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Senate panel hears plan to shift administrative staff to HCD and add chief deputy for housing finance
Summary
Officials told the Senate subcommittee a small number of administrative positions would move from the California Interagency Council on Homelessness and BCSH to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and requested authority for a chief deputy at the Housing Development Finance Committee; presenters said the changes are administrative and net zero to the General Fund, while members sought more detail on workload and long‑term costs.
The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 4 on Wednesday reviewed a proposal to realign staff and resources to support the governor’s housing and homelessness reorganization, including the transfer of several administrative positions and request for a chief deputy at the newly created Housing Development Finance Committee.
“My name is Amy Manicero, and I serve as the deputy secretary of fiscal policy and administration for BCSH,” said Amy Manicero, describing technical adjustments that would shift two Cal ICH positions to the Department of Housing and Community Development so those staffers “will be doing the same work at HCD that they’re currently doing at BCSH.” She said one additional position would move to HCD to support communications and external affairs and that the request for a chief deputy is for position authority only, with funding expected from administrative set‑asides tied to transferred programs.
Manicero and Department of Finance representatives emphasized the changes are administrative, not programmatic. “All of these adjustments result in a net 0 cost transition, so there are no additional burdens on the General Fund,” Manicero said.
Several senators pressed for more detail. The vice chair asked whether moving positions meant a permanent reduction in overhead at the originating agency and whether the chief deputy position’s funding was truly identified; Legislative Analyst’s Office staff and Department of Finance witnesses urged clearer explanation of how the chief deputy would be supported given the proposal’s reliance on unspecified administrative set‑asides. Manicero replied that the programs being shifted carry a 5 percent administrative set‑aside that would help support the position and that HCD also has resources to absorb administrative responsibilities.
Senator Cabaldon and others said they were uneasy adding communications and additional executive positions while the reorganization is still being implemented and without new funding for housing programs. Senator Cabaldon said it was important to understand whether the request would increase ongoing expenditures in future budget years. Manicero said HCD will provide administrative and IT services and that the staff moving would continue to perform the same duties.
The subcommittee held the item open and asked staff to provide a more detailed workload analysis and clarification of the chief deputy funding mechanism before any final action.
The committee did not vote on the proposal; it remains under consideration.
