Loading...
AHA - 2024/02/13ANAHEIM HOUSING AUTHORITY REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 13, 2024 The Anaheim Housing Authority regular meeting of February 13, 2024 was called to order at 5:35 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Anaheim City Hall located at 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. in joint session with the Anaheim City Council. The meeting notice, agenda, and related materials were duly posted on February 8, 2024. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson Ashleigh E. Aitken and Authority Members Norma Campos Kurtz, Jose Diaz, Carlos A. Leon, Natalie Rubalcava, Stephen Faessel, and Natalie Meeks STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Jim Vanderpool, City Attorney Robert Fabela, and Secretary Theresa Bass ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDAS: No additions/deletions related to the Anaheim Housing Authority agenda. PUBLIC COMMENTS (all agenda items): No in -person or electronic public comments were received related to the Anaheim Housing Authority agenda. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS: Vice-Chairperson/Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz highlighted and shared photographs of events in District 4 including a community meeting at Hermosa Village. She thanked the Police Department, Anaheim Public Utilities, Public Works, and Code Enforcement for addressing issues and answering questions. The meeting was held to address speeding issues, parking issues, and lighting issues along Walnut Street and in that general area. She stated she learned about some of the residents that are being evicted on Walnut Street at that meeting. She participated in a Valentine's Day walk on Guinida Lane and it was a joy to see changes have been made to address the concerns and highlighted that Anaheim Public Utilities worked with Guinida Lane apartment managers to improve the lighting in the area. She thanked the community for contacting the City to request improvements. Vice-Chairperson/Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz thanked Republic Services for addressing trash pickup issues in District 4. On February 12th, a meeting was held at Hermosa Village to address the eviction notices that residents on Walnut Street are receiving from the new owners. She thanked Housing and Community Development Director Grace Ruiz-Stepter and her team for reaching out to the new owner and getting concessions from the new owner for these residents. One of the concessions is that residents with school aged children do not have to move until the school year is over to not interrupt the student's education. The Housing and Community Development Department team will be assisting individuals in finding a new place to live. She thanked Chairperson/Mayor Aitken and Code Enforcement staff for attending the meeting. Vice-Chairperson/Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz invited everyone to visit Melchor Bakery in District 4 on the corner of East Street and Vermont Avenue, which offers Mexican bread, cakes, and pastries. The owner is very proud to be at his new location surrounded by friendly businesses and welcoming residents. Authority Member/Council Member Diaz stated that 99 percent of the businesses in District 1 are owned by immigrants or first generation Americans. He invited everyone to visit Los Anaheim Housing Authority Minutes of February 13, 2024 Page 2 of 5 Alazanes, a Mexican restaurant at the corner of Knott Avenue and Ball Road. He stated that the owners have five locations in Southern California and the restaurants are open 24 hours a day. They offer homemade Mexican food including tacos, burritos, beans, carve asada, al pastor, fish, aguas frescas, and their prices are affordable. He asked everyone to support local businesses. Authority Member/Council Member Diaz referenced Senate Bill 357 (SB 357) and stated that August 1, 2022 was a dark day for California because Governor Newsom signed SB 357 into law legalizing loitering and solicitation of prostitution in California. He stated that all this law has done is abandon the victims of human trafficking. He asked Assemblymembers Valencia and Quirk -Silva and Senators Umberg and Newman to repeal SB 357. Authority Member/Council Member Diaz stated that he read a report that prostitution has increased in California since SB 357 was signed into law, but stated he does not need a report to tell him that because he can see an increase in prostitution from his home. He stated that these women need protection, and he believes they have been abandoned by SB 357. He encouraged everyone to contact their State Representatives to repeal SB 357. Authority Member/Council Member Faessel requested adjourning the City Council meeting in memory of Ken Heffernan and Thomas Niall Phillips. Mr. Heffernan retired after a 20 year career in 2021 as a City of Anaheim Public Utility Senior Electric Utility Inspector. He started his career in Anaheim's warehouse in 2001 and worked his way up to major projects such as undergrounding and infrastructure upgrades. Thomas Niall Phillips was a District 5 resident for almost 50 years. He recently passed away at the age of 91. He was born in Legaweel, Ireland and immigrated to the United States in 1958. He and his wife Isobel purchased their home in Anaheim in 1977 and were married for 64 years. Authority Member/Council Member Faessel shared that he and his wife Susan will be celebrating 52 years of marriage. He shared that he along with other Authority Member/Council Member colleagues attended the Project S.A.Y. Teen Center ribbon cutting ceremony at the Brookhurst Community Center. He spoke about the Brick by Brick Retail Startup Program which teaches entrepreneurs how to start a business, how to put a business plan together, and how to advertise. Authority Member/Council Member Faessel stated he was looking forward to congratulating the first graduating class. He along with Chairperson/Mayor Aitken and Authority Member/Council Member Leon attended the Black History Parade and Unity Festival. He stated it was a lot of fun and was well attended. He shared that the Lunar New Year started a few days ago and shared that Ash Wednesday is on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2024. Authority Member/Council Member Rubalcava highlighted and shared photographs of events in District 3 including the first district meeting of 2024 at the community center. She thanked City staff, Anaheim Public Utilities, Public Works, Anaheim Police Community Policing Team led by Sergeant Lopez, and the Fire Department for sharing updates. She thanked Chairperson/Mayor Aitken for attending the District 3 meeting and stated it was wonderful that she attended and was able to hear concerns from District 3 residents. Authority Member/Council Member Rubalcava welcomed the newest District 3 resident Emiliano Andrew Lopez Perez. He was born on February 6, and his mom is Housing and Community Development Commission District 3 Commissioner Cassandra Perez. She stated she is delighted to have a new member of the community living in District 3. Authority Member/Council Member Leon invited everyone to District 2's first coffee event of the year "Cafecito Con Carlos" (Coffee with Carlos) on Saturday, February 17 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Starbucks located at 1626 Katella Avenue between Euclid Street and Ninth Street. He shared that in collaboration with Mayor Aitken's Office, there will be a park cleanup and beautification project on Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Modjeska Park. He encouraged everyone to make a difference in the community by visiting the Love Anaheim Anaheim Housing Authority Minutes of February 13, 2024 Page 3 of 5 website and signing up for the event. He thanked the entire Meals on Wheels team for the tour of their facilities. He toured the kitchens where the meals for seniors are made, and he was also able to deliver meals to members of the community. He also visited their senior daycare program and dropped off cupcakes. He stated it was great to see seniors in the community being taken care of. Authority Member/Council Member Leon thanked the Orange County Heritage Council for the opportunity to be a part of the Black History Parade and Unity Festival. He stated it was a great time and gave a shout out to Project S.A.Y. Grupo Folklorico for joining the parade. They did an excellent job dancing and representing both Project S.A.Y. and the City of Anaheim throughout the event. Authority Member/Council Member Leon stated that he had an opportunity to volunteer with the County's Point In Time Count a few weeks ago, along with Supervisor Sarmiento, the City Net Community Care Response, and the Anaheim Housing and Community Development Team. He stated this was a great opportunity to see how many homeless individuals are still living on the streets, and how City efforts have or have not made a difference from two years ago. It was also an opportunity to hear firsthand stories from unhoused individuals. He thanked everyone who helped organize the count or who volunteered to be a part of this important effort. Authority Member/Council Member Leon highlighted and displayed photographs of the January 2024 Business of the Month, Exceed Performance. He stated the business is a powerlifting gym, located off Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue. Exceed Performance hosts competitions and they help strengthen members of the community. Their mission is to cultivate and inspire individuals in all aspects of strength training, powerlifting, and overall health, regardless of experience level. He thanked Henry the owner, for offering him the opportunity to train at the facility. He thanked the entire team for their dedication and passion to make Exceed Performance, the powerhouse it is. Chairperson/Mayor Aitken highlighted and shared photographs of events she attended including the Walnut Street Community Meeting at Hermosa Village. She thanked the residents who took the time to walk through the buildings and the owner's representative for listening and taking notes from Code Enforcement on how to make this transition as seamless as possible. She thanked Project Access for hosting the meeting space and for staffing and welcoming everyone. Chairperson/Mayor Aitken stated she grew up watching the Superbowl and she had the unique opportunity of welcoming Superbowl MVP Patrick Mahomes to Anaheim. Main Street at Disneyland was lined packed with Kansas City Chiefs fans. She stated it was a fast turnaround for the resort and she was not sure how they put the parade together so fast, but they made it look seamless. She stated it was an honor for Anaheim to be able to host the Super Bowl MVP. Chairperson/Mayor Aitken thanked the Orange County Heritage Council and their team for all the work that goes into the Black History Parade and Unity Festival. She stated it is an honor for Anaheim to host the only Black History Parade in Orange County. She thanked the Public Works Department for letting her ride in the brand new street sweeping truck and stated it was a hit. Chairperson/Mayor Aitken thanked Access California Founder & Executive Director Nahla Kayali and her team for all the work they do in the community. She spent time learning about all the amazing resources they offer and visited an English as a second language class for those studying to get their citizenship. She stated that Access California not only helps the Arab American immigrants and refugees, but also families from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and from everywhere in the world who are seeking a better life by coming to the United States. Chairperson/Mayor Aitken stated that she attended the District 3 Community Meeting as well as meetings in District 1 and 2. She thanked all the residents that came out to show their interest in the City of Anaheim. The District 4 Community Meeting will be February 15, the District 5 Community Meeting will be February 21, and the District 6 Community Meeting will be February 22. She invited everyone to join her and City Council Members from those districts to learn about what is going on in their Districts. Chairperson/Mayor Aitken congratulated the City Manager's Office for all the countless work that went into the Strategic Planning Workshop held Anaheim Housing Authority Minutes of February 13, 2024 Page 4 of 5 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The City Council spent the day providing input that was received from residents at different community events. Surveys were also filled out by residents and staff members regarding what they want to see in the City's future. The City's Executive team also provided input on priorities. Chairperson/Mayor Aitken thanked her City Council colleagues for thoughtfully listening to each other and trying to find common priorities. She stated that she looks forward to bringing this back as an initial draft and still soliciting more community input about what the top priorities of the City should be moving forward. CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE: City Manager Vanderpool stated that as a result of the City Council's leadership, staff initiated the cold weather shelter program for last week's heavy rains. Anaheim First Christian Church was the first cold weather shelter to open, serving 24 people overnight on February 4th through 71h Five individuals were placed into the Anaheim Emergency Shelter at the Salvation Army campus as part of the next step out of homelessness. He along with Council Member Faessel visited the campus and were impressed with the church and operation. The Love Anaheim team along with Housing and Community Development staff, including Linda Ly, Nadia Martinez and Sandy Lozeau, played a big role setting up and taking in those who stayed. City Manager Vanderpool referenced a demographic survey of who stayed at the shelter, and thanked City Net for the critical role they played in gathering the information. The CCRT team canvassed the City and vetted those on City streets. They provided transit to and from the church, ensuring no congregation at the shelter to make sure it was a good neighbor. The program is expanding with two other churches set to be ready in the next two weeks. Staff continues to monitor forecasts for upcoming rain and other activation conditions. In late January, the Housing and Community Development team took part in the regional Point In Time Count. The count takes place every two years to better understand who is living unsheltered in the City and around the region. The City's team worked a late shift walking La Palma Park, Pearson Park and downtown Anaheim, among other areas. The Point In Time Count will provide insight into the City's homeless community and how best to use resources to get people off the streets. The City is accepting applications for the new Anaheim Youth Advisory Council. The youth council will support and advise on youth, teen, and children's programs, events and more. There are 18 positions for Anaheim residents ages 14 to 17 or 18 if still high school or home school. There will be three members from each council district after an application and interview process. The deadline is Friday, February 16, 2024. For more information, visit Anaheim.net/AYAC. The City is also seeking the next poet laureate to serve as the City's literary ambassador and to inspire a love of poetry, reading, writing and the arts. The next poet laureate will serve a two-year term starting this spring. Anaheim's poet laureate holds free workshops at City libraries, leads poetry readings at City events and inspires interest in the arts. The City of Anaheim is one of only a handful of California cities to have a poet laureate, along with Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Laguna Beach. Visit Anaheim. net/PoetLaureate for more information. At 7:23 p.m., Mayor/Chairperson Aitken recessed the Anaheim City Council to address the Anaheim Housing Authority agenda. Anaheim Housing Authority Minutes of February 13, 2024 Page 5 of 5 CONSENT CALENDAR: At 7:23 p.m., Authority Member Faessel moved to approve the consent calendar as presented, in accordance with reports, certifications, and recommendations furnished each Authority Member and as listed on the consent calendar, seconded by Authority Member Meeks. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Chairperson Aitken and Authority Members Kurtz, Diaz, Leon, Rubalcava, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. 1. Approve Professional Services Agreements, in substantial form, between the City of AGR-14547 Anaheim and the Anaheim Housing Authority with four consulting firms, each in an AGR-14548 amount not to exceed $200,000 per agreement, for on -call labor compliance services to AGR-14549 support state and federally funded housing and capital improvement projects each for a AGR-14550 two year term, commencing February 13, 2024 with two one-year optional renewals; authorize the Executive Director of the Anaheim Housing Authority, or designee, to execute, implement, and administer the agreements; and authorize de minimis changes that do not substantially change the terms and conditions of the agreement as determined by the Office of the City Attorney (Comprehensive Housing Services, Inc.; GCAP Services, Inc.; Opportunity Marketing Group, Inc.; and Willdan Engineering) [related to City Council Agenda Item No. 13]. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, without objection, Chairperson Aitken adjourned the meeting of the Anaheim Housing Authority at 7:23 p.m. Ily submitted, Therd4a Bass, CMC Secretary, Anaheim Housing Authority