[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6552372,"mediaKeyId","5118114-9cff4ac819588ee2909f78e06c739032","parentId",5118114,"title","Hanford council approves annexation, two CFDs and sends hotel-tax increase to November ballot; selection of city-manager search firm also approved","audioSeconds",7065,"startMs",3891000,"endMs",10956000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5118114-9cff4ac819588ee2909f78e06c739032&start=3891&end=10956","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5118114-9cff4ac819588ee2909f78e06c739032/thumbnail_3891000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6552372/Hanford/Kings-County/California/Hanford-council-approves-annexation-two-CFDs-and-sends-hotel-tax-increase-to-November-ballot-selection-of-city-manager-search-firm-also-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552372-e98b09346a3b8c899ae899c9592b234c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179589&Signature=QyiMsdH9i4~w~P8tg0VblqOvd4XAkDWG65RSd1CuhkKtza~eWz8HqPLWNjB26AbIkKenuAdRe-TA2OD~aEd2dzo66wmbZVNLPJoVcf2kS~g6cNdUvyJxq6HhD4kDPnIONyFrJCAbn9aFTJp4gfjTVWpibdpO0bHaG08pTb4M-xWNRxL13gZG0eZ8SEqsUdGvJL2lOSrUlIsbLRkZ4Lc1oB2K50dDfXNsgyGowBjhvLkpKuq3~snl3vXnWe00MZtRsAIxoTNopS2krzlN77AsmLEuGktZo5TaVsRE9H0vCJtIvfPCfuPmGw16RNBfmJKFg6ZMR1otH9GNtc68uADeOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Hanford","date","2025-07-01T00:00:00Z","article","Hanford's City Council on July 1 approved a series of land-use and fiscal measures intended to fund services tied to new development, maintain existing neighborhood landscaping, and raise potential general revenue via a hotel-tax ballot measure.

The council recorded unanimous and near-unanimous votes on multiple items, including two community facilities districts (CFDs) that will impose special taxes on new subdivisions to pay for public safety and maintenance services; formal adoption of the city's 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan; and an action to move forward with the city's annual landscape-assessment engineers report and the associated levy process. The council also selected Bob Murray & Associates to lead a nationwide city-manager recruitment and approved sending a proposed transient-occupancy tax increase to the November 4, 2025 special election.

Votes at a glance:

- Community Facilities District (CFD) 2025-1 (Public Safety services): Council adopted resolutions to form the CFD, call a special election and accept the landowner election results. Landowners within the proposed CFD returned consent forms and the ballots showed the landowner vote in favor; council adopted the resolutions and waived the first reading of the implementing ordinance. Council vote recorded: 5-0 on the resolutions and ordinance first-reading waiver. (See provenance: staff presentation and recorded landowner ballots.)

- Community Facilities District (CFD) 2025-2 (Public Maintenance services): Council adopted formation and election resolutions after receiving the landowner ballots (one landowner ballot was returned and recorded as a yes). Council recorded the results and waived the first-reading of the implementing ordinance. Vote recorded: 5-0. (Provenance: staff presentation and ballot count.)

- Annexation (Island No. 15 / Annexation No. 166): Council initiated proceedings, introduced and waived first reading of the pre-zoning ordinance and adopted a resolution initiating annexation proceedings to submit to Kings County LAFCO. Vote recorded: final action passed 4-1.

- Landscape Assessment Districts (annual engineer's report; intention to levy proposed assessments): Council accepted the 2025-26 engineers report and declared the city's intent to levy assessments as outlined in the report, setting the public hearing for July 15 for final levy. Vote recorded: 5-0. Several council members discussed district fund balances, maintenance levels and policy questions about long-term assessment escalators and capital reserves.

- 2025 CDBG Annual Action Plan (Resolution 25-34-R): Council adopted the plan and budget that detail use of the city's CDBG entitlement for the coming program year. The adopted plan lists a total entitlement and program income package and includes a $200,000 allocation to Kings Community Action Organization's Food Bank Service Center (the KCAO presentation occurred earlier in the council's study session). Vote recorded: 5-0.

- Selection of firm for city manager recruitment (Consent calendar, Item D): Council approved the recommendation of its subcommittee to select Bob Murray & Associates to conduct the city-manager recruitment and authorized staff to execute a contract. Vote recorded: 5-0.

- Transient Occupancy Tax measure (hotel tax): Council adopted a resolution to place a measure on the November 4, 2025 special-election ballot asking voters whether to increase the city's transient-occupancy tax (hotel tax) from 8% to a maximum of 12%; staff estimated the measure would raise approximately $375,000 annually if approved. Vote recorded: 5-0.

What it means: The CFDs create a mechanism for new residential subdivisions to fund a proportional share of police, fire and maintenance impacts from buildout. The annexation extends city boundaries and pre-zones land consistent with the 2035 general plan, transferring service responsibility from Kings County to the City of Hanford pending final LAFCO approvals. The CAD/engineer actions and the subsequent July 15 hearing keep the city on schedule to place assessment levies on the county tax roll for fiscal 2025-26 if the council finalizes approval.

Council members asked staff for follow-up and policy work on several items: clarifying the detailed funding assumptions behind CFD and assessment calculations, reviewing the spike/decline patterns in individual Landscape Assessment District fund balances, and returning with more information on whether the city can perform some engineer-report tasks in-house to reduce consultant costs. Staff also noted that the city will continue required public-notice and ballot procedures for CFDs and assessments.

Ending: All council votes recorded on July 1 are available in the official minutes; several items require follow-up hearings or procedural filings with Kings County LAFCO and the county assessor before taxes or service changes take effect.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hanford - City Council - Jul 01, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Hanford's City Council on July 1 approved a series of land-use and fiscal measures intended to fund services tied to new development, maintain existing neighborhood landscaping, and raise potential general revenue via a hotel-tax ballot measure.","taxTitle","Hanford, Kings County, California","taxId",4030,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6552378,"KCAO details $22 million Food Bank Service Center with 200-bed low-barrier shelter for Hanford",1814,175000,1989000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5118114-9cff4ac819588ee2909f78e06c739032&start=175&end=1989","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5118114-9cff4ac819588ee2909f78e06c739032/thumbnail_175000.jpg","/articles/6552378/Hanford/Kings-County/California/KCAO-details-22-million-Food-Bank-Service-Center-with-200-bed-low-barrier-shelter-for-Hanford","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552378-e1fa789ec115cf4d8970d4c1a9fee92c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179589&Signature=cWm6Kr8mloi8sUWJnH9Q0wPneoDmziyXp1qaITBdzSZIAzflfqiJhdy9McuXJuh8EjhtqbbwF5ZaCphFC4YAmOBmpZeGBJVV24pB74rcvukc55v8BN5pR~Acf8D6wp3scn26siLJiQIRsaLaqAm6KBK-Z3o5Jn9-2CI9FsguCUk6p0bjtmD2n4TJpKGbpOQDjoRlPwoMdxsbEAtTQzOWXX7oc1XfLvlgabZjPNImmCrW8z65mBcd3JcvvBMukrVx-xj473x1SxiNWdE2ExTTD8jqJ60H8fmDftaa3eSAh1SVrMeJvkFPjQdYg7D-ufpfAWe7pIs4sgTK-n1g0BKgKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kings Community Action Organization outlined plans Tuesday for a new Food Bank Service Center in Hanford that would combine a low-barrier shelter, centralized kitchen and a large food-distribution pantry in a three-phase, $22 million project.

Juan Torres, special project administrator with Kings Community Action Organization (KCAO), told the City Council the center would be located at 11096 Tenth Avenue (the southwest corner of Ramona and Tenth Avenue), across from the fairgrounds, and be built in three phases beginning with a 19,000-square-foot low-barrier shelter intended to serve up to 200 people.

The shelter would operate 24 hours and include a 130-seat cafeteria, showers, laundry, intake offices, day rooms and storage for client belongings. KCAO plans separate wings for men and women — 130 beds for men and 70 for women — and is designing pet kennels and a dog run so clients can keep animals on site. Torres said the center also plans space for mental-health, substance-use and job-training partners.

Torres described the full project as a three-phase build: phase 1 (low-barrier shelter) at about $8.7 million; phase 2 (a centralized commercial kitchen and conference/training space) at about $7.1 million; and phase 3 (a large food-bank warehouse and community pantry) at about $6.2 million. The total estimated cost is $22,000,000. KCAO began the project in November 2023 and is targeting October 2030 for full completion; the organization hopes phase 1 will be operational by March 2027, with construction scheduled January 2026 through January 2027.

KCAO reported it has secured roughly $8.5 million toward phase 1 but still anticipates a funding gap if pledged amounts do not materialize. Torres told the council that the project's prospective funding mix includes federal and state grants, city and county contributions, managed-care plan grants and philanthropy; he specifically credited a large gift from the Toss Family Foundation. He also said environmental review work required by some funders was completed between October 2024 and March 2025, and that the NEPA review, Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act checks found no disqualifying issues.

Torres said services currently provided by KCAO at its rented site in Lemoore would continue until the new site is ready and that the center's cafeteria and kitchen would serve residents and community members, including potential meal support for seniors or programs such as Head Start. He also said families with children who need shelter would be referred to KCAO's existing Seville women's shelter and that motel vouchers are among the transitional housing options KCAO uses.

Council members expressed support for the proposal and asked about operations and funding. Torres said KCAO is still finalizing operating rules and details such as pet policies, but emphasized a \"seamless transition\" of current food-bank services and the center's role as both a shelter and a community food resource. \"If they have a need that they express to us, then our plan would be to serve them,\" Torres said.

Why it matters: KCAO said the center would expand the county's capacity to serve people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity; KCAO noted a 2024 point-in-time survey showing most local unhoused people are single adult men and that 90% of Kings County's recorded unsheltered population is in Hanford. The project is intended to provide emergency shelter, food distribution and housing navigation services under one roof.

Ending: The council later approved the city's annual CDBG action plan, which allocates $200,000 toward the Food Bank Service Center (see \"Votes at a glance\" article for the formal vote). KCAO officials said they will run a capital campaign and continue to seek the remaining funds and regulatory approvals needed to begin construction.","Kings Community Action Organization presented designs and a phased timeline for a Food Bank Service Center in Hanford that would include a 200-bed low-barrier shelter, centralized kitchen and large food pantry; council later approved CDBG funding in the city's annual action plan that includes $200,000 toward the project.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hanford council approves annexation, two CFDs and sends hotel-tax increase to November ballot; selection of city-manager search firm also approved

KCAO details $22 million Food Bank Service Center with 200-bed low-barrier shelter for Hanford