TO: Housing Authority Commissioners
FROM: Jennifer Palmer, Director of Housing and Homeless Services
REPORT BY: Alex Carrasco, Staff Service Analyst
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Initiating the Ballot Process and Setting a Public Hearing on the Imposition of Assessments for County Service Area No. 4
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Housing and Homeless Services requests adoption of a Resolution regarding the assessments for County Service Area No. 4 (CSA No.4):
1. Acceptance of the Engineer's Report to provide funding for the farmworker housing centers;
2. Setting a public hearing for July 12, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. to hear protests, including tabulation of ballots from affected property owners;
3. Directing the Clerk of the Board to comply with applicable notice requirements, mailed notice and ballot for imposition of the proposed assessment; and
4. Designating Cathy Kisler-Caravantes of the County Counsel's office as the person to answer questions.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The recommended action commences the process necessary for County Service Area No. 4 to impose assessments on qualifying property owners for an additional five-year period. The assessments are imposed to provide funding for the three farmworker housing centers (Calistoga, Mondavi and River Ranch). Adoption of the resolution accepts the required Engineer's Report and starts the balloting process necessary under the requirements of Proposition 218, which will culminate in the imposition of assessments if a majority protest does not occur upon tabulation of the ballots.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Assessments are levied on qualifying property owners who have one acre or more of planted vineyards. The proposed assessments fund the farmworker housing activities and are budgeted in CSA No. 4. Currently, State legislation expressly defines that no assessment shall be greater than $15.00 per planted vineyard acre per year. Per the Engineer's Report, for Fiscal Year 2022-23 there are 45,133 assessable planted vineyard acres. Assessing the 45,133 acres at the maximum allowed rate of $12.00 per acre equals $541,601, which is approximately 33% of the full cost to operate the 3 housing centers, $1,650,821. The difference in cost is covered through farmworker rents and other contributions. |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Mandatory |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The proposed assessments fund the farmworker housing activities of CSA No. 4. If assessments are not imposed, or there is a successful Proposition 218 protest to the imposition of the assessments, CSA No. 4 would not have sufficient funding for the next five years. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The proposed assessments fund the farmworker housing activities of CSA No. 4. If assessments are not imposed, CSA No. 4 would not have sufficient funding for the next five years. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Healthy, Safe, and Welcoming Place to Live, Work, and Visit |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (14 CCR 15378) because the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect change to the environment.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In 2002, the Board of Supervisors established County Service Area No. 4 (CSA No. 4) to provide funding for farmworker housing programs. Subsequently, owners of parcels of real property containing one or more acres of planted vineyards approved an annual assessment not to exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) per year to provide such funding. The duration of the approval of the assessments is for five years as provided in Government Code section 25213.2, with the present five-year period expiring June 30, 2022. In order to levy the assessment for an additional five-year term, it is necessary to conduct another assessment balloting procedure in compliance with the requirements of Proposition 218.
Adoption of the resolution will implement the actions necessary to obtain qualifying property owners' approval to impose the assessment for another five-year period. As required, an Engineer's Report is submitted for acceptance. The report calls for a per acre levy of $12.00 for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
The Napa County Housing Commission, in its role as the CSA No. 4 Advisory Committee, has concurred with the Report's recommendation. The funds collected under the CSA No. 4 assessment program will be utilized to provide funding to assist the Napa County Housing Authority in its operation of the three farmworker housing centers known as River Ranch, Calistoga and Mondavi.
The proposed resolution calls for balloting procedures to commence, culminating with a public hearing on July 12, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., at which time the ballots will be tabulated and the assessment imposed unless a protest exists. A protest exists if the assessment ballots submitted in opposition to the proposed assessment exceed the ballots submitted in favor, weighing the ballots by the amount of the proposed assessment attributable to each parcel.