Lake County board directs staff to pursue state Pro Housing designation to preserve grant access

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday opened a workshop on pursuing California’s Pro Housing Designation and the related Pro Housing Incentive Program, and by consensus instructed staff to continue preparing an application to preserve eligibility for state funding.

Lisa Judd, deputy county administrative officer for housing, told the board the workshop is intended to start the required public review and position the county for a March 31 application window. "We are excited to bring to you today ... the opportunity for the County Of Lake to become a pro housing designated jurisdiction in the State of California," Judd said.

Consultant Luke Linnenbush of 4 Leaf, Inc. summarized the program created by Assembly Bill 101 and explained key thresholds and scoring. Linnenbush said jurisdictions must meet a 30-point minimum to be eligible and that Lake County’s draft materials place the county "in the low forties" of points, above that threshold. He described the associated incentive funds: "There is a base funding for a jurisdiction of the county of Lake size of $250,000, with an additional $10,000 per point, up to 50 points," which makes higher scores worth additional PIP dollars.

Why it matters: the Pro Housing Designation gives jurisdictions priority access and additional points for a range of state funding programs, and PIP dollars can be used for production, preservation, rehabilitation and match for local housing trust funds. Staff noted the Lake County Regional Housing Trust Fund could be a local match recipient if the county allocates funds that way.

Board and public concerns: Supervisors and public commenters repeatedly urged attention to local conditions and protections for existing residents. Supervisor Swatier said the program can seem "slightly frustrating because it comes from a place that doesn't understand Lake County," adding that "building a house is at a loss in most areas around Lake County." He warned the county must consider whether the state-focused scoring aligns with local needs.

Residents and service providers urged the county to use the window of application to address preservation and vulnerable households. Rachel Millman Parsons, the county’s social services director, asked whether the PIP funds could be used to assist low-income seniors and preservation efforts, noting pressures from rising costs. "I'm trying to dig up all the resources to help this population," Parsons said. A mobile-home resident, Robert Sims, asked whether the plan includes protections from "predatory corporations" buying parks and displacing seniors; staff did not give an immediate programmatic remedy during the workshop.

Consultant Linnenbush addressed some concerns by noting PIP funds have been used in other jurisdictions for rehabilitation and preservation. "The city of Healdsburg used their PIP funds to rehabilitate housing for formerly homeless veterans," he said, citing examples of repair, habitability work and loan programs. He also reiterated that the draft application is production-focused for scoring but that the incentive funds themselves can be applied to a range of preservation and rehabilitation activities.

Outreach and next steps: staff said the workshop begins a 30-day public review period and that the draft application and a public survey will be posted on the county website. Linnenbush and Judd said they will also use established outreach lists and area-plan meetings to solicit input while being mindful of staff bandwidth and the program’s two-year implementation expectations. The consultant noted the current application is county-only, though joint multi-jurisdictional applications could be considered in future funding rounds.

Action taken: the board provided direction by consensus for staff to continue preparing the application and return later with a formal resolution authorizing submission. No final resolution or vote was taken at the workshop.

What remains open: the board and public asked for clearer protections for existing low-income and mobile-home residents, more detail about how PIP funds could be used locally for preservation, and active engagement with developers and service providers. Staff requested time to incorporate public feedback into the draft application during the 30-day review.

The county indicated it will post the draft materials and survey on the county website for public comment and return to the board with a resolution and any recommended implementation steps after further outreach.