City Council to Vote on Funding for Local Nonprofits, Adopt 2011-12 Budget

Tonight's City Council meeting is all about budgets. The Council is expected to adopt the 2011-2012 budget, approve a set of citywide capital improvements and pass a financial policy that would prohibit use of reserve funds to supplement the general fund — a practice that City Manager Gabe Gonzalez said has. 

Also, the Council will vote on whether or not to set aside money to help local nonprofits , the and . The funding, normally paid for with redevelopment monies, this year is being taken out of the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which was set up in 2003.

Though city officials said this shouldn't be a permanent practice, it's necessary this year if the city wants to help fund local nonprofits. Because of the state's $4.1 million take from the city's redevelopment agency (Community Development Commission), officials are reporting that Rohnert Park's redevelopment cash reserves have been depleted. In addition, property taxes continue to fall because of housing foreclosures and a severely depressed real estate market and Gov. Jerry Brown is considering eliminating local redevelopment agencies, which local nonprofits to the services they're able to provide.

COTS

According to Linda Babonis, the city's housing and redevelopment manager, COTS, which manages five city-owned low income housing units in Rohnert Park for people at risk of becoming homeless, runs a permanent low-income housing project called Vida Neuva and develops life assistance programs for the needy, is asking the city for $85,281. 

A few examples of programs organized by COTS include: "Education House," a program that provides stable housing for parents attending college; "Kids First," a 12-week parenting course and mentoring program; and "Rent Right," a nine-week course in budgeting, money management and how to live independently.

SCAYD

SCAYD, which has operated in Rohnert Park fro 20 years, is asking the city for $130,000 to help provide assistance to low-income Rohnert Park families.

In addition to teen and adult counseling services, SCAYD offers assistance to people who are at risk of becoming homeless by providing people with last-minute food stamps, temporary housing and classes.

Between July 2010 and February 2011, SCAYD helped 240 people in 98 households with homeless prevention services, according to a staff report.

Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit that provides moderate to extensive home repairs for low-income and disabled residents, is asking the city for $70,000. According to a report, since 1999 Rebuilding Together has helped more than 200 homeowners make repairs to their houses.

So far this year, Rebuilding Together has helped eight families, of which six were disabled or elderly, six were under the age of 62 with disabilities and two were minors. Currently there are seven applications for assistance pending. 

Editor's note: View the 2011-2012 budget in its entirety by clicking on the PDF to the right.