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Rohnert Park staff to pursue state Home Key Plus funding for two potential permanent supportive housing projects
Summary
City staff told the Rohnert Park City Council it will continue due diligence on two sites proposed by Burbank Housing for permanent supportive housing under the state's Home Key Plus program and seek County operational funding before submitting one application; council voiced consensus to proceed with analysis and return with a proposed site resolution in January.
Rohnert Park officials told the City Council on Nov. 19 they will continue analyzing two proposed permanent supportive housing sites for a state Home Key Plus application and come back with a recommendation early next year.
"The application has to be the primary applicant as a public entity," said Ali Judy, the city's director of development services. Judy said the state's Home Key Plus round totals about $2.25 billion and that the program may award up to roughly $35 million per project. She reminded the council that Rohnert Park previously used $14.6 million from an earlier Home Key round for a 60-unit interim housing project at Leath Landing.
Jenna Garcia, the city's housing manager, described two sites Burbank Housing proposed: a redevelopment at the Providence/Medical Center Drive site listed in the city's housing element for about 76 units, and a Best Western hotel on Redwood Drive that is in pre-foreclosure. Garcia said both sites currently appear viable but staff recommended moving forward with only one application for resource reasons, including staff capacity and long-term operating costs that would likely fall to the county.
Rich Wallik, senior director of housing finance at Burbank Housing, told the council Providence has offered additional funding and that parking at that site appears sufficient. He said both proposals could be competitive for Home Key Plus.
Public commenters were split between caution and support. Resident Steve Keith urged the council to ensure prior promises and reports related to Leath Landing were completed before seeking more funding and warned about the risk of misused funds. Callum Weeks encouraged the council to move forward and praised the city's initiative to pursue stable, permanent supportive housing.
Staff said the state expected to release a Notice of Funding Availability by late November or early December, and an application portal possibly in January 2025; awards will be issued on a rolling first-come, first-served basis. The city would serve as the prime applicant but would not necessarily manage long-term operations: "The long-term commitments would be really for the developer," Judy said, adding that the developer will need to secure operational funding and coordination with County Behavioral Health for supportive services.
Council members asked staff to continue discussions with the county about ongoing operations, to include tribal and neighborhood outreach as the application is refined, and to return with a proposed site resolution in January or as soon as the state portal opens. The council signaled consensus to continue the analysis of both sites and to pursue one application if staff recommends doing so.
Next steps: staff will continue due diligence on the Providence and Best Western sites, coordinate with County Behavioral Health on possible operating funds, and return to the council with a recommendation on which site to nominate for a Home Key Plus application.
