City Council Unanimously OK's Funding for Local Nonprofits

The City Council last night unanimously voted to give three local nonprofits — , the  and  — money to fund affordable housing and homeless prevention programs for another year.

The funding, normally paid for with redevelopment monies, this year is being taken out of the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, a pool that developers pay in to for affordable housing programs.

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, received $99,281, nearly $5,000 more than they got last year. 

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, got its full grant request of $130,000 OK'd to help provide assistance to low-income Rohnert Park families. Last year the nonprofit was only given $106,000.

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, this year received $70,000 — $12,600 more than last year. 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. 

Councilmember Joe Callinan said he was concerned about giving nonprofits more money this year compared to last, given the city's $2 million budget deficit for this upcoming fiscal year and negotiations with public employees over cuts to salaries and benefits.

"We're not increasing the funding, we're simply giving them what they've asked for," Babonis said. 

Babonis said the money isn't coming out of the general fund, and couldn't be used to pay for salaries and benefits.

"The character of a city is determined by how you take care of those in need and we’re in the worst time of need right now," Mayor Gina Belforte said. "I’m very much for this." 

Editor's note: Click on the video to the right to view one of the recent projects undertaken by Rebuilding Together.