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Council approves new contract with Rise Housing to administer Certino’s BMR program; public raises responsiveness concerns
Summary
Council authorized a three‑year contract with Rise Housing to administer Certino’s below‑market‑rate program and approved a general‑fund appropriation to pay for the service; housing commissioners and public commenters urged clearer applicant safeguards and a formal feedback mechanism after reports of slow response and process issues with prior administration.
The Certino City Council on May 19 authorized a three‑year contract with Rise Housing Inc. to provide administration services for the city’s below‑market‑rate (BMR) housing program, and approved a general‑fund appropriation to fund the work.
Senior Housing Coordinator Nikki Vu described a competitive RFP process that ran from November through January and included interviews with the highest‑scoring respondents. The recommended contract covers administration of resale and rental BMR units, lottery and wait‑list management, income certification, landlord and tenant notices, and other program functions. The proposal that staff recommended would provide a three‑person team (program lead, manager and specialist) at an approximate cost of $160,000 per year, and the council approved an appropriation of $470,650 to allow execution and transition.
"Rise Housing showed the strongest understanding and preparation of the work expectations," Vu said, adding staff had negotiated scope and reviewed cost proposals in consultation with legal and finance teams. The contract term is FY26–27 through FY28–29.
Several speakers at the dais and in public comment recounted prior frustrations with BMR administration. A planning commissioner and members of the public said applicants and developers reported slow responses, lack of clarity about screening requirements, and concerns about how resales and realtor commissions had been handled. One resident said a prospective buyer was rejected late in the process after a credit‑check issue, a sequence that residents and developers said could be made less disruptive with clearer upfront screening and improved applicant communication.
"We can certainly look at adding a more robust front‑end screening and an anonymous feedback mechanism," Director of Community Development Ben Fu told council; staff said several such process changes would require separate council action (for example, adopting a new administrative fee for resale processing or moving to a year‑round doorways/centralized wait‑list platform).
Why it matters: Certino’s BMR program uses inclusionary rules to ensure a share of market‑rate development is reserved for low‑income households. Over the next several years, staff said the city will confront expirations of affordability on older rental units (many created in the 1990s) and will need administrative capacity to manage notices, tenant support, and potential rehousing or affordability preservation strategies.
Next steps: The city manager will execute the Rise Housing contract; staff committed to returning to council if they recommend structural changes that require ordinance or fee actions (for example, seller fees for resale administration or a move to a year‑round, BAHA/doorways listing platform). Staff invited anyone with a specific complaint about past administration to provide details so staff can investigate.
