REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director
Planning and Development Department
PHIL SKEI, Assistant Director
Planning and Development
BY: KENG LEE, Project Manager
Housing Production Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to land use for Tiny Homes (Bid File 12303048):
1. Adopt a finding of an Affordable Housing Exemption in accordance with Section 15194 of the California Environmental Quality Act.
2. Approve an Agreement to provide up to 24 tiny homes to the Lowell Community Development Corporation to provide affordable housing to low income households at or below 60% of the area median income.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a finding of an Affordable Housing Exemption in accordance with Section 15194 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and approve an ARPA agreement with Lowell Community Development Corporation (CDC) to award up to 24 tiny homes to the Lowell CDC to provide affordable housing to low income households at or below 60% area median income (AMI) throughout the city, and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to sign all implementing agreements.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno (City) is seeking to award up to 24 tiny homes constructed by Fresno City College students and paid for with State and Local Fiscal Recover Funds (SLFRF). Staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on June 16, 2023, and received one proposal from the Lowell CDC. This proposal was determined to be qualified and responsive to the RFP. Based on the evaluation completed by a selection committee, staff recommend awarding Lowell CDC up to 24 tiny homes to provide affordable housing to low income households at or below 60% AMI.
BACKGROUND
On September 29, 2022 the City Council adopted Resolution number 2022-217 committing an amount not to exceed $850,000 to Fresno City College to enable their students to build 24 tiny homes to be utilized by the City to provide affordable housing to low-income residents.
On March 30, 2023, pursuant to Resolution number 2022-217 the City Council approved a SLFRF agreement with Fresno City College in the amount of $849,209 to construct 24 tiny homes to be utilized by the City to provide affordable housing to low-income residents.
Fresno City College’s Construction Program has completed 8 tiny homes and is on schedule to build the remaining 16 by September 30, 2026 in compliance with their agreement. Each home consists of one-bed and one-bath and is approximately 160 square feet in size. Fresno City College partnered with California Tiny Houses, a private enterprise organization, to provide the design, materials list, and inspection support. The Tiny Homes are furnished with a refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, and solar panels. Upon completion of the construction of each tiny home, they are inspected and determined to meet the American National Standards Institute 119.5 building requirements, as outlined in the City of Fresno guidelines for Tiny Homes/Backyard Cottages.
Staff issued an RFP on June 16, 2023, requesting proposals for Developers to provide site(s) for the placement of the tiny homes. The City received one proposal from Lowell Community Development Corporation. A selection committee comprised of representatives from the City’s Homeless Services, Housing Finance, Housing Production, and Current Planning Divisions of the Planning and Development Department evaluated the proposal.
On August 23, 2023, the committee met and evaluated the proposal’s ability to meet the stated service requirements, conform with the terms and conditions of the RFP, the level of costs associated with providing services, the organization’s past performance and experience, and other related information that was provided. On September 20, 2023, the committee held an interview with Lowell CDC to better understand their vision for the project. The committee determined Lowell CDC to be qualified to receive up to 24 tiny homes to be placed on site(s) throughout the city. Lowell CDC will receive tiny homes in phases to ensure the success of the program and all performance milestones are met.
Lowell Community Development Corporation
The Lowell Community Development Corporation is a community-based organization that is passionate about creating safe, healthy, and affordable housing opportunities across the communities. They welcome the opportunity to creatively address the housing crisis in the community by utilizing tiny homes and ADUs to diversify housing options, add density, and affordability. Each tiny home will serve individuals or small families (up to 2 persons) who are low income, earning at or below 60% AMI. These tenants may be seniors, individuals at risk of homelessness, age out foster youth or have disabilities.
The properties will be owned by Lowell CDC or by single family owner-occupied residents, partner organizations and community members who have signed an authorization of agent and site control agreement with Lowell CDC to establish site control. This project advances Strategy #35 of the One Fresno Housing strategy which encourages partnerships between CBO’s and communities to increase the amount of affordable housing through the development of ADU’s.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The project is exempt under Section 15194, Article 12.5 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
CEQA Guidelines identify exemption criteria for agricultural housing, affordable housing, and residential infill projects, and applicable projects that fulfill these criteria have been determined to have no significant effect on the environment and shall be exempt from the provisions of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable because of the use of state funds.
FISCAL IMPACT
No City funds are included in the agreement.
Attachments:
CEQA Environmental Assessment for the Fresno Infill Tiny Homes Project
Agreement with Lowell CDC