Inglewood council receives report on South Bay Regional Housing Trust and Measure A funding

The Inglewood City Council on Feb. 3 received a staff report and presentation on forming the South Bay Regional Housing Trust, a joint powers authority intended to administer Measure A voter funds and support 100% affordable housing projects across the South Bay.

South Bay Cities Council of Governments senior project manager Ronson Chu said the trust would allow participating cities to use voter-allocated Measure A dollars (the presentation referenced $7,300,000 in funding) for activities the regional COG cannot undertake directly, including development loans, construction pre-development loans and preservation of existing affordable housing. "What we're here to do is 100% affordable housing," Chu said. "The question is whether we should have a housing trust with the funding that we're getting from the voters."

Jackie Bachrach, representing the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, outlined a governance structure with one elected official from each participating city on the trust board, two trust directors with housing expertise, and an advisory committee. Bachrach said the trust would not have authority to regulate local land use, levy fees or consider projects the city did not request, emphasizing that "you're in the driver's seat with this." She said initial staffing could be provided by the council of governments with consultants hired as needed and that, based on Measure A receipts, the trust could likely avoid charging city dues in year one.

Bachrach described a timeline in which the trust would form after at least four cities formally join, with a first meeting and study sessions planned for April through June and a governance meeting targeted for April 23. The presentation noted other regions had formed housing trusts and then absorbed Measure A funds; the presenters said not having a trust constrains the kinds of lending and preservation activities that are possible under Measure A.

Council members voted to receive and file the report. The council did not take further formal action at this meeting on establishing the JPA; staff and presenters said cities would consider joining the trust and a separate JPA approval would follow the trust's formation process.

The presentation referenced an ongoing evaluation of at least one Inglewood project using Measure A funds. Additional details such as exact membership commitments, the trust's initial staffing plan, and long-term dues policy were described as pending and subject to the trust board's future decisions.