County CalWORKS staff to provide training on how to provide
services sensitive to battered women. Many welfare workers have attended the Support
Network's 40-hour volunteer training.
Catholic Charities has a Memorandum of Understanding to receive referrals from Next Door
Solutions to Domestic Violence services to help house survivors of domestic violence that are
singles or single parents with small children at Catholic Charities' Shared Housing Program.
• Through Community Technology Alliance, Community VoiceMaii is offered to clients of
InnVision's Homesafe/Next Door Santa Clara and Homesafe San Jose, which specifically
target homeless domestic violence clients.
Outreach to Youth
• The Homeless Youth Network's six agencies (Alum Rock Counseling Services, Bill Wilson
Center, Community Solutions, Emergency Housing Consortium, Legal Advocates for
Children and Youth, and Social Advocates for Youth) outreach to the homeless youth of
Santa Clara County and are undertaking to evaluate the adequacy of existing outreach
efforts and respond accordingly.
• CasaSAY, a shelter for homeless/runaway youth in Mountain View, provides short-term
shelter and counseling to homeless youth. CasaSAY is part of the Safe Place program,
which operates in Mountain View and provides community outreach to homeless and
at-risk youth.
• Unity Care Group outreaches to youth who are homeless after discharge from
mainstream institutions such as foster care, group homes and the juvenile justice system,
to provide services and transitional housing.
• The Bill Wilson Center outreaches to homeless youth through bilingual outreach workers
who go out into the community on a daily basis, at varying hours to places where youth
"hang out," and distribute literature on health/education issues and resources available.
They encourage homeless/runaway youth to come to the Bill Wilson Drop-In Center for a
safe place and for services.
• EHC's Our House has a Street Outreach team that provides street-based supportive
services, information and referral to runaway, abandoned and street~based youth four
weeknights and one weekend night. It also provides a Drop-In Service Center, 10 beds of
emergency shelter, and a 12-bed transitional living program for youth who are ready to
move on to stability and independence.
• The Shelter Bed Hotline lists emergency shelters for youth.
• Through Community Technology Alliance, Community VoiceMaii is offered to clients of
the Bill Wilson Drop-In Center and Social Advocates for Youth, which specifically target
homeless youth clients.
• The HelpSCC on-line information and referral system identifies services for youth through
a quick search icon.
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• Second Start outreaches to the homeless youth through its outreach programs (including
Pine Hill School), at shelter facilities and group homes, in collaboration with government
agencies, and through street canvassing.
• Pathway Society, Inc. outreaches and provides substance abuse treatment and
prevention services to youth.
• The Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) operates three youth
centers and outreaches to and engages youth in the Continuum of Care.
• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Mobile Medical Van provides medical care and
mental health treatment for runaway and homeless youth at the Bill Wilson Center and
EHC's Our House Youth Shelter and Drop-In Day Services Center.
• Santa Clara Unified School District provides outreach to children of homeless and near-
homeless families to assure their attendance at school. The District also provides career
training and retraining for homeless individuals and serves about 500 individuals each
year.
Outreach to Seniors
• A number of agencies provide services to at-risk seniors and carry out outreach to this
population group. Some of the services include free bags of food from Second Harvest
Food Bank, legal assistance from Senior Adults Legal Assistance and hot noontime meals
at the Senior Center. Brochures and presentations to senior groups and agencies that
work with seniors are the primary means of reaching out to seniors.
• MACSA operates an Adult Day Health Care Senior Center and outreaches to and
engages seniors in the Continuum of Care system.
• Community Technology Alliance's HelpSCC . website (www.helpscc.org) provides
information on senior services, as well as mainstream services available to seniors.
• InnVision's Georgia Travis Center operates a daytime Senior Drop-In Center that provides
information and referral assistance, meals, showers, safe haven, and case management
to this at-risk population.
• Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence through its specially designed program to serve .
older victims of domestic violence provides outreach and housing (through HomeSafe)
to older homeless victims.
Street Outreach
• Currently, mobile services and street outreach is' provided through Health Care for the
Homeless, InnVision's Safe Haven and Urban Ministry Drop-In Center, EHC's Youth Shelter
Outreach, Bill Wilson Center's outreach workers to youth, Alliance for Community Care, a
group of volunteers called the River Rats who outreach along the River, and the Police
Departments of San Jose, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Los Altos.
• Frequent walking assessments are conducted by both the City of San Jose and a
representative of the County of Santa Clara's Homeless· Coordinators with the
participation of local police departments, in order to locate the "invisible homeless" who
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• The Bill Wilson Drop-In Center and EHC's Our House Youth Drop-in Service Center, located
in downtown San Jose, provide services to homeless, runaway and street youth ages 13-
21. Services include basic needs, individual and group counseling, HIV / AIDS prevention,
housing assistance, pre-employment training, job counseling, job placement services,
legal services and health care.
• EHC's Reception Center provides access to health care and social services, hot meals,
educational support and recreation areas.
• EHC's Markham Terrace opened a drop-in Community Center that houses the City of San
Jose's services to homeless individuals. Some of the available services include health
services and a Dual Diagnosis Recovery Support group. EHC's Homeless Services Center
at Markham Terrace provides access to meals, financial assistance, housing and job
location, and other kinds of assistance.
• EHC's Our House in downtown San Jose provides a drop-in day services center for
runaway and homeless youth, ages 11-21.
• InnVision's recently renovated Georgia Travis Center meets the special needs of
homeless women and children who seek respite from the streets during the day. The
center meets such needs as showers, laundry facilities, breakfast and lunch, hygiene
supplies, lockers, health care, case management, and information and referral to other
community services. Women participate in self-help workshops, while children play in the
indoor and outdoor play areas. Clients also have access to a computer lab.
• InnVision's Cecil White Center is a day program that provides basic human services to
the general homeless population: a clothes closet, medical care, showers, and a hot
evening meal. Participants also have access to case management, alcohol and drug
counseling, housing and employment assistance, legal aid, a message center,
telephone and mailbox, as well as referrals to other agencies.
• InnVision's Safe Haven provides individualized day services, including life skill instruction,
case management, and other group and individual activities.
• InnVision's Urban Ministry drop-in center provides case management. meals, medical
services, money management, rental and utility assistance, transportation assistance,
and linkages to food and shelter.
• St. Vincent de Paul Society, at three locations in northern, central and southern Santa
Clara County, provides clothing, vouchers, emergency financial assistance, food,
furniture, household items, information and referral, counseling and education.
• Santa Clara Adult Education is available to assist drop-in clients with case management,
employment assistance, education and training, and referrals to housing, social services,
meals, and health care. It has on-line computers and a clothes closet for job interviews.
Telephone, copier and fax services are also available.
• MACSA operates an Adult Day Health Care Senior Center and three youth centers in
Alviso, Morgan Hill and Gilroy.
• St. Joseph Cathedral's Office of Social Ministry drop-in center provides a mailing address,
telephone service, medical care, substance abuse services, food, and job search
information and referral.
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Case Management
• Every homeless housing provider in the County's Continuum of Care, except for
temporary shelters, provides clients with case management services.
• Community Technology Alliance offers technological tools that allow service providers
and shelter staff to better concentrate on assisting clients without duplication of
technology or effort. Tools provided are Community VoiceMail, the Shelter Bed Hotline,
the Section 8 Housing Listing, and a searChable website of all health and human services
(www.helpscc.org), a subsidized housing website (www.HousingSCC.org) and the Bay
Area Homeless Alliance (www.baha.org). Planned projects include the Homeless
Management Information System (HMIS).
• Santa Clara Adult Education case management· includes intakes, assessment, goal
setting, life skills training, employment assistance and education and training. The staff
provides long term follow-up where possible and often is the constant for clients moving
from shelter to shelter.
• Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence provides case management to all homeless
victims of domestic violence who reside at the HomeSafe locations. All local domestic
violence programs provide case management to homeless victims through their
emergency shelters.
Life Skills
• InnVision's Urban Ministry of Palo Alto provides homeless people with case management,
referral, money management, job training, life skills training, transportation, meals,
groceries, clothing and other basic services.
• Gardner Family Health Network's Family Wellness Classes provides intensive parent
education and ongoing support to families enrolled in the Women, Infants and Children
(WIC) federal program.
• EHC staff in the Homeless Services Center provides life skills training and coaching to
clients served in the center.
• InnVision's The Family Place educates mothers to prevent instances of child abuse.
• Santa Clara Adult Education provides life skills training, money management, conflict
resolution, communication skills, stress reduction, basic computer skills and budgeting at
many local shelters.
• Consumer Credit Counseling Services provides assistance with finances, budgeting and
credit issues at homeless service providers' sites.
• Mission College Corporate Education and Training provides information technology
classes at homeless service providers' sites.
• City Team Ministries in San Jose provides life skills training, along with English as a Second
Language (ESL) and literacy classes.
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Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment
• The Santa Clara County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services, in partnership with
several community-based and County providers, provides assessment, detoxification
services, residential treatment, outpatient treatment, dual diagnosis services,
methadone/drug-replacement therapies, transitional hbusing, and prevention services.
• The CalWORKS Community Health Alliance, jointly operated by the County Social
Services Agency and the County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services, provides
CalWORKS clients and their family members with substance abuse individual and family
counseling, substance abuse treatment, case management, parenting classes and
support groups.
• The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center provides a six-month residential
rehabilitation program for men suffering from chemical dependence.
• Catholic Charities provides case management, addiction/dual diagnosis services,
support groups, medication assessment and support, and individual, group and family
outpatient therapy.
• Alcoholic Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous conducts substance abuse workshops
at homeless service providers' sites.
• City Team Ministries in San Jose operates a nine-to 24-month Recovery Program for
homeless men including a learning center, career employment services, health and
dental clinic and personal counseling.
• Pathway Society, Inc., outreaches to and provides substance abuse treatment and
prevention services to youth.
Mental Health Treatment/Counseling Support
• The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System, Mental Health Department, provides
mental health services including crisis intervention and treatment.
• Catholic Charities provides case management, addiction/dual diagnosis services,
support groups, medication assessment and support, Department of Rehabilitation
mental health employment services, and individual, group and family outpatient
therapy.
• The CalWORKS Community Health Alliance, jointly operated by the County Social
Services Agency and Santa Clara· County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services,
provides CalWORKS clients and their family members with mental health individual and
family counseling, case management, parenting classes and support groups.
• ACT for Mental Health, Inc. Interlinks Self-Help Center/Fireside Friendship Club provides
mental health services.
• Adult and Older Adult System of Care provides mental health services to adults with a
serious mental illness ..
Alliance for Community Care provides mental health and case management services for
adults and seniors including psychiatric assessment.
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• Alum Rock Counseling Center provides a 24-hour multilingual crisis intervention services to
troubled. runaway or delinquent teens. It also provides counseling. support groups.
victim assistance counseling. and parent education.
• Next Door. Solution· to Domestic Violence's Child Care Integration program provides
comprehensive counseling services to the victims of domestic violence and their
children.
• Mickey's Place provides children's mental health and counseling services. including
services at homeless service providers' sites.
". Julian Street Inn provides semi-supervised emergency shelter/housing for SMI homeless
adults. including meals. clothing. telephone/mail service. and linkages to financial and
medical benefits and referrals to mental health service teams.
• Bill Wilson Center's School Outreach Counseling program provides counseling in the
Santa Clara Unified School District. addressing issues such as depression. suicidal
tendencies. problems at home. poor school performance. drug prevention andsexuality.
Part of the program helps recently immigrated Vietnamese youth and their families
adjust to their new environment.
• Bridge Counseling Center provides activities for children and youth at homeless service
sites and provides mental health services.
• EHC's Our House provides mental health clinical counseling and support groups for
increasing numbers of runaway and homeless youth who have mental health lssues.
EHC's Boccardo Reception Center and Fifth Street Transitional Housing provide clinical
counseling and support groups for homeless single adults.
• The Billy de Frank Center provides support by referral for gay. lesbian or bisexual youth .
. • City Team Ministries in San Jose provides sexual abuse recovery and healing counseling
to homeless people.
• Next Door (formerly WATCH -Women and Their Children's Housing) is a second-step
clinical treatment and transitional housing program for formerly battered women and
their children. The program provides up to three years of counseling. subsidized housing
and support services to women and their children. The average stay in the program is
two years before women and their children move on to permanent housing.
AIDS-Related Treatment
• Health Connections provides nursing and social work case management. as well as
benefits counseling. a food basket program and emergency financial assistance to
individuals and families living with HIV / AIDS in Santa Clara County. It manages the City of
San Jose's federal Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds. This
organization connects individuals and families with community services and resources
that can help make their lives easier. Health Connections maintains a speaker's bureau
that conducts education about HIV. including prevention in local schools.
• The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System provides a mobile health van that
provides HIV / AIDS testing at EHC's Boccardo Reception Center.
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• The Santa Clara County HIV / AIDS Project provides HIV / AIDS education and prevention
services at homeless services sites.
• The Santa Clara County Public Health HIVI AIDS Prevention and Control Program (HAP) is
charged With managing more than $8.5 million in federal, state and local funds
allocated for the provision of a comprehensive spectrum of services targeting persons at
high risk for, infected with and/or affected by HIV / AIDS.
Non-AIDS-Related Treatment
• May View Community Health Center, with clinics in Palo Alto and Mountain View,
provides low-cost medical care for uninsured or underinsured low-income persons in the
community.
• RotaCare Bay Area, Inc., provides free medical care on a walk-in basis to migrant,
. homeless and uninsured persons.
• The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System provides an urgent care and family
practice clinic at the Boccardo Reception Center.
• The Children's Dental Initiative Mobile Dental Clinic is a dental office on wheels that
serves children in need across Santa Clara County.
• Health Care,to the Homeless provides case management, health education and primary
health care to homeless persons.
• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital operates a mobile health clinic, the Teen Van, that
provides free, comprehensive health care to homeless or uninsured teens and young
adults.
• The Gardner Family Health Network provides primary health and dental care through its
mobile outreach van at the armory shelters and other sites throughout Santa Clara
County. In addition, the Network has five walk-in clinics located throughout the County.
• Palmer West Chiropractic provides free chiropractic screenings and treatment at
homeless services sites.
• Planned Parenthood provides family planning, health education and care at homeless
services sites.
• County Public Health Nursing provides prenatal care, well-baby care, immunizations and
health education at homeless services sites.
• The Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System provides on-site nurse practitioners
and wellness visits at homeless services sites, and just received a Section 330 (Healthcare
for the Homeless) grant to expand its programs.
• The Tooth Mobile, a non-profit organization based in the city of Santa Clara, travels to
homeless service sites and provides free dental care for children.
• Dentists across Santa Clara County provide free dental care to children during special
event days called "Dentists with a Heart." .
City of Palo Alto 74 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Education
• Santa Clara Adult Education provides education and employment services, including
vocational classes, resume writing, job search and English writing skills at many local
shelters.
• In a unique partnership with the Andrew and Eva Grove Foundation, EHC established
Raising Income through Scholarship and Education (RISE), which helps single parents
overcome barriers to attaining educational services that will increase their income by
providing whatever is needed to help them access needed education and training,
including assistance with child care expenses, car repairs, tuition payments, books, etc.
• First 5 Santa Clara County utilizes California tobacco tax funds to promote, support and
improve early childhood development programs for prenatal to five-year -old children
and their families. First 5 concentrates efforts on school readiness, with an emphasis on
quality health care, family support, early care and education, and strong
neighborhoods/communities.
• The Santa Clara County Library Bookmobile provides library services at homeless service
sites.
• The Santa Clara County Office of Education offers a tutoring program for homeless
children and employs a Homeless Schools Liaison .
. • Gavilan College accepts referrals of homeless people for educational counseling and
job training.
Employment Assistance
·lnnVision's Urban Ministry of Palo Alto, through six different programs, assists homeless
people with shelter, case management, referral, money management, job training, life
skills training, transportation, meals, groceries, clothing and other basic services.
• ResourceNet meets the needs of homeless TANF recipients through a one-stop approach
to employment and support services.
• Second Start provides clients with vocational and life skills. training and job search,
placement and retention services.
• Santa Clara Adult Education provides education and employment services, including
vocational classes.
• Goodwill of Santa Clara County's Institute for Career Development provides training in
office technology and computers, and job placement services.
• The Center for Employment Training (CET), a nonprofit vocational education institute,
provides job training and human development for very low-income people, including
youth (age 17-21) that have been emancipated out of the foster care system and are
homeless. Services are targeted at the highest risk emancipated youth with a
combination of barriers to success, such as homelessness, lack of high school diploma
and welfare dependence. Youth receive case management, stable housing,
vocational skills, employment, a high school diploma and follow-up services to ensure job
retention. CEl and its collaborative partners provide transitional housing during the
City of Palo Alto 75 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
training period and three months after so that permanent stable housing can be
obtained.
• St. Joseph Cathedral Office of Social Ministry provides job search classes focusing on
barriers that prevent a homeless individual from finding employment services, including
transportation, California D~partment of Motor Vehicles ID vouchers, birth certificates, e-
mail, voice mail, resumes, one-on-one employment search, and a place to receive mail.
• San Jose First Community Services offers a job center, life skills classes and monthly food
basket program.
• In collaboration with San Jose First Community Services, InnVision provides job
development assistance and job-related financial assistance at the Montgomery Street
Inn.
• The Indochinese Resettlement and Cultural Center's Welfare Hotlille Service provides
supportive services to individuals to retain employment.
• Catholic Charities Focus for Work provides employment assessments, training,
placement, mentoring and retention services that are targeted to adults with disabilities,
including dual diagnosis.
• The Santa Clara County Superior Court's "Outreach Court" is program thqt helps remove
barriers to work and eligibility for CalWORKS and other entitlements. It is held monthly at
EHC's shelter to provide assistance to homeless people with outstanding criminal
misdemeanor warrants.
• EHC's Homeless Services staff provides job listings and employment assistance, including
practice interviewing, resume writing, and access to computer labs to practice skills.
Future planned services include workshops on employment and computer skills.
• The California Employment Development Department provides job search and
placement assistance.
• The Northern California Service League, in collaboration with the California Department
of Corrections, provides job training and vocational services to parolees, teaching in an
environment that emphasizes the foundation of ongoing recovery from substance
abuse. .
• The area's two Workforce Investment Act (WIA)" jurisdictions provide One Stop Center
services.
• The Santa Clara University School of Law's East San Jose Community Law Center
prepared and made available to homeless providers a brochure outlining the
employment rights for youth under age 18.
• Next Step Center is a nonprofit organization located on the VA grounds in Menlo Park. It
is the primary job placement and training agency for military veterans in Santa Clara
County. It provides comprehensive employment services to veterans using a "whole
11 The Workforce Investment Act is federal legislation enacted in 1998 that concerns workforce education. training
and employment programs.
City of Palo Alto 76 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
person" model approach to vocational rehabilitation, coupled with intensive case
management.
Child Care/Children's Programs/Parenting
• The City of Palo Alto Child Care Subsidy Program subsidizes child care costs for homeless
persons who are employed, seeking employment. a student, unable to care for the child
due to a disability or referred by Child Protective Services.
• Bill Wilson Center's new transitional housing program, funded as a new project in the 2002
competition, provides child care subsidies to its participants.
• EHC's family shelters assumed management of the Santa Clara County Office of
Education's "Tooters" Program. School-age children receive tutoring and other
educational activities during the evening hours while parents are at skill-building classes
or house meetings.
• Choices for Children operates three programs: the Child Care Subsidy Program, the Child
Care Food Program and Enhanced Family and Provider Services, including a resource
and referral program. The programs offer a full range of information and support for
developing, operating and licensing a quality child care facility, choosing a child care
provider, and finding financial and family assistance.
• Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of Santa Clara County come to homeless service providers'
sites to present programs for children and youth.
• Rebekah Children's Services provides support services for homeless families with children
with special needs.
• The San Jose Day Nursery, a part of Santa Clara University, provides child care services
for working and student families on limited incomes.
• Go Kids provides child care assistance and is the lead agency in implementing First 5
program in the County's Southeast Region. It oversees the efforts of fIVe other agencies
in conducting extensive outreach at libraries, schools, child care centers, and community
events, and it provides parenting and other healthy family development and skill-building
workshops to families in the South San Jose, Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy areas.
• The Santa Clara/San Benito County Head Start program provides child care
development program with support services and parent involvement programs at
homeless service sites.
• MACSA makes referrals and provides information, resources and recreation programs for
youth.
EMQ Children and Family Services, a non-profit organization based in Campbell, offer the
Kids Are Special parenting programs and on-site programs for children dealing with
substance abuse issues.
• The Community Child Care Council of Santa Clara County, the "4C Council," provides
child care resource and referral, child care payments to providers on behalf of qualified
families, and food subsidy payments to family day care providers who provide nutritious
City of Palo Alto 77 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
meals to children. It also offers child development training classes to support existing and
new child care providers.
Transportation
• InnVision's Urban Ministry of Palo Alto assists homeless people with transportation.
• The County's Office of Affordable Housing and the Valley Transportation Authority
sponsors the Homeless Transit Pass Program, which provides discount public transit tickets.
to homeless people, thereby enabling them to access services, employment and
housing opportunities while also increasing the number of public transit riders. This
program is administered by case managers at shelterS and other homeless service
programs.
• The. Guaranteed Ride Program offers CaIWORKS· participants and other homeless
individuals up to 60 door-to-door rides to work-related destinations, including job
interviews, child care and school. The County's Social Services Agency, the Valley
Transportation Authority. and Outreach, a community-based non-profit, co-sponsor this
program.
• Outreach and Escort provide transportation assistance to homeless people.
• EHC's Boccardo Reception Center operates a free shuttle that stops at the shelters
located in or near downtown San Jose and transports homeless people to bus hubs and
to mainstream services sites, such as Social Services Agency offices, job training sites, VA
Clinic, etc.
• Health Connections provides transportation services to persons with HIVIAIDS.
• Catholic Charities provides their housing clients with no-cost passes usable on all public
transportation within the County.
Food and Other Basic Services
InnVision's Urban Ministry of Palo Alto offers a food closet and six hot meals a week.
• The Homeless Care Force provides hot meals, clothing and personal care items
throughout the County.
• Sacred Heart Community Service's Community Food Program provides food boxes to
families and individuals.
• A collaborative of homeless-targeted and mainstream food providers have published
and disseminated a brochure setting forth, in an easy-to-follow format, all food/nutrition
opportunities for homeless people in the area.
• The HelpSCC website (www.helpscc.org), the County's comprehensive information and
referral database, provides information on agencies that offer food and other basic
services. including agency contact information, program descriptions and eligibility
requirements.
• South Hills Community Church provides a variety of basic needs services, including food
and emergency financial assistance.
City of Palo Alto 78 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
• st. Joseph Cathedral Office of Social Ministry provides food bags, lunch bags, nutrition
drinks and hygiene packs.
• st. Steven's Episcopal Church provides food, phone use, mail and message center.
• Second Harvest Food Bank provides nutrition education, as well as discounted and free
food to EHC's mass meal program. In addition, they provide monthly food boxes to each
family at each of EHC's family shelter sites.
• Catholic Charities Shared Housing Program offers an alternative to homelessness by
facilitating home-sharing opportunities for single adults and single parents with one or
two children with people willing to share their home with another family.
• The University of California Cooperative Extension provides nutrition education, meal
planning and cooking, food budgeting and shopping tips to homeless people at
homeless service providers' sites.
• City Team Ministries in San Jose provides hot meals, safe. shelter, showers, and clean
clothing.
• Health Connections maintains a food basket program, which provides food and
nutritional supplements to low-income people with HIV. It also provides home-delivered
meals to those who are homebound.
• st. Justin Community Ministry provides food assistance to poor families and individuals. A
thrift shop with clothes and other items is available next door from St. Justin. The Ministry
serves over 2,000 individuals annually.
Legal Rights/Benefits Advocacy
• The Public Interest Law Foundation of Silicon Valley's Mental Health Advocacy Project
provides free legal representation to individuals with mental health or developmental
disabilities. Objectives include securing appropriate disability benefits and related
insurance coverage, maintaining quality of care received in the mental health and
development disability-related services, obtaining reasonable accommodations to
enable persons with disabilities to find housing, and preventing homelessness through the
protection of legal rights. Other divisions of the Public Interest Law Foundation provide
legal services for AIDS patients, fair housing cases, and children and youth.
• Community Homeless Alliance Ministry works with homeless families and individuals to
advocate for housing.
• The Pro Bono Project of Santa Clara County provides legal services to homeless persons.
The Project's General Assistance Project helps those who are eligible for General
Assistance with benefits applications. Its Homeless Advocacy Project provides legal
advocates to those who cannot afford housing by staffing legal clinics in homeless
shelters.
• Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services program provides legal services in
connection with immigration issues.
• The International Rescue Committee's Citizenship and Immigration Legal Services
program provides immigration legal services, including to homeless people.
City of Palo Alto 79 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
• Sacred Heart Community Service's Services to Immigrants program provides citizenship
services, immigration and naturalization assistance, information and referral and legal
assistance for seniors.
• Santa Clara University's Legal Assistance for Low-Income Immigrants provides free legal
services to low-income persons in immigration, employment, consumer and small
business matters.
• East San Jose Community Law Center is the lead agency of a nine-agency group which
presents workshops and community education materials for CalWORKS participants to
increase their awareness of their employment rights, including development of practical
ways to resolve employment-related legal issues and maintain employment.
• The Silicon Valley Independent Uving Center's (SVILC) Benefits Services Department offers
counseling to people who receive SSI and/or SSDj12 and who are considering returning to
work. SVILC is a member of the Tri-County Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach
(BPA&O) Project, which is funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Benefits
counselors at SVILC are certified by the SSA, and provide accurate and important
information on how change in earnings might affect Social Security and California State
benefits. Benefits counselors work with consumers to develop a return-to-work plan that
will protect essential benefits during the return-to-work process.
• The Santa Clara County Office of Human Relations coordinated a program to provide
free citizenship services to qualified immigrants living in Santa Clara County, in response
to the 1996 Welfare Reform Act provisions requiring legal immigrants to become U.S.
citizens to retain federal benefits. The Asian Law Alliance has been collaborating with
other agencies like CET and Catholic Charities to provide legal consultation and
representation to naturalization applicants.
• The Santa Clara Office of Human Relations facilitates a Dispute Resolution Program that
handles a wide array of disputes, including landlord/tenant disputes, on a pro bono
basis.
• Legal Assistance for Children and Youth provides legal assistance to runaway and
homeless youth for status offenses and other legal issues, as well as assistance with the
emancipation process.
• Project Sentinel provides tenant education and information and operates the City of
Palo Alto Mediation Program, which provides free mediation services for rental housing
issues, neighborhood, consumer or workplace issues.
• Senior Adults Legal Assistance provides free civil I~gal services. to the elder residents of
Palo Alto and the other jurisdictions in Santa Clara County.
• The HelpSCC website (www.helpscc.org) provides information on how to receive food
stamps application assistance. In addition, SSI/SSDI and earned income tax credit
application forms and step-by-step instructions are available via the website.
12 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Supplemental Security Disability Income (SSDI), the two primary financial
assistance programs for non-seniors operated by the U.S. Social Security Administration.
City of Palo Alto 80 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
3.8.4 Continuum of Care System
As indicated above, the County has an extensive array of services that assist persons and
families that are homeless or are threatened with homelessness. However, only select programs
and services are part of the County's Continuum of Care system. The following three tables list
all programs in the Continuum of Care, along with the clientele served by the programs and the
number of people served or the bed capacity. Table 3-26 lists the emerg~ncy shelters in the
County. Table 3-27 shows the County's transitional housing facilities, and Table 3-28 shows the
permanent supportive housing facilities.
Continuum of Care Gap
Although the County and its incorporated cities provide a variety of programs to serve the
homeless, it is known that not all eligible individuals and families are being served. One reason is
that the programs in the Continuum of Care have inadequate capacity to serve all their
potential clients.
Table 1 provides an estimate of the gap between the capacity of the City's Continuum of Care
system and the actual demand for services. As indicated by the table, there are an estimated
81 homeless individuals and 10 persons in homeless families with children in Palo Alto whose
needs are currently not being met" by the programs in the Continuum of Care. The comparable
figures for Santa Clara County are 5,388 homeless individuals and 684 persons in homeless
families. Detailed gap analysis by type of facility is not yet available. It should be 'noted that,
due to the methodology used in preparing the gap analysis, which is a requirement of HUD, the
estimated unmet needs of homeless individuals and families may not match the unsheltered
homeless figures in Table 1.
City of Palo Alto 82 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
._-_._ .. _ .. __ ._--
v •
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-26
Emergenc J Shelters. Santa Clara C -
Provider Name Facility Name HMIS Geo Target Population 2004 Year-Round 2004 All Beds
Code Units/Bed
A B Family Family Individ. Year-Seasonal Overflow/
. Units Beds Beds Round Voucher
.•.•..•.. ·.·.~.urrentll.lv"'I.llVli·2·J···.·.·; •• ;;:d:···;,;,;;.·\D::(··.·(>·;·n;· .•. ;· •. :?·';·i<;:;it:.j:·."·'.i:!~\:.····;·t:21 . ":;'}~;:A;\ ~·;.?!Z;;~:1;1i\T ~ .'Li.:~3t;~;;.,;".~~r:c;ji;2 ~~"{~)";:~ ~;:~i;;·,i~3::.·.:;+ '!":,r·;·if'};k·· ':i(\·>;;··,,;,·,;,.,·.;;f:'H:;,,;,,·".,)."f:.";,·"!· ,',
Asian Americans for Community Emergency Shelter N 063258 FC· DV 14 14 0 14 0
Involvement
Bill Wilson Center Bill Wilson Center C 063354 YMF 0 0 16 16 0
City Team Ministries City Team Rescue Mission P 063258 SM 0 0 52 52 ()
4/05
Clara Mateo Alliance Clara Mateo Shelter P 069081 SMF 0 0 63 63 0
9/04
Clara Mateo Alliance Family Wing P 069081 FC 6 18 0 18 0
9/04
Community Services Alpha Omega C 062382 SMF 0 0 12 12 0
Community Solutions La Isla Pacifica P 061452 FC· DV 4 15 0 15 0
9/05
Concern for the Poor San Jose Family Shelter C 063258 FC 35 143 0 143 0
Cupertino Community SeNices Rotating Shelter C 060930 SM 0 0 15 15 0
EHC Armory C 063660 SMF 0 0 125 0 125
EHC Armory C 061452 SMF 0 0 125 0 125
EHC Our House C 063258 YMF 0 0 10 10 0
EHC Reception Center C 063258 FC 10 40 0 40 0
EHC Reception Center C 063258 SMF 0 0 175 0 175
EHC Reception Center C 063258 SMF 0 0 125 0 125
EHC San Martin C 069085 FC 8 36 0 0 36
EHC Sobrato Family Uving C 063354 FC 18 72 0 72 0
Center
InnVision Commercial Street Inn C 063258 SF 0 0 15 15 0
InnVision Commercial Street Inn C 063258 FC· 12 40 0 40 0 .
InnVision Community Inns C 063258 SM 0 0 15 15 0 .
InnVision Julian Street Inn C 063258 SMF 0 0 62 62 0
InnVision Montgomery Street Inns C 063258 SM 0 0 46 46 0 I
Jeramiah's Promise Shelter N 063258 SF 0 0 3 3 0
Next Door Next Door P 063258 FC· DV 5 19 0 19 0
10/04
Salvation Army Hospitality House P 063258 SM 0 0 24 24 0
4/05 --------
City of Palo Alto 83 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-26
Emergenc.J Shelters, Santa Clara county
Provider Name Facility Name HMIS Geo Target Population 2004 Year-Round 2004 All Beds
Code Units/Bed
A B Family Family I Individ. Year-Seasonal . Overflow/
Units Beds Beds Round Voucher
Social Advocates for Youth CasaSAY N 062382 YMF 0 0 8 8 0
Support Network for Battered Women Emergency Shelter P 062382 FC· DV 5 18 0 18 0
10/04
Urban Ministries Hotel de Zinc C SMF 0 0 15 15 0
Subtotal 117 415 906 735 586 --. -
·Women with Children.
Source: Santa Clara County Office of Affordable Housing, Form HUD 40076 CoC-G
City of Palo Alto 84 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
< •
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-27
Transitional Housing, Santa Clara County
Provider Name~ Facility Name HMIS I Geo Target Population 2004 Year-Round 2004 All Beds
Code Units/Bed A F::r:g~~t§g~~~,ji
ARIS I Transitional Housing I N I 063258 I FC· I DV I 24 86 0 86 I"
Bill Wilson Center I Youth Parents with Children I C I 063354 I FC 22 32 0 32
Bill Wilson Center Transitional Housin ·C 063354 YMF 0 0 19 19
Catholic Charities Shared Housin P 12/04 069085 FC· 6 22 0 22
Catholic Charities Shared Housir:!fl P 12/04 069085 SMF 0 0 42 42
Catholic Charities Shared Housin P 12/04 063258 FC 2 6 0 6
Charities Housin Transitional Housin N 063258 FC DV 7 24 0 24
Ci Team Ministries House of Grace P 4/05 063258 SF 0 0 22 22
City Team Ministries. ..CityTea.!11R~l1ab_ ~4/05 063258 SM 0_0 __ 74_ 74
CJ!Y Team Ministries I Heritage House I P 4/05 I 063258 I SF 0 0 25 25
Clara Mateo Alliance I Clara Mateo I P 9/04 I 069081 I FC 6 18 0 18
Clara Mateo Alliance I Clara Mateo I P 9/04 I 069081 I SMF I 0 0 . 34 34
Community Servic~s Ag~n9'_ ! Graduate House ! C ! 062382 ! SM 0 0 6 6
Community Solutions I Transitional H()usin.g I P 9/05 I 061452 I FC 3 6 0 0
Concern for the' Proor ! Transitional Housing I C I 063258 I FC 9 38 0_ I _ 3~_ -'-"-"-~"""-'-..::...=~"'-'=
Cl!e.ertino Community Services I Transitional I C I 060930 I SM 0 0 -' -.-:.10 _ I 10
Cupertino ColTlmLJllity Services I Transitional I C I 060930 I FC· 6 12 0 12
EHC ! 5th Street I C I 063258 I SMF I 0 0 40 40
EHC I Gifford Street I C I 063258 I FC· 8 25 0 25
EHC I Reception Center I c:; _'.~ 06325!L1 SMF~ ._ J_ LI_O 50 50 J;;Y;; ';.'('1·,' ,e,'; .. ;;;.
EHC I San Martin Fam!!y" (Migrant) I C I 069085 I FC 8 36 0 36 H~seasbnarJ;:";':~L;
EHC ! Reception Center_ i.J:: __ J 063258 ! FC 10 30 0 30 !:?i::,;j):;;:'" ~;~('J \¥:;~!~:;,;y>.:.;
EHC I San Martin Family Living I C I 069085 I FC 18 81 0 81
Center
EHC Sobrato Familv Livir:!9. Center I C I 063354 I FC 10 40 0 40
EHC Youth Transitional I C I 063258 I YMF I 0 0 8 8
Housing Authonty Ochoa Family Shelter I P 9/05 I 061452 I FC 75 I 360 I 0 360 1>~seaSdnalt(';F<~':"i:
InnVision InnVision Villa I C I 063258 I SF 0 0 9 9
InnVision InnVision Villa I C I 063258 I FC· 14 46 I 0 46
InnVision Montgomery Street Inn I C I 063258 I SM I VETS I 0 0 40 40
InnVision Transitional Homes I C I 063258 I SF 0 0 35 35
InnVision Jullian Street Inn I C I 063258 I SM 0 0 10 10
City of Palo Alto 85 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Provider Name
InnVisionlCatholic Charities
InnVision and partners
Mid-Peninsula Housing
Next Door
Salvation Army
SCC Homeless Team
St. Joseph's Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral
Unity Care
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-27
Transitional Housing, Santa Clara County
Facility Name HMIS I Geo Target Population 2004 Year-Round
Code UnitslBed
A B I Family I Family
Units Beds
Individ.
Beds
HomeSafe Santa Clara C 063354 FC· DV 24 75 o
HomeSafe San Jose C 063258 FC· DV 24 75 o
Support Network N 062382 SM o 0 8
Women with Children P 10104 062214 FC· DV 19 60 o
Hospitality House P4/05 063258 SM o 0 46
Transitional Housing P 9/05 063258 SM o 0 16
St. Joseph Worker Housing C 063258 WC 7 25 o
St. Joseph Worker Housing C 063258 SM a 0 20
Youth Transitional P 9/05 063258 YMF o 0 12
Subtotal 302 I 1097 526
Total
Beds
75
75
8
60
46
16
25
20
12
1617
2004 All Beds
c:~~~~.rfrW:n: ~~t~*:r
Source: Santa Clara County Office of Affordable Housing. Form HUD 40076 CoC-G
City of Palo Alto 86 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
~ .. j)
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-28
Permanent Supportive Housing, Santa Clara County
Provider Name I Facility Name I HMIS I Geo Target Population 2004 Year-Round 2004 All Beds
Code Units/Bed
A I B Family Family Individ Total ,!~~~c;lL'I~~
Units Beds . Beds Beds 1'~;,;;:<;!<;iii;Ci}n~'V6ucl'I$r;
1;.,t;urrei1tTIl\,t::iitul,i.::,£·i'~i':';',iS\;,Ci::::';:,,";':""". ,';,' .·0:,'1:,·,::.'·· .• '" •• '." :··'·.··;li.y~;:' "",;" ••• ,(·:,.:(;;1;:;,'/\,;';·:;2',');;::,",;'; ::,.s';·,;):<;.;j';h?;"~<::>'!;'::.;::n;;;)!;:';'~~~:; ";':C'!!:".;;;';;;Fl '" .,;;, ,':i?:"i"'::}Xi';;. ;>;~ r;;;".t(),;;,c;',"\·,i,'"';:'· ;"'i;···
Clara Mateo Alliance Sunset Square P 9/04 069085 FC 15 61 0 0 I;;'~;;;;{'" 1;;C.";i:6:;\.i:';;t'~:,'fE
EHC Assisted Permanent Housinq C 063660 . SMF 0 0 24 24 1'l5:i!:3;;,~:};:;;;;;;:':; 1,':"i;;'X}'/',t;;:?<;!
EHC Monterey Glenn Inn C 063258 SMF 0 0 95 95 I"':',,:;\\,,;:U~~:~;;!;; I:;;:(C:;';!~.':?::)/';;:';;;
EHC Markham Plaza C 063258 SMF 0 0 50 50 I'H",:,;:';';;':j::;1;,::,;;,:,;/,~!;;,'9:}
EHC Sobrato Family Uvinq Center C 063354 FC 22 88 0 88 1";}'i!:'(·,I,p:;",;, I;!:);;;;',;,,,"+;'};:':;
Hsq. for Independent People Sunset Square (Donna Lane) N 063258 FC 4 8 0 8 1'~;;;!i;";,:~:;",;r:;:}:;'r;>:;:0:t;:ii"·':'·
Santa Clara County Shelter Plus Care C 069085 SMF 0 0 87 87 ':;~i~/!}js.,:,·, ::> It;;\;\i',~i:'il!~ZC;i:
Santa Clara County Shelter Plus Care C 069085 FC 70 291 0 291 i~,':::;i!5~(;: ;~;;~:,;:;:;zt),.,,:,~\,\;:
St. Joseph's Cathedral St. Joseph Worker Housing C 063258 SM 0 0 4 4 :i:;.';;!j{;'.. :l?;":'{~i~;i{~·'~};·\;;':('~i;
Subtotal 111 448 260 64 7::!c;tfliH ~\;. ';::/';,"}!:<':.';::
riUrider I . .., '··· •. ····:5;':1·;.';f;::);:~;'il;;·(tj:'(";<.·· .•. ·; .• ·.· .• <,\,;< •..• ·.";.··?l:;;' •. '··.t;;:;,'.·:,.-qy;:·.;';· ... : •. ; ..... : .·· ... ; •. i';;,·,·~.;;W~;:r\!i];i;;;.' ;,';;:/jiri;":2'}:" .• '.::::./\1:P:.:;;i,:i./·!1::;\\;'i:f'{0".{{ :t::~';!i·;!':¥;:~r;;*'t:.\· ;,:::.'-i%! ;,;'j?:~'(:;;
Clara Mateo Alliance EI Paseo P 9/04 063258 SMF 0 0 20 20 f;~;;':'B:;;"C:;: ~,c;':';>{;?::?C;"'i/:;
InnVision Julian Inn -Safe Haven C 063258 SM 0 0 10 1 O\\d.·:;·;;"g(;;~.:;\'>~.;':;::§?""
Charities Housing PSH 9/05 063258 SMF 0 0 20 20 ::,,·,,:,.Pi:.: ••. ,.}:I"';">i;8Y?T';c;
Subtotal 0 0 50 50'j:;i(~>·.i~fi; ·.:<:nL\(,'
Source: Santa Clara County Office of Affordable Housing. Form HUD 40076 CoC-G
City of Palo Alto 87 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
3.9 Community and Economic Development Needs
This section of the needs assessment describes the City's non-housing community development
needs, including:
• Community facilities, public services, and special needs services;
• Infrastructure and neighborhood services;
• Accessibility for disabled persons; and
• Economic development.
The community development needs discussions are based on consultation with City staff;
interviews with service providers, members of the public, and public agencies; and information
from various existing documents.
Table 3-29 lists the City's priorities for community development needs for which CDBG funds can
be used. These priorities are based upon the previous assessment of community development
needs in the 2000-2005 Consolidated Plan. The City has indicated that there are no significant
changes in these priorities for the 2005-2010 Consolidated Plan period.
Table 3-29
ommunlry eveopment ee nontles C 't DIN dP' ..
Community Development Need Priority Need Level
Public Facility Needs
Neighborhood Facilities High
Parks and/or Recreation Facilities High
Health Facilities Medium
Parking Facilities No Need
Solid Waste Disposallm~ovements No Need
Asbestos Removal Medium
Non-Residential Historic Preservation Low
Other Public Facility Needs High
Infrastructure
Street Improvements No Need
Sidewalks No Need
Water Improvements No Need
Sewer Improvements No Need
Flood Drain Improvements No Need
Other Infrastructure Needs No Need
Public Service Needs
Handicapped Services High
Transportation Services High
Substance Abuse Services Medium
Employment Training High
Health Services High
Other Public Service Needs High
Anti-Crime Proqrams
Crime Awareness Low
Other Anti-Crime Programs Low
Youth Programs
Youth Centers High
Child Care Centers High
City of Palo Alto 88 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
J".
c ommunlty
Housing and Community Development Needs
eveopment ee nontles
Table 3-29
DIN d P' ..
Community Develop_ment Need Priority Need Level
Youth Services High
Child Care Services High
Other Youth Programs High
Senior Programs
Senior Centers Medium
Senior Services High
Other Senior Programs High
Economic Development
Rehabilitation: Publicly-or Privately-Owned Low
Commercial/Industrial
Cllnfrastructure Development Low
Micro-Enterprise Assistance Medium
ED Technical Assistance Medium
Other Economic Development Medium
Planning
Planning High
3.9.1 Public Facilities
The City has identified needs for improvements to existing facilities that serve lower-income and
special heeds populations as defined by HUD. Among these improvements are the expansion.
modernization. rehabilitation. seismic retrofitting. and other safety-related improvements to older
community centers and other public buildings providing services to low-and moderate-income
residents. There is also a need to complete accessibility improvements in public facilities and
parks throughout Palo Alto to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
A high priority has been assigned to neighborhood facilities and parks and/or recreation
facilities. while a medium priority has been assigned to health facilities and asbestos removal.
Other facilities were assigned a Low priority or were determined to not be needed.
Recently. the City provided CDBG funds to Palo Alto Community Child Care for repainting the
exterior of the Ventura Community Center. The project was completed in June 2004. Funding for
support services to special needs populations also were a source of funds for facility
improvements. These improvements are described later in this section.
3.9.2 Infrastructure
The City has identified no needs associated with infrastructure improvements (sewer. water.
storm drainage. and other public works) that can be financed with CDBG funds. However. the
City notes that there is a need to complete accessibility improvements in streets and sidewalks
to ensure compliance with the ADA. The ADA is federal civil rights legislation that makes it illegal
to discriminate against persons with disabilities. Title II of the ADA requires elimination of
discrimination in all public services and the elimination of architectural barriers in all publicly
owned buildings and facilities. It is important that public facilities are ADA-compliant to facilitate
participation among disabled residents in the community planning and decision-making
processes. California has also implemented its own accessibility requirements through the
California Code of Regulations. Title 24. Part 2. These regulations mandate that all publicly
City of Palo Alto 89 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
funded buildings, structures, sidewalks, curbs and related facilities shall be accessible to and
usable by persons with disabilities.
3.9.3 Public Services
The City has determined that there is a need to support the operating expenses of organizations
that provide supportive services to low-income populations. These services include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cou~seling, shelter services and general assistance to very low-income households or the
homeless;
Services that address the needs of seniors or persons with disabilities;
Services that address the needs of low-income children and their families;
Transportation services and/or subsidies for low-income persons, seniors and/or disabled
persons;
Child care subsidies to low-income families; and
Shelters and services for victims of domestic violence.
A high priority has been assigned to handicapped services, transportation services, health
services. and other p'ublic service needs. A medium priority has been assigned to substance
abuse services. Other services were assigned a low priority or were determined to not be
needed. Services for youth and for seniors are discussed below.
In addition to the CDBG public service funds, the City provides money from its General Fund in
support of human services through its Human Service Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP). The
HSRAP funds, in conjunction with the CDBG public service funds, are distributed to local non-
profit agencies whose programs serve the needs of seniors, children, youth and families, persons
with disabilities, and those who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness. A variety of supported
programs provide mental and physical health care services, tenant/landlord mediation,
subsidized child care, support for victims of domestic violence and rape, senior services,
adolescent counseling, emergency food, nutritional services, and recreational activities. The
HSRAP recently provided funds to the following agencies for services to lower-income special
needs residents of Palo Alto:
• MayView Community Health Center, which provides health care for low-income,
homeless, and uninsured residents;
• Peninsula Center for Blind and Visually Impaired, which provides services for disabled
individuals;
• Support Network for Battered Women, which provides services for victims of domestic
violence;
• Urban Ministries Of Palo Alto/lnnVision, which provides meals and emergency shelter; and
• Bay Area Community' Resources (YCS), which operates the Community Service and
Summer Service programs.
Senior Services
The City has assigned a high priority to the provision of senior services and other senior programs,
and a medium priority to senior centers. The City has supported the Avenidas Volunteer Corps,
Senior Home Repair, and Information and Referral Services. The Avenidas Volunteer Corps has
several programs, including the Early Literacy Program, the Partners in Caring Program and the
Computer Learning Center. Avenidas implemented a new volunteer program in 2003/04,
Avenidas Roadrunners, to provide transportation services for seniors. The SeniQr Home Repair
Program coordinated 547 home repair jobs for seniors in Palo Alto and the Information and
City of Palo Alto. 90 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Referral Program responded to 1,148 requests for information. Recently, the City provided COBG
funds to Avenidas for repairing and upgrading the heating, ven~ilating, and air conditioning
(HVAC) system at its senior center facility. This project was completed in March 2004.
Other senior services supported by the City included:
• La Comida de California, a senior nutrition program;
• Second Harvest Food Bank, a provider of groceries for low-income seniors; and
• Senior Adult Legal Assistance, a provider of legal assistance for seniors
Youth Services
The City has assigned a High priority to all youth services, including youth centers and services
and child care centers and services. As previously noted, the City provided funding to Palo Alto
Community Child Care for repainting the Ventura Community Center. Other youth services
supported by the City included:
• Adolescent Counseling Services, which provides on-campus counseling programs;
• Community Association for Rehabilitation (CAR), which offers services for children with
disabilities and their families;
• Palo Alto Community Child Care, a child care.subsidy and outreach program; and
• Social Advocates for Youth, which operates the Casa SAY youth homeless shelter.
3.9.4 Economic Development
This section describes the economic characteristics of Palo Alto and its identified economic
development needs.
Employment Characteristics
According to data from the California Employment Development Department (EDO), as of
December 2004, the civilian labor force in Palo Alto numbered 29,800, of which 28,000 were
employed. State labor market data indicate that the unemployment rate in Palo Alto averaged
3.3 percent in 2004. This unemployment rate is lower than the statewide rate of 5.8 percent.
However, this is a higher rate than that experienced by the City in recent years. In 1997, the
unemployment rate in Palo Alto was 1.2 percent, according to the City'S Business and
Economics Element. This rate increase may beatttibuted to the severe recession in the high
technology industry experienced in the Silicon Valley region since the early 2000s.
Approximately 13 businesses, institutions and public agencies in Palo Alto employ 1,000
individuals or more (Table 3-30). Major employers in Palo Alto include Stanford University, Space
Systems/LORAL, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Foothill College, Agilent Technologies,
Hewlett Packard, Roche Bioscience, and the City of Palo Alto. Despite the recent recession,
high technology remains a significant employer in Palo Alto. Education and health care are also
significant employment sectors.
City of Palo Alto 91 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
Table 3-30
Major Employers of Palo Alto Residents'3
Employer Type of Business Employees
Stanford University Education 5,000+
Space Systems/LORAL Research and Development 3,000-5,000
Palo Alto Medical Foundation Health Care 1,500+
Foothill College Education 1,000-1.500
Agilent Technologies High Technology 1,000+
City of Palo Alto Government 1,000+
HewlettPackard Company Electronics 1,000+
Roche Bioscience Pharmaceuticals 1,000+
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Health Care 1,000+
Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich and Rosati Law 1,000+
Lucile Packard Children's Health Services Health Care 751-1.000
Palo Alto Unified School District Education 750-1.000
Stanford University Hospital Health Care 750-1,000
Source: Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. November 2002.
Occupational Trends and Forecasts
In 2004, the SiliCon Valley Manufacturing Group issued its economic and employment
projections for the Silicon Valley region, which includes Palo Alto.14 According to the Group's
report, the end to the technology-led boom of the late 1990s has spelled job loss and economic
contraction during the last several years. While this has alleviated pressure on housing and
congestion, the regional economy continues to be mired in a recession. Unemployment
countywide is entrenched' well above the national average. Migration into Silicon Valley from
the rest of the United States has reversed, and population growth has slowed to pre-boom rates.
Firms have shed workers, improved their efficiency and begun to restore profitability, but there is
little reason to expect job growth and profits rivaling those of the late 1990s in the near future.
The Silicon Valley economy will show stronger signs of recovery in 2004, but will grow more slowly
than the national average through 2005 as it continues to restructure and redeploy capital after
the technology boom of the late 1990s.
The Group's report further states that the sizable layoffs that have been a feature of the last
several years, resulting in a decline of approximately 200,000 jobs, have slowed. As firms return to
profitability, hiring will increase, and the regional economy will begin to create new jobs.
Employment growth will resume in 2004, but at a slower pace than what the Valley experienced
in the late 1990s, adding roughly 40,000 jobs during the next two years. Employment growth will
accelerate thereafter, but it will likely take until 2010 for the economy to recover to its 2000
employment peak. Nonetheless, employment opportunities will be broad-based, with continued
robust growth in services and technology. It should be noted that this expectation of growth in
technology employment runs counter to recent trends in the local economy, in which layoffs in
the high technology sector have occurred.
13 Only institutions that employ 1,000 individuals or more are listed.
14 Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group. Projections 2004.
City of Palo Alto 92 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Housing and Community Development Needs
• Develop an inventory of long-term vacant. unsafe and underutilized buildings and
parcels of land.
Goal 8-3 New businesses that provide needed local seNices and municipal revenues.
contribute to economic vitality. and enhance the City's physical environment.
• Develop. maintain and update Economic Resources Planning marketing materials and
City web site.
• Identify and analyze economic trends that will guide decision making by policy makers.
• Facilitate public/private partnerships that leverage community resources.
Goal 8-4 City regulations and operating procedures that provide certainty and
predictability and help businesses adapt to changing market conditions.
• Active participation in interdepartmental initiatives and teams which address continuous
improvements to the development process.
• Establishment of benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of improvements to the
existing development process.
• Facilitation of the coordination between the business community and internal City staff
on critical local issues.
• Development of cross-departmental teams that address specific objectives.
• Implementation of the 8usiness Cooperation Program.
Goal 8-5 Attractive. vibrant business centers. each with a mix of uses and a distinctive
character.
• Develop a citywide. targeted retail strategy.
• Participate in local and regional business organizations.
• Establish working relationships with local property owners. developers and retail center
managers. .
• Explore City participation in business assistance such as facade improvement programs.
Goal 8-6 Thriving employment districts at Stanford Research Park. Stanford Medical Center •.
East 8ayshore/San Antonio Road area. and 8ayshore corridor that complement
the City's business and neighborhood centers.
• Work to enhance relationships and identify opportunities for public/private partnerships
between the local community and Stanford University and other employment centers.
• Focus business outreach activities to include companies that have large numbers of
employees.
• Work with Stanford Management Company on issues of mutual concern.
• Study measures that will enhance development in the Stanford Research Park and other
employment centers.. .
• Identify issues and establish outreach strategies to focus on the businesses lOcated in the
East 8ayshore/San Antonio Corridor.
• Encourage targeted commercial investment and activity along EI Camino Real.
Economic Resources Program
The Economic Resources Program (ERP) is one of the City'S main tools for implementing the
8usiness and Economics Element. The ERP was initiated in 1992 and revised in 1999 to reflect the
1998 Comprehensive Plan update. Through the ERP. the City seeks to promote and retain
business in the City. expedite permit processes. and participate in regional economic strategies.
City of Palo Alto 94 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Chapter 4
Five-Year Strategy
This section describes the strategy the City of Palo Alto will implement to meet its housing and
community development needs over the five-year planning period of this Consolidated Plan
(2005 -2010). The five-year Housing and Community Development Strategy is the centerpiece
of the Consolidated Plan and describes:
• General priorities for assisting households;
• Strategies and activities to assist those households in need; and
• Specific objectives identifying proposed accomplishments.
The Strategy also addresses:
• Available resources to implement proposed strategies;
• Anti-poverty strategy;
• Reducing hazards due to lead-based paint in older homes;
• Institutional structure for implementing strategies;
• Reduction of barriers to affordable housing; and
• Coordination among agencies and monitoring of compliance with federal regulations
(see Chapter 2 for details).
The Strategic Plan focuses on activities to be funded with entitlement grant funds that the City
receives from the federal government (CDBG). Where appropriate, the use of other funding
sources to address identified housing and community development needs will be discussed to
. provide a comprehensive picture of the City's overall housing and community development
strategy.
Affordable housing in Palo Alto, as well as in Santa Clara County, has become increasingly out
of reach for many residents of Palo Alto. Skyrocketing housing costs are effectively pricing even
moderate-income workers out of our community. As reported in Chapter 3, the median housing
price in Palo Alto in December 2004 was $812,500, which would require about twice the
countywide median income for a family of four to purchase.16 The average rent reported in
2004 by the Santa Clara County Housing Authority ranged from $1,078 for a studio apartment to
$2.428 for a three-bedroom rental unit. These rents are not affordable to extremely low-, very
low-, and many low-income households.
Lower-income households and people with special needs continue to be displaced as a result
of the growing gap between low-wage and high-wage workers and the scarcity of affordable
housing. The booming regional economy that contributed to higher housing costs between the
mid-1990s and 2001 has cooled off in recent years, which has led to flat or decreasing rents in
some parts of the region. However, housing prices have continued to increase, and affordable
rental housing continues to be in short supply. Over the next five-year period, as it was in the last
five-year period, the City of Palo Alto's primary Consolidated Plan objective will be to increase
the supply of housing affordable to lower-income residents.
16 Based on HUD's 2004 estimate of the Santa Clara County median family income for a family of four.
City of Palo Alto 96 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
The City's Human Relations Commission, Office of Human Services, and Planning Division held
public needs hearings in which the lack of housing opportunities affordable to lower income
persons is consistently the number one priority. This priority is also consistent with the City's
Comprehensive Plan for the period 1998-2010 adopted by the Palo Alto CityCouncil on July 20,
1998. The Comprehensive Plan emphasizes the need for more affordable housing for all income
levels, retaining the existing supply of housing, promoting housing diversity, and eliminating
discrimination in housing.
4.1 Methods for Identifying Priority Needs
Based on agency consultations that took place in November and December of 2004, and a public
hearing on unmet housing and non-housing community development needs in February 2005,
individuals and organizations who participated in the consultation meetings and public hearing
recommended that the following priority needs be addressed in the 2005 -2010 Consolidated
Plan:
• Subsidized assisted living and long-term care facilities, including the provision of
affordable housing, monitoring of medication, and in-home health care.
• Affordable housing for extremely low-and very low-income households.
• Advocacy and ombudsman services for seniors, particularly those at-risk o,f financial and
other abuse.
• Affordable in-home help and supportive services for seniors and persons with disabilities
to provide assistance with basic needs, living independently, and remaining in their
homes.
• Affordable housing options for adults living with aging parents.
• Housing and small group homes for people with dementia, Alzheimer's, and other
chronic, debilitative conditions.
• Supportive housing that includes services for those who cannot live independently,
including single adults and individuals living in families.
• Affordable housing for low-wage workers, particularly those working in Palo Alto who
cannot afford to live in Palo Alto.
• On-going expenses faced by BMR owners (such as homeowner association dues) that
make it financially challenging to remain in BMR units.
• "Housing First" models are important resources to help keep people off of the streets. The
program allows participants· to address services they need, such as literacy and
substance abuse.
• Education programs for people to acknowledge the problem of chronic homelessness.
Homelessness and chronic homelessness a~ectS people from all income levels.
City of Palo Alto 97 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
• Transportation assistance for elderly and disabled individuals.
• Funding for volunteer services to leverage scarce government resources.
• Childcare and after school programs to support families who work:
• Subsidized case management services to fully monitor a client.
• Major home repair programs for seniors. Only minor home repair programs exist at
present.
• Emergency fu~ding for a one-time need, such as a one-time expense not covered by
Medicare.
• Deposit assistance for rental housing.
• Assistance for elderly homeless singles, who seem to be a growing population for which
there are no resources available
• Moving people to permanent housing from homeless shelters or transitional housing
• Comprehensive housing information and referral services.
• Greater multi-lingual and multi-cultural assistance in the delivery of services.
• More coordination between CDBG,funded agencies.
• Insufficient access to drug/alcohol services in the mental health system and other mental
health services in the north County area.
• A lack of affordable or no cost dental and vision services or a pool of medical and
dental professionals who will provide such services.
4.2 Resources for Housing
The Planning and Environment Community Environment Department, agencies with which the
Department collaborates, and sub-recipients have access to a variety of federal, state, and
local resources to achieve the City's housing and community development goals. Specific
funding sources will be sought based on the opportunities and constraints of each project or
program. The City of Palo Alto will leverage federal and private housing funds to the greatest
extent feasible consistent with the goals identified. The City will encourage housing project
sponsors to seek private financing and grants, and to fully use other state and federal housing
development subsidies such as the low-income housing tax credits. The City will also use its
Affordable Housing Fund, as appropriate, to leverage other funds and provide any required
match.
It would be speculative to estimate the amount of funding the City could anticipate from
potential sources that are not entitlement based. For the purpose of this Consolidated Plan, the
City has estimated the likely COBG funding over the next five years assuming that funding levels
City of Palo Alto 98 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
and allocation formulas . do not change significantly.
implement the Consolidated Plan are as follows:
The primary sources of funding to
Community Development Block Grant:
CDBG Program Income:
Human Service Resources Allocation Process
City Affordable Housing Fund (Residential):
City Affordable Housing Fund (Commercial):
Total Estimate Funds, 2Q05 -2010:·
$ 3,900,000
$ 300,000
$ 6,000,000
$ 4,000,000
$ 2.000.000
$16.200,000
Table 4-1 contains a list that summarizes sources of funding potentially available to the City and
its partners that may be used for implementing housing and community development activities.
The list in Table 4-1 is not intended to be all inclusive, but to summarize some of the more likely
sources for which the City or others might qualify. Most of the sources described below require
competitive applications, and there is no guarantee of funding.
Table 4-1
Public and Private Resources Available
for Housing and Community Development Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
Federal Programs (HUD)
Commun\t'j and Econom\c Oe\le\opment
• Housing
-rehabilitation
-acquisition
-home buyer assistance
-land acquisition
-land improvements
-infrastructure for housing
• Economic Development
-business assistance
-micro-enterprise
Community Grants awarded to the City on a formula basis -business rehabilitation
Development Block for housing and community development -infrastructure for business
Grant (CDBG) activities. • Homeless Facilities
-emergency sh.elter
-transitional housing
• Public Works and Facilities
-infrastructure
-community centers
-community facilities
• Public Services
-supportive services for
special needs groups
• Planninq/ Administration
Loan guarantee to CDBG entitlement
jurisdictions for pursuing large capital • Acquisition improvement or other projects. Jurisdictions • Rehabilitation
Section 108 Loan must pledge their future CDBG allocations for • Economic Development repayment of the loan. Maximum loan amount • On-or off-site Improvements can be up to five times the entitlement
jurisdiction's most recent approved annual w/new construction
allocation. Maximum loan term is 20 years.
City of Palo Alto 99 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Table 4..:1
Public and Private Resources Available
for Housing and Community Development Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
Kous\ng
• New Construction
Grants awarded on a competitive basis through • Acquisition
• Rehabilitation HOME the State of California to non-entitlement Home Buyer Assistance jurisdictions. •
• Temporary Rental
Assistance
• Acquisition/Rehabilitation
• Construction
Housing Opportunities Grants awarded to the City of San Jose. which • Information and Referral
for Persons with AIDS may provide facilities and services for persons • Resource Identification
(HOPWA) with HIV / AIDS from throughout Santa Clara • Operating Costs
County. • . Rental Assistance
• Supportive Services
• Technical Assistance
Grants awarded to the City of San Jose to • Shelter Construction implement a broad range of activities which • Shelter Operation
Emergency Shelter benefit homeless persons. Because of the • Social Services
Grants (ESG) regional nature 0 f homelessness. ESG funds • Homeless Prevention expended by San Jose could support facilities • Homeless Program Staffing and services for homeless individuals and
families from Palo Alto. and Administration
Rental assistance payments to owners of private • Rental Assistance
market rate units on behalf of very low-income • Public Housing
Section 8 Rental tenants. Housing vouchers issues under the • Housing Opportunities for
Assistance Program Section 8 Program are administered by the People with AIDS
Housing Authority of Santa Clara County. • Moderate Rehabilitation
• Shelter + Care
• Acquisition
Grants to non-profit developers of supportive • Rehabilitation
Section 202 • New Construction housing for the elderly. • Rental Assistance
• Support Services
Grants to non-profit developers of supportive • Acquisition
Section 811 housing for persons with disabilities. including • Rehabilitation
group homes. independent living facilities. and • New Construction
intermediate care facilities. • Rental Assistance
City of Palo Alto 100 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Table 4-1
Public and Private Resources Available
for Housing and Community Development Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
Section 8 Moderate Rental assistance for homeless persons in • Rehabilitation to provide connection with the moderate rehabilitation of Rehabilitation (SRO) single room occupancy (SRO) dwellings· SRO-type housing
Federal Housing FHA insures mortgages given through • Homebuyer Assistance Administration (FHA) conventional lenders for first-time homebuyers.
Income tax credits available to first-time
Mortgage Credit homebuyers for the purchase of new or existing • Home Buyer Assista nce Certificate Program single-family housing. Local agencies (County)
make certificates available.
~ome\ess
• Homeless Assistance
Supportive Housing Grants to improve quality of existing shelters and (Acquisition. New
transitional housing; increase transitional housing Construction. Rehabilitation. Program facilities for the homeless. Conversion. Support
Services. Operations)
• Tenant-based rental
assistance
• Sponsor:based rental
Rental assistance for hard-to-serve homeless assistance
• Project-based rental Shelter Plus Care persons with disabilities in connection with assistance with or without Program supportive services funded from sources outside rehabilitation the program • Rental assistance in
conjunction with Section 8
Moderate Rehabilitation
Program for SROs
• Shelter Voucher
Federal Emergency Grants to County organized to provide • Food Voucher
Management Agency emergency homeless services. as Local • Transportation
(FEMA) Emergency Recipient Organization (LRO). • Utility
Grants • Emergency Rent and
Mortgage Payment
City of Palo Alto 101 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Table 4-1
Public and Private Resources Available
for Housing and Community Development Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
State Programs
Ca\\tom\a \-\ous\ng Hnance A.genc'j tCa\\-\fA.)
CalHFA sells tax-exempt bonds to make below
Horne Mortgage market loans to first time homebuyers. Program • Home Buyer Assistance Purchase Program operates through participating lenders who
originate loans for CHF A purchase.
Below market rate financing offered to builders • New Construction
Multiple Rental Housing and developers of multiple-family and elderly • Rehabilitation
Programs rental housing. Tax exempt bonds provide • Acquisition of properties
below-market mortgage money. with 20 to 150 units
• Section 8 assisted
• BMIR 221 (d)(3)
Acquisition and preservation (including • Section 236
• Section 202 Preservation Acquisition rehabilitation) of affordable housing • Programs under Rent Program developments financed through specified Supplement Assistance federal program. • Section 515
• Section 42 of the Internal
Tax Revenue Code
Department of \-\ous\ng and Commun\t'j De\le\opment t\-\CD)
Mobile Home Park Funds awarded to mobile home park tenant • Acquisition
Conversion Program organizations to convert mobile home parks to • Rehabilitation resident ownership.
California Emergency Program covers a wide variety of homeless Housing Assistance assistance activities. • Homeless Assistance
Program (EHAP)
• New construction.
• Rehabilitation
Multifamily Housing Assist the new construction. rehabilitation and • Acquisition and
preservation of permanent and transitional rehabilitation Program rental housing for lower income households. • Conversion of
nonresidential structures to
rental housing
Tax credits available to individuals and
corporations that invest in low-income rental • New Construction Low Income Housing housing. Tax credits sold to corporations and • Rehabilitation Tax Credit(LlHTC) people with high tax liability. and proceeds are • Acquisition
used to create housinq.
City of Palo Alto 102 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Table 4-1
Public and Private Resources Available
for Housing and Community Development Activities
Program Name Description Eligible Activities
• New Construction of single-
Savings Association family and mUltiple family
Pooling process to fund loans for affordable rentals. self help housing. Mortgage Company ownership and rental housing projects. homeless shelters. and Inc. (SAMCO) group homes for the
disabled.
Federal Home Loan Direct subsidies to non-profit and for-profit • New Construction
Bank. Affordable developers and public agencies for affordable • Home Buyer Assistance
Housing Program (AHP) low-income ownership and rental projects. • . Acquisition
4.3 HOUSing and.Community Development Strategy
. The following is a summary of the City's funding priorities under the Consolidated Plan for the
2005/06 through 2009/10 program years. A description of specific strategic actions and goals
follows this summary.
1. AFFORDABLE HOUSING (Goal: 0-100% of Budget)
a. NEW CONSTRUCTION. CONVERSION & ADDITION OF NEW UNITS
1. Permanent housing for families with children
2. Other permanent housing including group homes. seniors. the disabled. shared
housing. etc.
3. Transitional housing with supportive services
4. Permanent housing for the homeless or at-risk of homelessness
b. PRESERVATION OF EXISTING. LOWER INCOME RENTAL HOUSING
1. Preservation of existing. federally subsidized multi-family housing owned by profit
motivated investors
2. Acquisition and/or rehabilitation of existing multi-family rental housing. including
improvements to common areas
3. Acquisition and/or rehabilitation of existing buildings for special needs
populations including shared housing and group homes
2. PUBLIC FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS (Goal: 0-5% of Budget)
1. Rehabilitation of existing facilities for use as shelters for the homeless or other special
needs groups
3. PUBLIC SERVICES (Goal: 0-15% of Budget)
1. Services directly related to the housing needs of low-income persons
2. Homeless shelter operating costs and the provision of auxiliary or related services
3. Services which address other needs of low-income. elderly or special needs persons
City of Palo Alto 104 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
4. ADMINISTRATION (Goal: 0-20% of Budget)
1. Fair housing education, information, referral, advocacy, counseling and complaint
resolution
2. CDBG program administration and planning costs
3. Planning studies
4.3.1 Housing Strategy
Table 4-2 summarizes the priority levels for housing needs among owners and renters, the
estimate of quantified need, and goals (in number of households assisted). The estimate of
quantified need is based on the HUD CHAS Table (Table 3-5) that shows the number of low-and
moderate-income households by tenure, type, and income level, and the estimated
percentage, who had any housing problem (overpayment, overcrowding, and/or substandard
housing conditions). Estimated special needs population are based on HUD CHAS tables that
show the number of elderly and disabled households by income level who had any housing
problem, plus other sources cited in the Special Needs section of Chapter 3. A breakdown of
special needs by category is provided in Table 4-3.
Priority Housing Needs
(Households)
Renter
Owner
Total Goals
Special Needs
Table 4-2
Priority Housing Needs
(HUD Table 2A)
Priority
Level
0-30% H
Small Related 31-50% H
51-80% M
0-30% H
Large Related 31-50% H
51-80% M
0-30% H
Elderly 31-50% H
51-80% M
0-30% H
All Other 31-50% H
51-80% M
0-30% L
31-50% L
51-80% L
0-80% H
··.'ti('.;·c .• i,·:' .... ,~'~}j;.s' •• ··t:.··;';;.';>·.,V;;;:>;,;'U;\:;,c;::,,·j;~rt::;'%~;".,., ".,),; • .)';i,g/~,··;;i?·);:,H~ ':';:/ .','
Total 215 Goals
Total 215 Renter Goals
Total 215 Owner Goals
Goals'
Need New Rehab
281
199 50 25
220
39
32 25 50
24
583
235 25 50
114
536
375 25 25
405
Purchase2 Rehab3
547
306 40 130
224
195 280
2,181 50 130
F.'S;~W ,\;);};:.&:iij!'~.;i;; ••. 1'0rut:1·.i;'i~
125 150
135 150
0 0 .. 1. The City haschosen not to establish separate goals by for each Income level within each renter household type
category because the ability to meet income-specific goals will depend on the funding sources available to the
City or housing providers. Each funding source has its own income targeting requirements.
2. The City's previous evaluation of its BMR Program concluded that. given housing prices in Palo Alto, it is not
feasible to assist many homebuyers earning 80 percent or less of the Santa Clara County median family income
through City programs. The City has established a low goal for this category, therefore.
3. 130 minor and emergency repair projects for low and moderate income senior homeowners.
City of Palo Alto 105 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Affordable Rental Housing Priorities and Objectives
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #1:
INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING BY 125 UNITS
Five-Year Strategy
Due to the extreme shortage of affordable housing throughout Santa Clara County, and to the
extreme housing needs of low-income persons, available resources will continue to be targeted
to the provision of new rental housing and the preservation of the existing affordable housing
stock for lower-income persons. The City's highest priority at the beginning of this five-year
planning period is the creation of new affordable rental housing for families with children. During
the prior Consolidated Plan period, the City was able to assist the construction of 142 rental
housing units that began construction during the final year of the plan period.
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #2:
PRESERVE THE SUPPLY OF 72 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING AT IMMEDIATE RISK OF
CONVERSION TO MARKET-RATE HOUSING
It is also a high priority of the City to retain the existing affordable rental stock. The Terman
Apartment complex is the one federally subsidized rental project that is at-risk of converting to
market rate housing during the next five-year period. The current HUD Section 8 contract on the
92-unit Terman Apartment complex expires in 2005,· of which 72 units are subsidized units. The
City's top priority will be to preserve these affordable rental units.
There are an additional 281 assisted rental units in four developments potentially at-risk for
conversion. However, these units are owned and operated by nonprofit entities and are
considered at low risk of conversion. The City does not anticipate needing to use its federal or
local funds to assist in the preservation of these units during the 2005 -2010 planning period.
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #3:
CONSERVE THE CONDITION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING (150 UNITS)
Another priority is to keep existing, affordable rental housing in good condition. The
rehabilitation needs of older subsidized projects may include accessibility or energy
conservation improvements. Additionally, group homes or shared housing that provide
affordable transitional or permanent housing for very low-income persons and/or persons with
special needs often require major rehabilitation and/or repairs. Rental income in these projects
is often not sufficient to fully fund reserves for replacements or capital improvements. As these
projects age, the needs become more acute.
Activities: Acquisition, rehabilitation, preservation, new construction, site clearance,
predevelopment costs, off-site improvement costs, rental assistance, and support services will be
used to address this need.
Persons to be Assisted: Extremely low-income renters (incomes less than 30 percent of median)
and very low-income renters (incomes less than 50 percent of median), both small and large
family households and other households.
• Families with children
• Homeless individuals and those "at-risk" of becoming homeless
• Persons with special needs (especially the mentally ill)
• Elderly persons
City of Palo Alto 106 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
New Ownership Housing Priorities and Objectives
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #4:
CONTINUE THE BELOW MARKET RATE (BMR) PROGRAM (20 MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS)
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #5:
CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MORTGAGE CREDIT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM (15 LIM INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS)
Activities: The City will require Below Market Ownership Units in all market rate "for sale" housing
developments, and will continue to participate in the mortgage credit certificate program
administered by the County of Santa Clara.
Persons to be Assisted: The City's Below Market Rate (BMR) housing program has been providing
home ownership opportunities since the program's inception in 1972; mainly to households
earning 80 percent to 100 percent of median income. Many of the "BMR" units are available at
prices that are affordable to CDBG-eligible, low-income buyers. However, low-income buyers
often do not have sufficient down payments or have more difficulty qualifying for a home
mortgage than higher income buyers. Thus, the lower priced "BMR" units are often sold to
moderate-income buyers. A different type of down payment or homebuyer assistance program
to help low-income buyers purchase more of the available units may be considered if a funding
source can be identified. The Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program is also used in
conjunction with the BMR program to assist low and moderate income persons in qualifying for
available units. Because of the difficulty in qualifying households earning 80 percent or less of
median income for homeownership, the City has established relatively modest goals for these
two programs. .
Programs and Resources: City's Affordable Housing Fund (Residential and Commercial
components), Mortgage Credit Certificates, and the City's stock of new and resale "BMR" units
may be used to address this priority. Developers of new ownership projects of three or more
units are required to provide 10 percent of the units at lower prices. Small projects, or projects
where an on-site BMR unit would be infeasible, may be allowed to pay an in-lieu fee or provide
off~site BMR units. Resale prices are limited based on increases in the Consumer Price Index, so
that BMR units become relatively more affordable over time. The City contracts with the Palo
Alto Housing Corporation to administer the sales and re-sales of BMR units.
The City will work closely with Santa Clara County to continue the availability of the MCC
income tax credit assistance for moderate-income and low-income first time homebuyers in
Palo Alto.
City of Palo Alto 108 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
., .
Existing Home Ownership Housing
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #6:
Five-Year Strategy
PROVIDE FOR REHABILITATION LOANS TO LOW-AND MODERATE-INCOME SINGLE FAMILY
HOMEOWNERS IN EMERGENCY OR CRISIS SITUATIONS ONLY (30 units)
Activities: Provide for the rehabilitation of existing single-family homes and provide support
services.
Personsto be Assisted: All CDBG eligible. owner occupied households may be assisted. but the
target group is between zero and 50 percent of the countywide median family income.
Programs and Resources: CDBG program income and annual CDBG entitlement funds. The City
will only fund the rehabilitation of ow'ner occupied. single family housing where there is an
urgent need or serious health and safety problems. This activity is limited to very low-income
homeowners. Funding would be from loan repayments on previous rehabilitation loans. Most of
the City's owner occupied, single family housing stock is in standard condition and occupied by
households with incomes that exceed 80 percent of median. Generally. the housing problem
faced by low-income homeowners is the cost of the housing, not the condition of the unit.
However, there are still a significant number of low-and moderate-income, prim~ry senior,
homeowners. who may need assistance With emergency repairs. ' 2000 CHAS data indicate that
there are fewer remaining homeowners who may be eligible for this program. The City funds
Economic and Social Opportunities with CDBG to provide minor home repairs and accessibility
upgrades to low-income residents.
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #7:
PROVIDE FOR MINOR HOME REPAIRS AND ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADES TO LOW-AND MODERATE-
INCOME HOMEOWNERS (100 HOUSING UNITS)
Activities: Provide for the rehabilitation of existing single-family and multi-family homes and
provide support services. '
Persons to be Assisted: All CDBG eligible, owner occupied households may be assisted.
Programs and Resources: CDBG entitlement funds. The City will continue to support a nonprofit
agency to provide minor home repairs and accessibility upgrades to income eligible
households.
4.3.2 Homeless Strategy
The City's homeless assistance strategy. for housing activities that the City sponsors directly is to
emphasize the creation of permanent housing that is affordable to the homeless and to
individuals who are moving out of shelters or transitional housing programs. The strategy includes
creating affordable housing opportunities for families with children and single adults.
The Santa Clara County Collaborative on Housing and Homelessness has adopted a Continuum
of Care approach to help alleviate the problems of homeless ness. The primary goal is to
prevent homelessness and shorten the time people are homeless through the provision of
housing with supportive services and employment opportunities. The Continuum of Care
strategy includes 1) prevention services. 2) emergency shelter with outreach and assessment
services, 3) transitional housing with support services. and 4) permanent housing. These services
exist in Santa Clara County, but not in sufficient numbers to address the need. The County of
City of Palo Alto 109 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Santa Clara, in collaboration with the entitlement jurisdictions, believe that strengthening the
Continuum of Cate on a regional basis will effectively address the needs of homeless people in
individual cities, avoid duplication of services, and increase cost effectiveness.
The Collaborative represents homeless shelter and service providers, housing advocates, non-
profit housing developers, and local governmental jurisdictions. Over 120 agencies have formed
the Collaborative to attract more funding for housing and homeless services to the area. The
main purpose of the Collaborative is to help prepare its member ag~ncies to respond to the
federal Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act request for proposals in hopes of attracting
more funding for innovative programs to the region. The City plans to continue its active
participation in the Collaborative.
Homeless Prevention Strategy
An essential element of the City's homelessness strategy is the provision of services to help low-
income residents a~oid homelessness. A high priority will be placed on continuing and
improving existing services over the next five years. Placing a high priority on these services is
cost-effective to the entire community; because it maintains individuals and families in their
existing housing.
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #8:
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO LOW AND VERY-LOW-INCOME PALO ALTO
RESIDENTS TO KEEP THEM FROM BECOMING HOMELESS (8,000 INDIVIDUALS AND PERSONS IN
FAMILIES).
Activities: Both direct and indirect assistance to lower-income households at risk of homelessness
will be provided. Activities that Palo Alto funds that may prevent homelessness are:
• Childcare subsidies for low-income families, Palo Alto Community Child Care, annual
contract with general funds;
• LandlordlTenant Mediation, Project Sentinel, annual contract with general funds
• Brown Bag Nutrition Program, Second Harvest Food Bank, annual contract with general
funds;
• Senior Home Repair Program, Senior Housing Counseling, Avenidas; annual contract with
general funds;
• Senior Nutrition Program, La Comida, annual contract with general funds;
• Barker Hotel and Alma Place Counseling Program, Palo Alto Housing Corporation,. annual
contract with CDBG funds;
• Health Care Services, Mayfield Community Clinic, annual contract with general funds;
and
• Rental ahd mortgage assistance program for at-risk homeless, American Red Cross,
annual contract with general funds
Persons to be Assisted: Individuals and families with children with low and very low-incomes (0-50
percent of countywide median family income).
Programs and Resources: CDBG and City· General Funds, foundations, churches, state
Emergency Shelter Grants, and Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Funding.
City of Palo Alto 110 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Transitional Housing with Support Services
The Veterans Workshop operates two transitional housing programs for veterans with disabilities
in Palo Alto. The majority of the clients were previously homeless. There is a waiting list for this
type of housing and the rehabilitation of units or the addition of more units is a high priority.
Emergency Housing Consortium's Reception Center in San Jose offers transitional housing to
area homeless, as well as the Clara-Mateo Alliance in Menlo Park. Shelter Network's Haven
Family House in Menlo Park provides transitional housing for families with children.
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #13:
SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES OF AREA NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL
HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS (40 INDIVIDUALS AND PERSONS IN
FAMILIES)
Activities: Acquisition, rehabilitation, rental assistance, and funding for the operation of
transitional housing and supportive services.
Persons to be Assisted: Homeless persons and homeless families with children.
Programs and Resources: CDBG, Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act Funding, City
Housing Reserve Fund, City Human Service Resource Allocation Process, Federal Home Loan
Bank's Affordable Housing Program (AHP), state Emergency Shelter Grants.
Permanent Affordable Housing
The 26-unit Barker Hotel and the 107-unit Alma Place residence hotel provide permanent
housing for low and extremely low-income persons. The studio units are targeted to extremely
low-and very low-income downtown workers. There is a long-waiting list for available units and
a very low turnover rate. This demand attests to the need for additional units in this price range.
A high priority is· placed on the development of new units. This goal is included in the housing
section of this report.
The County's Shelter Plus Care Program provides fIVe years of Section 8 rental assistance to
homeless persons with disabilities who are willing to participate in case-managed rehabilitation
programs. There are 12 available slots in Alma Place and the Barker Hotel.
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #14:
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE SHELTER PLUS CARE PROG'RAM IN PALO ALTO AND INCREASE THE UNITS
AVAILABLE IN THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN (INCREASE CAPACITY BY 15).
Activities: New construction, rehabilitation, rental assistance, and supportive services.
Persons to be Assisted: Very low and low-income homeless individuals and families with children
(incomes of zero to 30 percent of countywide median).
Programs and Resources: CDBG, City Housing Reserve, Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance
Act Funding, state and federal tax credits, Shelter Plus Care.
City of Palo Alto 112 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
4.3.3 Public Services Strategy for Other Special Needs Populations
Table 4-3 estimates the number of households with special needs individuals based on the HUD
CHAS table for the number of low and moderate income households with mobility and self-care
limitations. plus information provides by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department on
the estimated number of persons with mental illness. substance abuse. and HIVIAIDS. Table 4-3
is used as a basis for calculating the number of households with special needs individuals who
experience an unmet housing need. based on HUD CHAS and other data on housing problems.
which is a sub-set of this table and goals for each category of special needs.
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #15:
ASSIST SENIORS IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES (600)
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #16:
PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #17:
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS (8.000 INDIVIDUALS AND PERSONS
IN FAMILIES-SEE ALSO GOAL #7)
FIVE-YEAR GOAL #18:
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT FOOD AND MEAL PROGRAMS (800 SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS-SEE TABLE
4-3)
Activities: New construction. rehabilitation. support facilities. and services (including
transportation) will all be employed in addressing special needs concerns.
Persons to be Assisted: Individuals and small households who have been identified as having
special housing needs. These might include the elderly. persons with mental illness. persons with
disabilities. and victims of domestic violence. persons with HIV/AIDS. or other groups that need
housing with supportive services. Most personsare expected to have extremely low incomes
(below 30 percent of MFI); others will be very low-income (from 31 to 50 percent of MFI). A few
may be low-income (from 51 to 80 percent of MFI).
Programs and Resources: To meet these housing needs. the City offers assistance through the
CDBG program with the acquisition costs of group homes and with rehabilitation costs of existing
residential facilities. or with supportive services.
CDBG. Section 811. Section 202. Low Income Housing Tax Credits. McKinney Homeless Funding.
City Housing Reserve; General Funds (Human Service Resource Allocation Process)
Specific Services:
• Senior long-term care services;
• Para-transit and other transportation services;
• Senior nutrition programs;
• Food bank and distribution programs;.
• Fair housing counseling. education. and landlord-tenant mediation;
• Youth counseling and after-school programs;
• Family day care;
• Family health care;
• Services for persons with disabilities and families with children who have disabilities;
City of Palo Alto 113 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
• Jobs skills training and placement; and
• Supportive services for victims of domestic violence.
Table 4-3
Special Needs and Goals
(HUD Table 1 B)
Priority Need
SPECIAL NEEDS SUBPOPULATIONS Level
Elderly H
Frail Elderly H
Severe Mental Illness H
Developmentally Disabled H
Physically Disabled H
Persons wi Alcohol/Other DruQ Addictions' M
Persons w/HIV I AIDS2 M
TOTAL
Dollars to
Unmet Address
Need Unmet Need Goals
1,734 400
933 200
350 50
65 50
387 50
356 25
90 25
3,915 800 .. 1. Based the Palo Alto's proportion of the countYWide population (3.5 percent) multlphed by the 2003
countywide number of discharges (10.236).
2. Based on the estimated number of North County cases (18 percent of 2.406 countywide HIV I AIDS
cases) and Palo Alto's proportion of the North County population (20.6 percent). which includes Palo'
Alto, Mountain View. Los Altos. and Sunnyvale. Separate data are not available for Palo Alto.
Goal #
Goal 7
Goal 8
Goal 9
Goal 10
Goal 11
Goal 12
Goal 13
Goal 14
Goal 15
Goal 16
Goal 17
Table 4-4
Summary of Specific Homeless/Special Needs Objectives
(Table 1 A/1 B Continuation Sheet)
Performance Expected
SpecifiC Objectives Measure Units
Homeless Objectives
Persons 8,000
Facilities 1
Facilities 10
Persons 14
N/A N/A
Persons 40
Persons 30
Special Needs Objectives
Persons 600
Persons 300
Persons See Goal 7
Persons 800
Actual
Units
City of Palo Alto 114 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
Table 4-:5
Community Development Need, Priorities, and Goals
(HUD Table 2B)
Priority ~eed Dollars to
Community Development Need Level Address Goals
PUBLIC FACILITIES
Neighborhood Facilities Hiqh 2,000,000 2
Parks and/orRecreation Facilities Hiqh 5,000,000 1
Health Facilities Medium 250,000
Parking Facilities No Need
Solid Waste Disposal Improvements No Need
Asbestos Removal Medium 250,000
Non-Residential Historic Preservation Low
Other Public Facility Needs (Accessibility Improvements) High 1,000,000 60
INFRASTRUCTURE
Street Improvements No Need
Sidewalks No Need
Water Improvements No Need
Sewer Improvements No Need
Flood Drain Improvements No Need
Other Infrastructure Needs No Need
Handicapped Services Hiqh 500,000
PUBLIC SERVICES
Transportation Services High 500,000
Substance Abuse Services Medium 250,000
Employment Training High 500,000 600
Health Services High 500,000
Other Public Service Needs (Fair Housinq Counseling) Hiqh 500,000 20
Crime Awareness Low
Other Anti-Crime Proqrams Low
Youth Centers Hiqh 1,000,000
Child Care Centers High 1,000,000
Youth Services High 500,000
Child Care Services High 1,000,000
Other Youth Programs Hiqh 500,000
Senior Centers Medium 250,000
Senior Services High 500,000
Other Senior Programs High 250,000
Homeless Services Hiqh 1,000,000 100
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Rehabilitation: Publicly-Or Privately-Owned Low Commercial/Industria I
CI Infrastructure Development Low
Micro-Enterprise Assistance Medium 250,000
ED Technical Assistance Medium 100,000
Other Economic Development Medium 100,000 600
PLANNING
Planninq High 750,000
City of Palo Alto 116 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
As discussed in the Economic Development section of this document, there has been a decline
of approximately 200,000 jobs in the Silicon Valley region, primarily in the high technology
industry. Employment growth is expected to resume, but at a slower pace than in previous
years. According to the 2003 Occupational Outlook Report issued by the North Valley Job
Training Consortium (NOVA), software industry occupations are projected to have the greatest
numerical job growth among industry clusters. Average wage in this job category historically
have been high. However, this projection may not have adequately taken into consideration
the recent reductions in high-technology employment. Also, these high-end, high-tech jobs
require skills that much of the available local workforce does not possess. The largest employing
sector, services, tends to offer considerably lower wages. Social stratification is increasing, as
low-wage jobs do not provide sufficient income for living in the region.
As previously described in the Economic Development section, the City of Palo Alto actively
participates in two important employment programs. NOVA is a public/private partnership with
a mission to provide low-cost and efficient job training and employment programs. Their
strategic goal includes the elimination of the "Digital Divide" as a key anti-poverty strategy for
this region. The City's Seasonal Employment Opportunity Program recruits residents and clients
from shelter and community service programs to participate in a 12-week job readiness
program. Upon completion of the 12-week session, participants may continue to work .as an
hourly worker for the City or are linked to other jobs through an interim employment agency. The
City of Palo Alto intends to continue its support of, and participation in, these programs. The City
will also continue to collaborate with other governmental agencies, businesses, and social
service agencies to address the employment and income needs of extremely low-income
persons.
4.3.6 Fair Housing Strategy
The City'S fair housing strategy over the next five years will be to take to ensure equal housing
opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status and disability.
The City adopted an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI) in 2003. According to the data
in the AI, the highest priority target groups for advocacy and services are people with disabilities
and families with children, particularly female-headed households.
In addition to the actions described in the Fair Housing Analysis section of this document, the
City's AI recommends that the Palo Alto participate in Santa Clara Countywide and regional
(e.g. North County region of Palo AltO-Mountain View-Sunnyvale) collaborative efforts on Fair
Housing that seek to implement the recommendations of the Empirical Research Group/UCLA
Law School study "Fair Housing in Santa Clara County: An Assessment of Conditions and
Programs, 2000-2002."
Example of recommendations for possible joint implementation include:
• Creation of a regional task force, coordination at the local government level and
establishment of proactive goals;
• Develop new sources of fair housing funding;
• Measure forms of discrimination and deterrent impact of existing enforcement activity by .
developing an annual testing program to build data on discrimination levels, trends,
distinctions between racial groups, and family/non-family;
• Better public education through regional approaches to public outreach to publicize the
services of fair housing organizations;
• Maximize effectiveness of fair housing providers through measures such as monitoring
and refining testing procedures by retaining outside experts from other parts of the U.S. to
conduct site visits at fair housing providers and strengthening in-house litigation capacity
of fair housing organizations;
City of Palo Alto 118 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Five-Year Strategy
4.3.8 lead-Based Paint
As previously discussed in the Housing Needs Analysis section of this document, the City's housing
and CDBG staff provide information and referral services about lead-based paint hazards. The
City also requires inspections of housing rehabilitated with City financial assistance for lead-
based paint hazards. The City will provide financial assistance for the abatement of such
hazards in these. rehabilitated units. In accordance with the new regulations regarding the
applicability of federal lead-based paint regulations promulgated by HUD, the City of Palo Alto
includes as a strategy and action item the preparation of a Lead Based Paint Management
Plan, to be prepared in consultation with the County and applicable federal agencies.
The City coordinates with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department to reduce lead-
based· paint hazard. Santa Clara County has been funded by the State of California
Department of Health Services and the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to implement
a Childhood Lead Poisonin.g Prevention Program (CLPPP) on a countywide basis. The CLPPP
involves outreach, screening, case management and public education in targeted
communities containing concentrations of older housing and low-and moderate-income
households. The lead hazard reduction program involves environmental testing, lead hazard
education, blood-lead testing for children, hazard reduction grants, and follow-up monitoring
and testing. A major component of the program is the environmental assessment of the
residence where a child with elevated blood-lead levels resides. However, the CLPPP has not
had the resources to work with the housing industry to combat the deteriorating paint conditions
of all housing units containing lead-based paint hazards.
The County's Public Health Department has . undertaken a strong commitment of fulfilling core
public health responsibilities. In recent years, the surveillance program of the CLPPP has been
enhanced, and extensive professional and community education has been established through
the availability of CDC funding. The Department focuses on public and consumer information,
particularly for families with children most at risk for lead poisoning, to identify and eliminate the
most common sources of lead in the home.
4.3.9 Public Housing Strategy
There are no public housing developments in the City of Palo Alto.
City of Palo Alto 120 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Appendix A
Agency Consultation and Community Outre,ach
A.1 Agency Consultation
The City conducted agency consultation through two meetings in November and December
2004. The meetings were conducted to obtain agency input on community needs and priorities.
Comments received at the consultation meetings are listed below.
A.1.1 Agency Consultation Notes
Participants:
Shirley Lowler, Avenidas
Helen Landsman, Avenidas
Lynda Steele, C.A.R.
City of Palo Alto Consolidated Plan
Public Service Agency Consultation
Meeting Summary
November 30, 2004
Donna DiMinico, Catholic Charities Long Term Care Ombudsman
Margo Dutton, Palo Alto Community Child Care '
Eloiza Murillo-Garcia, City of Palo Alto
Robin Ellner, City of Palo Alto
The City of Palo Alto Planning Department invited several non-profit agencies to an agency
consultation session in preparation for, the Consolidated Plan. The November 30th session was
focused on public service providers, including youth, elderly and disabled service providers.
City staff gave a brief overview of the Consolidated Plan and the process and then the service
providers were given an opportunity to discuss any community or agency needs.
The following needs were identified by the participants:
• Lack of subsidized assisted living, including the provIsion of affordable housing,
monitoring of medication, and· in-home health care. This is particularly important
because people are living longer and the elderly population is increasing.
• Affordable long-term care facilities
• Risk of elder financial abuse, particularly with seniors who are cash poor and property
rich. Reverse mortgages may be an option to pay for needs, such as assisted living.
City of Palo Alto 121 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
• Affordable housing options for adults living with aging parents. The Housing Choices
Coalition is working on this issue.
• Developmentally disabled adults are living longer and thus creates the need for services
for elderly developmentally disabled, which are scarce.
• Services for people with autism as they become adults.
• Transportation for the elderly/disabled to take them to medical appointments and work.
VTA does not provide escorted transportation and rates will be increasing. Other services
are unreliable and do not allow grandparents to take their children with them. This is a
barrier because many grandparents are now raising their grandchildren.
• Taxi vouchers for low-income senior/disabled. Some cities provide this service.
• Affordable in-home help for seniors/disabled to provide assistance with basic needs,
such as changing a light bulb. Services are available, but many require a minimum time
commitment and it is difficult for the elderly or disabled to afford these services.
• The decrease in available State funding needs to be addressed, because many of the
non-profits are receiving funding cuts. from the State. This should be taken into
consideration prior to funding new agencies because existing agencies will feel a strain
due to the loss in State funding.
• Funding for volunteer services is important. It would be ideal if the City could provide a
volunteer services staff person to connect volunteers with agencies.
• Avenidas could include a volunteer component to the Senior Home Repair program for
very minor services, such as changin~ light bulbs.
• Having an intergenerational match program through the schools could help provide
some services to the elderly.
• Affordable housing for low-wage workers is important because many people work in Palo
Alto, but cannot afford to live in Palo Alto. This often affects people with disabilities that
have received the necessary employment training t;lnd secured a job in the City, but are
unable to afford housing. This also affects employees who work in non-profit agencies.
• Funding for home-delivered meals.
• Family support services
• Childcare
• Respite care
• Subsidized case management to fully monitor a client. The services provided could
include helping clients fill out forms for public assistance or health care and taking them
to medical appointments. Avenidas provides a service, but is somewhat limited.
City of Palo Alto 122 2005 -201 0 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
The following needs were identified by the participants:
• Housing for people with dementia and Alzheimer's. The few facilities that are available are very
costly and not covered by Medicare.
• Small group homes and board and care facilities are needed for people with dementia and
Alzheimer's.
• Supportive housing that includes services for those who cannot live independently, including
singles and family housing
• lack of very low-income housing, particularly for those on SSI or other public assistance
• BMR owners cannot afford Homeowners Association dues and assessments
• Deposit assistance for rental housing, Urban Ministry has some limited funds
• Guaranteed deposit assistance (successful program in Monterey County)
• Skilled nursing facilities
• Assistance for those who do not need assisted living, but do require some help.
• Elderly homeless singles seem to be a growing population for which there are no resources
available
• Moving people to permanent housing from shelteritransitional housing
• Comprehensive Housing Information and Referral Services. Avenidas does provide some
Information and Referral services for seniors. They have two case managers, but they are
overwhelmed. Every 2 years they update their housing booklet. They refer homeless seniors to
Urban Ministry.
• Waiting lists sometimes are not representative of the actual vacancies in some housing
developments
• Centralized waiting list for all affordable housing properties would allow people to know how
many units are actually vacant, instead of each property having their waiting list.
• Russian-speaking population is growing in the City
• Coordination between CDBG funded agencies, should meet periodically
• Coordination between N. Santa Clara County and San Mateo County agenCies should occur as
there is a lot of crossover between the counties
• It is becoming increasingly difficult to agencies to provide on-site programming/workshops at
facilities that provide temporary housing.
• There is a great deal of difficulty in accessing drug/alcohol services in the mental health system
City of Palo Alto 124 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Aqency Consultation Contact List
Name of Agency Type of Service Mailinq Address Contact Person
Emergency Housing ShelterlTransitional Housing 150 Almaden Blvd., Ste. 500 Barry DelBuono, Executive Director
Consortium San Jose; CA 95113 (408) 539-2115
e-mail: bdelbuono@homelessness.org
Clara-Mateo Alliance ShelterlTransitional Housing 795 Willow Rd., Bldg 323-D Eve Agiewich, Director of Community
(Recently merged with Menlo Park, CA 94025 Relations/Counsel
InnVision) (650) 853-7073
-e-mail: eagiewich@innvision.org
Shelter Network Haven House Transitional Housing 1450 Chapin Avenue, 2nd Floor Michele Jackson, Executive Director
(Menlo Park) Burlingame, CA 94010 (650) 685-5880 x. 21
e-mail: mjackson@shelternetwork.orq
Urban Ministry/lnnVision Homeless Drop-In Center 974 Willow St. Denise Scovel. Deputy Director
San Jose, CA 95125 (408) 292-4286
e-mail: denises@innvision.org
St. Vincent de Paul Dayworker Center P.O. Box 5579 Stephen Pehanich, Executive Director
(Mountain View) San Jose, CA 95150-5579 (408) 298-7290 x. 21
e-mail: sio@svdo.oro
Palo Alto Housing Corp. SRO Resident Support Services, 725 Alma Street Marlene Prendergast, Executive Director
Oak Manor Townhomes Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 321-9709
Waterpipe Rehab Project and e-mail:
Barker Hotel Interior Renovation mprendergast@paloaltohousingcorp.org
Catholic Charities long-Term Care Ombudsman 2625 lanker Road, Ste. 200 Donna DiMinico, Program Director
Program for elderly/disabled San Jose, CA 95134-2107 (408) 944-0567 x.261
e-mail: donnad@ccsi.ora
Economic and Social Minor Home Repair/Energy 1445 Oakland Road Robert Douglas, Director of Housing and
Opportunities . Efficiency Upgrades San Jose, CA 95112 Energy Services
(408) 668-2527
e-mail: rdouglas@esoi.org
Adolescent Counseling Youth Services 4000 Middlefield Rd., RoomFH Phillippe Rey, Executive Director
Services Palo Alto, CA 94303 (650) 424-0852
e-mail: philippe@acs-teens.orq
Stevenson House Affordable Senior Housing 455 E. Charleston Rd. Susan Thomas, Executive Director
Palo Alto; CA 94306-4231 (650) 494-1944 x. 12
e-mail: sthomas@stevensonhouse.org
lytton Gardens Affordable Senior Housing 437 Webster Street Gery Yearout
Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 617-7372
e-mail: qyearout@lyttonqardens.orq
Project Sentinel Fair Housing Services 430 Sherman Ave., Ste. 308 Ann Marquart, Executive Director
Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 321-6291 x. 100
e-mail: amarquart@housinq.orq ------
City of Palo Alto 126 2005-2010 Consolidated Plan
~
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
• Urban Ministry of Palo Alto sees over 400 individuals on a regular basis who access
basic supportive services at the drop-in center .
• Urban Ministry has the ability to provide staff support for case management to assist in
the transition out of homelessness
• The Opportunity Center is scheduled to open in March 2006 and will improve the basic
services that are available in the North County
• The North County Inns is a new program that has been in the works for three years. It
offers housing first and focuses on other needs later. There are currently 11 people
housed at the Palo Alto Hotel and the Barker Hotel and are looking for housing for an
additional 9 people. InnVision received a $200,000 grant for this program that requires
that participants pay 1/3 of their income.
• The "housing first" models helps keep people off of the streets and out of jails and
assists people in staying clean and sober. The program also allows persons to address
services they need, such as literacy and substance abuse. A change of environment is
very important for people to be able to access services. Funds for this program are
very important. The program causes cost savings in the long-run because some
people break the law in order to get into jail to have a form of shelter.
• Education programs for people to acknowledge the problem of chronic homelessness
are needed because people on the street come from all income levels.
• Housing prices keep. rising.
• The prices of BMR units have gone up dramatically.
• It is harder for low-income people to stay in the City and a lot of low-income persons
are working full-time, but are unable to afford housing in the City.
A.2.3 Citizen Comments
THIS SECTION TO BE COMPLETEDAFTERPUBLIC HEARINGS
A.2.4 Citizen Participation Plan
The City of Palo Alto has an adopted Citizen Participation Plan that provides for a nine-
member CDBG Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC process encourages public
participation in the CDBG allocation and evaluation review process. The Plan is available
for public review at the City'S public counted at the Development Center. Appendix B
contains a copy of the Plan.
City of Palo Alto 128 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
A.3 Countywide Telephone Survey
Introduction
Santa Clara County and cities in the County commissioned a telephone survey to better
understand public opinions regarding community needs for affordable housing, economic
development, public services and facilities, education and job training, homeless services
and shelter, and other services. The objective of the survey was to obtain representative
public input regarding unmet needs in Santa Clara County. The results of the survey are
intended to assist jurisdictions in the County in developing strategies and identifying
priorities for the use of federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD).
Survey Method
The suwey was conducted between October 30 and November 13, 2004 and included 417
households selected at random from throughout Santa Clara County. The sample size was
sufficient to with the objective· of achieving a margin of error of five percent or less. The sample
was selected based on random dialing techniques, but also attempted to capture a
geographically representative sample by zip code area in Santa Clara County.
Due to time and budget constraints, the suwey was administered in English and Spanish only, and
there was no re-sampling after the suwey results were tabulated to account for over-or under-
representation among specific population sub-groups. Individuals who answered the telephone,
but were unable to understand English or Spanish, did not participate in the survey. Records were
not kept on the number of such contacts or the presumed language of these individuals. It is
possible, therefore, that the views of those participating in the survey do not reflect the views of
households who primarily speak languages other than English or Spanish.
Survey participants were asked about their views regarding:
Housing needs, including rehabilitation, rental assistance, home purchase assistance,
homeless, and supportive housing services;
Community development needs, including public services, infrastructure, and community
facilities; and
Economic development needs, including employment training, business assistance, and
commercial building improvements,
To ascertain the representativeness of the survey participants compared to the countywide
popUlation, the survey solicited information on individual and household characteristics such as
age, family status, race, ethnicity, income, and the presence of special needs (such as disability,
single parenthood, or HIVIAIDS status).
Unless otherwise noted, the percentages dted in this report are based on the number of
individuals who answered a question, excluding "refused" and "missing" responses. The number of
responses varies from question to question. The implicit assumption is that the views and
characteristics of those who refused to respond to a question are similar to those who responded.
Appendix B shows percentages based the total number of survey participants, including those
who refused to answer a question or whose response was not tabulated (missing).
City of Palo Alto 129 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
It is important to note that the margin of error of the survey was plus or minus five percentage
points. A variance of five percentage points or less between the reported demographics of the
survey participants and the countywide population at the time of the 2000 Census may not be
statistically significant, therefore.
Survey Results
The first series of questions asked survey participants to name the two most important community
needs in each of five categories from a list of facilities, services, and programs that are eligible for
funding under four federal programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home
Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), and Housing for Persons with AIDS
(HOPWA).
Community Facilities
Survey participants were asked a series of questions about community facilities that they consider
to be important. When asked to name which two community facilities and services were most
important, services most frequently mentioned were: senior services (17.7 percent), health services
(17.3 percent), homeless services (15.3 percent), child care services (15.2 percent), and services
for at-risk youth (12.1 percent).
Community Services
Survey participants were then asked which two community services were most important. Four
community services were mentioned most frequently: drug and alcohol abuse treatment (20.4
percent), domestic violence prevention (16.9 percent), transportation services for persons with
disabilities (16.1 percent), and anti-crime programs (15.9 percent).
Public Works Projects
Four types of public works projects were considered most important, according to survey
respondents: street improvements (22.3 percent), parks or recreation improvements (18.7
percent), sidewalk improvements for disabled access (17.9 percent), and water/sewer
improvements (13.8 percent).
City of Palo Alto 130 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Business Assistance and Job Programs
Survey participants named four types of business assistance programs as most important. These
were job or skills training (32.6 percent), small business assistance loans (22.1 percent), earthquake
safety improvements (20.6 percent), and rehabilitation a~sistance for older commercial and
industrial properties (15.5 percent).
Affordable Housing Programs
Of the various types of affordable housing programs that survey participants were asked to rank,
three in particular were ranked as most important: rental assistance for low-income households
(21.7 percent), construction of affordable housing (20 percent), and home buyer assistance (18.6
percent). Other highly ranked affordable housing programs, at 10.2 percent each, were home
improvement assistance for disable access and housing rehabilitation assistance for lower income
households.
Most Important Overall Community Needs
Survey participants were then asked to rank the two most important community needs, overall,
from the list of most important needs in the five categories previously presented to survey
participants (community facilities, community services, public works, business assistance, and
housing).
No facilities, services, or programs were mentioned significantly more frequently than others from
the list of top community needs. The top seven community needs cited by respondents were:
affordable housing construction (7. 7 percent), facilities and services for at-risk youth (6.5 percent),
health care facilities and services (6.5 percent), facilities and services for seniors (6.2 percent),
anti-crime programs (6.1 percent), rental assistance for low-income households (5.8 percent), and
facilities and child care services (5.3 percent).
Other Important Community Needs
Those participants who provided their views on the most important community needs were then
asked whether there were other coinmunity needs that they felt were as or more important than
the needs previously discussed. Of the 415 who responded to this question, 28.9 percent
indicated that one or more needs other than those listed in the survey were as or more important
than the listed needs.
There was no consensus about such other important needs. Most needs were mentioned by five
percent or less of respondents and included low income housing/affordable housing, street
repair/street Improvement, after-school programs, law enforcement, youth programs, assistance
to victims of domestic violence, more financial aid for schools, and more recreational activities for
seniors.
Most Urgent Problem and Solutions
To ensure that respondents had an opportunity to think about important issues without regard to a
prescribed list, survey participants were asked to name one problem in Santa Clara County they
would solve if they could and the potential solution to that problem.
As with the previous question regarding other important community needs, there was no
consensus on the "one" problem that needed resolution. However, 15.5 percent of responses .
City of Palo Alto 131 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
stated that housing is too expensive and more affordable housing is needed. Other problems
cited by the survey participant included lack of resources for the homeless (six percent), lack of
unemployment/more employment opportunities (six percent), and traffic congestion (5.2 percent).
Respondents were then asked how they would solve the problems they previously cited. Again,
there was no clear consensus on solutions to the County's most pressing problems. The highest
ranking response, providing more low income housing and low rent affordable housing, was
mentioned by 3.3 percent of survey responses. Other solutions included more after school and
youth programs (2.7 percent), build more houses (2.5 percent), hire more police officers (2.3
percent), and provide job training (2.3 percent).
Survey Demographics
Gender
The gender of the respondents was nearly evenly divided between men and women with 204
men and 213 women.
Zip Code
Survey participants were dispersed throughout the County, living in nearly 60 different zip code
areas. Table A-1 compares the zip code of residence of survey participants with the 2000 Census
reported zip code of residence for all Santa Clara County residents. Figure 1 shows the locations
and proportion of responses from each of the reported zip codes. Table 1 shows that survey
respondents were distributed among most zip codes areas similarly to the 2000 population
distribution Oess than one percentage point difference).
City of Palo Alto 132 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Table A-1
IP 0 Z' C d eo fS urvey Participants
Telephone Survey 2000 Census
Zip Code Percent Zip Code Percent
94022 1.7% 94022 1.1%
94024 1.0% 94024 1.3%
94025 0.5% 94025 2.3%
94027 0.2% 94027 0.4%
94040 2.2% 94040 1.9%
94041 1.7% 94041 0.8%
94043 2.9% 94043 1.7%
94078 0.2% 94078 ---
94086 2.7% 94086 3.8%
94087 3.1% 94087 3.0%
94089 1.7% 94089 1.0%
94301 0.2% 94301 1.0%
94303 1.2% 94303 2.7%
94304 0.2% 94304 0.1%
94305 0.2% 94305 0.8%
94306 1.7% 94306 1.5%
94806 0.2% 94806 3.3%
95008 2.9% 95008 2.7%
95014 4.1% 95014 3.2%
95020 3.6% 95020 3.0%
95030 0.2% 95030 0.8%
95032 0.7% 95032 1.5%
95035 1.9% 95035 3.7%
95037 1.7% 95037 2.5%
95044 0.2% 95044 ---
95046 0.2% 95046 0.3%
95050 2.4% 95050 2.2%
95051 3.4% 95051 3.1%
95054 1.0% 95054 0.8%
95070 1.4% 95070 1.8%
95110 1.0% 95110 1.1%
95111 2.9% 95111 3.4%
95112 1.0% 95112 3.1%
95116 2.6% 95116 3.1%
95117 1.7% 95117 1.8%
95118 2.9% ' 95118 1.9%
95119 0.2% 95119 0.6%
95120 2.9% 95120 2.2%
95121 1.2% 95121 2.2%
95122 1.0% 95122 3.6%
95123 4.8% 95123 3.5%
95124 3.6% 95124 2.7%
95125 4.8% 95125 2.7%
95126 0.5% 95126 1.6%
95127 3.8% 95127 3.6%
95128 1.4% 95128 1.9%
95129 2.4% 95129 2.2%
95130 1.0% 95130 0.8%
95131 1.0% 95131 1.6%
95132 2.6% 95132 2.4% ,
95133 0.5% 95133 1.5%
95135 1.2% 95135 0.9%
95136 3.1% 95136 2.2%
95138 1.7% 95138 0.9%
95139 0.5% 95139 0.4%
95148 1.9% 95148 2.6%
95162 0.2% 95162 ---
Not Specified 2.4%
Sources: Santa Clara County Telephone Survey, October-November 2004; 2000 Census
1. The 2000 Census did notrecord these zip codes as valid.
City of Palo Alto 133 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Household Size
Of the 405 respondents reporting the number of persons in their households. 32.8 percent reported two
persons. 17.5 percent each reported three or four persons. and 15.5 percent reported one person.
Table 2 compares the survey results with the 2000 Census. Single-person households were under-
represented in the telephone survey. while other household sizes were represented in proportions close
to the census counts.
Table A-2
Household Size
Telephone Survey· 2000 Census
Household Size Percent Household Size Percent
One 15.5% One 21.4%
Two 32.8% Two 30.4%
Three 17.5% Three 17.0%
Four 17.5% Four 15.8%
Five 8.6% Five 7.8%
Six or More 7.9% Six or More 7.7%
Sources: Santa Clara County Telephone Survey. October-November 2004; 2000 Census
Presence of Children
Approximately 42 percent of survey participants had one or more persons under the age of 18 in the
household: The comparable figure for the 2000 Census was 35 percent of households. Households with
children were over-represented in the sample. therefore. Nearly half (48 percent) of survey parti~ipants
with children stated that one or more of their children were under five years of age. compared to 28
percent for the 2000 Census. Families with young children were over-represented in the survey sample.
therefore.
Family CompOSition
Over three-fourths (76.9 percent) of survey respondents indicated they live with a married or domestic
partner. The 2000 Census reported the proportion of partnered households at just over 61 percent in
Santa Clara County. Married couples and domestic partner households were slightly over-represented
in the sample survey. therefore ..
Over 21.5 percent of survey participants stated that they lived with relatives other than minor children.
spouses. or domestic partners (brothers/sisters. nieces/nephews. uncles/aunts. adult children.
grandparents. cousins. etc.). The comparable 2000 Census figure was approximately nine percent.
Households with other relatives were over-represented in the survey. therefore.
Family Versus Non-Family Households
Of the households participating in the survey. 80 percent were family or domestic partner households.19
This means that 17 percent of households in the survey were neither families nor domestic partner
households (single persons or two or more unrelated individuals other than domestic partners). The 2000
Census reported that 24 percent of all households in Santa Clara County consisted of non-family and
non-domestic partner households. Such households were under-represented in the survey. therefore.
19 The 2000 Census refers to domestic partner households as "unmarried partner households."
City of Palo Alto 135 2005 -201 0 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Age of Householder
The age of the respondents was between 18 and 91.20 Table 3 shows the breakdown of survey
participants by age. Individuals under age 35, and particularly those age 18 to 24, were significantly
under-represented in the survey. Individuals age 55 or more, and particularly those age 65 or more,
were over-represented in the survey. 21
Table A-3
Age of Householder
Telephone Survey 2000 Census
Number % Number %
18-24 12 3.2% 18-24 153,968 12.2%
25-34 63 16.6% 25-34 298,237 23.5%
35-44 103 27.2% 35-44 304,263 24.1%
45-54 76 20.1% 45-54 216,891 17.1%
55-64 56 14.8% 55-64 134.404 10.6%
65-+ 69 18.2% 65-+ 159,263 12.6%
Total population 18+ 379 1,267,026
Education Level
Approximately 71 percent of survey participants completed some college and/or a post-graduate
degree, compared to about 70 percent of the County's total adult population in 2000. Education levels
of survey participants generally tracked closely with 2000 Census data. The only significant variance was
in the percentage of individuals with some high school education (3.2 percent in survey versus 8.8
percent in the 2000 Census).
Table A-4
Education Level
Telephone 2000
Education Survey % Census %
Less Than HiQh School 18 4.5% 62,594 5.7%
Some High School 13 3.2% 95.410 8.8%
High School Graduate Or GED ·84 20.8% 176,926 16.3%
Some ColleQe 79 19.6% 218,645 20.1%
College Graduate or Post-Graduate 209 51.9% 532,687 49.0%
Total 403 1,086,262
20 The survey excluded minors from participation.
21 The refusal rate was over nine percent for the question regarding age, so is it possible that the variance between
the survey group and the countywide population in 2000 is not as large as suggested in Table 3. The higher
percentage of older survey participants may also be due to the greater difficulty of reaching younger, single
adults at home by telephone.
City of Palo Alto 136 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Table A-6
Household Income
Telephone % 2000 %
Income Level Survey Census
Extremely Low « 30% of median) 83 25.6% 79.913 14.1%
Very Low (30-50% of median) 59 18.2% 71,014 12.5%
Low (50-80% of median) 44 13.6% 37,013 6.5%
Moderate (80-120% of median)' 78 24.1% 193,745 34.2%
Above Moderate (> 120% of median)' 60 18.5% 184,740 32.6%
Total 324 100.0% 566,485 100.0%
Total Lower Income « 80% of median) 186 57.4% 196,522 33.2%
Median Income (HUD income guidelines)
'These are income categories used by the State of California.
Note: percenta~es may not equal 100 due to roundin~.
Disabilities
Survey participants were asked about the presence of physical and/or mental disabilities. The 2000
Census reported that approximately one in five individuals (21.4 percent of the population) had one or
more disabilities. Just over three percent of the population reported mental disabilities. By contrast,
nea~y 12 percent of survey participants reported a mental disability, and 20 percent reported a physical
disability.
Single Parent Households
Eleven percent of survey participants were single parents, compared to 6.9 percent of households
countywide, according to the 2000 Census. Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of single-parent
households in the telephone survey were female-headed, compared to 69 percent countywide at the
time of the 2000 Census.
City of Palo Alto 138 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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Interview (!)Start Time: ----
QUESTION #1
First, I am going to ask you about a series of programs, projects, and services in five categories that
mayor may not need more attention in Santa Clara County. .
In each category, I am going to read you a list of between four and seven programs,
projects, or services. Mter I have read all of the items in a category, please tell me
which two you feel are the most important community needs.
Q1A
In the first category, we have community facilities ~d services for ... START WITH
STATEMENT CHECKED 0.
o seniors
o at-risk youth
o child care
o health care
o mental health care
o recreation
o homeless people and families
Q1A1
Which two of these needs do you feel are the most important?
SENIORS
AT-RISK YOUTH
CHILD CARE
HEALTH CARE
MENTAL HEALTH CARE
RECREATION
HOMELESS PEOPLE AND FAMILIES
INSISTS ONLY ONE MOST IMPORTANT AND
ONE CODED
INSISTS ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT·
INSISTS NONE ARE IMPORTANT
INSISTS DON'T KNOW/NOT SURE
Q1B
City of Palo Alto 140
TWO MOST IMPORTANT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
In the second category, we have services for '" START WITH STATEMENT
CHECKED 0.
Dpersons with disabilities, including transportation services
Danti-crime programs·
Dresolving disputes between landlords and tenants
code enforcement for rundown properties and those with messy or junky yards
Ddomestic violence
Ddrugand alcohol abuse
Dlegal aid
01B1 .
Which two of these needs do you feel are the most important?
PERSbNS WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
ANTI-CRIME PROGRAMS
RESOLVING DISPUTES BETWEEN LANDLORDS AND
TENANTS
CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR RUNDOWN PROPERTIES
AND THOSE WI)'H MESSY OR JUNKY YARDS
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE
LEGAL AID
INSISTS ONLY ONE MOST IMPORTANT AND ONE
CODED
INSISTS ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT
INSISTS NONE ARE IMPORTANT
INSISTS DON'T KNOW/NOT SURE
City of Paid Alto 141
I TWOMOST
IMPORTANT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
2005 -201 0 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Q1C
In the third category, we have public works projects, such as ... START WITH STATEMENT
CHECKED0.
Dflood or drainage improvements
Dwater or sewer improvements
Dsidewalk improvements for access for the disabled
Dstreet improvements
Dparks or recreation improvements
Dremoving barriers that prevent people from accessing public facilities
Q1C1
Which two of these needs do you feel are the most important?
FLOOD OR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
WATER OR SEWER IMPROVEMENTS
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS FOR ACCESS FOR THE
DISABLED
STREET IMPROVEMENTS
PARKS OR RECREATION IMPROVEMENTS
REMOVING BARRIERS THAT PREVENT PEOPLE
FROM ACCESSING PUBLIC FACILITIES
INSISTS ONLY ONE MOST IMPORTANT AND ONE
CODED
INSISTS ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT
INSISTS NONE ARE IMPORTANT
INSISTS DON'T KNOW/NOT SURE
Q1D
TWO MOST
IMPORTANT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
In the fourth category; we have business assistance and job programs, such as ...
START WITH STATEMENT CHECKED0.
Dloans to assist small businesses
Djob or skills training
Drehabilitation of old commercial or industrial properties
Dimprovements for earthquake safety
City of Palo Alto 142 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
Q1E1
Which two of these needs do you feel are the most important?
HOUSING REHABILITATION
IMPROVEMENTS FOR ACCESS BY lliE DISABLED
ASSISTANCE TO HOME BUYERS
CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS
FAIR HOUSING LEGAL ASSISTANCE
INSISTS ONLY ONE MOST IMPORTANT AND ONE
CODED
INSISTS ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT
INSISTS NONE ARE IMPORTANT
INSISTS DON'T KNOW /NOT SURE
TWO MOST
IMPORTANT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
I:IF NO NEEDS SELECTED IN Q1A, lB, lC, lD, AND lE, SKIP TO Q5.
I:IF SELECTED "INSISTS ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT" IN Q1A, lB, lC, lD AND
lE, SKIP TO Q5.
I:IF QAl -QEl HAVE 2 OR FEWER MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS SELECTED
TOTAL, SKIP TO Q3.
City of Palo Alto 144 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
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QUESTION #2
Now I am going to read you community needs you said are most important. They are
. .. and . Overall, which two of these do you believe are the most important?
FACILmES AND SERVICES FOR SENIORS
FACILITIES AND SERVICES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH
FACILITIES AND SERVICES FOR CHILD CARE
FACILmES AND SERVICES FOR HEALTH CARE
FACILmES AND SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE
FACILmES AND SERVICES FOR RECREATION
FACILITIES AND SERVICES FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE AND FAMILIES
SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
ANTI-CRIME PROGRAMS
SERVICES FOR RESOLVING DISPUTES BETWEEN LANDLORDS AND
TENANTS
CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR RUNDOWN PROPERTIES AND THOSE
WITH MESSY OR JUNKY YARDS
SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SERVICES FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE
LEGAL AID
FLOOD OR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
WATER OR SEWER IMPROVEMENTS
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS FOR ACCESS FOR THE DISABLED
STREET IMPROVEMENTS
PARKS OR RECREATION IMPROVEMENTS
REMOVING BARRIERS THAT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ACCESSING
PUBLIC FACILITIES
LOANS TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES
JOB OR SKILLS TRAINING
REHABILITATION OF OLD COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL
PROPERTIES
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENTS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY
HOUSING REHABILITATION
HOUSING IMPROVEMENTS FOR ACCESS BY THE DISABLED
ASSISTANCE TO HOME BUYERS
CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
FAIR HOUSING LEGAL ASSISTANCE
INSISTS ONLY ONE MOST IMPORTANT AND ONE CODED
INSISTS ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT
DON'T KNOW jNOT SURE
City of Palo Alto 145
TWO MOST IMPORTANT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
QUESTION #3
Are there any other community needs you feel are equally or more important and should be
included in the top two?
1 YES (CONTINUE)
2 NO (SKIP TO Q5)
3 DON'T KNOW (SKIP TO Q5)
• IF YES, ASK:
QUESTION #4
And what would they be? PROBE FOR CLARITY AND SPECIFICS. PROBE FOR UP
TO TWO THINGS: What else? RECORD VERBATIM. IF OFFERS MORE THAN
TWO, PROBE FOR TWO. IF INSISTS ON MORE THAN TWO, RECORD ALL -
CODERS CODE FIRST TWO.
QUESTION#S
If you had the power to solve one problem in Santa Clara County, what would that
problem be? PROBE FOR CLARITY AND SPECIFICS. RECORD VERBATIM. IF
OFFERS MORE THAN ONE, PROBE FOR ONE. IF INSISTS ON MORE THAN ONE,
RECORD ALL '-CODERS CODE FIRST ONE.
QUESTION #6
And how would you solve that problem? PROBE FOR CLARITY AND SPECIFICS. PROBE OTHER
WAYS: Howelse? RECORD VERBATIM.
City of Palo Alto 146 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
QUESTION #7
Now in order to classify your responses along with others, I need to ask a few questions
about you ...
RECORD GENDER:
1 MALE
2 FEMALE
QUESTION #8
First, what is the Zip Code where you live?
99999 REFUSED
QUESTION #9
How many people are there in your household?
20 REFUSED
I:IF 1, SKIP TO Q13.
QUESTION #10
Are any of these people children under the age of 1.8?
··1 YES (CONTINUE)
2 NO (SKIP TO Q13)
3 REFUSED (SKIP TO Q13)
• IF YES, ASK:
QUESTION #11
And how many of these are children under the age of 5?
20 REFUSED
QUESTION #12
City of Palo Alto 147 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
· Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
How about children between the ages of 5 and 17?
20 REFUSED
CHECK THAT Qll PLUS Q12 IS NOT GREATER THAN Ql0.
QUESTION #13
What is your age, please?
120 REFUSED
I:IF Q9=1, SKIP TO Q15.
QUESTION #14
Now I'm going to ask you about the people who live in your household. Do you live
with ? How about ?
YES NO REFUSED
a spouse or partner? 1 2 3
IF Ql0 = NO OR REFUSED, SKIP TO Q14D
our own children? 1 2 3
children other than our own? 1 2 3
other relatives? 1 2 3
other eo Ie not related to ou? 1 2 3
City of Palo Alto 148 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
QUESTION #15
What was the last grade you completed in school?
1 LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL
2 SOME HIGH SCHOOL
3 HIGHSCHOOL GRADUATE OR GED
4 VOCATIONAL/TRADE CERTIFICATE
5 SOME COLLEGE
6 TWO-YEAR DEGREE (AA, AS)
7 FOUR-YEAR DEGREE (BA, BS)
8 MASTER'S DEGREE (MA, MS, MBA)
9 PROFESSIONAL DEGREE (JD, MD, DDS)
10 DOCTORATE (PHD, EDD)
11 REFUSED
QUESTION #16
We would also like to know your racial Of ethnic background. Are you Caucasian,
African or African-American, Asian or Asian-American, Latino or Hispanic, American
Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or some other
ethnicity? (And what would that be?)
1 CAUCASIAN/WHITE
2 AFRICAN/AFRICAN-AMERICAN
3 ASIAN/ASIAN-AMERICAN
4 LATINOIHISPANIC
5 AMERICAN INDIAN OR ALASKAN NATIVE
6 NATIVE HAW AllAN OR OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER
70THER: ________________________________ _
8 REFUSED
City of Palo Alto 149 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix A: Agency Consultation and Public Participation
QUESTION #17
Was your total annual household income before taxes in 2003 under or over
_____ ? And was it over or under ? HOUSEHOLD SIZE IS THE
NUMBER GIVEN IN Q9.
HOUSEHOLD ANNUAL ANNUAL ANNUAL ANNUAL ANNUAL
SIZE INCOME INCOME INCOME INCOME INCOME
1 $22,300 $37,150 $59,400 $73,850 $88,600
UNDER/EXACTlY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOWIREFUSED '
DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'TKNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18 = 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
2 $25,450 $42,450 $67,900 $84,400 $101,300
UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOWIREFUSED
DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18= 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
3 $28,650 $47,750 $76,400 $94,950 $113,950
UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOWIREFUSED
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18= 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
4 $31,850 $53,050 $84,900 $105,500 $128,600
UNDER/EXACTlY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOWIREFUSED
DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18= 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
5 $34,400 $57,300 $91,650 $113,950 $136,750
UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOW/REFUSED
DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOW/REFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18= 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
6 $36,900 $61,550 $98,450 $122,400 $146,850
UNDER/EXACTlY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTlY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOWIREFUSED
DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18= 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
7 $39,450 $65,800 $105,250 $130,800 $157,000
UNDER/EXACTlY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTlY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 . SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOWIREFUSED
DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOW/REFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18= 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
BORMORE $42,000 $70,050 $112,050 $139,250 $167,100
UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTlY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDER/EXACTLY UNDERlEXACTLY = 13
SKIP TO Q18 = 1 SKIP TO Q18 = 4 SKIP TO Q18 = 7 SKIP TO Q18 = 10 OVER = 14
OVER CONTINUE = 2 OVER CONTINUE = 5 OVER CONTINUE = 8 OVER CONTINUE = 11 DON'T KNOWIREFUSED
DON'T KNOWIREFUSED DON'T KNOW/REFUSED . DON'T KNOW/REFUSED DON'T KNOWIREFUSED = 15
SKIP TO Q18= 3 SKIP TO Q18= 6 SKIP TO Q18= 9 SKIP TO Q18= 12
City of Palo Alto 150 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix B: Citizen Participation Plan
Introduction
A primary aspect of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987 is the provision of
adequate opportunity for citizens to participate in an advisory role in the planning,
implementation and assessment of the Community Development Block Grant (CnBG) program.
In order to encourage public examination and appraisal of the process, as well as to enhance
program accountability, grantees are required to certify that they are following a detailed citizen
participation plan. As required under 24 CFR 570.303, 104(1)(3), and 106, the citizen
participation plan must:
1. Provide for and encourage citizen participation in the development, implementation
and assessment of the CnBG program with particular emphasis on participation by
persons oflow and moderate income;
2. Provide citizens with reasonable and timely access to local meetings, information,.
and records relating to the grantee's proposed and actual use of funds; .
3. Provide for technical assistance to groups representative of persons of low and
moderateinco1ll.e that request such assistance in developing funding proposals;
4. Provide for public hearings to obtain citizen views and to respond to proposals and
questions at all stages of the community development program with reasonable
notice, accommodation for individuals with disabilities, and at time and locations
convenient to potential or actual beneficiaries;
5. Provide for timely written responses to written complaints and· grievances within 15
working days where practicable; and
6. Identify how the needs of non-English speaking residents will be met in the case of
public hearings where a significant number of non-English speaking residents can be
reasonably expected to participate.
Objectives of the Plan
It is the intent of the City of Palo Alto to provide for and encourage meaningful citizen
involvement in the CnBG Program by forming a citizen participation structure, which includes
the following objectives:
1. To adhere to and comply with the provisions of the Community Development Acts of
1987, as ari:tended, and all other federal regulations.
2. To encourage the participation of citizens in the planning, implementation and
assessment of the CDBG program, especially those of low and very low income,
members of minority groups, residents of areas where funds will be expended, the
elderly, individuals with disabilities, and other neighborhood or civic groups.
City of Palo Alto 153 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix B: Citizen Participation Plan
3. To make information about the CDBG program and process available to the public
through reasonable and timely access to information including publications in local
newspapers, public hearings, public meetings, and the provision of technical
assistance.
Components of the Plan
1. CDBG Advisory Committee (CAC) -The establishment of a CDBG Advisory
Committee (CAe) provides a vehicle for active citizen involvement in all phases of
the Cominunity Development Block Grant prqcess.
a. Function: The CDBG Advisory Committee is advisory to staff on the expenditure
of CDBG funds and the CDBG process. The CAC will assist in the identification
of community development needs and the assessment of projects presented for
funding consideration. The CAC will have an advisory role in the
implementation of the program by acting as a conduit to further defme citizen
needs and recommending project criteria. The CAC will assess projects and
activities to determine if the objectives of the Community Development
. Consolidated Plan and the Annual Action Plans arebeing met.
All recommendations, comments, assessments and proposals from the CAC will
be forwarded intact to the City Council for their review. The CAe will aid in the
dissemination of information about the Community Development Block Grant
program, and will aid in soliciting comments and views from the general public.
b. Membership: Committee members will be appointed by the Mayor to serve a
two-year term. Members may not serve more than two consecutive full terms.
The Committee will have nine voting members, one of whom is a member ofthe
City's Human Relations Commission. The other eight members will be
comprised of persons who live or work in Palo Alto, and who are, or advocate for,
. persons of low and moderate income, or other groups oriented toward the goals of
the CDBG Plan; for example, members ofminority groups, the elderly, persons
with disabilities, etc. In order to avoid a perceived conflict of interest, no person
who is a member of the board of directors ot: or is employed by, an agency that
applies for or receives CDBG funding, will be eligible to serve on the Committee
during any year in which such agency receives or applies for CDBG funding.
2. City Counell
a. The City Council sets policy, priorities, and approves the overall Community
Development Block Grant.
b. The City Council will hold a minimum of two public hearings per year for the
purpose of obtaining citizens' views and formulating or responding to proposals
and questions. The public hearings will be held at different stages of the program
City of Palo Alto 154 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix B: Citizen Participation Plan
c. At the beginning of the second year in the two-year planning cycle, staff will
facilitate a meeting of the CAC, prior to the City Council's public hearing, to
review the second year funds available for allocation any revisions that may be
necessary to the second year of the two-year CDBG program that had been
adopted by the City Council
d. Planning staff will publish a summary of the proposed consolidated plan in the
Palo Alto Weekly or other newspaper of local circulation. The summary will
describe the contents and purpose of the consolidated plan and include a list of the
locations where copies of the entire proposed consolidated plan may be examined.
Planning staff will provide a reasonable number of free copies of the plan to
citizens and groups that request it. Citizens may submit comments on the
consolidated plan during a public period not less than 30 days.
e. Upon completion of draft performance reports, Planning staff will publish a notice
announcing the availability of the draft performance report, the locations where it
may be viewed, and a 15 day period for submitting public comments prior to the
City's submission of the performance report to HUD. Any comments or views of
citizens received in writing or ~ public meetings in preparing the performance
report shall be summarized and attached to the performance report.
f. Planning staff will maintain the Citizens' Participation Plan, .Annual Action Plan
updates, the Consolidated Annual Performance and· Evaluation Report (CAPER),
the CDBG Consolidated Plan, and all other program records, documents,
information and reports required by federal regulations.' These documents are
available for public review in the Planning Division, 5th floor, Civic Center, 250
HamIlton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, during normal working hours (weekdays
8:00 am to 12:00 pm; 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm).
g. Technical assistance on the CDBG regulations and the CDBG program process
will be provided by the staff of the Planning Division to non-profit agencies
serving low income persons, citiz,ens groups and groups of low and moderate
income, and neighborhood groups requesting such assistance. Assistance may be
in the form of general information, relevant demographic or socio-economic data,
interpretation of HUD rules and regulations, explanation of City policies and
procedures affecting the CDBG program, or advice regarding alternative funding
. sources for projects which are ineligible under the CDBG program.
h. Planning staff will arrange for information to be presented in a bilingual fashion
at public hearings whenever a significant number of non-English speaking
residents can be reasonably expected to participate, or when a request is made for
such service.
f. Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City
facilities, services or programs, or who would like information on the City's
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact
City of Palo Alto 156 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix B: Citizen Participation Plan
Fred Herman, ADA Director, City of Palo Alto, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto,
CA 94301; 650/329-2550 (Voice) or 650-329-1199 (TDD). Public Hearings will
be held in the Council Chambers or other accessible locations. Sign language
interpreters will be provided upon request with 72 hours advance notice.
g. Planning staff will provide a written response to all written complaints and
grievances regarding the CDBG program within 15 working days of receipt of
such complaint or grievance.
h. Planning staff will schedule and notice all required public hearings as well as the
public meetings of the CAC. Notice of the date, time, place and agenda of the
public hearings will be advertised at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing in the
Palo Alto Weekly, or another newspaper of local circulation.
5. Consolidated Plan Amendment Procedures
a. Amendments to the CDBG program which requir¥p a HUD notification or
approval will be submitted to the CAC for review and recommendation prior to
submittal of the amended application to the City Council for approval. Public
hearings before the City Council will be held on amendments which are
substantial in nature, or when required by HUD. The public hearing provides an
opportunity for the public to submit comments orally; the related public hearing
notice will provide information about the 30 day public comment period to submit
comments on a proposed substantial amendment before the amendment is
implemented.
City of Palo Alto
Substantial amendments are defined as:
1) the. implementation of an activity not previously identified in sufficient detail
to provide affected citizens an opportunity to submit comments, or
2) a change in an activity's program budget which exceeds ten percent of the
City's latest 3nnual entitlement grant.
157 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
Estimated FY 2005/06 CDBG Entitlement Grant
Program Income:
Estimated Program Income 2005/06 (HIP)
Estimated Program Income 2005/06 (P AHC)
Excess Prior Year Program Income
Reallocated Funds:
Miscellaneous Reallocations
TOTAL ALLOCATION
$779,281
35,000
10,000
28,788
62.570
$915,639
Loan repayments from the City's former Housing Improvement Program (HIP) single-family
rehabilitation loan program are estimated to be $35,000 for next year. Income from the Palo
Alto Housing Corporation (PAHC) is also estimated to be $10,000 for next year. PAHC funds
are collected when rental income exceeds expenses on properties acquired or rehabilitated with
CDBG funds. Prior year program income funds are funds received in prior years that were in
excess of the estimated program income amounts, and were not previously allocated to projects.
HOME Program
The City of Palo Alto is not an entitlement grantee under the federal HOME program and thus
does not receive a direct grant of HOME Program funds from HVD. The only way to access
HOME funds for housing projects located within the City of Palo Alto is for the City, or eligible
nonprofit organizations to apply to the State of California for the funds in an annual competition.
Due to excessive demand for the State's HOME allocation, and rating criteria that does not favor
areas like Palo Alto, it is difficult to secure an award. In the past, the State has limited the
maximum HOME award per project to one million dollars. When a Notice of Funding
Availability (NOF A) is published, the City evaluates all potentially suitable projects to determine
whether or not to apply for a HOME grant. .
State, Local and Other Resources
City Affordable Housing Fund (formerly the Housing Reserve)
The Affordable Housing Fund is a local housing trust fund established by the City Council to
provide fmancial assistance for the development, acquisition and rehabilitation of housing
affordable to extremely low, very low, low and moderate-income households. The Affordable
Housing Fund is the umbrella name for five distinct sub-funds for affordable housing. The two
primary local housing trust funds were formerly known as the Housing Reserve Fund, but on
October 27, 2003, the City Council approved new guidelines for all of the City's affordable
housing funds including the ones composed of federal housing monies; the funds were renamed
as part of those changes. The Affordable Housing Fund is now composed of:
./ Commercial Housing Fund -this fund is used primarily to increase the number of new
affordable housing units for Palo Alto's work force. It is funded with mitigation fees
City of Palo Alto 160 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
Housing Trust of Santa Clara County (HTSCC)
The HTSCC is a public/private initiative, dedicated to creating more affordable housing in Santa
Clara County, using a revolving loan fund and grant-making program to complement and
leverage other housing resources. The City of Palo Alto contributed $500,000 toward the initial
$20 million investment capitalization. The Palo Alto Housing Corporation received a $400,000
award of funds for the Oak Court family rental project. In addition, the Opportunity Center
received $500,000 from the HTSCC. The Housing Trust received a $2,000,000 award in
February 2004 from the State, in the same competition as the City, under the State's Proposition
46 Housing Trust Fund Grant Program.
Multifamily Housing Program (MHP)
The Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) is a relatively new source of funding for affordable
housing as a result of the passage of Proposition 46 in November 2002. The purpose of this
program is to provide low-interest loans to developers of affordable housing. The MHP General
funds may be used for multifamily rental and transitional housing projects involving new
construction, rehabilitation, or conversion of nonresidential structures. MHP Supportive
Housing funds may be used for multifamily rental housing projects involving new construction,
rehabilitation, acquisition and rehabilitation, or conversion of nonresidential structures for
permanent rental housing only. Palo Alto Housing Corporation and applied for and received
MHP funds in the amount of $4,555,064 in the first round of funding. In addition, Community
Working GrouplHousing Authority of Santa Clara County (Opportunity Center) applied for and
received funds in the amount of $7.5 million in February 2004.
Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) Local Housing Trust Funds
Another component of Proposition 46, the housing bond approved by voters in November 2002,
is funding for new and existing local housing trust funds. A local housing trust fund is a public
or private partnership created to receive on-going revenues for affordable housing production.
Local revenues supporting the fund can include commercial impact fees, ongoing fundraising, or
local taxes such as Transient Occupancy Tax, as well as local government's general funds. The
City of Palo Alto .applied for a grant from the State in November 2003. The State announced in
February 2004 that Palo Alto was receiving an award of $1,000,000. The City's $1,000,00
award will be used to help subsidize a future rental housing project, either new construction or
acquisition and rehabilitation, to be determined in the next two years by the City Council.
Santa Clara County Affordable Housing Fund (AHF)
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors created the Office of Affordable Housing in July
2002 and establ ished a set-aside of $18.6 mi II ion for projects. One of the oQjectives for this fund
is to leverage funding to affordable housing projects. The Community Working Group
(Opportunity Center) received one of five awards from the avai lable allocation of $7.7 mi II ion in
the first round of funding. They received a $2 million award in September 2003.
City of Palo Alto 162 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
STATE, LOCAL, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
Home
New Buyer Rental Homeless Homeless
Activity Acquisition Rehab Construction Assistance Assistance Assistance Prevention
STATE, LOCAL, and PUBLIC
Commercial Housing X
Fund
Residential Housing X X X X
Fund
StateMHP X X X
City Owned Land X
MCCProgram X
Housing Bond Trust X X X
Housing Trust of X X X X X
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County X X X X X
Housing Authority -
Section 8
County Department X
of Social Services
Santa Clara County X X X X
Affordable Housing
Fund
PRIVATE RESOURCES
BMRRental& X X X .
Owner Program
Private Lenders: AHP X X X
Nonprofit Developers X X X X X
Private Foundations X
and Churches
Leveraging and Matching Requirements
The City of Palo Alto wi11leverage federal an:d private housing funds to the greatest extent
feasible consistent with the goals identified. The City will encourage housing project sponsors to
seek private financing and private grants; and to fully utilize other state and federal housing
development subsidies such as the low-income housing tax credit program. The City will also
utilize its local Affordable Housing Fund, as appropriate, to leverage federal and private housing
funds and to provide any required matching funds. Where eligible, CDBG Housing Funds could
be used as a portion of the matching requirement for federal housing programs.
City of Palo Alto 163 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
X
X
X
X
X
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
Geographic Distribution
The Map attached to this report shows the location of all the proposed activities for fiscal year
2005/06. The City considers the provision of all types of housing assistance on a citywide basis
consistent with the policies of the Comprehensive Plan. The City does not have specific target
areas for housing activities, but attempts to provide housing affordable to lower-income persons
throughout the City.
Census tract 5107 in the Olive-West MeadowNentura area is an area of considerably greater
population and housing diversity than that which is found in most parts of Palo Alto. Although
there are no areas within the City that are considered areas of minority concentration, the 2000
census identified this tract as having the highest minority concentration of any non-split City
tract. More than half the housing units are in multiple-unit (3+) structures, and nearly two-thirds
are renter-occupied. Block Group 2 has a large proportion of modest rental housing, a relatively
high proportion of minority and ethnic groups, and 48.6% of the households are below the
CDBG income eligibility limits. The entire tract is above HUD's first quartile threshold of 27.08
percent for area benefit activities.
Specific efforts have been coordinated in the City's Community Service and Police Departments .
to focus on activities and services in the Ventura neighborhood. A number of City-sponsored
programs and activities serving low-and very low-income persons hav~ either been undertaken
or proposed. A police substation was opened in the area with the goal of improving contact with
the community.
Changes to Strategy
HUD has informed the City of Pal~ Alto of a change of policy relating to the timely expenditure
of CDBG funds. The federal regulatory standard is that no more than 1.5 times ajurisdiction's
annual entitlement grant amount may remain in its letter of credit 60 days prior to the end of the
program year. HUD now intends to employ monetary sanctions against jurisdictions that exceed
the regulatory· standard. Failure to meet the expenditure standard by May 1, 2006 will cause
HUD to reduce the City's next grant by 100% of the amount in excess of 1.5 times the annual
grant.
For this reason, all funding allocations for 2005/06 were scrutinized to insure the readiness of the
program or prQject to move forward and expend fu~ds in a timely manner.
This stricter enforcement of the expenditure standard will increase the difficulty in providing
funds for affordable housing since housing projects involving new construction or acquisition of
apartments typically take more time and planning and are subject to more delays than other
capital projects. It may create situations where lower priority activities will be undertaken
instead of higher priority activities simply because they are easier to accomplish and ready to
proceed.
The City Council approved the change to a two-year CDBG funding cycle beginning with the
2003/04 fiscal year and this is reflected in the amendment of the Citizen Participation Plan
City of Palo Alto 164 2005 -201 0 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
singles and families will be constructed. The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara
will act as the developer of the housing and InnVision (an experienced shelter and service
provider) will be the operator of the service center. This mixed-use facility will house existing
homeless and emergency services that are now being provided in inadequate and scattered
locations in Palo Alto and the surrounding area. The Opportunity Center is currently under
construction and the grand opening for the Center is projected for the spring of2006.
In addition, the City assisted the Palo Alto Housing Corporation with the development of Oak
Court, a 53-unit rental housing project affordable to very low and low-income households. The
project is nearing completion and will be available for occupancy in the spring of2005.
CDBG Housing Development Fund -$401,816
The City is proposing to acquire an affordable housing site, using a combination of City general
funds as well as CDBG funds. The site of the future project has not yet been identified but since
an acre of land in Palo Alto typically costs $3 to $5 million an acre, it is anticipated that a
commitment of all of the City's Housing funds together with CDBG funds would be needed to
secure a site. The City Real Estate department is currently evaluating the feasibility of a site.
The CDBG funds allocated would assist with the acquisition of the site.
Due to the lengthy process of site analysis and negotiation for purchase, and HUD's new
requirements for timely expenditure of funds, the City will evaluate the progress in acquiring the
site on September 15, 2005. If significant progress has not been made by this date, the funds will
be reallocated to other projects. Of the $401,816 allocated to the CDBG Housing fund, an
additional $86,575 will be provided to Economic and Social Opportunities/Lytton Gardens to
rehabilitate an additional floor of bathrooms at the Lytton Garden's facility. Also, an additional
$25,000 will be provided to Emergency Housing Consortium for their Our House Youth Project
and $163,248 to be allocated to Stevenson House for the replacement of windows and doors in
the common areas of their senior housing facility (see project descriptions below). The additional
$126,993 will be allocated to other projects as part of a special RFP in the fall of2005.
Palo Alto Senior Housing, Inc. (Stevenson House) -$163,248
Stevenson House is a 120-unit residential facility for low-income seniors located at 455 E.
Charleston Road in Palo Alto. The facility presently serves 134 very-low income elderly
residents with an average age of 79 years old. The facility is 36 years old and in need of
continuing maintenance and upgrades to maintain its viability as senior housing. Stevenson
House is unable to recover the costs of major repairs through rental increases if they are to keep
the rents affordable. This proposal is to replace the windows and doors in the common areas on
all three floors of the housing facility. These funds will only be allocated in fiscal year 2005/06
if there is a need to reallocate the funds that are allocated to the CDBG housing development
fund. The rehabilitation of existing lower-income rental housing is a high priority in the
Consolidated Plan.
Community Housing Inc., (Lytton Gardens) -$86,575
Community Housing Inc. owns and operates several senior housing facilities in Palo Alto. This
proposal is to renovate 27 bathrooms in its skilled nursing facility. The bathrooms are outdated
City of Palo Alto 166 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
. Services and Resources Targeted to Homeless Persons
The following services for persons in the Palo Alto community who are very low-income,
homeless, or at-risk of becoming homeless, are provided with supplemental funding from the
City of Palo Alto either with CDBG or HSRAP funding. The goal of all the services listed is to
prevent homelessness, help move people out of homelessness and to reduce the number of
persons below the poverty line.
Alliance for Community Care: Mental health outreach and service linkage for Palo Alto's adult
homeless population. A casework counselor works in the Palo Alto area to help low-income,
disabled adults access existing mental health and other community resources.
City of Palo Alto Seasonal Jobs Program: Designates several temporary, seasonal employment
opportunities in various City of Palo Alto Departments, for persons who are homeless and
unemployed. The program is targeted to individuals who are motivated to improve their
situations and re-enter the work force.
Clara-Mateo Alliance Shelter: Shelter and transitional housing with casework counseling and
supportive services for homeless individuals, couples and families who are actively working
toward achieving their goals and overcoming homelessness.
Community Technology Alliance: Shelter hotline and voicemail services for homeless
individuals and families. The voicemail service helps case-managed clients attain individual
goals such as securing health care, housing or employment. A countywide housing information
and referral website was developed and is maintained to assist service providers and housing
seekers.
Emergency Housing Consortium: Shelter and supportive services to homeless persons at the
National Guard Armory in Sunnyvale, the San Jose Reception Center, and other transitional
housing programs in Santa Clara County operated by the agency. Supportive services include
meals, childcare, health care, information and referra~ and job and life-skills training.
Shelter Network -Mid-Peninsula Housing Program: Transitional. housing with supportive
services in for previously homeless families with children at Haven House and First Step for
Families transitional housing facilities. Also provides a shelter to serve single adults in
Redwood City.
La Comida de California: Provision of affordable, nutritious meals to Palo Alto's elderly
population at various locations throughout the City, including: Avenidas Senior Center,
Stevenson House and Cubberley Community Center.
Mayfield Community Clinic: Basic primary health care services and health education and
referral services to uninsured low-income and homeless individuals from the Palo Alto area.
Palo Alto Housing Corporation -SRO Hotel Tenant Counseling: Counseling and case-
management services for the low-income residents and prospective residents of single room
City of Palo Alto 168 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
occupancy hotels in Palo Alto including the Barker Hotel at 439 Emerson Street. Many SRO
hotel residents have a history of homeless ness and special needs. The program plays a vital role
in helping the residents maintain their stability and housing.
Second Harvest Food Bank: Distnbutes supplemental groceries and food services to very low-
income seniors and people with disabilities through the Operation Brown Bag Program.
Groceries are distributed weekly at the Ventura School site to income eligible participants.
Support Network for Battered Women: Emergency shelter and supportive services for victims of
domestic violence, primarily battered women and their children. Supportive services include
food, transportation, counseling, and legal services. Victims ~ften must deal with issues of
homelessness in the context of a violent domestic situation.
Urban Ministry of Pal~ AltolInnVision: Services for very-low income or homeless persons
including bagged groceries, hot meals, emergency shelter, information and referral, case-
management and money management (payee) programs. The Urban Ministry staffs the outdoor
morning drop-in center located behind the Red Cross building at 400 Mitchell Lane. Bagged
groceries are distributed daily at the Downtown Food Closet located at 425 Hamilton Avenue in
Palo Alto. The Urban Ministry has merged with InnVision, a very experienced provider of
services, emergency shelter and transitional housing.
Catholic Charities Long Term-Care Ombudsman Program: Agency provides confidential
advocacy and complaint· investigation services to the approximately 897 residents in Palo Alto's
licensed long-term care facilities.·· Program beneficiaries are the frail, chronically ill, primarily
elderly residents in Palo Alto's licensed skilled nursing and residential care facilities. Agency
staff and volunteers investigate complaints, including allegations of abuse and neglect, seek fair
resolution to problems, and promote residents' rights for quality care and quality of life in the
long-term care setting.
Transition from Homelessness to Permanent Housing
Shelter Plus Care (S + C): The S + G program is administered through the Office of the Santa
Clara County Homeless Coordinator. It is a federal grant program that provides Section 8 rental
assistance to participating landlords on behalf of eligible tenants for a period of up to five years.
Extensive support services are a necessary and required component of the program that targets
people who are homeless and disabled. There are 10 housing units available for S + ~ clients in
Palo Alto.
The Barker Hotel: The Barker is owned and operated by the Palo Alto Housing Corporation
(P AHC), and has 25 units of permanent Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing at rents
affordable to persons with incomes between 30% and 50% of the median income. Rents range
from $325 to $433 per month based on size and whether they have their own bathrooms. Five of
the Barker's units are fully accessible by wheelchair users. Priority for occupancy is for persons
who are homeless (either unsheltered or sheltered), persons with disabilities, and persons with
extremely low-incomes. Three of the units are available with tenant based Section 8 subsidies
through the Shelter Plus Care program.
City of Palo Alto 169 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
Alma Place: Alma Place is located at. 753 Alma Street in Palo Alto, and is also owned and
operated by the Palo Alto Housing Corporation. The project, a 106-unit single room occupancy
resident hotel, is affordable to low-and very low-income persons due to the layering of subsidies
from City Housing Reserve funds, a private bank loan, an Affordable Housing Program (AJIP)
Grant, and an award oflow-income housing tax credits. The studio apartments rent for $375 to
$535 per month and are available to persons earning below 40% of the median income. Seven of
the units are available with tenant based Section 8 rental subsidies through the Shelter Plus Care
program.
Haven Family House: Shelter Network of San Mateo County owns and operates this transitional
housing facility for families with children located at 260 VanBuren· Road in Menlo Park.
Families reside in one and two bedroom apartments for two to four months depending on their
individual case plans and situations. Comprehensive case management, support services, and
on-site licensed childcare, plus one year of follow-up counseling are available to help families
break the cycle of homeless ness.
First Stm> for Families: Shelter Network of San Mateo County owns and operates this
transitional housing facility for families with children located at 325 Villa Terrace in San Mateo.
This is a newly constructed facility that provides comprehensive case management, support
services, and on-site licensed childcare.
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
The City of Palo Alto completed an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice on
February 6, 1996. That report identified a lack of housing options affordable to persons of low
and moderate income as the major impediment to housing choice. Housing discrimination was
also identified as an impediment, with cases based on familial status the most often reported.
However, the number of cases of discrimination against persons with physical and mental
disabilities has also been increasing.
The City of Palo Alto joined with other Santa Clara County entitlement jurisdictions to undertake
a countywide fair housing study that includes 2000 census data. The report fell behind schedule
but was completed in January 2003. The study includes a demographic analysis, a lendirig
analysis, a review of government programs and policies, a survey of Santa Clara residents and
service organizations, an assessment of the delivery of fair housing services, and
recommendations for new strategies. The information from the study was incorporated in the
revisions to the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice adopted by the City Council in .
May 2003.
Palo Alto plans to undertake the following actions to foster and maintain affordable housing and
to address housing discrimination during the 2005/06 fiscal year:
./ Provide tenant/landlord counseling and mediation services for Palo Alto residents through
the Palo Alto Mediation Program (Project Sentinel) .
./ Support the Countywide website that lists subsidized housing opportunities, wait lists and
vacancies.
City of Palo Alto 170 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Appendix C: 2005 -2006 Program Year Action Plan
./ Provide CDBO funding to the Housing Development Fund for the potential development ofa
new affordable housing site in Palo Alto .
./ Continue to support the Human Relations Commission in their documentation and
investigation of hate crimes, and in their support of diversity, disability, and affordable
housing issues .
./ Continue to monitor the provision of fair housing services to ensure that adequate services
are being provided, and that services are provided cost effectively .
./ Work with the Santa Clara County CDBG entitlement cities in their effort to implement any
recommended improvements to the delivery of services on a regional basis .
./ Provide funding to a fair housing provider, funded by and selected jointly by the cities of
Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale to reduce discrimination in housing by:
a. Investigating cases of housing discrimination
b. Conducting consultations with persons who believe they have been discriminated
against
c. Maintaining a pool of trained testers for investigations and conducting training's
d. Maintaining a panel of attorneys for referral and coordinating meetings for
participating attorneys
e. Running ads in the Palo Alto Weekly, San Jose Mercury News, and other media
outlets
f Distributing fair housing brochures
g. Running public service announcements for local radio/TV broadcasts
h. Making educational presentations to the community
1. Monitoring and reporting on rental sites
J. Showing educational videos on housing discrimination on local cable TV
k. Organizing an event for National Fair Housing Month
Amendments to Plan
Prior to the submission of any substantial change in the proposed use of funds, citizens will be
provided reasonable notice of, and the opportunity to comment on, any proposed Action Plan
amendment( s). .
Urgent Need Activities
In the event of a local, state or federal disaster declaration for areas within the boundaries of the
City of Palo Alto, the City reserves the right to use CDBG or other available federal funds to
abate immediate and necessary hazards. Such funds may be used for staff efforts, loans, or
outright grants to affected parties, as approved by City Council and allowable under the pertinent
Federal Guidelines.
Monitoring of Activities
The City of Palo Alto follows the monitoring requirements for the use of Federal funds as
directed by HUn. The City's Department of Planning and Community Environment monitors its
housing production goals and all the activities carried out to further the goals of the Consolidated
City of Palo Alto 171 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan
Funding Matrix
The applicant must provide the funding matrix shown below, listing each program for which HUD funding is being
requested, and complete the certifications.
Grant Program* HUD Applicant Other HUD iother Federa State LocalfTribal Other Program Total
Share Match Funds Share Share Share Income
CDBG 779,281 62,570** 73,788 915,639
Grand Totals 779,281 62,570 73,788 915,639
* For FHIPs, show both initiative and component
**Reprogrammed Prior Year's Funds
Certifications
I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that no Federal appropriated funds have been paid; or will be paid, by or on behalf
of the applicant, to any person for influenCing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress, in connection with the awarding
of this Federal grant or its extension, renewal, amendment or modification. If funds other than Federal appropriated funds have
or will be paid for influencing or attempting to influence the persons listed above, I shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL,
Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying. I certify that I shall require all sub awards at all tiers (including sub-grants and contracts) to
similarly certify and disclose accordingly.
Federally recognized Indian Tribes and tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs) established by Federally-recognized Indian tribes
as a result of the exercise of the tribe's sovereign power are excluded from coverage of the Byrd Amendment, but State-recognized Indian
tribes and TDHEs established under State law are not excluded from the statute's coverage.
This application incorporates the Assurances and Certifications (HUD-424B) attached to this application or renews and incorporates for
the funding you are seeking the Assurances and Certifications currently on file with HUD. To the best of my knowledge and belief, all
information in this application is true and correct and constitutes material representation of fact upon which HUD may rely in awarding
the agreement.
23. Signature of Authorized Official Name (printed)
Frank Benest
Title Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
City Manager 0510912005
Previous versions of HUD-424 and 424-M are obsolete. Page 2 of2
form HUD-424 (01/2003)
ref. OMB Circular A-102
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CERTIFICATIONS
In accordance with the applicable statutes and the regulations governing the consolidated
plan regulations, the jurisdiction certifies that:
Affirmatively Further Fair Housing --The jurisdiction will affirmatively further fair housing,
which means it will conduct an analysis of impediments to fair housing choice within the
. jurisdiction, take appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments
identified through that analysis, and maintain records reflecting that analysis and actions
in this regard.
Anti-displacement and Relocation Plan --It will comply with the acquisition and relocation
requirements of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies
Act of 1970, as amended, and implementing regulations at 49 CFR 24; and it has in effect
and is following a residential antidisplacement and· relocation assistance plan required
under section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as
amended, in connection with any activity assisted with funding under the CDBG or HOME
programs.
Drug Free Workplace --It will or will continue to provide a drug-free workplace by:
1. Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture,
distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited
in the grantee's workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against
employees for violation of such prohibition;
2. Establishing an ongoing drug-free awareness program to inform employees about
(a) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace;
(b) The grantee's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace;
(c) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance
programs; and
(d) The penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse
violations occurring in the workplace;
3. Making it a requirement that each employee to be engaged in the performance of
the grant be given a copy of the statement required by paragraph 1;
4. Notifying the employee in the statement required by paragraph 1 that, as a
condition of employment under the grant, the employee will -
(a)
(b)
Abide by the terms of the statement; and
Notify the employer in writing of his or her conviction for a violation of a
criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace no later than five calendar
days after such conviction;
LOCALCERTS 10100
.')
5. Notifying the agency in writing, within ten calendar days after receiving
notice under subparagraph 4(b) from an employee or otherwise receiving
actual notice of such conviction. Employers of convicted employees must
provide notice, including position title, to every grant officer or other
designee on whose grant activity the convicted employee was working,
unless the Federal agency has designated a central point for the receipt of
such notices. Notice shall include the identification number(s) of each
affected grant; ,
6. Taking one of the following actions, within 30 calendar days of receiving
notice under subparagraph 4(b), with respect to any employee who is so
convicted -
(a) Taking appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and
including termination, consistent with the requirements of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as amended; or
(b) Requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse
assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a
Federal, State, or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate
agency;
7. Making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through
implementation of paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Anti-Lobbying --To the best of the jurisdiction's knowledge and belief:
1. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of it,
to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of
any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any
Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan,
the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation,
renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or
cooperative agreement;
2. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid
to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of
any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress,or an
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant,
loan, or cooperative agreement, it will complete and submit Standard Form-LLL,
"Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions; and
3. It will require that the language of paragraph 1 and 2 of this anti-lobbying
certification be included in the award documents for allsubawards at all tiers
(including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under grants, loans, and
cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose
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accordingly.
Authority of Jurisdiction --The consolidated plan is authorized under State and local law
(as applicable) and the jurisdiction possesses the legal authority to carry out the programs
for which it is seeking funding, in accordance with applicable HUD regulations.
Consistency with plan --The housing activities to be undertaken with CDBG, HOME,
ESG, and HOPWA funds are consistent with the strategic plan.
Section 3 --It will comply with section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of
1968, and implementing regulations at 24 CFR Part 135.
Signature/Authorized Official Date
City Manager
Title
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Specific CDBG Certifications
The Entitlement Community certifies that:
Citizen Participation --It is in full compliance and following a detailed citizen participation
plan that satisfies the requirements of 24 CFR 91.1 05~
Community Development Plan --Its consolidated housing and community development
plan identifies community development and housing needs and specifies both short-term
and long-term community development objectives that provide decent housing, expand
economic opportunities primarily for persons of low and moderate income. (See CFR 24
570.2 and CFR 24 part 570)
Following a Plan --It is following a current consolidated plan (or Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Strategy) that has been approved by HUD.
Use of Funds --It has complied with the following criteria:
1. Maximum Feasible Priority. With respect to activities expected to be assisted with
CDBG funds, it certifies that it has developed its Action Plan so as to give
maximum feasible priority to activities which benefit low and moderate income
families or aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight. The Action Plan
may also include activities which the grantee certifies are designed to meet other
community development needs having a particular urgency because existing
conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the
community, and other financial resources are not available);
2. Overall Benefit. The aggregate use of CDBG funds including section 108
guaranteed loans during program year(s) 2005-2006, , (a
period specified by the grantee consisting of one, two, or three specific
consecutive program years), shall principally benefit persons of low and moderate
income in a manner that ensures that at least 70 percent of the amount is
expended for activities that benefit such persons during the designated period;
3. Special Assessments. It will not attempt to recover any capital costs of public
improvements assisted with CDBG funds including Section 108 loan guaranteed
funds by assessing any amount against properties owned and occupied by
persons of low and moderate income, including any fee charged or assessment
made as a condition of obtaining access to such public improvements.
However, if CDBG funds are used to pay the proportion of a fee or assessment
that relates to the capital costs of public improvements (assisted in part with CDBG
funds) financed from other revenue sources, an assessment or charge may be
made against the property with respect to the public improvements financed by a
source other than CDBG funds.
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The jurisdiction will not attempt to recover any capital costs of public improvements
. assisted with CDBG funds, including Section 108, unless CDBG funds are used to
pay the proportion of fee or assessment attributable to the capital costs of public
improvements financed from other revenue sources. In this case, an assessment
or charge may be made against -the property with respect to the public
improvements financed by a source other than CDBG funds. Also, in the case of
properties owned and occupied by moderate-income (not low-income) families, an
assessment or charge may be made against the property for public improvements
financed by a source other than CDBG funds if the jurisdiction certifies that it lacks
CDBG funds to cover the assessment.
Excessive Force --It has adopted and is enforcing:
1. A policy prohibiting the use of excessive force by law enforcement agencies within
its. jurisdiction against any individuals engaged in non-violent civil rights
demonstrations; and
2. A policy of enforcing applicable State and local laws against physically barring
entrance to or exit from a facility or location which is the subject of such non-violent
civil rights demonstrations within its jurisdiction;
Compliance With Anti-discrimination laws --The grant will be conducted and administered
in conformity with title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 USC 2000d), the Fair Housing
Act (42 USC 3601-3619), and implementing regulations.
Lead-Based Paint --Its activities concerning lead-based paint will comply with the
requirements of part 35, subparts A, B, J, K and R, of title 24;
Compliance with Laws --It will comply with applicable laws.
Signature/Authorized Official Date
City Manager
Title
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· APPENDIX TO CERTIFICATIONS
INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING LOBBYING AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE
REQUIREMENTS:
A. Lobbying Certification
This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance
was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission
of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this
transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who
fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not
less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.
B. Drug-Free Workplace Certification
1. By signing and/or submitting this application or grant
agreement, the grantee is providing the certification.
2. The certification is a material representation of fact upon which
reliance is placed when the agency awards the grant. If it is later
determined that the grantee knowingly rendered a false
certification, or otherwise violates the reqUirements of the Drug-
Free Workplace Act, HUD, in addition to any other remedies
available to the Federal Government, may take action authorized
under the Drug-Free Workplace Act.
3. . For grantees other than individuals, Alternate I applies:
24 CFR 24.600(a)(1) A grantee, other than an individual
shall certify to the agency that it will provide a drug-free
workplace. (This is the information to which jurisdictions
certify).
4. Workplaces under grants, for grantees other than
individuals, need not be identified on the certification. If
known, they may be identified in the grant application. If the
grantee does not identify the workplaces at the time of
application, or upon award, if there is no application, the
grantee must keep the identity of the workplace(s) on file in
its office and make the information available for Federal
inspection. Failure to identify all known workplaces
constitutes a violation of the grantee's drug-free workplace
requirements.
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5. Workplace identifications must include the actual address of
buildings (or parts of buildings) or othersites where work
under the grant takes place. Categorical descriptions may
be used (e.g., all vehicles of a mass transit authority or State
highway department while in operation, State employees in
each local unemployment office, performers in concert halls
or radio stations).
6. If the workplace identified to the agency changes during the
performance of the grant, the grantee shall inform the
agency of the change(s), if it previously identified the
workplaces in question (see paragraph five).
7. The grantee may insert in the space provided below the site(s) for the
performance of work done in connection with the specific grant:
• Place of Performance (Street address, city, county, state, zip code)
City of Palo Alto
250 Hamilton Ave.
Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, CA 94301
Check _ if there are workplaces on file that are not identified here; The
certification with regard to the drug-free workplace required by 24 CFR part 24,
. subpartF.
8. Definitions of terms in the Nonprocurement Suspension and
Debarment common rule and Drug-Free Workplace
common rule apply to this certification. Grantees' attention
is called, in particular, to the following definitions from these
rules:
"Controlled substance" means a controlled substance in
Schedules I through V of the Controlled Substances Act (21
U.S.C.812) and as further defined by regulation (21 CFR
1308.11 through 1308.15);
"Conviction" means a finding of guilt (including a plea of nolo
contendere) or imposition of sentence, or both, by any
judicial body charged with the responsibility to determine
violations of the Federal or State criminal drug statutes;
"Criminal drug statute" means a Federal or non-Federal
criminal statute involving the manufacture, distribution,
dispensing, use, or possession of any controlled substance;
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"Employee" means the employee of a grantee directly
engaged in the performance of work under a grant,
including: (i) All "direct charge" employees; (ii) all "indirect
charge" employees unless their impact or involvement is
insignificant to the performance of the grant; and (iii)
temporary personnel and consultants who are directly
engaged in the performance of work under the grant and
who are on the grantee's payroll. This definition does not
include workers not on the payroll of the grantee (e.g.,
volunteers, even if used to meet a matching requirement;
consultants or independent contractors not on the grantee's
payroll; or employees of subrecipients or subcontractors in
covered workplaces).
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,i