Committee asks city attorneys and housing staff to report on reallocating funds for wildfire rental assistance

Committee members discussed agenda item 12, a proposal to reallocate certain funds into emergency rental assistance for households affected by the fires and to adjust fund categories to enable rapid emergency assistance.

Councilmember Blumenfield offered a modification to delete two recommendations and to ask the City Attorney (City Attorney—s Office), CLA and the Department of Housing to report back on whether funds can be reallocated under Administrative Code sections cited in the motion. Blumenfield said the Department of Housing should be explicit in the report because the department has been the implementer in prior programs.

Why it matters: Committee members sought both legal advice and operational clarity because the reallocation approach depends on administrative code language, voter instruction and the ability of the housing department to administer funds quickly for emergency rental assistance to tenants displaced or affected by the fires.

What the committee asked for - A coordinated report from the City Attorney, CLA and the Department of Housing that clarifies how funds from specified categories can be reallocated and the legal process required under Administrative Code section 22.615 (as referenced in the motion language). - That the report return with recommendations on contract modifications, program guidance and implementation steps to allocate funds to a city emergency rental assistance program.

Outcome: Committee members moved to adopt the item as modified and requested the joint report; the transcript records discussion and a motion to move the item as modified. The meeting record includes back-and-forth about which office should lead the legal analysis; staff indicated they would provide the requested assistance. No final ordinance or immediate funding transfer was adopted on the floor during the recorded session.