[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6127519,"mediaKeyId","2662820-0d05772586a71bb57439acd1c0086fc4","parentId",2662820,"title","Votes at a glance: Needles City Council, Jan. 14, 2025","audioSeconds",4751,"startMs",1419000,"endMs",6170000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2662820-0d05772586a71bb57439acd1c0086fc4&start=1419&end=6170","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2662820-0d05772586a71bb57439acd1c0086fc4/thumbnail_1419000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6127519/Needles-City/San-Bernardino-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-Needles-City-Council-Jan-14-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6127519-217d759b55468cceae251df82b6cf28d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193826&Signature=OnK-K2Jd4lWUugkQPnH9jQXhnUvdXB2Tkapc9jjsA74298wGGryNQ~ZKFR6tydrGd0uARFcppMu42dr~mmgJNffWN-NLbVSEQGaNkoEPFWgN64anUHsZwa8wH20SfNtmb7SZr7qCKk4IkAOK6DKaIbUFIK42Uc3sPitXnOTvay1KaF9MefBTZzeRiig7nDPx-O-xB0Ftj9DvejALpYx3P4~CLImWqvtzUGdBGhwSbIJ4jUyGeqo0dwhVBq1qcTobPHVE~ZzdSl4mS1XJuS71yFGURymlG5lX7nc~dyYJ-5JH2ao4UImyi~vU5jbfugW4jIs73EtqaG9RfB1iaqrfbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","cityof needles","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","At its Jan. 14 meeting, the Needles City Council approved a set of consent items and a series of resolutions and appointments. Key outcomes:

- Consent calendar (items 2–5): Approved by roll call after correction of two nominations in the minutes; minutes of Dec. 10 approved subject to those changes.

- Item 6 — Palo Verde Community College resolution: Adopted unanimously. The nonbinding resolution asks the college to expand in-person workforce programs, improve outreach and include local stakeholders on its planning task force; the council did not appropriate city funds.

- Item 7 — Affordable housing incentive (Resolution 2025-9): Adopted unanimously. The council approved a $135,000 HCD incentive agreement with the Brayboy Family Trust to rehabilitate 108–110 Chestnut Street into two units; the agreement requires a 50-year affordability covenant and annual tenant income recertification. Staff said the city’s remaining HCD allocation is roughly $445,000 and another rehabilitation (about 29 units) will be brought to council in two weeks.

- Run for the Wall co-sponsorship: The council authorized city co-sponsorship of the May event and in-kind services, estimated at $2,500.

- Board and agency appointments: Council confirmed multiple delegate/alternate appointments to regional boards and joint powers authorities. Appointments approved by roll call included representation on the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District, Southern California Association of Governments-related committees, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) delegate and alternate, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA) director/alternates, Mojave Desert Solid Waste/Integrated Planning JPA, the League of California Cities desert division delegate/alternate, and other routine interagency seats. (All appointments recorded as adopted by unanimous roll call unless noted.)

Votes were recorded by roll call on each motion; city staff will record and file executed contracts and affordability covenants where required. Where HCD funds are used, staff noted obligation deadlines and monitoring responsibilities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council 1 14 25","oneSentenceSummary","Council passed a package of routine and substantive measures including consent calendar approvals, a resolution supporting Palo Verde College, an HCD-funded Chestnut Street rehab, multiple board appointments, and a $2,500 co-sponsorship for 'Run for the Wall.'","taxTitle","Needles City, San Bernardino County, California","taxId",73446,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":46,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6127523,"Needles approves $135,000 HCD incentive for Chestnut Street rehab; 50-year covenant required",2272,3898000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2662820-0d05772586a71bb57439acd1c0086fc4&start=3898&end=6170","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2662820-0d05772586a71bb57439acd1c0086fc4/thumbnail_3898000.jpg","/articles/6127523/Needles-City/San-Bernardino-County/California/Needles-approves-135000-HCD-incentive-for-Chestnut-Street-rehab-50-year-covenant-required","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6127523-78faade04071bdd104b772aef15e6af4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193826&Signature=J3e5TOrP6UW48naghP-Z1~v~HxTJFfCvXPLq2XJxTJWrsQdpWlc0M8rsNpywpcOrfyaaFcxPR35cYQKbrdm-F7bJnYAMLDBLaadiYYb-ZGeY8AXt-ZC8WZEt-Pi9zbEqmd8V94XLGP8vKnkAozp1muJalv0oFwosvfnm0-sJl-aIdwwtaPSUTtps1AUkmteRAnMFxK~3II~AnGT-I7oheJuqVbD~HUOYkemC~EJvRgmgfFBxW49xssNYpWmAYuw7NrYSswPtiaJ~qc0TBHhF3v2jxTgL~MQ1Q15VBCUqX90G51WZpYpq-Grz-1WIVngLwCcVkqp-ehyFwk10FAct3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Needles City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 14 to approve a housing incentive agreement that will supply $135,000 toward the rehabilitation of a vacant building at 108–110 Chestnut Street into two rental units. The agreement with the Danny and Cynthia Brayboy Family Trust requires a 50-year affordability covenant and authorizes the city manager to execute the agreement.

Why it matters: The project is part of the city’s use of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) pro-housing incentive funds; city staff said the broader HCD allocation available to Needles totals roughly $445,000 and will support several small rehabilitation projects intended to bring vacant housing back into service for lower- and moderate-income households.

The council’s action authorizes the incentive payment and records conditions: the owner will sign a 50-year covenant that limits rents and requires annual income recertification for tenants. Staff explained the HCD guidelines use area income limits (an 80% area median income test) and that rents cannot exceed HCD’s formula; a consultant gave examples of the HCD caps used in other jurisdictions.

At the meeting, Mike Bracken of Development Management Group, who consults on affordability covenants for the program, explained how HCD’s income limits translate into maximum rents. “The maximum rent that can be charged is based on that 82,000… the maximum rent that could be charged is $2,050 a month for a family of 4,” he said, illustrating how the program’s caps compare to local market rents.

Property owner Danny Brayboy, participating by phone, said the rental properties he operates in Needles are intentionally priced low; “Our lowest rent is $715, and our highest is $978,” he said, adding the two rehabbed units will likely be offered at a similar market-friendly level.

Council discussion covered how the HCD funds must be spent quickly, how the covenant will be enforced, and whether the owner might accept federal Section 8 vouchers (staff said Section 8 participation would be at the owner’s option but that vouchers can be used if the property meets housing authority inspection standards). Staff and consultants noted that if a tenant’s income later exceeds the qualifying limit the tenant is given a transition period (approximately six to 12 months) before the unit is re-rented to an income-qualified household.

City staff said the Chestnut Street project will create two units (roughly 1,100–1,150 square feet each as described by staff), leverage the state incentive to return a vacant property to the rental market, and count toward the city’s grant spending obligations. The council approved the agreement by unanimous vote and authorized the city manager to execute the contract.

The council was told a second, larger rehabilitation project (about 29 units) will be returned to the council for approval in two weeks; staff said using the available HCD funds on several vacant-building rehabs offers a relatively low-per-unit cost compared with other state programs.","The council authorized an agreement with the Brayboy Family Trust to rehabilitate a building at 108–110 Chestnut Street into two income-restricted units using state housing incentive funds; the contract includes a 50-year affordability covenant and annual income recertification.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6127528,"Needles council urges Palo Verde College to expand in-person and workforce programs",2137,1693000,3830000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2662820-0d05772586a71bb57439acd1c0086fc4&start=1693&end=3830","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2662820-0d05772586a71bb57439acd1c0086fc4/thumbnail_1693000.jpg","/articles/6127528/Needles-City/San-Bernardino-County/California/Needles-council-urges-Palo-Verde-College-to-expand-in-person-and-workforce-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6127528-bbb0923bff057fa3cb5c1332e20735e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193826&Signature=b2WgjKfHS6Atokne-4BGSgV87RJAJdck97a7cG9nDne-PU3kaACuUm6LkheEpI4TZ2Mn6smgok5HYjCLACVVl~f1F6mZ5SeLQQal1yW5VKp1qDtOVQrEhRbXPuXHsWCXpYb-eIVUlGLnUcNXBeH~TR-B9BicfyzL2ISiQ5mfRpAzpqpIQtHK3g8kX4opqWvpP6QdbQjg4MBI4j6Bb75USCyDs4U-YNm0t17pRFEzIp-BagC3w2-xjHjOFBNI7V0PJdo2C6AEvTXOP6~P17EvG2LM1PVQG9HAQOfi8rBcQpWP4YO2N3wV2ofb8U-CQVZwFRXAnZKi2afpromPADGXdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Needles City Council on Jan. 14 adopted a resolution urging Palo Verde Community College to expand career-technical education and in-person services at its Needles campus, saying the goal is to boost workforce opportunities locally.

The resolution, passed unanimously, asks the college to prioritize workforce programs such as nursing, HVAC, plumbing and construction trades; to explore childcare services; and to form a community advising task force to help shape the campus’s plans. Council members and speakers emphasized the request is a statement of local priorities and not a directive to transfer additional city funds to the college.

Why it matters: City leaders and residents told the council the Needles campus has been underused despite district spending and local need for job-training programs. Supporters said stronger on-site courses, better marketing and a formal role for local advisors could keep more students in the community and feed local employers.

At the meeting, Rick Daniels, who brought the agenda item forward as a community advocate and former city manager, framed the resolution as a “call to action” to Palo Verde leadership. John McNeil, a Palo Verde Community College board member, told the council Needles “needs to speak with one voice” about expectations for the campus and asked the college to include local representation on its planning task force.

Jacqueline Randall, dean for the Needles site, described recent steps taken at the campus and the technical work still under way: “We’ve literally spent over a million dollars on revamping our equipment between the two campuses for the purpose of actually being able to IT livestream classes between the two locations,” she said, noting that some programs must still go through state certification processes.

Council members pressed for clarity on what the resolution requests and whether it required city funding. Staff and supporters repeatedly said the resolution is a statement of support that asks the college and the district to act, and that the council was not authorizing new city expenditures for the campus at this time.

The council also approved a small wording amendment to the draft: language about a proposed childcare facility was changed to encourage the college to “collaborate with community stakeholders” rather than naming the city itself as a required partner.

The resolution was placed before the Palo Verde board as formal local feedback. Supporters at the meeting included local residents, college trustees and campus staff; several speakers urged increased outreach to Needles high school students and veterans, and stronger marketing to nearby Arizona communities that might choose California courses.

The council’s action formally records the city’s expectation that the college increase in-person workforce offerings, coordinate with local stakeholders and report back through district channels. No binding appropriation or contractual commitment by the city was made as part of the vote.

The city manager and staff said they would transmit the resolution to Palo Verde Community College and request that the district include local representatives on its task force and follow up with the council on progress.

The matter was approved by unanimous vote.","The Needles City Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Palo Verde Community College to increase in-person career-technical classes, outreach and stakeholder collaboration for the Needles campus. Council clarified the measure does not commit city funds.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Needles City Council, Jan. 14, 2025

Needles approves $135,000 HCD incentive for Chestnut Street rehab; 50-year covenant required

Needles council urges Palo Verde College to expand in-person and workforce programs