County says Pacifica rehab reaches 30% design; $1.2M state funds must be encumbered by June 30

County and City of Davis officials told the Jan. 8 2x2 meeting that rehabilitation work on buildings A and B at the Pacifica site has reached a 30% design milestone and that a cost estimate from the county’s cost estimator will be available next week.

Ryan Steen, the county’s director of general services, said the 30% design gives a clearer picture of financial feasibility and that the county may bring a work authorization to the Yarrow County Board on Jan. 28 to authorize the architect to complete 100% design and bidding documents. Steen said plans and specifications would then return to the board in late March or early April for approval to go to bid; his goal is to have a construction contract encumbered by the end of the county fiscal year so funds tied to the project can be spent as construction carries into the next fiscal year.

Nolan Sullivan, Yarrow County Health and Human Services director, told the meeting the program side remains committed to using Pacifica for housing needs, particularly family homelessness, and described a looming funding deadline: “We have $1,200,000 budgeted for this project in CalWORKs housing support funds. Those funds do expire on June 30th this year. They have to be spent or encumbered.” Sullivan said the county has rolled the funds forward twice and is preparing a contingency (plan B) if the project cannot be encumbered by that deadline.

County staff described programmatic changes made during design. A building that had been planned with dormitory‑style spaces was redesigned for studio and one‑bedroom apartments, with private bathrooms and laundry, to support longer‑term tenancy among CalWORKs clients. Sullivan said the county believes the studio/one‑bedroom model will increase housing stability for families and that the county can share plans for use by the city for other buildings on the site.

City staff and supervisors asked about the status of the other buildings on the site (C and D). City staff said C and D remain partly occupied and that the city has not yet set timelines for those buildings; the county indicated its work on A and B will influence timing for other buildings and that C and D will follow a different trajectory. The city also reported deferred‑maintenance items (HVAC, fire panel, water heaters) and mold that will be addressed as part of broader remediation and reconstruction.

County staff outlined contingency options if the 30% cost estimate comes in above available funding: resize the project, use bid alternates to defer scope, or identify additional funding sources. Steen said past projects have used bid alternates and resizing to reconcile estimates and budgets.

Next steps identified in the meeting: county receipt of the 30% cost estimate, potential Jan. 28 board item to authorize completion of design, coordination on public outreach and neighborhood meetings when appropriate, and an effort to encumber CalWORKs funds before the June 30 deadline if feasible.