Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

6:30 PM

Oak Park Community Center

3524 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

*These meeting minutes are unapproved. The Oak Park RAC will take action on the minutes at the October 12th RAC meeting.

I. Call to Order

Committee Chairperson, Edenausegboye Davis, called the meeting to order at 6:36 pm.

II. Roll Call

Committee Secretary, Linda McDonald, conducted roll call.

Present: Bud Aungst, Kim Curry-Evans, Edenausegboye Davis, Chris Ganson, Edgar Hilbert, Mary Lou Lackey, Linda McDonald, Eric Straub, Rose Thomas

Absent: Nou Lor, Sandy Redmond, James Taylor

Staff Present: Chris Pahule, Eve Silverman, Erika Bumgardner

III. Welcoming Remarks

Edenausegboye Davis welcomed members of the community. She reviewed procedures with regard to speakers being recognized by the chair, members raising their hands, the use of speaker cards and the 3-minute limit for speakers from the public.

IV. Approval of the August 10, 2005 RAC Meeting Minutes

The minutes were approved unanimously.

V. Redevelopment Items

A. Oak Park Community Center Phase II – Chris Pahule, SHRA

This is a request for approval of $1.6 million to help fund Phase II of the Oak Park Community Center, which includes a full court gymnasium, restrooms, office space, moving the existing court and play equipment and program expansion. Dave Mitchell from the City of Sacramento Department of Parks and Recreation gave a presentation along with Hinda Chandler. Depending on the amounts that are bid for the project and possible fundraising efforts, this project may also include a stage, storage and support facilities. These may also be accomplished through future expansion. Design will take place in the next 2 months and the project will be managed by the City. There will be a RAC member on the panel. Design will be in January of ’06, with construction beginning approximately 12 months later.

This was considered a high priority in the Park Planning Guide. The additional staff and maintenance budget for this project may come from a budget increase of $825,000 being requested from the City Council to fund the expansion of teen and after school youth programs.

Public member Tom Sumpter noted that lots of public input went into the park plan and also the concern that there will be ongoing funding for staffing, maintenance and supplies.

The expenditure was approved unanimously and Chris Ganson was appointed to the architectural review committee.

B. Affordable Housing Tools – Christine Groth Weichert, SHRA

At the last Oak Park RAC meeting, members requested more information about financing mechanisms for affordable housing. Christine Weichert is the manager of housing finance at SHRA and she presented information on median income and how low and moderate income is calculated. In addition, she presented the various financing options, including possible restrictions on equity and recapture of equity gains for reinvestment. Recapture is a common tool used by SHRA and Habitat for Humanity.

C. Formation and Appointment of Members to the Donner Field Project Review Subcommittee – Erika Bumgardner, SHRA

In response to the issues that came up at the previous meeting with regard to the Donner Field Project, SHRA requested that the RAC form a subcommittee to participate in reviewing the design, density, parking and other issues. Sacramento Mutual Housing will work closely with the subcommittee. Meetings will be approximately 2 per month, from now until February of ’06. The RAC approved the formation of the subcommittee and members Aungst, Curry-Evans, Hilbert and McDonald were appointed.

D. Oak Park Bond Allocation Presentation and Discussion – Chris Pahule, SHRA

Oak Park properties have had a 75% assessed value increase in the last 5 years. Interest rates have been favorable and the redevelopment area is in a position to sell $20 million in bonds. On October 25^th the City Council is planning to authorize bond documents and loan agreements and by the end of November the bonds will be priced and closed. We need to plan for where this money will be spent and a major portion of the next three RAC meetings were suggested for shaping our investment strategy.

The last bonds were issued in 1999 and the window of time that these funds will cover could be approximately 5 years – though there are many variables that would affect that timeframe.

E. Appointment of Oak Park RAC Representative to the Weed and Seed Steering Committee – Erika Bumgardner, SHRA

The City of Sacramento is preparing to apply for a competitive federal grant program called Weed and Seed. Weeding is another word for cracking down on crime and Seeding involves positive programs like intervention, treatment and community development programs. If successful, this grant would provide $175,000 to be split between policing and programs. A steering committee is being formed and the City would like a volunteer from the RAC. Straub volunteered.

VI. Oak Park Redevelopment Area Project Updates – Chris Pahule, SHRA

1. Erika Bumgardner is the new Oak Park Redevelopment Planner. Eve Silverman is retiring after 27 years of service to SHRA and the community.

2. There were four bids on the 4^Th Avenue Lofts project. The costs of construction are rising and one bid was $700,000 over estimates. Construction should begin soon.

3. The DDA for the Regent Project was approved by the city Council. On October 13^th it goes to the Planning Commission at the Old City Hall. There was only one negative comment, which was submitted in writing.

4. Sacramento Neighborhood Housing Services is working on moving the bungalow on the East side of Stockton Blvd. at 8^th and 43^rd.

5. Responses are not forthcoming from the 2 liquor stores’ buyout offers. $1.1 million has been allocated.

6. Rebuilding Together is holding its major event on October 22, 2005. See the web site for details and please join us for the opening ceremony at 7 AM at Temple Park. SHRA is sponsoring the home of Lotar Lampe.

7. Copies of the Draft Design Review Guidelines were sent to everyone at the previous meetings, posted on the SHRA web site. Comments are due September 15^th. We will work with the consultant before going to another round of community review.

VI. Informational Items

None

VII. Communication from RAC Members and Public on Items Not on the Agenda

A. Can we look into the air conditioning here – it’s freezing?

B. McKeithern asked if the pricing problems at 4^th Street Lofts will hold up the project. Pahule responded that it’s 90% sure that they will begin soon.

C. Marcia Johnston appreciates the development and improvements going up. She asked about the timing of the Regent and Donner Projects and asked when they will be completed. Pahule responded that since they are private developments, we can’t say for sure. SHRA would like to see the bungalow get moved first, then most likely it will be the Regent Project and later the Donner Project.

D. Raphael Miles presented a letter to the RAC because he is concerned about the possible demolition of the Red Fox Market, which he owns. He has been out of business for 3 years, since the Food Source opened with lower prices. He would like to remodel the store on his property and is not interested in selling it for the proposed Broadway/MLK Project.

VIII. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.