* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME [00:00:01] TO THE AUGUST 25TH, 2026 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. YOUR CLOSED [CLOSED SESSION] SESSIONS THIS MORNING ARE EXISTING LITIGATION CALIBER CONTRACTING SERVICE INC. SERVICES INC. VERSUS COUNTY OF MERCED ETAL, MERCED SUPERIOR COURT, CASE NUMBER 26 CV DASH 0 3 3 4 2, SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION ONE CASE INITIATION OF LITIGATION, ONE CASE CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR PROPERTY THREE 17 15TH STREET, MERCED AGENCY NEGOTIATOR, NATHAN BRAY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS NEGOTIATION NEGOTIATING PARTIES, MERCER COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD, DBA, MERC COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY UNDER NEGOTIATION TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED LEASE TERMS CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR. PROPERTY IS APPROXIMATELY 1.75 ACRES LOCATED ON 16TH STREET SOUTH OF SPACECRAFT DRIVE AND NORTH OF SHUTTLE DRIVE AT CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER. IN ATWATER AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARK MIMS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATING PARTIES, NEW BEGINNINGS FOR MERCER COUNTY ANIMALS UNDER NEGOTIATION TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND VALUE CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR PROPERTY, APPROXIMATELY 27 ACRE PORTION OF APNS, ONE 70 DASH TWO 20 DASH 0 1 2 AND ONE 70 DASH TWO 20 DASH 0 1 11 AT 57 14 LAKE DRIVE, BORDERED ON THE SOUTH BY THE FAIRFIELD CANAL AND ON THE EAST BY THE LA GRANDE CANAL AGENCY NEGOTIATOR DAVE AND MARIANI, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER NEGOTIATION, NEGOTIATING PARTIES, MERCED COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, NATHAN DEVINE. UNDER NEGOTIATION TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE THE SALE OF AND VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO CLOSED SESSION. TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL. FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE IF YOU'RE CALLING BY PHONE TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS. WE WILL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. OKAY, AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. SEE, I SEEING NOBODY HERE. I'LL CHECK TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANYBODY ON THE ONLINE OPTION. MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO REMOTE ATTENDEES AT THIS TIME. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS IS NOW CLOSED. WE WILL NOW MOVE THE CLOSED SESSION. WHY DO YOU SAY THAT LIKE A COW? [10:00 A.M. REGULAR MEETING] GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE AUGUST 25TH, 2026 MEETING AT THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THIS MORNING WE HAD CLOSED SESSION AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY TONY SIMEON AND SUPERVISOR PACHECO WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE THEREAFTER. FIRST OFF, I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE INVITATION TO COME AND DO THIS TODAY. IT'S, IT'S, UH, QUITE AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY WITH YOU FOLKS. SO IF YOU WOULD WITH ME, PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER TODAY IN SERVICE OF MERCED COUNTY. LORD, WE ASK FOR THE WISDOM AND THE DISCERNMENT FOR THESE SUPERVISORS AND ALL THOSE ENTRUSTED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY. LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU GIVE THEM THE PATIENCE TO LISTEN, THE COURAGE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS, THE INTEGRITY TO ACT FAIRLY, AND THE WISDOM TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES MADE. THEIR DECISIONS PROMOTE THE SAFETY, PROSPERITY, AND WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE. MADE THE APPROACH TODAY, TODAY'S DISCUSSIONS WITH RESPECT, HUMILITY, AND THE COMMITMENT TO WORK TOGETHER FOR OUR COUNTY. WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND BLESSING UPON THIS MEETING AND UPON OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE. AND IT'S IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. READY TO DO I ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE PUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY JUSTICE FOR ALL. [PUBLIC COMMENT] IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA. TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL. FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE [00:05:01] STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE. IF YOU ARE CALLING BY PHONE TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS. WE WILL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME HAS EXPIRED, HMONG AND SPANISH AND STRAND TRANSLATORS ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. OKAY, AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO REGISTER OR RAISE YOUR HAND AT, UH, TIME TO SPEAK DURING THE REGULAR AGENDA, I WILL CHECK BACK AT THE END OF THE MEETING TO SEE IF PARTICIPANTS STILL WANT TO COMMENT. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S JEAN KUY AND I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND I'M GLAD TO SEE PEOPLE ARE, ARE HERE TOO, OTHER PEOPLE, AND, UM, YOU HAVE A GREAT BIG JOB TO DO. AND I'M RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HARVEST. I LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN AMMOND ORCHARD AND RIGHT NOW I'VE GOT DUST AND I'VE BEEN OUT HENDRICK THIS MORNING EVEN. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE THE BIG FIRE. IT'S NOT TOO FAR AWAY. ALWAYS CHALLENGES, BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE FAITH WE WITH WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE PUBLIC AND HAVING REPRESENTATIVES THAT LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE, WE CAN DO IT. YOU KNOW, I I REALLY HAVE FAITH. I I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR NUMBER ONE AND TWO TAKEN OFF. THIS IS REGARDING THE REPAIRS AT THE SANDY MUSH FACILITY. UH, IS THAT THE TIME TO DO IT? . OKAY. AND, UM, I, I DO FEEL POSITIVE A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE GREAT, BUT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND, UM, FIND SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I'M CHRISTIE MCCAMM, A HOUSING PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF, AND I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN EXCITING UPDATE TO OUR ONE, THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT IN LOS ANOS, AND THAT'S FUNDED BY THE CALIFORNIA ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION FUND AND THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH HOUSING FUND CONSTRUCTION IS WELL UNDERWAY. WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED THAT FOUNDATIONS ARE BEING POURED AS WE SPEAK, AND WE HAVE A CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION DATE PROJECTED, UM, AROUND JANUARY, MAYBE THE END OF DECEMBER. WELL, THAT'D BE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS PRESENT. UM, THIS PROJECT IS TO, UH, RESOLVE ENCAMPMENTS IN LOS ANOS AND WE ARE PROUD THAT WE ARE CREATING 58 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WITH SERVICES TO THAT COMMUNITY ON PREMISES. WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT WE'VE HAD FROM MERCED COUNTY. UM, THANK YOU TO JOHN CHELEY FOR THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND FOR THE GUIDANCE. WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL. WE ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY OF LOS BANOS WITH A HOUSING FIRST APPROACH AND WITH COMPASSION AND WITH EMPATHY, AND ALSO WITH EXPECTATION THAT THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF LOS BANOS. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NOT BE EXTRA TIME , Y'ALL KNOW, I LIKE TO TALK. UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. I WAS GONNA SAY, USUALLY FOR ANYBODY ELSE WE'D CONSIDER IT, BUT WE KNOW YOU. YES, ABSOLUTELY. UH, MY NAME'S SAM WRANGLE FROM MOST OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE YOU ALL KNOW ME. AND, UH, I JUST, WE'RE REPRESENTING THE CENTRAL VALLEY BARBECUE FESTIVAL, UH, THAT'S COMING TO MERCED, SEPTEMBER 6TH, UH, FROM 12 TO EIGHT O'CLOCK AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT STARTED AS AN INFLUENCER REACHING OUT TO ME WITH OVER 300,000 FOLLOWERS. HE SAID, UH, I'M FROM MERCED. I, I, I WANNA GET BACK TO MY COMMUNITY. AND I HEARD YOU WERE THE GUY TO TALK TO. AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? I SAID, UH, LET'S PUT THIS, LET'S PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING GREAT. AND SO, DUN DUN DUN. I DEVELOPED THE A TEAM, AND IN ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF, WE ARE BRINGING YOU THE FIRST EVER CENTRAL VALLEY BARBECUE FESTIVAL FEATURING THE BEST PIT MASTERS FROM FRESNO ALL THE WAY TO MODESTO. WE HAVE VENDORS COMING FROM ALL OVER, FROM, AGAIN, FRESNO TO MODESTO. NOT NOT JUST LOCAL, BUT WE'RE TALKING GUINE, NEWMAN, LAS BANDS. WE'VE BEEN HAVING VENDORS REACHING OUT FROM ALL OVER THE CENTRAL VALLEY THAT ARE EMBRACING THIS FESTIVAL. UH, WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERED WITH SOME LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS YOU GUYS HAVE PROBABLY ALL HEARD OF. MERCED GOT TALENT. WELL, THEY CALLED US AND SAID, HEY, HOW CAN WE JUST BRING THE TALENT SHOW TO THAT DAY SO THAT WE CAN FEATURE ALL THE YOUTH AND THE LOCAL TALENT? SO WE SAID, COME ON BOARD. SO THEY'LL BE FEATURED ON THE MAIN STAGE. WE'LL BE HAVING A LIVE TALENT SHOW THROUGHOUT THE DAY, ALONG WITH FOUR BANDS THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME. [00:10:01] UH, WE ALSO HAVE RED BULL COMING OUT REPRESENTING AND BRINGING THEIR, UH, RED BULL STAGE GONNA BE A PART OF THIS FESTIVAL. UH, THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP COMING UP IN MERCED. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF 'EM CALLED FINDERS KEEPERS, AND THEY'LL BE AT THE EVENT EARLY IN THE MORNING HIDING A BUNCH OF GIFTS AND RAFFLES. UH, THIS IS JUST GONNA BE A GREAT DAY FOR FAMILY TO COME OUT AND ENJOY SOME GOOD BARBECUE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME GOOD COMMUNITY. UH, AGAIN, I WANNA APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND OFFERED TO HELP. UH, SOME ALREADY HAVE MADE DONATIONS. I WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MR. PACHECO. I KNOW THAT'S YOUR DISTRICT, SO, UH, YEAH, WE EXPECT YOU TO MAKE DONATION. NO, I'M JUST KIDDING, . BUT, UH, ANYWAYS, I JUST WANNA PERSONALLY COME OUT AND INVITE YOU. ALSO, LET THE FAMILIES OUT THERE KNOW THE FIRST A HUNDRED FAMILIES. WE HAVE A COMMEMORATIVE, UH, ONE OF A KIND BAG THAT WE'RE GONNA GIVE THE FIRST A HUNDRED FAMILIES THAT WALK THROUGH THEM GATES. SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS OUT THERE AND JUST COME AND ENJOY THE BEST FOOD THAT YOU'RE GONNA TASTE IN A LONG TIME. AND HOPEFULLY WE MAKE THIS AN ANNUAL EVENT. THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS EVENT IS ALL THE MONEY THAT WE ARE RAISING IS GOING TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS A DIAMOND IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS THE HARO BROTHERS FOUNDATION. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW COACH HARROW MAN, HE DOES SO MUCH FOR THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MERCED, TIRELESSLY EVERY WEEKEND, THIS MAN IS DRIVING KIDS TO COMPETE IN TOURNAMENTS, AND IT'S COSTLY FOR HIM. SO WE'VE DECIDED THAT ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS EVENT ARE GONNA GO TO HIS FOUNDATION SO THAT HE CAN JUST CONTINUE HIS WORK WITH OUR YOUTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND, AND DO, DON'T WE HAVE A LOCAL CELEBRITY THAT'S GONNA BE BARBECUING? I, I'M, YES. SHERIFF MORKEY YES. WILL BE OUT THERE, . OKAY. HE BETTER. ANYWAYS. YEAH. . THANKS, SAM. OKAY, NEXT CHAIR. UH, STAFF. THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. UM, I DO HAVE SOME VISUAL AIDS WITH ME. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, IF I'M ABLE TO GIVE THESE TO YOU NOW OR NOT, BUT I DID BRING, UH, SEVERAL FOR EACH OF YOU ON THIS TOPIC. UM, I KNOW, GO AHEAD AND PUT 'EM IN THE BASKET RIGHT NEXT. SURE. YOU GOT IT. YEAH. I KNOW MOST OF YOU GUYS, UH, PERSONALLY AND I HAD AN EXPERIENCE THAT, UM, I KNOW YOU WOULD ALL WANNA KNOW ABOUT. UH, ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, I WAS NEARLY KILLED IN FRONT OF MY OWN HOME, UH, BY A DRIVER HEADED, UH, VERY QUICKLY TO SCHOOL, UH, AT CHEN WITH, UM, I LIVE OVER BEHIND CHEN WITH OVER THERE. UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE THAT THAT SCHOOL HAS A BACK ENTRANCE AND A FRONT ENTRANCE, UH, TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOL SERVICES OFFERED THERE. UM, I'VE ALWAYS NOTICED THAT PEOPLE DRIVE PARTICULARLY FAST TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL, UH, USUALLY RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LATE AND WHATNOT. UM, IN, UH, JUST THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS SINCE SCHOOL OPENED, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN WALKING TO THE SCHOOL, MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER'S KIDS, UH, BOTH GO TO CHINWE. UM, WE'VE ALMOST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS SINCE SCHOOL STARTED, BEEN HIT THREE TIMES. THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS THE TIME, THE TIME THAT I'M REFERRING TO THE GAL THAT WAS GOING PROBABLY ABOUT MY ESTIMATION, ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR DOWN. BROOKDALE WAS LOOKING DOWN AT HER PHONE AS WE WERE CROSSING THE STREET TO HEAD TO SCHOOL. UH, SHE CAME WITHIN ABOUT THREE FEET OF HITTING ME. UM, SO, UH, INSTEAD OF HERE SPEAKING YOU, MANY OF YOU PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN AT MY FUNERAL THIS WEEK. UM, THIS HAS BECOME KIND OF AN ISSUE. I INCLUDED HERE THAT THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT SIGNAGE. A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN OFF OF MCKEE TRYING TO GO THE BACK WAY TO THE SCHOOL AND ARE RACING DOWN EITHER TEAK OR BROOKDALE, UH, TRYING TO GET THERE. THERE IS NO SIGNAGE AT THAT INLET FROM MCKEE WARNING THEM THAT THIS IS A SCHOOL ZONE. THERE ARE ABOUT, AS I CAN BEST ESTIMATE, THERE'S ABOUT A, A DOZEN KIDS FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WALK TO THE SCHOOL AND ARE WALKING IN THE STREETS BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS. IT'S A COUNTY POCKET WITHIN, UH, WHAT IS NOW KIND OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW, LIMITS OF MERCED, BUT IT'S A COUNTY POCKET, COUNTY ROADS. UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY SIDEWALKS. SO ALL OF THESE KIDS, MYSELF INCLUDED, ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREETS TO GET, UH, TO CHENOWITH. UM, OBVIOUSLY I ASSUME THERE'S GONNA BE SOME GONNA NEED TO BE SOME COOPERATION WITH THE, THE SCHOOLS, UH, AS WELL. BUT I WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION, UH, BECAUSE I, UH, LIVED IT OR NEARLY, NEARLY DIDN'T LIVE IT. UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M WORRIED ABOUT, UH, ABOUT SAFETY OF JOHN, JUST MYSELF, BUT OUR MOST CHERISH RESOURCE KIDS WALKING TO SCHOOL IN THESE AREAS. UM, PERSONAL THOUGHTS, BUMPS. PEOPLE DON'T, STILL DON'T SEEM TO PAY ATTENTION TO SIGNS ANYWAYS, RIGHT? THERE'S PLENTY OF SIGNAGE. ALL OF ALONG PARSONS, UH, AROUND THE SCHOOL STILL SEE PEOPLE GOING 40, 45, 50 MILES AN HOUR DOWN THAT STREET. UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WOULD. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. I THINK THIS IS FINE. THIS IS FINE, [00:15:03] YES. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR. GOOD MORNING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO AND STAFF. MY NAME IS AGGIE FREEMAN AND I'M REPRESENTING A ROTARY, UH, INTERNATIONAL AND A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR OUR ENTIRE COUNTY TO COME TOGETHER FOR PAUSE ON PATROL TWO EVENTS, ONE COMMUNITY AND ONE MISSION. SUPPORTING THE CANINE HEROES WHO HELP PROTECT MERCED COUNTY. I ALSO WANNA EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE CEO AND TO MID DIRECTOR OF PARKS, BROOKE TERRACE FOR, UH, THEIR HELP AND TO HELPING SUPPORT US BRING THIS FAMILY EVENT TO LAKE YOSEMITE. PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THIS REMIND US OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN COMMUNITY LEADERS WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON PURPOSE. ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD, WE'LL GATHER AT CASTLE IN ATWATER FOR THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S. PAUSE ON PATROL. AND JUST TWO WEEKS LATER, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17TH, OUR COMMUNITY WILL COME TOGETHER IN BEAUTIFUL LAKE MERCED FOR THE CANINE ASSOCIATION FOR MERCED POLICE DEPARTMENT. THESE ARE EVENTS MUCH MORE THAN A RUN OR A WALK. THEY'RE ABOUT SERVICE, PUBLIC SAFETY, PARTNERSHIP AND GRATITUDE. EVERY DAY LAW ENFORCEMENT CANINE TEAMS GO TO WORK BESIDE THEIR HANDLERS. THEY SEARCH FOR MISSING PEOPLE, HELP LOCATE DANGEROUS SUSPECTS IN ILLEGAL DRUGS FOR PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND SERVE IN WAYS THAT MOST OF US WILL NEVER PERSONALLY WITNESS. PAUSE ON PATROL GIVES OUR COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, VETERANS, RUNNERS, WALKERS, AND NEIGHBORS. NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT DIVIDES US, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE SHARE. A DESIRE FOR A SAFE COMMUNITY. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN@RUNSIGNUP.COM. I ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO PUT THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS. OCTOBER 3RD AT CASTLE AND ATWATER, OCTOBER 17TH AT LAKE MERCED. LIKE YOSEMITE IN MERCED, TWO EVENTS, ONE COMMUNITY, ONE MISSION. BECAUSE EVERY STEP, EVERY DONATION, AND EVERY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATES SEND A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. MERCED COUNTY SUPPORTS OUR CANINE HEROES. TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER. TOGETHER, WE ARE SAFER. THANK YOU. OKAY, THAT WAS OUR FIFTH PUBLIC SPEAKER. I WILL CHECK NOW TO SEE, DO WE HAVE ANY ONLINE PARTICIPATION OR REQUESTS TO SPEAK? MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO REMOTE ATTENDEES IN THE QUEUE TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE HERE WITHIN THE BOARDROOM. NEXT PLEASE. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SYLVIA VAR, CALIFORNIA. I LIVE AT 29 40 TAHOE DRIVE IN MERCED, CALIFORNIA. I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR 22 YEARS NOW. I'M HERE BECAUSE OF, UH, SECTION EIGHT PROGRAM. UM, UH, AS A RESULT, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM A PERSON WHO SAID THAT I NEED TO, UH, VACATE THE APARTMENT IN THE NEXT THREE DAYS. I SPOKE WITH MY WORKER IN JANUARY. IN, IN, I WAS TOLD THAT IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH I'D BE RECEIVING A FORM FOR ME TO FILL OUT AND, AND BRING IN. BUT WHEN I RECEIVED THE NOTICE THAT I NEEDED TO MOVE OUT WITHIN THREE DAYS, YEAH, I WAS REALLY ALARMED BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS, UM, KEPT, UH, UP WITH OUR RENTAL PAYMENT, ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT OUR, UH, PAYMENT IS MADE ON TIME. SO I WENT TO THE SECTION EIGHT OFFICE, UH, TO THE SECTION EIGHT OFFICE TO DISCUSS THAT. AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS TWO INSPECTIONS THAT WERE, UH, PROGRAMMED, BUT, UH, NEITHER ONE OF THE INSPECTIONS TOOK PLACE. THE PERSON OR THE INSPECTOR WHO SHOWED UP TO THE INSPECTIONS, UH, NEVER GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND NEVER LEFT A NOTICE THAT HE HAD BEEN THERE. [00:20:02] WHY ARE WE BEING KICKED OUT FOR SOMETHING SO SIMPLE? HE'S DISABLED? NO, HE WAS BEING, UH, THERE IN THAT AREA AND LOST ONE OF HIS EYES. SOME YOUNG, UH, GUYS TRIED TO ROB HIM. HE TOLD THEM, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU MONEY WHEN I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY? THEY BEAT HIM UP RIGHT OUTSIDE AND HE WOUND UP BLIND. I'M ALSO DISABLED. I'M ALSO DISABLED. SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT I TALKED ABOUT TODAY, BECAUSE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE, AND WE'RE BEING KICKED OUT IN THE NEXT THREE DAYS AND NO MORE. AND WE SPOKE WITH SUPERVISOR BLANCA AND SHE SAID, UH, NO MORE NO MASS. SO WE NEED YOUR HELP, PLEASE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES. THERE WERE LOTS OF PEOPLE THERE. THE SAME THING. WE NEVER GOT A NOTICE BY. WE NEVER RECEIVED A PHONE CALL, NEVER. NOTHING. THAT'S ALL. I JUST NEED YOUR HELP, AND PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE FOR HOUSING, UH, AUTHORITY HERE IN MERCED. MY NAME IS REBECCA AND I HAVE PAGES OF COMPLAINTS, BUT I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THAT. UM, I STAYED HERE 16 YEARS AGO WITH HOUSING, AND WHEN I MOVED HERE 16 YEARS AGO, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HERE, LOOK FOR A PLACE FROM SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, AND, UH, IF THE LANDLORD ACCEPTED SECTION EIGHT, I CAN MOVE IN NOW. IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT. I WAS TOLD IN JULY THAT THE ONLY WAY I COULD MOVE BACK HERE SINCE I'M RETIRED, IS TO WAIT FOR THEM TO CONTACT ME FOR THE VOUCHER WAS 16 YEARS AGO. IT WAS NO VOUCHER. NOW IT'S A VOUCHER. AFTER I GAVE THEM ALL MY INFORMATION AND TRANSFERRED FROM SAN JOSE TO ED, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VOUCHER AMOUNT IS ONLY $1,275 A MONTH. SO ANY PLACE I LOOK FOR HAVE TO BE THAT AMOUNT. IF IT WAS 1300, I DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT SITE. AND THEY DID NOT DO THAT 16 YEARS AGO. THEN I WAS TOLD IN SAN JOSE THAT THE ONLY WAY I COULD TRANSFER OUT WAS THAT, UM, I, I'M, I'M KIND OF UPSET ABOUT THIS SITUATION. UH, IN JULY, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY WAY I CAN COME DOWN HERE AND LOOK FOR A PLACE WAS I HAD TO PUT IN MY 30 DAY NOTICE WHERE I WAS AT BEFORE I COULD MOVE TO MERCED. SO I DID THAT IN JULY. OKAY? I DIDN'T GET THE VOUCHER PHONE CALL UNTIL SEPTEMBER THE 17TH. SO I HAD TO PUT IN TWO MOVE OUT LETTERS TO MY LANDLORD BEFORE I WAS THERE. IT TOOK ME ALMOST FOUR MONTHS. SO WHEN I DID COME IN SEPTEMBER TO GET MY VOUCHER, THE 1275, I WAS TOLD I WAS SHOCKED. I LOOKED HERE AND WAS SAID, I ONLY FOUND ONE APARTMENT BUILDING AND IT WAS 1200. THE PLACE WAS TORE DOWN. IT WASN'T PAINTED, UH, WINDOWS WAS BUSTED OUT IN SOME OF THE APARTMENTS IN A TERRIBLE AREA. NOW MY CREDIT SCORE IS OVER 800. SO THAT TELLS YOU I'M A GOOD CITIZEN. I WORKED WITH THE OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I'M RETIRED, BUT I ONLY WORKED PART-TIME. THAT'S WHY I QUALIFIED FOR HOUSING. AND I'M GLAD I WORK PART-TIME BECAUSE I'M 75 YEARS OLD. TOMORROW I'LL BE 75, THANK GOD. BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THE WAY THEY HAVE TREATED ME AT THE ED HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE SUPERVISORS, IF YOU CALL THEM IT, GO TO VOICEMAIL, I GO TO [00:25:01] THE OFFICE. I CAN NEVER, I NEVER HAVE MET MY WORKER HERE. EVERY TIME I CALL HER VOICEMAIL AND THEN I GO INTO THE OFFICE, I CAN'T TALK TO NOBODY. AND IT IS JUST RUNNING AT THAT HOUSE AUTHORITY. OKAY? UNTIL MY TIME IS UP. YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. I NEED MORE TIME. . OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, YOU DO. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. YOU GOT MORE TIME. I LOOK INTO THE WAY THEY RUN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY. MORNING IN RESPECT TO ALL OF YOU, MY NAME IS ORTENCIA VASQUEZ. I AM HERE REGARDING HOUSING. I AM ON, UH, SENIOR, SENIOR HOUSING, UH, SECTION EIGHT. AND I'M HERE ABOUT, UM, HOUSING AUTHORITY. THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY TERRIBLE AND I DON'T WANT, I'M NOT MEANING TO BE DISRESPECTFUL OR DISHONORED AND DISHONOR THEIR WORK OR ANYTHING. I KNOW THEY'RE REALLY, EVERYBODY'S BUSY WORKING. BUT, UM, AS THE PRIOR LADY WAS SAYING, I CALLED SUPER. MY WORKER NEVER RETURNS MY CALLS. UM, I GET NO EXPLANATION. THE ONE TIME I DID EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN TO HER THAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR I TURNED IN MY PAPERWORK THAT THEY REQUEST, THIS NEW WORKER NEVER RETURNED MY CALLS. UH, SHE CLAIMED THAT SHE NEVER RECEIVED PAPERWORK, BUT I HAVE AN AGENCY THAT DOES MY PAPERWORK TO HELP ME WITH THAT. AND I GO IN PERSON AND I GET A RECEIPT STATING TIME AND DATE THAT I TURN IN. MY PAPERWORK NEVER HAPPENED. CALLED HER SEVEN TIMES, RETURNED MY CALL ONE TIME, AND AT AT THAT SHE STARTED YELLING AT ME BECAUSE SHE SAID THAT SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT I HAD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS DOING BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T. AND I TOLD HER, WELL, EXCUSE ME, YOU'RE THE ONE GETTING PAID. YOU'RE THE ONE DOING THE JOB. YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. NOT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL EITHER WAY. UH, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR TWO YEARS. UH, MY PRIOR WORKER, I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH HER. SHE WOULD ALWAYS HELP ME WITH PAPERWORK OR LET ME KNOW IF I WAS MISSING SOMETHING. THIS ONE HERE IS JUST, IT'S BAD BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY WITH MY AGENCY, RA RENTAL AGENCY, WHAT'S GOING ON IS THAT HOUSING HAS NOT PAID MY PART OF THE RENT TO THEM. I PAY MY RENT LIKE CLOCKWORK EVERY THIRD OF THE MONTH BECAUSE I'M ON SOCIAL SECURITY. UM, I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR HOUSING CERTIFICATES BECAUSE OF THE EMPLOYEES, THE PEOPLE WORKING AT HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND I REALLY, I KNOW YOU HEAR A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AND IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE, WOW, WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT? THERE IS A LOT GOING ON WITH HOUSING, WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS HERE IN MERCED. AND I JUST PLEASE SAY, PLEASE, IF YOU'RE TOO BUSY AND YOU CANNOT FIND TIME TO REALLY LOOK INTO THIS AS IN A DETAILED MANNER, MAYBE GET SOMEBODY THAT CAN. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING HOMELESS. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY HOMELESS. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR VOUCHERS THROUGH SECTION EIGHT, ONLY BECAUSE SECTION EIGHT IS NOT DOING THEIR WORK AND STANDING UP TO THEIR WORD. I DON'T WANNA GET ANYBODY IN TROUBLE. I WANNA SEE THINGS WORK. I DON'T WANNA SEE NO MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE. I WAS HOMELESS FOR THREE YEARS. I DON'T WANNA GO BACK OUT IN THE STREETS AND AND HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THANK YOU. OKAY. EVERYBODY IS SO COURTEOUS TODAY ASKING TO SPEAK. USUALLY THEY GET RIGHT UP THERE AND SPEAK. WELL, YOU KNOW ME, I LIKE TO GO. LAST, UM, MORNING BOARD, UH, CEO HENDRICKSON. MY NAME'S KARTH PRASAD HERE ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSMAN ADAM GRAY. UH, HERE. JUST GIVE MY USUAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 'CAUSE HEY, AUGUST IS ALMOST OVER. AND, UH, FOR THOSE OF US IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE, WE CAN SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. 'CAUSE, UH, THIS WHOLE MONTH, THE CONGRESSMAN'S BEEN RUNNING AROUND THE DISTRICT, UH, MEETING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND, UH, GETTING THINGS READY FOR SEPTEMBER. AND, UH, DOING A GREAT JOB KEEPING ALL OF US IN THE DISTRICT, UH, VERY BUSY . BUT BEFORE THE AUGUST RECESS BEGAN, THE CONGRESSMAN WORKED ON, UH, QUITE A NUMBER OF BILLS. SOME OF THEM DIDN'T GET, UH, QUITE THE MEDIA ATTENTION TO SOME OF THE OTHERS, OTHERS, BUT, UM, ONE OF THOSE BILLS WAS HR 5 3 9 0, THE FAMILY ACT, WHICH THE CONGRESSMAN CO-SPONSORED, WHICH WOULD GUARANTEE UP TO 12 WEEKS OF PARTIAL INCOME FOR WORKERS WHO HAD TO TAKE LEAVE FOR SERIOUS MEDICAL, UH, FAMILY EVENTS. UH, THIS INCLUDES THE BIRTH OF, UH, CHILD, UH, ADOPTION OF A CHILD, UH, CERTAIN DOMESTIC ISSUES AND, UH, MILITARY FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES. [00:30:01] UH, THE CONGRESSMAN ALSO LED, UH, MULTIPLE LETTERS, INCLUDING A, UH, LETTER THAT EXPRESSED OPPOSITION TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION NOT TO RENEW THE U-S-M-C-A-A LETTER, UH, URGING SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE ROLLINS TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAMS. A LETTER TO SPEAKER JOHNSON WITH, UH, 23 COSIGNERS, UH, CALLING FOR, UH, $15 BILLION IN RELIEF FUNDING FOR SPECIALTY CROP FARMERS. AND A, UH, LETTER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, UH, REGARDING CALIFORNIA'S TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND THE, UH, FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S FINAL RULE, UH, RESTRICTING NON DOMICILE COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES. UH, SO IT'S BEEN A BUSY, BUSY MONTH, BUT YOU CAN BET SEPTEMBER'S ONLY GONNA GET BUSIER. AS ALWAYS, IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY BILLS THEY WANT US TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, ANY ISSUES WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCY OR JUST REALLY ANYTHING GOVERNMENT RELATED, FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM OVER TO US. WE'RE JUST DOWN THE STREET ON 6 0 2 WEST 20TH STREET. THANK YOU. YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU. OKAY, IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? GOOD MORNING CHAIR SUPERVISORS, COUNTY CEO AND STAFF. MY NAME IS KAYLEE ESCOBAR ISLA, AND I'M A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR ASSEMBLYWOMAN'S STORY AT THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY. UM, I'M HERE TO INVITE MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS TO AT WATERS MOBILE OFFICE HOURS. IT'LL BE THIS THURSDAY AT THE ATWATER CITY COMMUNITY CENTER FROM 3:30 PM TO 5:00 PM AND OUR OFFICE WILL BE HELPING WITH ANY QUESTIONS THAT RESIDENTS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT, UM, STATE AGENCIES OR HELPING THEM LEARN ABOUT COMMUNITY RESOURCES. SO PLEASE, IF ANYONE HERE NEEDS HELP WITH ANY OF THAT, PLEASE LET OUR OFFICE KNOW. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? CHECK ONLINE, MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. DO WE HAVE ANY REMOTE PARTICIPANTS? WE DO. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS [PRESENTATION] AT THIS TIME. CEO HENDRICKSON WILL PROVIDE OPENING COMMENTS AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR OF HUMAN YEAH. SERVICES AGENCY, UH, JOHN CHECKLEY BEFORE WE BEGIN A PRESENTATION FROM HOUSING AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROSA VASQUEZ. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. UM, CLEARLY PLAYS A, AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, BY ADMINISTERING HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND, AND HELPING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ACCESS SAFE, STABLE, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. TODAY IS REALLY ABOUT BRINGING SOME AWARENESS TO THEIR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, THAT WHILE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY, MERCED AND OTHER PARTNERS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, IT IS A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT ORGANIZATION FROM MERCED COUNTY, THE ORGANIZATION THAT THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, IT, IT OVERSEES. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ROSA VASQUEZ, UH, THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND FOR HER WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, ITS PROGRAMS, AND THE WORK THAT, UH, THAT THEY'RE DOING ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY. I DO APPRECIATE HER WILLINGNESS TO KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO ADDRESS. BUT BEFORE TURNING IT OVER TO, TO, UH, TO ROSA, I WOULD ASK, UH, JOHN CHELEY, OUR DIRECTOR OF OUR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT AND COMMENTS RELATED TO HIS ORGANIZATION'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOHN. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. CEO HENDRICKSON AND GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN MCDANIELS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, AS STATED, MY NAME, JOHN CHECKLEY, DIRECTOR OF THE MERC COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY. AND I BEGAN WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY AROUND 2015 IN A DIFFERENT ROLE AS A MEMBER OF OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE, UM, COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM. UH, IT WAS CREATED TO PRIORITIZE AND HOUSE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. AND I BELIEVE AT THE TIME THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PROVIDED ABOUT 50 HOUSING CHOICE RENTAL SUBSIDY VOUCHERS. OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, I'VE CONTINUED WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ACROSS MULTIPLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES, SUPPORTING FAMILIES, SENIORS, AND VULNERABLE RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY. TOGETHER, OUR AGENCY HAS COLLABORATED ON SEVERAL IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS. THESE INCLUDE THE NOW FULLY FUNDED MERCY VILLAGE ON PARK AVENUE, WHERE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS COMMITTED MORE, MORE THAN 50 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS TO ASSIST FAMILIES WITH COMPLEX NEEDS. THEY'VE ALSO PROVIDED 30 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS TO THE RETREAT. AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX, MORE THAN 80 VOUCHERS FOR THE 1213 B STREET AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, AND OVER 30 VOUCHERS AT THE RECENTLY COMPLETED DEVON WOOD APARTMENTS, WHICH SERVE SENIORS AND FAMILIES WORKING TO REUNIFY WITH THEIR CHILDREN. WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED ON TARGETED PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS SPECIFIC NEED POPULATIONS. [00:35:01] THIS INCLUDES 50 VOUCHERS DEDICATED TO OUR HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAMS. THAT'S FOR FAMILIES AND OUR CALWORKS PROGRAM, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS 25 VOUCHERS THROUGH OUR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND 37 FOR OUR FAMILY UNIFICATION AND INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN IN OUR CHILD WELFARE SERVICES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS CURRENTLY THE COORDINATED SYSTEM HAS BEEN ALLOCATED 235 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS. FOLLOWING THE RECENT FLOODS IN PLANADA, WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY TO UTILIZE SOME OF THEIR MIGRANT HOUSING RESOURCES ADJACENT TO THAT COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR SURVIVORS OF THAT DISASTER. THIS COLLABORATION HELPED ENSURE A SAFE SHELTER FOR FAMILIES DISPLACED BY AN UNEXPECTED AND DEVASTATING EVENT. BOTH THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY MANAGE COMPLEX STATE AND FEDERAL ELIGIBILITY PROGRAMS. ALIGNING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA BETWEEN OUR PROGRAMS CAN BE CHALLENGING, UH, BUT OUR SHARED MISSION TO PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD THROUGH THESE SYSTEMS IS CRITICAL TO IMPROVING THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. OUR PARTNERSHIP STRENGTHENS THAT MISSION AND HELPS ENSURE RESIDENTS RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROSA VASQUEZ OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMS, THEIR IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO MAXIMIZE THAT IMPACT MOVING FORWARD WITH NOT JUST THE PROVISION OF VOUCHERS, BUT THE ADMINISTRATION OF SUCH. ROSA. THANK YOU, JOHN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. UM, AFTER JOHN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALLY NEED ME UP HERE, BUT, UM, HERE WE GO. SO, GOOD MORNING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO HENDERSON AND, UM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT NOT ONLY INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT ALSO PROVIDE CLARITY REGARDING THE PROJECTED SHORTFALL NOTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ADMINISTERS SEVERAL PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE 421 UNITS UNDER PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM, 228 UNITS UNDER THE SEASONAL MIGRANT PROGRAMS, 60 UNITS UNDER THE YEAR-ROUND FARM WORKER HOUSING PROGRAMS, AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY LARGEST PROGRAM 2,950 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS OF WHICH 666 ARE ALLOCATED TO THE PROJECT-BASED PROGRAM. UM, THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THESE PROGRAMS. UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS OVERVIEW DOES NOT OUTLINE PROGRAMS, RULE AND REQUIREMENTS. SO THE FIRST PROGRAM WE HAVE IS OUR PUBLIC HOUSING. UH, THE PUBLIC HOUSING, UM, IS OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. 421 UNITS IN THE CITIES OF MERCED 180 UNITS AT WATER, 53 UNITS, LIVINGSTON 60 UNITS, WINTON SIX UNITS, LOSANO 70 UNIT, AND THOSE PALOS 52 UNITS. PUBLIC HOUSING IS LIMITED TO INCOME QUALIFIED FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY BASED ON INCOME, HOUSEHOLD COMPENSATION, UH, US CITIZENSHIP OR ELIGIBILITY, IMMIGRATION STATUS, SUITABILITY AND HOUSING AUTHORITY RULES. UM, THEN WE HAVE OUR SEASONAL MIGRANT HOUSING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF MIGRANT SERVICES, OMS. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OVERSEES FOUR SEASONAL MIGRANT CENTERS. THE CENTERS ARE LOCATED IN LOS PANELS, 48 UNITS AT WATER, 59 UNITS, PLANADA 54 UNITS, AND MERCED 49 UNITS. THE CENTERS ARE OPEN FOR OCCUPANCY SIX MONTHS OUTTA THE YEAR, BETWEEN MAY AND NOVEMBER, UM, TO COVER THE HEART OF THE GROWING SEASONS. ELIGIBILITY FOR THE CENTERS IS SET BY THE OMS AND THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL U-S-D-A-R-D. SOME RESTRICTIONS INVOLVING MANDATORY STATUS AND INCOME SOURCES DO APPLY. UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE THE YEAR-ROUND FARM WORKER HOUSING. UM, AND THIS IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO OPERATE THE PHOENIX TOURS FARM WORKER CENTER, WHICH IS 60 UNITS AS A YEAR-ROUND HOUSING FOR PERMANENT FARM WORKERS WHO ARE TYPICALLY EMPLOYED YEAR ROUND BY THE SAME EMPLOYER OR THE SAME REGION. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY BASED ON INCOME, HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION, US CITIZENSHIP, AND ELIGIBLE IMMIGRATION STATUS AND REGULATIONS. UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THAT, UM, PROPERTY. SO, UM, WE DO WELCOME FAMILIES TO APPLY FOR THAT PROPERTY. OUR BIGGEST PROGRAM IS THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER, FORMALLY KNOWN AS SECTION EIGHT. PEOPLE STILL REFER TO AS SECTION EIGHT, BUT IT IS NOW THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM. UM, SO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM AGAIN, WHICH IS SECTION EIGHT, UM, IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPLEX PROGRAM. WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN ALLOCATION OF 2,950 [00:40:02] VOUCHERS. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ADMINISTERS AND UTILIZES THESE, THESE VOUCHERS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS. THESE INCLUDE TENANT-BASED VOUCHERS, WHICH ARE ISSUED DIRECTLY TO THE TENANT AND PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS, UM, WHICH ARE THE UNITS, THE VOUCHERS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED FOR THE UNITS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE FURTHER. UM, CURRENTLY ON AN AVERAGE, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PAYS FOR OUR VOUCHER PROGRAM AND AVERAGE TWO LANDLORDS, PRIVATE LANDLORDS, UM, 2,496,856, EXCUSE ME. THAT'S AN AVERAGE MONTHLY HALF PAYMENT THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PAYS TO DIFFERENT LANDLORDS. EXCUSE ME. OUR NEXT PROGRAM IS THE PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES HOUSING ASSISTANCE AT SPECIFIC PRIVATELY OWNED AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS LIMITED TO PARTICULAR PROPERTIES, UNITS, AND THIS CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED AS THE VOUCHER IS ATTACHED TO THE PROPERTY UNIT. THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE IS PAID TO THE LANDLORD DIRECTLY BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF THE PARTICIPATING FAMILY. THE FAMILY MAY PAY DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL RENT AND THE LANDLORD, THE SUBSIDIZED, WHICH IS SUBSIDIZED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY UNDER THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES TENANT-BASED VOUCHER, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS SEVERAL SPECIAL SPECIAL VOUCHERS. THESE SPECIAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE GRANT FUNDED VOUCHERS AS WELL AS HOUSING AUTHORITY, DESIGNATED SPECIAL VOUCHERS, UM, ALLOCATION SPECIAL VOUCHERS TO THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUCH AS THE MEED COMMUNITY, HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, HSA CONTINUUM OF CARE, AND THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM IS COORDINATED SYSTEM. THE TOTAL VOUCHERS ALLOCATION, WHICH RESULT FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES INITIATIVE AND EFFORT TO HOUSE SPECIFIC POPULATION. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DOES NOT RECEIVE EXTRA FUNDS FOR THESE DESIGNATED SPECIAL VOUCHERS. AND THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF THESE PROGRAMS. UM, SO WHAT I WANNA SAY ABOUT THESE VOUCHERS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS DESIGNATED. SO FROM OUR DESIGNATION OF THE 2,950, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS PUT ASIDE THESE VOUCHERS TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP, UM, OUR FAMILIES, UM, IN NEED. UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR HUD VETERANS SUPPORTIVE SERVICE, UH, SUPPORTIVE SERVICE HOUSING, WHICH IS CALLED VASH. UM, THIS IS A GRANT AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 123 VOUCHERS, AND WE WERE RECENTLY AWARDED FIVE ADDITIONAL VOUCHERS EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1ST, 2026, TOTALING 128. THE HUD, THE HUD VASH PROGRAM ALLOWS ELIGIBLE VETERANS TO OBTAIN SAFE, AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE PERMANENT HOUSING IN LOCATIONS OF THEIR CHOICE. THEIR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO HELP MOVE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES OUT OF CHRONICALLY HOMELESSNESS. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR NEW VASH VOUCHERS, UM, DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN THE REQUIRED VA SUPPORT LETTER, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN 2026 WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SUBMIT ITS LETTER OF INTENT AND RECEIVE THE ADDITIONAL FIVE VOUCHERS. UM, REFERRALS FOR THESE VOUCHERS MUST COME FROM THE FRESNO LOCAL VETERANS' OFFICE. CURRENTLY OUR STATS ARE, WE HAVE 96 LEASED MEANS THAT THEY, UM, ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN A UNIT EIGHT FAMILIES THAT ARE SEARCHING FOR, UM, HOUSING. WE HAVE EIGHT REFERRALS THAT ARE PENDING. WE'RE CURRENTLY REVIEWING THEM AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 16 AVAILABLE REFERRALS. UM, SO WE DO ENCOURAGE ANY VETERANS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE SUFFERING, UM, FROM CHRONICALLY HOMELESSNESS TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE VA IN FRESNO. UM, TELL 'EM THE SITUATION AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET REFERRED TO US FOR UM, ASSISTANCE. THE OTHER PROGRAM WE ADMINISTER IS THE MAINSTREAM VOUCHER. THAT'S ALSO A HUD GRANT, 26 VOUCHERS. UH, THESE VOUCHERS HELPS INDIVIDUALS MOVE OUT OF INTO INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS OR OTHER ISOLATED ENVIRONMENTS, OR THOSE THAT ARE SERIOUS RISK OF ENTERING SUCH SETTINGS IN A MORE INTEGRATED COMMUNITY. HOUSING ASSIGNMENT OF THESE VOUCHERS REQUIRES THAT THE APPLICANT VERIFY THE MAINSTREAM PREFERENCE REQUIREMENTS AT THE TIME OF THE SELECTION OF THE HOUSING. AND THAT'S INDIVIDUALS, UM, REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERENCES. WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX THAT ARE UNDER LEASE, FOUR THAT ARE LOOKING FOR HOUSING. WE HAVE 10 THAT ARE PENDING TO REVIEW AND WE HAVE 10 AVAILABLE SLOTS. UM, SO FAMILIES, UM, AGAIN, ANYBODY THAT MEETS THAT CRITERIA, UH, WE ASK THAT THEY, UM, REACH OUT TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. WE ALSO ADMINISTER THE SHELTER PLUS CARE, THE AUTHORITY DESIGNATED SPECIAL AID SPECIAL VOUCHERS. UM, THE SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM PROVIDES HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS IN PRIVATE RENTAL MARKETS WHO ARE HOMELESS, LOW INCOME DISABLED, AT LEAST ONE ADULT MEMBER, AND HAVE CURRENT [00:45:01] SUPPORTIVE CARE SERVICES PLAN WITH THE PROVIDER. AGENCY. REFERRALS FOR THIS VOUCHER COME FROM MERCED COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. WE CURRENTLY HAVE FIVE THAT ARE UNDER LEASED. UM, WE ALSO HAVE INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS. THE, UM, AUTHORITY HAS DESIGNATED 10 VOUCHERS. THESE VOUCHERS ARE FOR TARGETED FOSTER YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TRANSITIONING FROM FOSTER CARE WHO LACK ADEQUATE HOUSING OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. AS A RESULT OF THE, OF THEM LEAVING FOSTER CARE REFERRALS COME FOR THE MERCED COUNTY HSA. UM, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT LEASED. WE ALSO HAVE THE FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM AND WE HAVE DESIGNATED 27 VOUCHERS. THE FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM AIMS TO PROVIDE THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM WITH RESOURCES TO PREVENT FAMILY SEPARATION DUE TO HOMELESSNESS AND TO PREVENT HOMELESS AMONG AGING OUT YOUTH ELIGIBLE FAMILIES INCLUDE THOSE WHO ARE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF LOSING THEIR CHILDREN TO FOSTER CARE AND THE FAMILIES WHO ARE UNABLE TO REGAIN CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILDREN, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE LACK OF HOUSING. REFERRALS FOR THIS VOUCHER COME FROM MEED, UM, HSA AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 18 LEASED. THEN WE WORK WITH A COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM AND WE HAVE DESIGNATED 235 VOUCHERS TO CES AND CES ACCESSES. PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING CRISIS, PRIORITIZING THEM BASED ON THEIR NEEDS AND THE CONNECTION, UH, AND CONNECTS THEM WITH, UM, APPROPRIATE HOUSING RESOURCES. ONE SUCH RESOURCE IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. REFERRALS FOR THE VOUCHER COME FROM MERCED COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY. OVER SEVERAL YEARS, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS INCREASED THE INITIAL ALLOCATION FOR THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS, UM, ON THE NEED AS REPORTED FROM CES. AND YES, UM, JOHN IS CORRECT. WE INITIALLY STARTED WITH 50 AND WE ARE NOW AT 235 OF THOSE, WE HAVE 169 LEASE 17 THAT ARE SEARCHING, UM, EXCUSE ME. THEN WE GO ON TO OUR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND WE HAVE DESIGNATED 25 VOUCHERS. THESE VOUCHERS ASSIST ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING ABUSE AND OR NEGLECT TO ESCAPE THE SITUATION. AND SECURE HOUSING REFERRALS FOR THESE VOUCHERS COME FROM MERCED, UM, HSA OVER SEVERAL YEARS. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS ALSO INCREASED THE INITIAL ALLOCATION FOR THIS, UM, PROGRAM BASED ON THE NEED. UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 18 FAMILIES LEASED AND ONE THAT IS SEARCHING. THEN WE HAVE THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, UM, VOUCHERS, AND WE HAVE 50 THAT WE ALLOCATED. THESE ARE THE MOST RECENT, UH, NEW VOUCHERS THAT WE ALLOCATED. AND THESE ARE FOR INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE FROM MERCED COUNTY HUMAN, UH, RESOURCE SERVICES THAT ARE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. REFERRALS FOR THIS VOUCHER COME FROM, UM, MERCED COUNTY, HSA. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 44 LEASED AND FOUR SEARCHING. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, THE EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS. UM, THESE VOUCHERS, UM, THE ACTUAL GRANT IS EXPIRED. UH, WE HAVE 68. THESE VOUCHERS WERE DESIGNATED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THAT ARE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS OR FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING. DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE FUNDING PERIOD FOR THESE VOUCHERS EXPIRED AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS, UM, ISSUED INITIALLY 68 EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS AS ATTRITION OCCURRED. AND BECAUSE THE FUNDING WAS LIMITED, HUD PROHIBITED THE REISSUING OF THESE VOUCHERS TO NEW INDIVIDUALS AT THE END OF THE FUNDING PERIOD. UM, WHEN THE GRANT EXPIRED, THE HOUSING PROVIDED THE REMAINING 43 VOUCHER HOLDERS, TENANT BASED VOUCHER HOLDERS, INSTEAD OF TERMINATING THE HOUSING, EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS. SO WE TRANSITION THEM FROM THE GRANT TO THE PERMANENT UM, PROGRAM. THEN WE HAVE OUR PROJECT BASED VOUCHERS AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 666 VOUCHERS, UM, ALLOCATED TO DIFFERENT PROJECTS. UM, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THE PROJECTS BASED VOUCHERS ARE RENTAL SUBSIDIES. UM, HAVE RENTAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS TIED TO SPECIFIC HOUSING UNITS OR BUILDING RATHER TO AN INDIVIDUAL TENANT. THESE ARE THE VOUCHERS THAT AFFORD HOUSING DEVELOPERS THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS SEEK FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BECAUSE THE FEDERAL SUBSIDIES GRANT GUARANTEED LONG-TERM RENTAL, STABLE RENTAL INCOME HELP SECURE CONSTRUCTION FINANCING AND PROVIDE THE PIPELINE OF ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS, APPLICANTS AND OCCUPANTS. IN ADDITION, THE PROJECT BASED HAP CONTRACTS CAN VARY IN LONGEVITY LASTING FROM 15 YEARS TO 30 YEARS. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY [00:50:01] SUBSIDIZES THE FOLLOWING PRIVATE AND HOUSING AUTHORITY PROJECT-BASED SITES WITHIN MERCED COUNTY WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS. WE HAVE THE GROVE, WHICH IS 191 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED, LAUREL GLEN APARTMENTS 32 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED GATEWAY TERRACE, 56 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED, THE RETREAT 30 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED. WE ALSO HAVE, UM, 12 13 84 UNITS, UM, THAT THIS PROPERTY WAS BROUGHT ON, UM, AT THE END OF 24, 20 25. AND WE'RE STILL IN THE LEASING PROCESS. WE ALSO HAVE TIERRA TIERRA SANTA APARTMENTS, 20 UNITS IN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON. UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF LEASING OF THOSE UNITS, UM, 2026. WE ALSO HAVE DEVON WOOD OR RIVER CANYON, UM, 39 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED. WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF LEASING THAT PROPERTY UP. UM, CAME ON BOARD IN 2026. WE HAVE I STREET PROJECT THAT IS PENDING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE 53 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED. WE EXPECT THAT TO COME ONLINE. UM, 27 28. WE ALSO HAVE MERCY VILLAGE, WHICH IS PENDING 57 UNITS ALSO WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED. UH, THAT SHOULD COME ONLINE 27 28. WE ALSO HAVE BELLA VISTA APARTMENTS THAT ARE PENDING 20 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED. ALSO AN ESTIMATED TIME OF 27 28. THEN WE HAVE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, OWNED DEVELOPMENTS, UM, WHICH ARE MIDWAY AND 34 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF DO PALOS. WE HAVE BANIAN TERRACE, WHICH IS FOR OUR SENIORS AND DISABLED 25 UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF THOSE PALOS. WE HAVE SIERRA VISTA APARTMENTS FOR OUR SENIORS AND DISABLED 14 UNITS WHEN THE CITY OF ATWATER. WE ALSO HAVE LAS VEGAS, WHICH WILL ALSO BE FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED SIX UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF EL LOS BANOS. UH, WE EXPECT THAT TO COME ON IN 2026. AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH HSA FOR UM, REFERRALS. WE ALSO HAVE MEOR COMING ON, UM, IS ALSO FOR ELDERLY AND SENIORS. FIVE UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF LOS BANOS, AND WE EXPECT THAT TO COME ON IN 2026. THEN WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE VOUCHER VOUCHER PORTABILITY. UM, ONE OF THE KEY BENEFITS OF THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, THE VOUCHER, UM, IS THE ABILITY TO MOVE THE VOUCHER TO ANY COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS FLEXIBILITY IS KNOWN AS PORTABILITY. IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS, UM, IT ALSO ALLOWS THE VOUCHER HOLDER TO RELOCATE FOR BETTER JOBS, SCHOOL SECURITY, OR TO BE CLOSER TO LOVED ONES. THE ABILITY TO MOVE WITH A VOUCHER MAY DEPEND ON FACTORS SUCH AS HOW LONG THE FAMILY HAS HAD THE ASSISTANCE AND WHERE THE FAMILY LIVED WHEN THE VOUCHER WAS ISSUED. IN ADDITION, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CURRENTLY HAS A HUNDRED AND FORTY, A HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR UNITS UNDER SECTION EIGHT CONTRACT COMPLEX. WE HAVE 65 MARKET RATE COMPLEX AND ONE MARKET RATE SINGLE UNIT IN THE CITY OF MERCED. OKAY. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE ABOVE? 'CAUSE I STILL HAVE FEW MORE. NO, I HAVE NO, NOBODY IN THE QUEUE, SO, OKAY, GREAT. CONTINUE, PLEASE. UM, SO BEFORE I DISCUSS THE SHORTFALL, UM, I WANNA ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY RECEIVED, IF I MAY. UM, SO WHAT IS THE PROCESS, UM, FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR TIMEFRAME FOR RECEIVING HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER APPLICANTS TO APPROVE FROM APPROVAL TO UTILIZATION, UM, TO A HALF PAYMENT? UM, THIS QUESTION HAS SEVERAL PHASES. THE WAIT TIME FOR SELECTION MAY VARY BASED ON FACTORS SUCH AS ATTRITION, VOUCHERS, AVAILABILITY. UM, FROM THE SELECTION TIME, ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE SELECTION AND PROVIDED 14 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY SCREENING. SHOULD THE APPLICANT PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION, THE ELIGIBILITY REVIEW TAKES ABOUT 30 TO 45 DAYS. APPLICANT'S DEEMED PROGRAM ELIGIBLE WILL THEN BE SCHEDULED FOR A BRIEFING WHERE THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS ARE REVIEWED WITH THEM AND THEY ARE PROVIDED, THEY ARE PROVIDED WITH THE NECESSARY FORMS TO BEGIN THE SEARCH FOR THEIR ACTUAL UNIT VOUCHERS ISSUED TO NEW APPLICANTS, UM, MAY BE ISSUED UP TO 120 DAYS, UM, UH, UP TO 120 DAYS, WHICH IS THE VALIDITY PERIOD. UM, WITH EXTENSIONS GRANTED ONLY FOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AND A CASE BY CASE. SO THE MAXIMUM, ONCE WE ISSUE THE VOUCHER IS 120 DAYS. UM, IF THE APPLICANT IS SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING A UNIT AND THE UNIT PASSES THE HOUSING QUALITY STANDARD INSPECTION, THE HAP CONTRACT WILL BE FULLY PROCESSED NO LATER THAN 60 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE PAST INSPECTION. UM, AND THAT'S OUTLINED IN THE CONTRACT. OKAY. WHAT IS THE SUCCESS RATE OR PERCENTAGE OF THOSE AWARDED A HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER? WHO SECURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR NEW OF ALL NEW HCB PARTICIPANTS? THE SUCCESS RATE IS 16%. UM, AND THAT IS BASED ON THE [00:55:01] FAMILY'S, UM, SUITABILITY BECAUSE LANDLORDS STILL DO THE SUITABILITY ON THEIR TENANTS. SO WHAT WE FIND IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR THE HEALTH FOR THE VOUCHER, THEY DO NOT LEASE UP BECAUSE THEY DO NOT PASS THE SUITABILITY WITH THE OWNER. UM, WHAT IS THE SUCCESS RATE OF THOSE AWARDED HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER AT RECERTIFICATION? OKAY, SO WHEN A FAMILY REES, WHICH IS REQUIRED, WHICH FAMILIES ARE REQUIRED TO DO ONCE A YEAR, A NEW VOUCHER IS NOT ISSUED. THEREFORE, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CANNOT PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION. UH, THE FAMILY IS SIMPLY RECERTIFYING THAT THEY REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM BY COMPLETING THE ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION. IN THE EVENT THAT THIS, THE FAMILY DOES NOT COMPLETE THEIR RECERTIFICATION PROCESS BY THE STIPULATED DATES, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL ISSUE A SECOND FINAL NOTICE PRIOR TO TERMINATION. SO ONCE A YEAR, THE FAMILY, UM, IS NOTIFIED THAT THEIR RECERTIFICATION IS DUE. AND IF THE FAMILY THEN DOES NOT QUALIFY ANYMORE BASED ON THEIR INCOME, THEY STILL HAVE 180 DAYS IN CASE A CHANGE HAPPENS. SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE TOLD YOU DON'T, YOU ARE NOT GONNA BE RECEIVING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, YOU STILL HAVE 180 DAYS TO COME IN AND REPORT A CHANGE. AND IF THAT CHANGE THEN MAKES THE FAMILY ELIGIBLE BASED THAT WE HAVE TO PAY A HELP, THEN THE FAMILY CAN CONTINUE TO RECEIVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE. OKAY. UH, WHAT BARRIERS PREVENT HOUSING AUTHORITY FROM DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE UNIT? UM, THERE'S MANY FACTORS IMPACTING NOT JUST THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ABILITY TO DEVELOP, BUT ALSO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS. THESE INCLUDE HIGH CONSTRUCTION COSTS, PERMITTING PLAN COSTS, AS WELL AS HUD'S, UH, BUILD AMERICA, UM, BY AMERICA, UM, REGULATIONS. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE MATTER OF CONTINUED SUITABILITY OF ANY PROJECT IS THE RESTRICTED NUMBER OF THE VOUCHERS. UM, BECAUSE THE CONTINUED RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS IMPORTANT, UH, FOR THESE UNITS, UH, ONE MAJOR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES ARE COMING UP THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PLANS TO PURSUE. UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING APPLYING FOR UPCOMING ROUND OF HOMECOMING HOME KEY AND FUNDING FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE ARE PROJECTED AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE CITY OF LOS BATTLES AND THOSE PAS. SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE TWO CITIES THAT WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON IN THE NEXT COMING YEAR. WHAT INTERNAL CAPACITY EXISTS FOR COMPETITIVE GRANT WRITING AND DO YOU NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES? THANK YOU. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY INTERNAL CAPACITY IS LIMITED. HOWEVER, UH, THE AUTHORITY, WE DO CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY VENDOR. UM, WHO DOES THIS, WHO DOES ASSIST US WITH, UM, SUBMISSIONS OF GRANTS? WHAT PARTNERSHIPS, CITIES, NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS HAVE STRAIGHTENED OR LIMITED YOUR COMPETITIVENESS IN GRANT APPLICATION? UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP ARE NOT WHAT PROHIBITS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FROM SEEKING FUNDING. THE ISSUE REMAINS THAT VOUCHERS THAT MAKE THE DEVELOPMENT AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ARE LIMITED BY THE PERCENTAGE ALLOCATED RESTRICTIONS AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS REACHED THE MAXIMUM. AT THIS POINT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CANNOT IN GOOD FAITH, THE POWER PROJECT THAT WILL LACK THE RENTAL SUBSIDY. AND WHEN I SAY THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT IS FROM THE TOTAL ALLOCATION, HUD ONLY ALLOWS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO TAKE 25% OF THOSE VOUCHERS AND ALLOCATE THEM TO PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS. AND WE ARE AT THAT CAP. SO WE CAN ONLY DO A LIMITED AMOUNT. UM, SO EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE DEVELOPERS THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, WE WANT PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS UNTIL HUD CHANGES THAT ALLOCATION AMOUNT, WE ARE ALSO AT OUR CAP. UM, HOW DO CURRENT AND PLAN PHA DEVELOPMENTS PROJECTS ALIGNED WITH MERCED COUNTY'S IDENTIFYING HOUSING SHORTAGE? EXTREMELY LOW INCOME UNITS, SENIOR UNITS, FARM WORK, HOUSING, AND THE HOMELESS HOUSING? UH, THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES CURRENT PROGRAMS AND OUR PORTFOLIO ALIGN WITH SUPPORT THE ALIGNED WITH AND SUPPORT THE POPULATION THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE COUNTY'S HOUSING. SHORT SHORTAGES. WITHOUT THE SUBSIDIES PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORITY TO SEVERAL DEVELOPERS AND SITES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THE HOUSING SHORT SHORTAGE WOULD BE EVEN GREATER. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITES IN RURAL AREAS AND NON-CITY OF MERCED CITIES THAT HAVE HELPED WITH THE LIMITED HOUSING AVAILABILITY IN OUTLYING CITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AWARDED AWARDED VOUCHERS TO SEVERAL NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SITES IN ORDER TO SECURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, STABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE NO HAVE TO RENT HIGH COST MARKET UNITS. WHILE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW HOUSING IS A PRIORITY, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY MUST REMAIN COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF CURRENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK AND FUNDING. UM, SO THAT IS THE QUESTIONS THAT, UM, [01:00:01] WERE SENT OVER. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN CLEAR UP ON ANY OF THAT? DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR PRESENTATION? I HAVE THE BIG ONE, THE SHORT FALL, SO I'M ALMOST DONE. OKAY. WELL LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AND THEN THANK YOU. UM, SO THE SHORTFALL, SO WHAT IS THE SHORTFALL? UM, THE SHORTFALL IS WHERE PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES LACK ENOUGH FEDERAL FUNDING TO COVER THE REQUIRED HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT FOR THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM. WHAT HAS CAUSED OUR SHORTFALL? THE SHORTFALL OCCURRED WHEN INCREASE IN CONTRACT RENT AND UTILITY ALLOWANCES CHANGES PUSHES THE AVERAGE COST PER UNIT MUCH HIGHER THAN WE PROJECTED DURING THE SHORTFALL. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS REQUIRED TO TAKE CERTAIN COST MEASURES, SAVINGS, ACTIONS AND MEASURES. THESE ACTIONS INCLUDE, BUT IN OUR LIMITED TO THE IMMEDIATE FREEZE OF ALL NEW VOUCHER ISSUANCE ISSUANCE. AND THAT'S ONLY TO PEOPLE FROM THE WAITING LIST. AND, UM, SPECIAL PROGRAMS AT THIS TIME SUSPENDING THE ABSORPTION, UM, OF PORTA ABILITIES COMING IN FROM OTHER REGIONS AND REJECTING ANY PORTABLES THAT ARE HIGHER FROM OTHER COSTS. UH, WE ARE LOWERING OUR PAYMENT STANDARDS AND WE ALSO HAVE ASKED OWNERS TO VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE IN NOT ASKING FOR RENT INCREASES THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT IS RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AUTHORITY TO REDUCE THE SHORTFALL AND ENSURE PROGRAMS SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE PROGRAM. THE HO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL OF THE, UM, FOUR MENTIONED MEASURES THESE INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FREEZE OF THE VOUCHERS, UM, BILLING PORT ABILITIES, LOWERING THE PAYMENT STANDARD, REVIEWING OUR UTILITY ALLOWANCE, AND REQUESTING AGAIN, OWNERS NOT FOR RENT INCREASE. IN ADDITION, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY AND HAVE PERIODIC MEETINGS WITH OUR HUD FIELD OFFICERS. UM, I EMPHASIZE THE AUTHORITY IS IMPLEMENTING THESE MEASURES TO FREEZE NEW VOUCHERS, UM, THAT WE'LL ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO TERMINATE CURRENT FAMILIES THAT ARE UNDER HAP. SO IT SEEMS DRASTIC, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO ELIMINATE ANY CURRENT PARTICIPANTS FROM HAVING TO BE AFFECTED BY THE SHORTFALL. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO NOW THAT CONCLUDES, THAT CONCLUDES OKAY. I THINK WHAT I'LL DO NOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY REQUESTS IN THE QUEUE HERE, BUT WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, UH, TO ALLOW COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AND THEN WE'LL BRING 'EM BACK TO THE DIOCESE AND WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU THEN. ROSA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PRESENTATION. OKAY. I'LL CHECK. IS THERE ANY FROM, UH, THE PUBLIC? YEAH, ONE PERSON. OH, GOOD. IN THE MEANTIME, CHECK AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANY HAND RAISED AS WELL. YES, SIR. GOOD DAY. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD STAFF. MY NAME IS MICHAEL BELLINI. UH, I'M A, UH, MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DI OF, UH, THE SIERRA SAVING GRACE HOMELESS PROJECT, A NONPROFIT OPERATING HERE IN MERCED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, PROVIDING, UH, HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO THOSE AT RISK OF LOSING HOUSING OR, UH, WHO ARE ACTUALLY HOMELESS AT THE TIME. SO, UH, WE WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION WITH, UH, 14 SOCIAL WORKERS. EACH ONE OF THEM CARRIES ABOUT 25, UH, CLIENTS THAT THEY'RE ASSISTING. AND SO WE DO A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK IN TERMS OF THE HOUSING OF PEOPLE AND ONCE THEY, THEY ARE HOUSED, MAKING SURE THAT THEY STAY HOUSED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WE RECEIVE, UH, GRANTS FROM THE WESTERN ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH AND OTHERS. SO, UH, WE TURN TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR, UH, ASSISTANCE IN MAKING HOUSING AVAILABLE, FINDING HOUSING THAT'S AVAILABLE. AND OUR EXPERIENCE, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN THAT, UM, THERE ARE INORDINATE DELAYS. I MEAN, WE WILL, UM, MAKE APPLICATION TURN IN ALL THE SUBMITTED PAPERWORK, ALL THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK, UH, WEEKS GO BY WITHOUT A RESPONSE WHEN WE CALL AND TRY AND FOLLOW UP. IT'S VOICEMAIL ONLY. AND SO THAT HAD BEEN A CONTINUING PATTERN, WHICH FRUSTRATES US BECAUSE WE HAVE CLIENTS, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE STREET OR ARE ABOUT TO BE ON THE STREET, AND THEY NEED HOUSING, AND WE KNOW THE HOUSING IS AVAILABLE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THROUGH, UM, THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO WE JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND HOPE THAT IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE TO THE RESPONSE TIME, UH, OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO REQUESTS FROM OUR AGENCY [01:05:01] AND OTHERS, UM, AND THAT, UM, WE APPRECIATE WHATEVER COOPERATION AND WHATEVER WORK, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CAN PROVIDE TO HELP US HOUSE, UH, PEOPLE IN MERCED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW WHO, AGAIN, ? UM, I, I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF STRONG TOWNS AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN IN, IN EXISTENCE FOR 40 YEARS. STARTED IN MINNESOTA, A TOWN ABOUT THE SIZE OF LIVINGSTON, 14,000 TO TRY TO, UM, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN EVERYBODY'S LIVES. AND WE ARE THE ONLY PIN ON THEIR MAP OF 300 IN NORTH AMERICA, THAT'S, THAT'S CANADA AND MAINLAND. WE'RE THE ONLY PIN IN CENTRAL VALLEY. THERE ARE OTHER LOCAL CONVERSATION GROUPS OF STRONG TOWNS THAT, UH, ARE BEING VERY ACTIVE AND, UM, TRYING TO WORK WITH, UM, ALTOGETHER WITH EVERYONE. BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU LOOK AT STRONG TOWNS AND ARE HAVING A WEBSITE, STRONG TOWNS.ORG. AND WE ARE HERE, WE ARE, WE'VE BEEN, I, I'VE EVEN WENT, I, I EVEN WENT TO SALINAS, UH, WHEN THEY HAD THE PERSON THAT STARTED THIS BACK IN MINNESOTA AS A SPEAKER THERE. SO THAT MONTEREY COUNTY, YOU KNOW, SALINAS IS, IS A REALLY POOR AREA, THE FARMING AREA. AND THEY HAD, THEY HAD THE CHUCK MARONE WHO STARTED THIS 40, OVER 40 YEARS AGO. AND THERE'S A DEVELOPER OF INCREMENTAL BUILDING IN CITIES, AND HE'S FROM TEXAS. THOSE WERE THE TWO SPEAKERS. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION OUT SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY IN, IN NORTH AMERICA WITH, UH, HOW, HOW WE PROVIDE PLACES IF WE COULD DO INCREMENTAL BUILDING IN THE CITIES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO GET IN THE CAR TO GO. BUT SINCE WORLD WAR II, WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THESE SUBDIVISIONS, AND THAT'S WHY LA WAS USED TO BE THE AG CENTER, YOU KNOW, MOST ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR ALL OF CALIFORNIA FOR AG. AND TODAY, LOOK AT IT. DO WE WANNA BE LIKE THAT? YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO ALONG WITH, WE, I KNOW WE'LL BE HAVING GROWTH, BUT HOW WE GROW IS SO IMPORTANT. AND LET'S PUT HOUSES WHERE 400 SQUARE FEET, 500 SQUARE FEET FOR SENIORS, FOR PEOPLE THAT WANNA DRINK AND NOT HAVE TO GET IN A CAR. THEY WANNA GO DOWNTOWN AND WHEREVER THEY ARE OF THE CITIES, AND THEY HAVE TO GET IN A CAR TO GO SOMEPLACE. I SEE A LOT OF PAIN OUT THERE. I DON'T THINK I HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT, BUT I WILL JUST SAY ONE THING. SUNDAY MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK, I DROVE OUTTA MY FARM, UH, UM, TO, UM, CROSSROAD, AND I SAW I HAVE A HEDGE ROW FOR INSECT FOR INSECTORY, BECAUSE WE HAVE MONOCROPPING. I THINK WE NEED TO DO THIS. SO THERE'S A MAN COMING OUT OF THE HEDGE ROW, AND WE'RE, WE'RE HARVESTING ALMONDS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER. AND HERE BETWEEN THE FIRST ROW OF MONDS AND THE HEDGE ROW IS THIS MAN, AND HE IS LYING. HE STARTS LYING DOWN ON THE FLOOR, I MEAN, ON THE, ON THE GROUND, ON HIS STOMACH PROSTRATE. AND SO I BACKED UP, WENT OVER TO MY OTHER HOUSE WHERE MY DAUGHTER LIVES, AND I SAID, I DON'T KNOW. I THINK, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE YOU CALL AN AMBULANCE OR WHAT'S GOING ON? HE'S, HE'S HERE NOT TO ROB US. SO THERE'S A LOT OF PAIN OUT THERE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, ARE BITTER. OKAY. THANK, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH, GOOD MORNING AGAIN. CHRISTIE MCCAMMON FROM THE CITY OF LOS ANOS. UM, I HEARD IN THE QUESTIONS THAT THERE WAS AN OFFER OR A QUESTION ABOUT ARE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES NEEDED, OBVIOUSLY, OR I DON'T KNOW IF, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THE CITY OF LOS BANOS WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. UM, WE DO WORK WITH THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM SPECIAL VOUCHER PROGRAM, AND SOME OF OUR FOLKS WERE AFFECTED BY THIS BUDGET SHORTFALL. AND SO WE SOUGHT TO LEARN WHY AND, AND WHAT HAPPENED, UM, AND SO THAT WE COULD DO SORT OF A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AND, AND FIGURE OUT HOW COULD WE HELP AS A, AS A, UM, JURISDICTION. AND SO I DO UNDERSTAND, AS YOU HEARD, ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, IT'S AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF WORK, AND THERE'S A RECOGNITION OF THAT, AND SO ARE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES NEEDED. ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ANY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO TURN THAT DOWN . UM, AND SO WE FROM A JURISDICTIONAL PERSPECTIVE WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THAT MORE. HOW WOULD THAT HAPPEN, GRANT WRITING? ABSOLUTELY. UM, IF YOU CAN COMBINE THE GRANT WRITING POSITION WITH AN HR POSITION, IF YOU FIND SOMEBODY WITH THAT SPECIAL SET OF SKILLS WHERE THAT COULD BE IN [01:10:01] FULL TIME, STRONGLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THE GRANT DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME INTO OUR JURISDICTION HAVE BEEN PIVOTAL AND ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO HOW WE CAN ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN OUR JURISDICTION. I UNDERSTAND THAT TO REQUEST MORE MONEY FROM, UH, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD TO SHOW THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, AND YOU HEARD ABOUT THE PAYMENT, UM, STANDARDS THAT MIGHT BE CHANGED. I'LL TELL YOU, AS WORKING AS A CASE MANAGER FOR QUITE A WHILE, FINDING AN AVAILABLE UNIT AT THE VOUCHER RATE IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FOLKS FAIL TO FIND A SPOT IN THEIR 120 DAYS? IT'S USUALLY BECAUSE THE RENTAL APPLICATION STANDARDS ARE SO FAR OUTSIDE THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE CANNOT NOW AT THE HIGHER RATE OF PAYMENT, FIND AVAILABLE UNITS THAT WILL ACCEPT THAT VOUCHER. SO IT'S, IT'S A CONSEQUENCE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO FACE THAT YES, WE, WE MAY, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO GET THAT WAIVER FOR LOWER PAYMENT STANDARDS. BUT THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT IS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE MORE UNUSABLE VOUCHERS BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIND UNITS NOW THAT WILL ACCEPT THE CURRENT, NOT ONLY THE VOUCHER AMOUNTS, BUT MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH CREDIT SCORE AND THEY HAVE LESS THAN DESIRABLE RENTAL HISTORIES. SO WE'RE ADVOCATING VERY STRONGLY FOR THAT. SO IN A NUTSHELL, YES, IT WOULD BE NICE IF HOUSING HAD MORE RESOURCES. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT HAPPENS. MAYBE IT'S THROUGH GRANT, UM, GRANT WRITING. UM, BUT THEY NEED MORE HELP TO ANSWER THOSE PHONES. THEY NEED MORE HELP TO ANSWER THOSE EMAILS, TO GET TIMEFRAMES IN A MORE REALISTIC, UM, MEASURE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, I THOUGHT SOMEBODY WAS GETTING UP TO MAKE A COMMENT, SO APPARENTLY NOT. I WILL CHECK FOR ONLINE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE THEIR HANDS RAISED OR MR. CHAIR? THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO REMOTE PARTICIPANTS IN THE QUEUE. OKAY. COME BACK HERE TO THE BOARDROOM. GOOD, MOR. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHAIRMAN. MY NAME'S LINDA DASH, AND I DO WORK FOR AN AGENCY IN MEED HAVE FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT YEARS. AND I'VE HOUSED SEVERAL HUNDRED CLIENTS. BUT MY CONCERN IS, UH, TWO PEOPLE THAT I COMPLETED THE APPLICATION AND SUBMITTED IT TO, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITY IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR. FEBRUARY WE'RE UP ON SEPTEMBER. UM, WE CHECKED SEVERAL MONTHS TO FIND OUT THE SITUATION. I COULDN'T GET ANYBODY TO RETURN A CALL. I DO HAVE A COUPLE FRIENDS THAT WORK THERE. I DON'T LIKE TO PUT THEM ON A SPOT. UM, THEY SAID THEY'RE TOO BUSY. THEY HAVE PILES AND THEY'LL CALL ME. UM, ONE OF MY CLIENTS HAS STAGE FOUR BREAST CANCER, AND SHE WAS ON THE STREETS AND HER DOCTOR SAID HE COULD NOT REALLY TREAT HER. AND UNTIL SHE HAD A PLACE WHERE SHE COULD HEAL AND BE AWAY FROM STRESS, I THINK BEING HOMELESS IS VERY STRESSFUL. MY OTHER CLIENT HAS SEVERE BACK PROBLEMS, KNEE PROBLEMS, BEEN SLEEPING IN HIS CAR FOR OVER THREE YEARS. AND ALSO HE IS, UM, A MENTAL HEALTH PATIENT. BOTH THOSE PEOPLE. I FILLED OUT THE APPLICATIONS FOR FOUR. WE THOUGHT THINGS WERE GONNA BE GREAT UNTIL JUST ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHEN WE WERE TOLD, SORRY. SO NOW WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE STRESSFUL. WHERE AM I GONNA FIND A PLACE FOR MY LADY THAT'S UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR HER BREAST CANCER? AND MY, UH, GENTLEMAN THAT'S SCHEDULED TO BE EVICTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, IT'S STILL NOTHING ONLINE. UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS PRESENTATION IS NOW CLOSED. AND I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS HERE. UH, DISCUSSION CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. PEDROSO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO THE SHORTFALL. WHAT IS THE SHORTFALL? LIKE? I UNDERSTAND YOU SAY WHAT CAUSES A SHORTFALL AND ALL THAT, BUT WHAT IS IT? AND THEN IS IT NOT, YOU KNOW, BUDGETED OR PROJECTED? THE RENTAL RATE INCREASES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SO THAT YOU CAN BALANCE OR YOU CAN AC CUS OR BUDGET FOR THAT? SO [01:15:01] WHAT THE SHORTFALL IS, IS WE RECEIVE, WE HAVE VOUCHERS 2,950, AND HUD SAYS, FOR THESE 2,950, YOU'RE GONNA GET X AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND BASED ON THAT X AMOUNT OF MONEY IS WHAT WE KNOW WE ARE GONNA PAY THESE CONTINUED, UM, VOUCHERS FOR. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE THIS MONEY, FAMILY SITUATIONS CHANGE. SO IF A FAMILY LOSES, OH, SORRY, REPORT, THAT MEANS THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT IS GONNA GO HIGHER. IN SOME SITUATIONS, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PAYS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FAMILY'S RENTS. YOU CANNOT PROJECT HOW MANY OF THESE FAMILIES ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY THIS. UH, YOU ALSO HAVE LANDLORDS THAT WILL REQUEST A RENTAL INCREASE. UH, WE HAVE THE LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT REQUEST THEM EVERY YEAR. UM, AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR. SO PROJECTING THAT, WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT YES, WE ARE GONNA SEE AN INCREASE OF, YOU KNOW, 3%. BUT AGAIN, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOBS. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE GOING TO MOVE. UM, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY UTILITY REIMBURSEMENTS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY OUT. AND WHAT A UTILITY REIMBURSEMENT IS, IS WHEN A FAMILY, UM, HAS VERY LOW INCOME OR ZERO INCOME, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PAYS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE RENT, AND IN SOME CASES, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS TO ISSUE A CHECK TO A FAMILY TO HELP WITH THE UTILITY ALLOWANCE. SO THOSE ARE HARD TO PROJECT. SO YES AND NO IS THE ANSWER. SO WE DO PROJECT, BUT YOU REALLY CAN'T FORESEE HOW MANY ARE GOING TO BE CHANGED DURING THE YEAR. IN ADDITION, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DID THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE PROJECT BASED UNITS, THE NEW ONES WE BROUGHT OUT, BROUGHT ON, WE WERE NOT EXPECTING, UM, I'M SORRY, WE WERE EXPECTING THEM TO COME ON IN 2026. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT'S WHEN OUR PROGRAM HAS BEEN HIT WITH QUITE, UH, SEVERAL FAMILIES THAT HAVE ALSO REPORTED, UM, DECREASES IN INCOME. SO WE'VE ALSO BROUGHT PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS ON, AND WE'VE BEEN HIT WITH A LOT OF FAMILY CHANGES. OKAY. UM, SO I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION IS, SO HOW MANY VOUCHERS WILL BE CUT IN TOTAL? WE'RE NOT CUTTING ANY VOUCHERS RIGHT NOW. WE'RE NOT CUTTING ANY VOUCHERS. WHAT THE SHORTFALL AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE ARE NOT ISSUING ANY NEW VOUCHERS. SO WE ARE NOT CUTTING VOUCHERS FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS. WE'RE JUST NOT ISSUING ANY OF ANY NEW VOUCHERS AT THIS TIME. FROM WHAT DATE? ON JUNE 21ST, 2026. SO ANYTHING THAT WAS APPROVED BEFORE THAT WAS GIVEN A VOUCHER, ANYBODY THAT WAS ISSUED A VOUCHER ON JUNE, BY JUNE ON JUNE 21ST, THEY WERE STILL ALLOWED TO USE THEIR VOUCHER AND, UM, FIND HOUSING. OKAY. SO THOSE VOUCHERS WERE NOT REVOKED. UM, YOU KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AND, AND IT'S KIND OF BEEN A CONTINUED, UM, ISSUE, YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT MERCED COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW, WE, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO APPOINT THE BOARD, RIGHT? AND THEN ONCE THAT IT'S THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO OVERSEE THE AUTHORITY. UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE TODAY AND, AND, AND GIVE US THAT INFORMATION. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF IT UNDER THAT, YOU KNOW IT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID IS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED TO REPORT TO US IF THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE, BUT THE ONGOING COMPLAINT THAT I GET, AND I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES GET, IS WHAT YOU JUST HEARD. AND SO HOW CAN PEOPLE REPORT A CHANGE IN SOMETHING IF THERE'S NOBODY TO ANSWER THE PHONE? AND I, AND I DON'T LIKE THE ARGUMENT THAT WELL, WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED. I GET THAT. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THAT'S A TERRIBLE ARGUMENT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL UNDERSTAFFED AND, AND YOU CAN MAKE THAT ARGUMENT ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THERE'S WAYS TO WORK AROUND THAT. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, AND I, AND I APPRECIATE MS. MCC CAMON COMING UP AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP LET US KNOW THAT THE LAS SPANISH HAS HELP. IF HSA CAN BE OF BETTER ASSISTANCE, THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO BEST SERVE THE POPULATION. AND SO WHEN WE COME, WHEN THEY COME TO US AND, AND ASK US THESE QUESTIONS, AND THEN WHEN WE CAN'T GET AHOLD OF PEOPLE, IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S, THEY COME TO US BECAUSE IT SAYS MERCED COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY. MM-HMM . SO THAT'S ONE PART. BUT ANOTHER QUESTION I DID HAVE IS I NOTICED THAT YOU REC YOU SAY THE DIFFERENT PRIVATE DEVELOPER OWNED AND THE, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OWNED DEVELOPMENT, IS THERE CURRENTLY ANY PROPERTY THAT IS OWNED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SO THAT IF A GRANT BECAME AVAILABLE THAT THEY COULD EASILY GO OUT AND SAY, OR THEY COULD WORK WITH OUR PEOPLE AT HSA AND JOHN COULD CONNECT YOU TO THE PEOPLE THAT TO TALK TO? IS, [01:20:01] UM, FOR THE SECOND QUESTION, YES. UM, IN THE HANDOUT THAT YOU GAVE, IT DOES SAY, UM, HOUSING AUTHORITY OWNED PROPERTIES. SO, BUT, BUT LIKE ANY SITES AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE TWO THAT I'VE, UM, IDENTIFIED THOSE PAS AND, UM, LOS PANELS. SO WE ARE LOOKING, UM, TO DEVELOP ON THOSE TWO PROPERTIES. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. SO MAY I RESPOND TO THE FIRST QUESTION? YES. OKAY. SO, UM, WE DO HAVE ALL OF OUR FAMILIES, UM, DO HAVE TO COMPLETE THEIR RECERTIFICATION ONLINE. WE DO HAVE SOME FAMILIES, DEPENDING ON REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, UM, DO STILL RECEIVE A PAPER PACKET. BUT FAMILIES THAT REPORTED CHANGE OR RE-CERTIFY CAN DO IT ONLINE THROUGH THE RENT CAFE. SO THEY DON'T REALLY NEED TO SPEAK TO ANYBODY. THEY CAN GO INTO THEIR SYSTEM AND LOG IN AND COMPLETE THEIR RECERTIFICATION. UM, FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT HAVE DIFFICULTIES, UM, THEY CAN COME INTO OUR OFFICE. WE DO HAVE KIOSKS AT OUR, BOTH OUR LOCA AT BOTH PUBLIC HOUSING AND THE HCV DEPARTMENT, WHERE OUR STAFF WILL HELP THEM COMPLETE AND PROCESS THEIR APPLICATIONS AND THEIR PAPERWORK ONLINE. SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME FAMILIES DO CALL AND THEY ARE FRUSTRATED. UM, I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. UM, MY STAFF, UM, WORKS AS HARD AS THEY CAN JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE'S STAFF. UM, BUT WE DO HAVE OTHER RESOURCES, OTHER WAYS THAT THE FAMILY CAN REPORT AND CAN SUBMIT THEIR DOCUMENTS. UM, IF THEY'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY, AGAIN, WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT WILL WALK THEM THROUGH ON THE PHONE, OR AGAIN, THEY CAN COME INTO THE OFFICE AND WE WILL HELP THEM THROUGH THEIR KIOSK. UM, SO THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS THAT THEY HAVE TO REPORT IT. BUT AGAIN, IF THEY COME INTO THE OFFICE, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU'RE, A LOT OF TIMES DO PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO INTO YOUR OFFICE AND WHERE YOUR OFFICE IS LOCATED, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE A COMPUTER. AND SO IF THERE'S PEOPLE IN THERE THAT ARE, YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE ASSISTING THEM, WELL, IF IT'S NOT IN TRANS, IF IT'S NOT IN ENGLISH, OR IF IT'S NOT IN SPANISH OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, IF THEY CAN'T TRANSLATE IT, WHAT'S THE ASSISTANCE OF PEOPLE? BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A QUICK TURNAROUND TIME. AND IF SOMEBODY GETS A LETTER IN THE MAIL SAYING YOU'RE GONNA BE KICKED OUTTA YOUR HOUSE IN A, IN A HURRY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T RECERTIFY, THAT'S VERY CONFUSING. RIGHT. AND IT'S SCARY. WELL, OUR SYSTEM DOES ALLOW, UM, THEM TO CHANGE INTO THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY SPEAK SO IT'S NOT JUST IN ENGLISH. SO THEY CAN SELECT THEIR LANGUAGE. UM, IF THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO USE THE COMPUTER, AGAIN FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, WE CAN STILL DO A PAPER PACKET THAT WE CAN STILL MAIL IT TO THEM AND THEY CAN STILL DO PAPER. AND, UM, THAT OPTION HAS NOT BEEN TOTALLY ELIMINATED. UM, SO THAT IS THE PROCESS FOR THE RECERTIFICATION. WE, WE SEND OUT A NOTICE 120 DAYS BEFORE THE RECERTIFICATION DUE DATE. SO THEY RECEIVE A 30 DAY NOTICE THAT THE REER IS DUE AND THEY HAVE 14 DAYS TO RESPOND. AND THEN WE SEND OUT A REMINDER AT THE END OF THE 14 DAY NOTICE THAT THE ERT IS DUE. IF THAT STILL IS NOT COMPLETED, WE WILL SEND OUT A THIRD REMINDER. SO FAMILIES RECEIVE THREE REMINDERS THAT THE ERT IS DUE. UM, AND AGAIN, IF THE FAMILY IS HAVING DIFFICULTY, THEY CAN COME IN, UM, THEY CAN, UM, REQUEST A PAPER PACKET IF THEY ARE FINDING THAT IT'S TOO DIFFICULT TO DO IT ONLINE. 'CAUSE YOU ARE CORRECT. NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW TO USE A COMPUTER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE WAY FOR THEM TO COMPLETE IT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, MR. PERRERA. THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR. UM, SO THE, THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT THAT I RECEIVE, UH, BOTH FROM, UM, THE AGENCIES THAT YOU WORK WITH AND FROM, UH, CLIENTS THAT YOU SERVE, IS THE INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR OFFICE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE STANDING HERE SAYING, NOW WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE TO HELP FOLKS THAT COME INTO OUR OFFICE. BUT I MEAN, IT'S TIME. I MEAN, YOU HEARD IT IN PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING, AND, AND I HEAR THAT NOT ALL THE TIME, RIGHT? BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY APPROACH ME ALL THE TIME, BUT WHEN THEY DO, THAT'S THE COMPLAINT. MM-HMM . AND, UH, WHEN, WHEN I STARTED KIND OF PAYING ATTENTION TO, UM, WHAT ALL WE'LL SAY ISSUES WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS BAD. AND THEN IT SEEMED LIKE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, GIVE OR TAKE, UH, THAT IT GOT A LITTLE BETTER FOR A WHILE AND MAYBE EVEN SIX MONTHS. BUT SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN TERRIBLE. AND SO I HELP ME RECONCILE YOU SAYING THAT WE'RE ALL HERE AND WE'RE HELPING EVERYBODY. AND THEN THE PEOPLE THAT YOU DO BUSINESS WITH, I'LL CALL IT THAT, SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT AVAILABLE AND YOU DON'T HELP. SO HELP, HELP ME RECONCILE THAT. SO WE CURRENTLY SERVE 2,890 [01:25:01] PEOPLE ON ANY GIVEN DAY, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THERE ARE GONNA BE COMPLAINTS OF FAMILIES NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THROUGH. I UNDERSTAND THAT. UM, AND IN SOME CASES THEY HAVE CALLED MORE THAN ONE TIME. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE DO ADDRESS IT. AND WE ALSO RECEIVE PHONE CALLS FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS ASKING QUESTIONS. WE, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION TO THOSE PEOPLE IF WE DO NOT HAVE AN AUTHORIZATION FORM. AND WHAT WE FIND IS PROBABLY 90% OF THE TIME WHEN THEY'RE CALLING IS WE CANNOT PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION AND WE CANNOT GIVE THEM WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE HUD AUTHORIZATION FORM. ONCE WE RECEIVE IT, THEN WE ARE ABLE TO HELP THE FAMILIES, UM, FOR, AGAIN, UM, THOSE THAT DO NOT, ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THROUGH. WE DO HAVE AN ANSWERING A BACK ANSWERING SERVICE. SO WHEN THE PHONE CALLS COME IN, IF STAFF IS NOT AVAILABLE TO ANSWER, IT DOES ROLL OVER TO OUR, UM, ANSWERING SERVICE. OUR ANSWERING SERVICE THEN DOES TAKE THE MESSAGE, CONVERTS IT, AND THEN SENDS IT TO OUR STAFF AND TO OUR, UM, SUPERVISOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WE STARTED USING THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO START TRACKING, UM, WHY THE STAFF IS NOT CALLING BACK TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES BECAUSE, UM, YOU ARE CORRECT. WE WERE ALSO RECEIVING THAT, THOSE CALLS. UM, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT AGAIN, THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE, UM, AND THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE GET NO COMPLAINTS AND IT WOULD BE TO ZERO. BUT, UM, THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE IMPOSSIBLE. AND ALL WE CAN DO IS TRY TO ADDRESS IT. AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IT IS, UM, NOW STARTING TO TRACK EACH CALL THAT COMES IN. RIGHT. UM, AND THEN, UM, UH, WE'LL SWITCH GEARS JUST A LITTLE BIT. UM, DO YOU HAVE A SYSTEM THAT TRACKS THE TIMING OF, OF AN APPLICATION, IT'S FIRST RESPONSE AND THEN THE ULTIMATE, LIKE THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER SOMEBODY GETS APPROVED OR NOT APPROVED? AND WHAT'S THAT SYSTEM CALLED? UM, WELL, IT, IT STARTS FROM THE TIME A FAMILY IS SELECTED. SO THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT ARE LOOKED AT. SO IT'S BASED ON WHEN A FAMILY APPLIES, IT'S BASED ON PREFERENCES THAT THE FAMILY SELECTS AND THEN THEIR INCOME. AND THE LAST THING IS DATE AND TIME. SO EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE APPLIED AT THE SAME TIME, UM, NO, LET'S SAY I APPLIED FIRST AND YOU APPLIED THREE DAYS LATER, DEPENDING ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SUBMITTED, YOU PROVIDED YOUR PREFERENCES AND YOUR INCOME, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY BASED ON YOUR INCOME AND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU WILL GET CALLED BEFORE I DO, EVEN THOUGH I APPLIED, BECAUSE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY USES PREFERENCES AND WE HAVE TO USE INCOME, 75% OF OUR NEW ADMISSION HAS TO BE EXTREMELY LOW. SO THAT'S THE POPULATION WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR, UM, OUR, FOR THE FIRST YEAR. I MEAN OUR, UM, WHEN WE'RE SELECTING FAMILIES. SO 75% HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY LOW. IF THEY'RE NOT EXTREMELY LOW, THEN WE CANNOT PROCESS THEIR APPLICATION AND IT WOULD BE PLACED BACK ON THE WAITING LIST. SO AGAIN, IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE FAMILY SITUATION. SO, SO, BUT MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU TRACK THAT PROCESS? YES. AND WHAT IS THAT SYSTEM CALLED? UM, WE TRACK ALL OF OUR APPLICATIONS IN OUR SYSTEM THAT WE USE IS CALLED YARDI. YARDI. SO FROM THE TIME THE APPLICATION IS ENTERED, IT DATE STAMPS WHEN THE APPLICATION WAS, UM, SUBMITTED, WHEN WE ACCEPTED IT, WHEN THEY'RE SELECTED, UM, AND WHEN THEY WERE APPROVED. OKAY. AND SO WHAT'S THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME BETWEEN WHEN A PERSON TURNS IN THEIR APPLICATION AND WHEN THEY GET APPROVED? UM, IT CAN VARY. I KNOW THAT WHAT'S THE AVERAGE 30 DAYS? ABOUT 30 DAYS, 45 DAYS. SO THERE'S PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, SAID THEY TURNED IN APPLICATION IN FEBRUARY, NOT HEARD YET. SO, SO THAT, SO, SO IF YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE WAITING, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS AND YOU'RE SAYING YOU GET IT IN 30 DAYS, SO ARE YOU DOING SOME WITHIN A FEW DAYS TO MAKE THE AVERAGE? IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T RECONCILE IT? NO, IT DOESN'T. AND IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE. UM, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE AVERAGE. THE AVERAGE IS ABOUT 30 TO 45 DAYS IF THE FAMILY HAS SUBMITTED ALL OF THEIR DOCUMENTS. OKAY. AND, AND SO, UM, IF A FAMILY HASN'T SUBMITTED ALL THEIR DOCUMENTS, THEN ARE YOU, IS YOUR STAFF REACHING OUT TO THEM AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVEN'T SENT EVERYTHING IN AND YOU NEED MORE? YES, WE'RE REQUIRED TO SEND NOTIFICATIONS OUT, UM, ASKING THEM, UM, REMINDING THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO SUBMIT AND THE TIMEFRAME [01:30:01] DATE THAT THE INFORMATION IS DUE BACK TO OUR OFFICE. OKAY. THANKS. UM, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN I'LL SWITCH, UH, I GUESS FURTHER AWAY, UM, THE, WHEN I TALK TO MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE STATE, THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR HOUSING AUTHORITIES APPLYING FOR GRANT MONEY, BRINGING THAT INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN FINDING DEVELOPERS TO DEVELOP. RIGHT. SO, UH, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR, IN YOUR PRESENTATION RECEIVING TWO GRANTS. UH, BUT NEITHER OF THOSE WERE REALLY FOR DEVELOPING PROJECTS. AND SO WHAT, WHEN'S THE, HOW MANY GRANTS HAVE YOU RECEIVED TO, UH, BUILD, UM, UH, HOUSING? THE, UM, THE ONES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING IN LOS BANOS? UH, WE, THAT IS, UM, WE DID NOT, THAT IS NOT A GRANT. THAT'S MONEY THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS. WE ARE CURRENTLY, LIKE, UM, I SAID WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE, WE ARE SEEKING HOME KEY MONEY TO, UM, BUILD THE ONES IN LOS BANOS AND, UM, LOS PALOS. SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF SEEKING MONEY. OKAY. THE GRANTS. AND THEN, SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THE DIRECTOR AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY? I'VE BEEN THERE GOING ON 10 YEARS. 10 YEARS? MM-HMM . SO IN THAT 10 YEARS, HOW MANY OF THOSE TYPES OF GRANTS HAVE YOU RECEIVED? UM, WELL WE RECEIVED 1, 2, 3, 4. BUT IT WAS MORE LIKE FOR REDEVELOPMENT, I'M, I'M IMPROVEMENTS TO THE UNITS. TO YOUR NOT GRANT, NOT NEW DEVELOPMENTS? CORRECT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT IN, I'M ON IT IN THAT WORLD, BUT JUST IN PEOPLE AND TALKING TO PEOPLE, UH, OTHER COUNTIES, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITIES ARE RECEIVING GRANTS AND, AND WE'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THOSE AT LEAST IN THE LAST NINE YEARS BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE GOING RIGHT NOW. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. WHAT'S THE PLAN GOING FORWARD? THE PLAN GOING FORWARD IS, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR DEVELOPER TO SEEK THESE GRANTS AND IT'S TO BUILD, BUT WE STILL NEED MONEY FOR CONTINUED RENTAL ASSISTANCE. RIGHT. SO WE NEED BOTH. RIGHT. AND SO HOW DO YOU GET THE INCREASED MONEY, UH, THE INCREASED MONEY FOR THE VOUCHERS YOU HAVE? WELL, THERE, UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO NEW NOFA S FOR ADDITIONAL, UM, HUD MONEY. SO WE ARE LOOKING TO WORK WITH OUR VA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD DESIGNATE SOME OF THOSE VASH VOUCHERS TO OUR PROJECTS. UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO SEE, UM, IF THROUGH ATTRITION, UM, WE CAN USE SOME OF THAT IF HUD WILL ALLOW THEM TO INCREASE OUR PROJECT BASE. HUD IS CURRENTLY LOOKING TO INCREASE THE 25% PROJECT BASE TO 50%. UM, SO IF HUD DOES THAT, THEN THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE LOOKING TO DO. OKAY. UM, AND HOW MANY EMPLOYEES, UH, DO YOU HAVE THAT WORK IN THE ADMIN SIDE? THIRD FOUR ADMIN IS NINE. OH, TOTAL OF 34. AND THEN NINE OF THEM ARE ADMIN. OKAY. QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, WELL, I'LL, UH, I'LL STOP AND LET MY COLLEAGUES, UH, HAVE TIME. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. RA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UH, DIRECTOR VASQUEZ, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, I, I DON'T EVEN, WELL, I DON'T ENVY THE POSITION YOU'RE IN WITH, WITH THESE DIFFERENT VOUCHERS, DIFFERENT, UM, RULES AROUND HOW THEY CAN BE IMPLEMENTED, WHERE THEY CAN BE USED. UM, SUPERVISOR PER ASKED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS OF, OF HOW, HOW MUCH STAFF DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE? UM, SO I NOTICED WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU TALKED ABOUT SPECIFIC VOUCHERS, UH, FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. SOME OF THOSE ARE UNUSED. WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE DOLLARS IF, IF I, IF YOU HAVE, I'M GONNA MAKE UP THE NUMBER. IF YOU HAVE 20 THAT'S ALLOCATED TO THIS PROGRAM, YOU HAVE 15 OF THEM BEING USED, THERE'S FIVE THAT ARE UN THAT ARE NOT BEING USED. I'M SURE WHEN YOU BUILD YOUR BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO BUILD IN THAT THERE'S A POTENTIAL, THOSE 20 COULD BE USED. WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY RIGHT THERE? SO WE ISSUE THE, IT GOES BACK TO HERE'S THE VOUCHER, AND THEN HERE IS THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT SO THAT THOSE, THAT IS WHY THOSE VOUCHERS ARE NOT BEING REISSUED BECAUSE THERE IS NO MONEY TO THOSE VOUCHERS BECAUSE PART OF THAT IS THE INCREASE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE OTHER PAYMENT STANDARDS. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS A VOUCHER DOES NOT COME WITH A DOLLAR AMOUNT. HERE IS YOUR TOTAL BUDGET, AND THEN HERE IS YOUR VOUCHERS. SO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ALLOCATED FOR 2,950, WE ARE NOT TOTALLY LEASED AT 2,950 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR ALL 2,950. SO AGAIN, WE ARE NOT ATTACHING A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO EACH VOUCHER. SO THOSE, THAT MONEY IS PUT INTO THE OTHER VOUCHERS TO HELP KEEP FUNDING THOSE VOUCHERS. OKAY. THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME. YEAH. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT THERE, THESE VOUCHERS ARE SUPPOSED TO, YOU CAN USE 'EM ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES. MM-HMM . I [01:35:01] KNOW THIS FROM SPEAKING TO SOME FOLKS OVER IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY. THEY HAVE A LOT OF VOUCHERS THAT ARE NOT BEING USED SIMPLY BECAUSE THE RENTS ARE SO HIGH OVER THERE AND NOBODY QUALIFIES FOR 'EM. THEY, SO THEY, THEY HAVE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF VOUCHERS THAT ARE GOING UNUSED BECAUSE SIMPLY A, A $2,000 VOUCHER OVER THERE, IT DOESN'T GET YOU ANYTHING. RIGHT. SO, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE POTENTIALLY WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE SAME ISSUES HERE THAT, THAT, SO WE'RE NOT BEING USED. SO I WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO TELL YOU HOW TO DO YOUR BUSINESS, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE YOU GUYS HAVE AN, LIKE A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION, A A A REGIONAL ASSOCIATION. I WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU GUYS ADVOCATE TO YOUR PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE ADVOCATING AT THE NEXT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO, TO ADVOCATE, YES, WE NEED MORE MONEY, BUT THEN ULTIMATELY WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE WITH OUR MONEY. ALLOW THE MONEY TO WORK AT THE SPEED OF WHATEVER. 'CAUSE EACH COUNTY'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT. THAT WOULD BE JUST A KIND SUGGESTION, RIGHT? SO IT IS, NO, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S A REASON WHY YOU'RE HERE TODAY. RIGHT? AND THAT REASON IS, IS BECAUSE OF THIS UNIQUE, IT'S CALLED THE MERCED COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHERE THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ALONE. WE GET A CALLS ABOUT MERCED COUNTY MOSQUITO ABATEMENT. THESE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARE THE SAME NAME WITH US, RIGHT. AND AS THEY'RE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE GET THE PHONE CALLS MM-HMM . AND, AND, AND I, AND I THINK THAT THIS ISN'T A CRITICISM, IT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU NEED TO HEAR. YOU'RE NOT MEETING THE BAR. RIGHT. YOUR, YOUR ORGANIZATION ISN'T MEETING THE BAR. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, INTERNALLY, I DON'T THINK THAT FOR A SECOND THAT ANYBODY, WHEN YOUR ORGANIZATION'S NOT WORKING THEIR TAILS OFF TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE, BUT IT'S FAILING AND IT'S FAILING IN THE SENSE THAT YOU HEARD FROM RESIDENTS TODAY. AND, AND THIS IS, THIS IS, IS THIS IS THEIR, THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA LIVE. THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA REST THEIR HEAD AT NIGHT. THIS IS, THIS IS, THERE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT THING TO THESE FOLKS. AND SO WHEN YOU HEAR A STORY AS SOMEBODY THAT COMES HERE, AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE REASONS BEHIND WHY I'M BEING TOLD I GOTTA MOVE OUT OF THIS HOUSE BECAUSE OF AN INSPECTION NOT BEING DONE. BUT, BUT TO ME, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT WE GOTTA GET. RIGHT? RIGHT. WE, WE CAN'T LET THOSE SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS. THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE AMONGST US THAT ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE. RIGHT? THAT, THAT I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT I DON'T SHARE THAT EXACT SAME STRUGGLE WITH SOME OF THESE FOLKS, BUT, BUT AS, AS AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE OF THEM, IT, IT BECOMES NOW MY PROBLEM. AND, AND SO, AND I'LL LET YOU RESPOND TO IT, BUT IT'S JUST, I WANT YOU TO HEAR IT LIKE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT WORKING. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS INTERNALLY. DO WE NEED TO LOOK INTERNALLY AND DO WE NEED TO, THERE ARE THIS, AND THERE'S THIS MAGIC THING OUT THERE, AI TECHNOLOGY THAT, THAT IS SUPPOSED TO HELP WITH THINGS, STREAMLINE THINGS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LITTLE THING HERE IN THE COUNTY CALLED SEE, CLICK, FIX. RIGHT? IF YOU GOT A POTHOLE, TAKE A PICTURE. YOU GET ON THERE, YOU TAKE A PICTURE OF IT, IT GOES RIGHT OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS. AND NOW WE HAVE A RECORD OF WHEN THAT WAS THERE. WE HAVE A RECORD TO SEE HOW GOOD WE'RE DOING AT RESPONDING TO THOSE. 'CAUSE I THINK YOU NEED TO HEAR THAT. I THINK YOU NEED TO HEAR THAT THERE'S PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE YOUR CLIENTS THAT ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS, FEEL LIKE THAT, THAT THIS, THIS SYSTEM THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IS FAILING 'EM. AND, AND, AND THAT'S THE STRUGGLE, RIGHT? AND SO I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR YOU, I PROMISE YOU THAT. BUT I THINK IT'S, HERE'S, HERE'S THE CALL TO ACTION IS, IS WE'RE HEARING IT. MY MY ASK OF YOU GUYS IS TO LOOK IN, THINK, GO INTO IT WITH AN OPEN MIND AND SAY, HOW CAN WE INTERNALLY BE BETTER AT WHAT WE WE DO, RIGHT? BECAUSE I GET IT. IF, IF THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH DOLLARS TO GO AROUND, THERE'S ONLY SO MANY VOUCHERS THAT YOU CAN OFFER. AND YOU GUYS SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, YOU'RE TRYING TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL TO GET, TO MAXIMIZE SO THAT WE CAN HELP THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. AND I THINK THAT IS YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS. BUT WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PIECE OF IT, RIGHT? BECAUSE ULTIMATELY EVERY ONE OF THESE CLIENTS, THEY, THEY, THEY PAY FOR THIS PROGRAM, RIGHT? SOME MIGHT PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE. 'CAUSE THIS IS ALL TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT ARE HELPING THESE THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK IF YOU GO INTO IT WITH THAT MINDSET AND THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WALKS IN THAT DOOR AS ONE OF YOUR BOSSES, RIGHT? AS AN ORGANIZATION, YOU'RE, YOU'RE AT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR OF YOUR ORGANIZATION. BUT YOU ANSWER TO A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, RIGHT? IF YOUR BOSS CAME IN THERE AND SAID, HEY, I NEED HELP WITH THIS. HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND BACK TO THAT BOSS? THAT'S HOW I, I WOULD TAKE IT. AND THAT'S HOW I APPROACH MY JOB. EVERY ONE OF MY 58,000 BOSSES THAT MANY OF YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT ON THE WEST SIDE OF MERCED COUNTY, EVERY ONE OF THE, OR ONE OF THOSE FOLKS, OR ONE OF MY BOSSES. AND WHEN THEY CALL ME WITH A QUESTION, A COMMENT, A CONCERN, I RESPOND BACK TO THEM IN A WAY LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE MY BOSS. THEY, THEY, THEY ELECT ME TO COME AND BE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE. SO I'LL LET YOU RESPOND TO IT, BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF MY PERSPECTIVE ON IT. AND, AND IS WE'RE HEARING THIS STUFF AND THERE'S A REASON WHY YOU ARE ASKED HERE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO HEAR THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, YOU'LL CALL IT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. HOW CAN WE BE BETTER AT WHAT WE DO? BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU FROM AN OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW ISN'T THE BEST WE CAN BE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I DO APPRECIATE IT. AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I DO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLAINTS AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS. UM, AND AGAIN, OUR STAFF IS, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED, UM, WE HAVE MADE IMPLEMENTATIONS TO HELP BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE. UM, I WILL ALSO SAY THERE'S [01:40:01] ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO EACH STORY. UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE CALL COMES TO YOU, THERE'S THE SIDE THEY'RE TELLING. AND THEN WHEN THEY HEAR OUR, WHAT WE HAVE DONE, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT, OH, WE COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING BETTER. UM, WE DO NOT ISSUE THREE DAY NOTICES FOR FAMILIES TO MOVE OUT WHEN WE RECEIVE NOTICES. UM, AND TENANTS ARE CONCERNED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE TRY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE A VOUCHER BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT OUR FAMILIES TO LOSE A VOUCHER. BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT IS GONNA CREATE A FAMILY BEING OUT THERE HOMELESS. SO WHEN THE CALL COMES THROUGH AND THE FAMILY AND THE OWNER IS SERVED A TENANT, A LEASE VIOLATION OR THREE DAY NOTICE FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT, YES, MY STAFF IS GONNA LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OKAY, IS IT REPEATED? IS IT A HISTORY? AND WE WILL ALSO WORK WITH OWNERS, UM, THE SUPERVISOR, UM, AND THE DIRECTOR WITH THE OWNERS TO TRY AND PREVENT A VOUCHER FROM BEING NOT USED. SO AGAIN, UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, WE WILL TAKE THAT BACK AND WE WILL TRY TO IMPROVE. WE WILL IMPROVE. UM, BUT I'M NOT GONNA SAY RIGHT OFF THE TOP THAT THE CALL, THE COMPLAINTS ARE GOING TO GO DOWN A HUNDRED PERCENT. YEP. AND THERE WILL ALWAYS, I'LL TELL YOU I CHALLENGE YOU IS, IS WE DON'T CALL 'EM COMPLAINT. WE, WE CALL 'EM LIKE OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? THANK YOU. THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BETTER AT WHAT WE DO. YES. AND, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS DEAL LONG ENOUGH WHEN I GET THE PHONE CALL, IT'S TYPICALLY WHEN THEY'VE ALREADY TALKED TO X AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND THEY'RE FRUSTRATED AND, AND YOU KNOW, I SAY THERE'S THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY. THERE'S YOURS, MINE IS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE, LIES THE TRUTH. AND, AND IT'S, IT'S RECOGNIZING THAT. AND YOU'RE NEVER GONNA, THESE CHALLENGES, THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME BEFORE US, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NEVER GONNA GO AWAY. BUT WHEN, BUT IT'S REALLY KIND OF EASY FOR ME TO LOOK AT IT IS, IS WHEN I HEAR THE ONE-OFF ONCE IN A WHILE, THAT'S JUST THE COURSE OF DOING BUSINESS, RIGHT? WE'RE NEVER GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY ALL THE TIME, RIGHT? BUT WHEN YOU START TO HEAR 'EM CONTINUOUSLY, THAT STARTS TO TELL ME THAT THERE'S, THAT THERE'S, THERE'S MORE TO THE STORY HERE. AND, AND WE REALLY NEED, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S YOUR PARTNERS, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU HAD A FEW OF YOUR PARTNERS THAT I'LL CALL 'EM, THAT COME UP HERE, THAT WORK PRETTY, UH, CLOSELY WITH YOU. LIKE, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT I'M GONNA REALLY MAKE SURE THAT I'M TAKING CARE OF AND, AND BECAUSE THEIR, THEIR BOOTS ON THE GROUND. AND, AND SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND HEARING THIS. IT IT IS, IT IS NOT TO TO PENALIZE ANYBODY, IT'S JUST TO TELL YOU THAT I THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. PACHECO THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU DIRECT FOR BEING HERE. UM, WELL, PRETTY MUCH IT'S ALL, UH, IT'S ALL BEEN SAID. UM, IN FACT, YOU KINDA ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS THAT THE CALLS THAT I GET IS, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M GETTING KICKED OUT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE CALLS ARE PRIORITIZED. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL JUST NEED INFORMATION, ALL THAT AND MM-HMM. UM, I GET THAT SOMETIMES A LITTLE LOWER, BUT I MEAN, I WOULD THINK IF SOMEBODY'S, YOU KNOW, HEY, I'M GONNA KICKED OUT IN A WEEK OR IN A MONTH, THAT, THAT THOSE CALLS WOULD BE PRIORITIZED, AT LEAST, UH, LIKE I SAID, SO THEY DON'T LOSE A VOUCHER. SO, AND, AND YOU DID ANSWER MY QUESTION, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I, THAT YOU GET ON THOSE, SO THANK YOU. THAT'S GOOD. I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. UM, SO LANDLORDS CAN ASK FOR INCREASES AND WHO, WHO DECIDES IF YES, THEY CAN HAVE ONE AND HOW MUCH IT IS? CAN YOU SAY NO OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? THE LANDLORD CAN REQUEST A RENT, A RENT INCREASE ONCE A YEAR, AND THEY CAN, WE HAVE LANDLORDS THAT REQUEST CRAZY AMOUNTS. WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO WHAT'S CALLED A RENT, UH, RENT SURVEY. SO WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT THE SURROUNDING AREA IS RENTING FOR, UM, WHAT THE UNIT IS AT, WHERE IT'S LOCATED, HOW MUCH THEY'RE ASKING. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CAP AMOUNT. IN SOME CASES WE DO SAY NO, UM, LANDLORDS DO NOT RECEIVE A RENT INCREASES. AND OTHER TIMES WE WILL NEGOTIATE WITH THE OWNER. WE WILL TELL THEM, WE CANNOT GIVE YOU THIS, BUT WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT. SO AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE LANDLORD IS ASKING FOR AND WHAT THE, UM, SURVEY THAT WE HAVE CONDUCTED SAYS. SO IF YOU CONDUCT A SURVEY AND UM, THERE ARE NO, YOU, DO YOU HAVE STILL HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE INCREASE? OR IS THERE, IS THERE A DISCRETION OR IS THERE A POINT WHERE THEY THEY MEET THE CRITERIA, WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TO 'EM. UM, REGULATIONS SAY WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TO THEM IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA. 'CAUSE YOU ARE CORRECT, IT STILL HAS TO PASS INSPECTION AND IT STILL HAS TO MEET, UM, THE RENT REASONABLENESS FOR THE AREA. OKAY. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . THANK YOU CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. PEDROSO. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. SO I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE SHORTFALL, THERE WAS 54 HOMELESS VOUCHERS ON HOLD. IS THAT CORRECT? AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE? THE HOMELESS VOUCHERS? THERE'S 54 HOMELESS VOUCHERS ON HOLD FROM CS. YEAH. UM, THOSE ARE NOT, AGAIN, THE DESIGNATION IS WHAT CES HAS DESIGNATED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO. SO THEY'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR HOMELESS. WE DID NOT GET SPECIAL MONEY FOR, [01:45:01] UM, HOMELESS POPULATION. SO THOSE ARE THE VOUCHERS, THE REGULAR ALLOCATION THAT WE GAVE TO THEM AND TO CES AND CES THEN LOOKS AT THEIR CRITERIA, AND THEN THOSE ARE THE REFERRALS THEY SENT OVER TO US. SO IT'S NOT MONEY THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR HOMELESS, IT'S FROM THE REGULAR POT OF MONEY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. PEREIRA. THANK YOU CHAIR. UM, UH, JUST, JUST ONE QUICK SUGGESTION, RIGHT? AND, AND IT'S, UM, IT, IT'S THAT YOU SET A GOAL WITH YOUR STAFF THAT IF AN AGENCY THAT YOU WORK WITH, RIGHT, WITH YOUR VOUCHERS, PLACES A PHONE CALL TO YOU THAT YOU COMMIT TO, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S 24 HOURS OR 48 HOURS, BUT THAT THEY GET A CALL BACK AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S TWO, THERE'S TWO WORLDS, RIGHT? THERE'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH YOU AND THEN THERE'S A CLIENT YOU SERVE AND, AND THE CLIENTS YOU SERVE. UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS A STORY. THE SUPERVISOR RA SAID THERE'S THREE, THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY. AND I USED TO THINK THAT WAS JUST DIVORCES, RIGHT? HIS HERS AND THE TRUTH, BUT I GUESS IT APPLIES ELSEWHERE. SO, UM, IF YOU COULD COMMIT TO RESPONDING TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE ADMINISTRATIVELY USING YOUR VOUCHERS, THAT THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN SOLVING A, A, A LOT OF YOUR ISSUES. UM, AND, AND, AND, AND IN WORKING WITH THEM, RIGHT? NOT JUST RESPOND, NOT JUST CALL 'EM BACK AND SAY, YEAH, I GOT YOUR NOTE, BUT ADDRESSING THEIR ISSUES. UM, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP YOU, UH, TREMENDOUSLY. THANK YOU. AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID, WHAT I DID IS I MET WITH, UM, LUKE, UM, WHO IS, UM, THE RE HIS AGENCY DOES REFERRALS FOR CES AND SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SIERRA, SAVING GRACE, UM, WHO ELSE WORKS WITH AT CES, THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH CES. UM, WHAT WE DISCUSSED IS IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS THAT IF WE CAN HAVE A CENTRAL PERSON, A CENTRAL ORGANIZATION LIKE CES, THAT COULD TAKE THE CALL. SO THIS WAY THEY CAN ALSO HELP US IDENTIFY, UM, WHERE MY STAFF, WHERE OUR VOUCHERS ARE NOT BEING ALLOCATED. 'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME VOUCHERS DEPENDING ON PROGRAMS. SO IN DISCUSSION WITH HIM, ONCE WE START UTILIZING THESE, ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THESE VOUCHERS, AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE A CENTRAL, UM, CONTACT. SO IT WILL BE CES, UM, THE CALLS AND CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS WILL COME FROM THERE TO OUR OFFICE. AND THEN THIS WAY, UM, WE DON'T HAVE, UM, FIVE, SIX DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND WE DON'T KEEP GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL HELP US. SO, SO DOES THAT COME WITH A COMMITMENT? YES. TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE? YES. MM-HMM . OKAY. YES, IT DOES. THANK YOU. OKAY, ROSA, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE REQUESTS IN THE QUEUE. AND USUALLY AS A FACILITATOR OF THIS CONVERSATION, I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BASICALLY COVERED IT OFF. BUT WHAT I SEE CONSISTENTLY IS A COMMUNICATION NOT ONLY WITH THE PARTNERS THAT YOU'RE DOING BUSINESS WITH, BUT ALSO WITH A CONSTITUENCY. AND I KNOW OUT OF MY OFFICE, DISTRICT THREE, MOST OF MY COMMENTS OR MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO FINALLY REACH OUT TO US, THERE IS A CONFUSION OF MERCED COUNTY, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BEING UNDER OUR ROOF. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE MY CONSISTENT CALLS ARE ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION. SO I, I JUST HOPE WE CAN GET A BETTER PROCESS IN PLACE. I LIKED, UH, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA'S COMMENTS ON MAYBE DOING AT LEAST A 24 HOUR CALLBACK. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, IT'S GOOD JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THE MESSAGE. BUT, UM, UH, WELL, VERY GOOD. I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THERE'S NOBODY ELSE IN THE QUEUE. AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA USE CHAIR PREROGATIVE AND I'M GONNA GO FOR A BREAK AND WE'LL RETURN AT 1155. THANK YOU. OKAY, WELCOME BACK TO THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING. [CONSENT CALENDAR] WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 12. PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEMS ONE THROUGH THREE REQUIRE A FOUR FIST VOTE. PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE. IF YOU ARE CALLING BY PHONE TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS, WE WILL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME IS EXPIRED. OKAY, THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 12, AND YOU CAN COMMENT ON ITEMS ONE AND TWO AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU FOR WAITING PATIENTLY, JEAN, [01:50:02] IT'S MY PLEASURE. , YOU HAVE QUITE A JOB HERE, SO GINO GAN YEAH, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS HAS BEEN ON THE AGENDA BEFORE OF REPAIRS OUT THERE. AND, UM, I, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY, I SEE A LOT OF PAIN AND A LOT OF ANGER EXPRESSED. AND, UM, I, I THINK IF WE ASKED THE WHY, WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN PRISON AND TRY TO D ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF WHY, BUT, UM, IT, IT MUST BE PEOPLE INSIDE BREAKING THINGS. I DON'T KNOW, , BUT IF YOU COULD JUST GIMME A LITTLE MORE DETAILS OF, OF HOW MUCH IS GOING ON OUT THERE, UM, AND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS IT, FIND A SOLUTION. SO WE DON'T HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE , SO WE LOOK, WE DID LOOK AT THE WHY, THANKS. UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. AND I'LL LOOK AROUND TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AND I'LL CHECK FOR OUR ONLINE MR. CHAIR. THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. AND THEN I, I'LL ASK OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, DO YOU WANT TO MAYBE JUST ADDRESS THAT REAL QUICK JUST TO, 'CAUSE IT HAS BEEN ON THERE A LONG TIME, GENE, YOU'RE CORRECT. LONGER THAN SHE KNOW. YEAH, SURE. GOOD MORNING. UH, BOARD CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS. UM, THE ITEM, ITEM NUMBER ONE SPECIFICALLY, UH, IS NOT IN RELATION TO THE OVERALL PROJECT, UH, THAT'S BEING UNDER, UH, TAKEN AT THE JAIL, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO THE BUNK BED REFURBISHMENT. AND SO THIS IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE TO REFURBISH THE EXISTING BUNK BEDS, UM, UP TO, UH, STATE STANDARDS. UM, AND WE, UH, THE REASON THE LOCAL EMERGENCY IS DECLARED, UH, IS TO EXPEDITE THE TIMEFRAME FOR FABRICATION, UH, OF THOSE BUNK BEDS. UH, SO WE DON'T HOLD UP THE OVERALL COMPLETION DATE OF THE EXISTING PROJECT. UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE, UH, AN EMERGENCY WHICH HAS NOT BEEN ON HERE NEARLY AS LONG, BUT IT HAS BEEN ON HERE FOR A COUPLE MEETINGS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF FENCING. AT BHRS. UH, THERE WAS A TREE THAT FELL ON EXISTING FENCING AND DUE TO, UH, SECURITY NATURE, UM, GOING THROUGH THE TYPICAL BID PROCESS, PROCUREMENT, UH, WOULD HAVE DELAYED US, UH, REINSTALLING, UH, AND SECURING THAT SITE OR REINSTALLING THE FENCING TO SECURE THAT SITE. SO THOSE ARE THE SPECIFICS OF THOSE TWO ITEMS. AND I CAN, UH, GIVE MY CARD, UH, TO THE, UH, UH, PERSON THAT ASKS THE QUESTIONS, AND IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, SHE CAN REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STEPPING UP AND ADDRESSING THAT. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT CHAIR, WELL, ACTUALLY LET'S GO AHEAD. I'M GONNA, UH, CLOSE OUT THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 12 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT IS NOW CLOSED CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. RA. AND I JUST WANNA ADD ON TO WHAT NATHAN SAID. IS IT SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE BUNK BEDS THAT THE JLCC IS MORE THAN ONE WING AND, AND IS, WE HAD PEOPLE THERE. THEY'VE REMODELED, THEY'RE REMODELING THOSE, YOU KNOW, STARTING ON DIFFERENT BUILDINGS AT A TIME. AND SO THE, IF I'M, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, NATHAN, BUT THIS WAS TO REPLACE ALL THE BUNK BEDS. AND SO IT'S STAYING ON HERE FOR SO LONG TOO, IS BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE REMODELS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THE, THE, THE LAST ONE HASN'T BEEN DONE YET. SO WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY DID THE BUNK BEDS, THEY DID IT FOR THE WHOLE FACILITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT UTILIZING THOSE UNTIL EACH WING HAS BEEN REDONE. AND SO YOU HAVE THE LAST ONES THAT ARE ALMOST DONE, AND THEN ONCE THOSE GET PUT IN THERE, THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT ITEM COME OFF OF OUR AGENDA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. PERRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UM, I JUST, UH, WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEM 12, UM, UH, THAT, UH, THE MONTH OF AUGUST, UH, HERE IN A MINUTE, HOPEFULLY WE'LL DECLARE THAT, UH, BREASTFEEDING AWARENESS MONTH. I SEE SOME LADIES IN THE AUDIENCE WITH SOME SHIRTS ON IN SUPPORT OF THAT. AND ANYWAYS, I JUST DIDN'T WANT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GO BY WITHOUT KIND OF SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC THE IMPORTANCE OF BREASTFEEDING. AND, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THAT WE HAVE FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE EXPERTS AT IT. AND, UH, MY WIFE, WE HAVE FOUR CHILDREN, ALL, ALL, ALL NURSED AND, UM, AND WITH FRIENDS AND PERIODICALLY THERE'S ISSUES, RIGHT? THAT COME UP AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MASTITIS IS ONE OF 'EM. AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF HAVING A RESOURCE THAT, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME, UH, HAVING A, HAVING A RESOURCE THAT, UH, A NEW MOM CAN CALL OR AN OLD MOM, YOU KNOW, UH, EITHER WAY, UH, IS VALUABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. SO CURRENTLY I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY, UH, MR. RA, SECONDED BY MR. PACHECO. AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. [BOARD ACTION] NOW WE MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION. [01:55:04] BOARD ACTION ITEMS. PPA COMMENT WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE IF YOU'RE CALLING BY PHONE. TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS, WE WILL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. WE NOW BEGIN WITH, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, ITEMS 13 THROUGH 17. PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEM 17 REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTH VOTE. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 13 THROUGH 17. I SEEING NOBODY HERE IN THE ROOM. I WILL CHECK FOR OUR REMOTE. MR. CHAIR. THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC PERIOD FOR PUBLIC WORKS. ITEMS 13 THROUGH 17 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS AND I SEE WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PERRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. ITEM 18. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. ITEM NUMBER 18, SEEING NOBODY HERE IN THE ROOM, THEN I WILL LOOK OVER AND CHECK OUR REMOTE. MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UH, FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. ITEM 18 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. AND I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 19 THROUGH 21. AT THE TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FROM HUMAN AGE AGENCY SERVICES, AGENCY ITEMS 19 THROUGH 21, SEEING NOBODY IN THE ROOM, WE'LL LOOK FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION. MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEMS 19 THROUGH 21 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. AND I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEMS 22 AND 23. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEMS 22 AND 23. SEEING NOBODY IN THE ROOM, WE'LL CHECK FOR OUR REMOTE ACCESS. MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEMS 22 AND 23 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE SHERIFF ITEM 24. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR, UH, THE SHERIFF ON ITEM NUMBER 24. SEEING NOBODY IN THE ROOM, I WILL LOOK FOR REMOTE ACCESS. MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR SHERIFF ITEM NUMBER 24 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. SO I'LL HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PETSO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR RA. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ITEM 25. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ITEM NUMBER 25. SO I SEE NOBODY IN THE ROOM. WE'LL CHECK FOR REMOTE ACCESS. MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU WITH THAT COMMENT PERIOD FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEM 25 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIA FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECOND OF BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. [02:00:03] NEXT WE HAVE TREASURER ITEM 26 AT THIS TIME, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING, DO YOU WANNA PRESENT BEFORE I OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT? DO EITHER WAY. GO AHEAD PLEASE. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. , I MADE SURE I DIDN'T DO PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR LENGTHY MEETING, I WILL TRY TO FACILITATE THIS. UM, BEFORE, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR CANDIDATE AFTERNOON BOARD OF SUPERVISORS KAREN ADAMS, MERCED COUNTY TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR TODAY BEFORE YOU IS THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDED, UH, JUNE 30TH, 2026. UM, I'M GOING TO GO OVER JUST A FEW THINGS. I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU AN ECONOMIC UPDATE, BUT I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT MY ESTIMATE LAST YEAR THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO HIT A $80 MILLION INTEREST EARN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25 26. UM, IT, I'M JUST DELIGHTED TO SAY THAT WE ACTUALLY EARNED 86,463,000 WITH ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT AT 2.35 BILLION. THE RATE OF RETURN FOR JUNE 26 WAS 4.04 AND THE RATE OF RETURN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR WAS 3.95. SO IF YOU COULD TAKE, AND I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME, BUT UH, IF YOU COULD, UH, REFER TO PAGE SEVEN, I THINK THE INFORMATION I'M GONNA PRESENT NEXT WILL ACTUALLY EXPAND ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS. UM, PRIOR TO 2000, THE MERCED COUNTY TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR ALSO SERVED AS THE MERCED COUNTY RETIREMENT SYSTEM PLAN ADMINISTRATOR UNDER THE COUNTY RETIREMENT LAW OF 1937. ONCE THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO EXCEEDED A HALF OF MILLION DOLLARS, THE LAW ALLOWED THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE COUNTY TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR. MY PREDECESSOR TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR BILL SMITH HIRED THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM'S FIRST DEDICATED PLAN ADMINISTRATOR ESTABLISHING IT AS A LONG STANDALONE OPERATION. THE COUNTY TREASURER REMAINS A STATUTORY REQUIRED EXOFFICIO TRUSTEE ON THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM BOARD. A RULE ROLE THAT I HAVE SERVED IN FOR THE LAST 24 YEARS, HAVING ALSO SERVED AS ASSISTANT TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR AND PLAN ADMINISTRATOR FROM 1997 TO 2000 AND FOLLOWING AS THE EXOFFICIO TRUSTEE. I HAVE PER PERSONALLY WITNESSED THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM'S GROWTH STAFFING HAS INCREASED FROM APPRO APPROXIMATELY THREE EMPLOYEES TO 14, ALONG WITH INCREASED OPERATING COSTS WITH THE ADDITION OF TWO INVESTMENT CONSULTANTS, A MEDICAL CONSULTANT AND AN OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL. WHILE ASSETS HAVE GROWN THREE TIMES FROM AP, APPROXIMATELY A HALF A MILLION, EXCUSE ME, A HALF A BILLION TO 1.5 BILLION. SO THAT'S THREE TIMES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXPENDITURES ARE NOT PAID AS A DIRECT OUT-OF-POCKET OPERATING EXPENSE OF THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND. INSTEAD, THESE COSTS ARE PAID FROM RETIREMENT SYSTEM INVESTMENT EARNINGS, OR PLAN ASSETS. IN OTHER WORDS, THE COUNTY AS THE PLAN SPONSOR SUPPORTS THESE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THROUGH SOFT DOLLAR RECOVERY RATHER THAN FROM A SEPARATE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE. THEIR COSTS ARE PAID DIRECTLY BY THE INVESTMENT EARNINGS AND PLAN ASSETS. THIS COST, UH, RECOVERY APPROACH IS THE SAME AS HOW WE PAY OUR FUND MANAGERS. IF WE PARTICIPATE IN THE NATIONWIDE 4 57 DEFERRED COMPENSATION PROGRAM, WE PERSONALLY DO NOT WRITE A CHECK TO OUR FUND MANAGERS. INSTEAD, THE FUND MANAGERS DEDUCT THEIR FEES DIRECTLY FROM OUR INVESTMENT EARNINGS OR PLAN ASSETS. AND IT IS THE SAME COST RECOVERY APPROACH FOR THE RECOVERY OF MY TREASURY. THE DIFFERENCE IS ILLUSTRATED ON PAGE SEVEN OF THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT. BEFORE YOU TODAY, PLEASE NOTE ON THE GRAPH THAT THE SCHOOLS REPRESENT 54% OF THE PORTFOLIO ASSETS. THEREFORE, THEY PAY 54% OF MY TREASURY OPERATING COSTS. THE COLLEGE PAYS 3%. SPECIAL DISTRICTS PAY 5%. COUNTY TRUST PAYS 27, AND THE COUNTY OPERATING GENERAL FUND PAYS 11% OF MY TREASURY COST REMAINING. THE TREASURY COSTS REMAINING AFTER WE DEDUCT ALL OUR SERVICE FEE DIRECT REVENUES, AND THAT IS OFFSET. AGAIN, NONE OF THESE COSTS ARE DIRECT OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS THAT UTILIZE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. THEREFORE, THE TREASURY IS A HUNDRED PERCENT FULLY FUNDED FROM OUR DIRECT SERVICE FEES AND THE REMAINDER FROM THE POOL PARTICIPANTS. FROM 1997 TO 2006, THE TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE HAS GROWN THE ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT, 11.5 TIMES FROM 200 MILLION TO OVER $2.3 BILLION. IN ADDITION, TAXES HAVE INCREASED [02:05:01] FROM 200 MILLION TO 500 MILLION, AND YET THE STAFF HAS ONLY INCREASED FROM 12 TO 14, WHICH INCLUDES THE UPS AND DOWNS DURING BUDGET REDUCTION YEARS. IN ADDITION TO TODAY'S 14 FULL-TIME STAFF, I HAVE FIVE EXTRA HELP EMPLOYEES FOR A TOTAL OF 19 EMPLOYEES WITH EXTRA HELP REPRESENTING 26% OF MY WORKFORCE SINCE JULY, 2024. THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE HIRED 16 INDIVIDUALS TO FILL THESE FIVE EXTRA HELP POSITIONS, CREATING A REVOLVING DOOR THAT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE THE EXTENSIVE INTERNAL CONTROL TRAINING NECESSARY TO SAVE THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC FUNDS THAT I AM MANDATED TO PROTECT. I HAVE SURVEYED MY COLLEAGUES AND CONFIRMED THAT NO OTHER COUNTY TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR RELIES ON EXTRA HELP STAFF TO PERFORM CRITICAL FUNCTIONS INVOLVING THE DAILY MOVEMENT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. MOST CONCERNING IS THE SOPHISTICATION OF CYBER CRIMES THAT HAVE IMPACTED LOCAL AGENCIES AND RELATIVELY CLOSE TO US. SAN BENITO, OCTOBER 15TH, 2025. LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, THEY HAD A $700 FRAUDULENT A CH PAYMENT, AND IN SAN FRANCISCO, A FAKE FENDER SCHEME STOLE 627,000. WE CONTINUOUSLY HEAR ABOUT THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FACING THE COUNTY, AND I SYMPATHIZE. I REMIND YOU THAT NO OTHER DEPARTMENT SERVE A SAFE KEEPER OF THE COUNTY'S PUBLIC FUNDS. NO OTHER DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSFERRING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON A DAILY BASIS. NO OTHER DEPARTMENT RECEIVES AND DE DEPOSITS MORE THAN $4 BILLION ANNUALLY, AND NO OTHER DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE CRITICAL LIQUIDITY NEEDS TO ENSURE THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE POOL PARTICIPANTS. THESE CRITICAL MONTHLY OBLIGATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE MONTHLY SCHOOL PAYROLL OF $67 MILLION, MONTHLY COUNTY PAYROLL OF 15 MILLION, COLLEGE PAYROLL OF 6 MILLION, WELFARE 5 MILLION IN ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE OF $35 MILLION. JUST TO MENTION A FEW, I'M RAISING THESE CONCERNS IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY AND TO EXPLICITLY IDENTIFY A SERIOUS OPERATIONAL AND INTERNAL CONTROL RISK. THAT IS WHY LAST YEAR I STOOD BEFORE YOU AND PROVIDED THE HISTORY OF FOUR EMBEZZLEMENTS IN THE TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE FROM 1901, AND THAT I SERVED AS THE AUDITOR ON THE LAST EMBEZZLEMENT AFTER LEAVING A CPA FIRM AND ULTIMATELY BEING HIRED AS THE ASSISTANT TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR. IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT REMINDING YOU OF MY STAFF VULNERABILITY WILL NOT RESULT IN YOU MANDATING THAT I LAY OFF MY EXTRA HELP EMPLOYEES, WHICH WOULD FURTHER REDUCE OUR STAFFING CA CAPACITY AND COMPOUND THE VERY RISK I AM ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS. I DO APPRECIATE HRS EXTENSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MY ASSISTANT TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR ABOUT OUR STAFFING NEEDS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A FINAL BUDGET MEETING WITH THE CEO'S OFFICE LATER TODAY BECAUSE OF MY COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY OVER THE PAST 28 YEARS. I'M PROUD TO HAVE RECEIVED SUPPORT LETTERS FOR MY FULL-TIME STAFF REQUEST FROM MY MAJOR PARTICIPANTS. TODAY, I DELIVER TO YOU COPIES, COPIES OF LETTERS. I HAVE A LETTER FROM STEVE TEIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF ED, WHO SAID, QUOTE, OUR CONCERN IS NOT THE COST, RATHER, IT IS THE SAFEKEEPING OF PUBLIC FUNDS ENTRUSTED TO THE TREASURY ON BEHALF OF PARTICIPATING AGENCIES. I REMIND YOU THAT MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION WILL PAY 54 4% OF MY ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME STAFFING NEEDS. I ALSO HAVE A SUPPORT LETTER FROM JOEL ALLISON MERCED, CAL COLLEGE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, AND MY SPECIAL DISTRICT MEMBER, RIHANNA JONES, DIRECTOR OF MOSQUITO ABATEMENT. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR WILL ALSO SUPPORT MY POSITION REQUEST TO BUILD OUT A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR MY OPERATIONS IN HOPES OF HAVING THE ABILITY TO CATCH FRAUDULENT AND SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTIONS LIKE IN SAN BENITO AND SAN FRANCISCO, AND TO PROVIDE STRONG INTERNAL CONTROLS WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO MITIGATE THE INHERENT RISK OF FRAUD, COLLUSION AND EMBEZZLEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE KAREN. THIS IS NOT A A BUDGET DISCUSSION. IT HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION FOR SEVERAL HERE, BUT WE'RE HERE, WE'RE SPEAKING ON WHAT IS, I'M TRYING TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL, BUT NO, YOU'RE NOT ASK, ACTUALLY, YOU'RE NOT BEING RESPECTFUL. WELL, I BECAUSE THIS IS NO AGENDA FOR A DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW, BACK OVER TWO YEARS WHEN I'VE REQUESTED MY STAFFING REQUEST. WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. THIS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA AT THIS TIME. UM, IT, YOUR PRESENTATION WAS, IT WAS DRAFT ON PAGE SEVEN THAT THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE THE, [02:10:01] THE OBLIGATION OR HAVE NOT HAD ANY. UH, IT'S STILL NOT, IT'S NOT AN AGENDIZED ITEM. SO THIS IS A BROWN ACT ISSUE. IT RELATES TO I WILL GO TO, UH, SUPERVISOR RA WHO HAS COMMENTS. NOW. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, KAREN, BUT, BUT I THINK, I THINK THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE MISGUIDED DOING IT ON THIS ITEM. THIS IS THE TREASURY REPORT HERE, BUT SO, BUT NOW SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, I DO WANNA POINT TO IF YOU JUST GO TO ONE PAGE ABOVE THAT ON PAGE SIX, KAREN, IT WASN'T THAT VERY LONG AGO WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THIS BOARD THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT $86 MILLION IN RETURNS. THAT'S, THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH HOW MUCH MONEY THE SCHOOLS HAVE BROUGHT IN. I CAN REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN WE WERE AROUND THE $20 MILLION MARK OF WHAT OUR MONEY WAS. AND, AND QUITE HONESTLY, HERE'S A QUICK SOLUTION. IF THE SCHOOLS AND THE COLLEGE WANT TO TAKE THEIR MONEY AND PUT IT IN THEIR OWN TREASURY, WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS, WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THE COUNTY STUFF, WE CUT IT IN HALF. NOW WE HAVE PLENTY OF STAFF TO HANDLE A BILLION DOLLAR FUND. THE SCHOOLS MUST BE IN THE TREASURY. IT'S THE LAW. WELL THEN, IF THEY'RE SO HAPPY ABOUT IT, WHY DON'T THEY OFFER TO PAY ALL OF IT? HAVE WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM? WELL, MAYBE YOU SHOULD ENTERTAIN THAT NOTION BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY SHOCKING. I MEAN, YOU'RE THE TREASURE TAX DOCTOR. MAYBE YOU SHOULD ENTERTAIN THAT NOTION AND BRING US SOLUTIONS AND NOT JUST BRING, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE TIMING TO BRING IT UP DURING THIS AND, AND, AND IT IS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING AND IT'S A LITTLE BACKHANDED AND, AND I'M SORRY, THAT'S JUST THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT. WE COULD HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION OFFLINE, BUT WE HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AND NOT ONE OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN BACK TO ME OVER THE YEARS ABOUT SOME OF MY STAFFING. WE SHOULD MOVE BACK TO THE TREASURY REPORT AT THIS TIME. UM, WELL, UM, AS ALWAYS, I'M SURE YOU'VE READ THE TREASURY REPORT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I COULD ADDRESS THEM NOW. THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AT THIS TIME, I OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TREASURER'S. ITEM NUMBER 26. SEEING NONE HERE IN THE ROOM, I WILL LOOK TO FOR REMOTE. MR. CHAIR. THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TREASURE ITEM NUMBER 26 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK FOR FURTHER COMMENTS HERE AT THE DAAS. SEEING NONE, I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE, RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE AUDITOR ITEM 27. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AUDITOR NUMBER 27. SEEING NONE HERE IN THE ROOM, I WILL LOOK FOR REMOTE ACCESS. MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR AUDITOR. ITEM NUMBER 27 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK HERE TO THE DAAS. AND I SEE I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR SILVERA, SECONDED BY PEDROSO WITH NO REQUEST IN THE QUEUE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE, JOSH, RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, ITEM 28. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ITEM NUMBER 28. SEEING NO COMMENTS HERE IN THE ROOM, WE'LL CHECK FOR REMOTE ACCESS. MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT PERIOD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. NUMBER 28 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE. I ALSO, I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. UH, NO SPEAKERS ARE IN THE QUEUE, SO WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS 29 AND 30. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, CEO HENDRICKSON WILL PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 30. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY WITH REGARD TO ITEM 30, IS THE REAPPOINTMENT OF MR. SEAN RUNYON AS THE MERCED COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEAR TERM, EFFECTIVE WHAT WILL BE JANUARY 2ND, 2027. MR. RUNION, I BELIEVE, HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, UH, LEADING THE AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, BRINGING STRONG TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND A STRONG COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING MERCED COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICE TO OUR GROWERS, RANCHERS, AND COMMUNITY. THIS REAPPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2 1 2 2, THE CAL CALIFORNIA FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL CODE, AS WELL AS SECTION 1 2 2 0 0 OF THE CALIFORNIA BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE. AND [02:15:01] WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I DO APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO THIS COUNTY, AND STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD, UH, THAT IT REAPPROVE HIS, UH, APPROVE, UH, HIS REAPPOINTMENT FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEAR TERM. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. AND AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE. ITEMS 29 AND 30. SEEING NONE, WE'LL CHECK FOR REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT. MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEM 29 AND 30 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. AND I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR SRA, SECOND OF MY SUPERVISOR, PEDROSO. UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. THANK YOU. IS THERE A DRUM ROLL? OH, RECALLER TO VOTE. THANK YOU. MR. RUNYON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW COMMENTS? CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY COUNCIL, HANSEN, CEO, HENDRICKSON. SO, UH, SEAN RE, AG COMMISSIONER FOR ANOTHER FOUR MORE YEARS. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WANNA TAKE A, EXCUSE ME, TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE BOARD SUPPORT OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND OF AGRICULTURE IN MERCED. UH, AS THE AG COMMISSIONER AND SEALER, IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO WORK FOR A BOARD THAT UNDERSTANDS THE TRUE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE AND WORKS SO WELL TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THAT. UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND I KNOW FROM MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE STATE THAT THIS ISN'T ALWAYS THE CASE IN, UH, ALL PARTS OF THE STATE AND OTHER COUNTIES. SO, UM, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I WANTED TO THANK THE CEO'S OFFICE AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL, AS WELL AS OUR HR DEPARTMENT AND OUR BUDGET TEAM TO A SMALL DEPARTMENT LIKE US, THAT THOSE ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT DEPARTMENTS THAT WE, UH, GET THAT SUPPORT FROM. AND THEN, SO ALL TO ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TOO, AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, THEY'VE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH, BUT, UH, MOST OF ALL TO, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT'S TEAM WHO ON A DAILY BASIS PERFORM THE CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT WORK, OUTSTANDING WORK OUR DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. SO YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEM 31. AT THIS TIME, OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEM NUMBER 31, SEEING NOBODY IN THE ROOM, WE'LL CHECK FOR REMOTE COMMENTS. MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS LOGGED IN. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEM NUMBER 31 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR RA, NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. OKAY, SO AT THIS TIME, WE WILL LOOK BACK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC JUST IN CASE THEY SIGNED ON LATE. MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS LOGGED IN. THANK [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE BOARD REPORTS STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR PACHECO. WE'LL GO TO DISCUSSION MODE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU CHAIR. UH, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. ON THE 13TH, I ATTENDED THE, UH, PROSPERS GRAND OPENING AT THE MALL AND AT CASTLE, UH, WONDERFUL FACILITIES. UM, THE ONE AT THE MALL ACTUALLY TURNED THE OLD UA REGENCY THEATER INTO AN OFFICE, AND THEY DID A TREMENDOUS JOB. YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL, UH, THAT IT WAS THE THEATER THERE. UH, SO JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, DIRECTOR SERATO AND HIS STAFF ON A, A GREAT JOB ON THAT. AND YESTERDAY, I TOUR THE, UH, SYNERGY TRANSITION PROGRAM, UH, ALONG WITH SUPERVISOR PERRA AND SOME MEMBERS OF BHRS. UH, VERY NICE FACILITY, GREAT STAFF, ENTHUSIASTIC, AND I THINK I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, THEM IN THE COUNTY TO ASSIST OUR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS. SO, UM, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA. THANK YOU. UM, I ATTENDED THE I TWO, ATTENDED THE PROSPERO REBRANDING AT BOTH THE MALL AND, UH, AT CASTLE. UM, I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UM, DIRECTOR SERATO ON, ON A, ON ON HIS WORK OVER THERE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD WORK AND A LOT OF GOOD THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING. AND, AND LIKE SUPERVISOR PACHECO SAID, YOU REALLY CAN'T, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT BUILDING [02:20:01] AS A THEATER. AND AS WE WERE WALKING AROUND, I REMEMBER SEEING MOVIES THERE, BUT IT LOOKS SO DIFFERENT. UM, NOW, UM, I ALSO HAD, UH, ATTENDED THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY BOARD MEETING ON LAST WEDNESDAY. UM, AND THEN, UH, SA SEPARATE MEETING AFTER THE FACT WITH, UH, UM, CEO AND CHOWDRY, UM, THE CHAIR OF THE AUTHORITY BOARD, UM, MR. UH, STEVE KAVA, AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE CITY, OUR CITY PARTNERS, UM, AS WELL. AND THEN LAST SATURDAY, AND I MENTIONED IT AT MY LAST, UH, AT, DURING MY, DURING MY COMMENTS AT THE LAST MEETING, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER THE EDGE, UM, AT THE TIOGA WITH MY SON. IT WAS REALLY FUN. UH, I'D ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO DO IT, RAISE MONEY FOR A GOOD CAUSE FOR UNITED WAY AND, AND GO OVER THE EDGE. THAT'S ALL I GOT. YEAH. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR PER, UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, MEET WITH OUR FEDERAL LOBBYIST WITH SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, UH, THE DENTON GROUP. UH, WE GAVE THEM A TOUR OUT AT CASTLE, KIND OF UPDATING THEM ON THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, DIRECTOR MIMS AND, UH, MIKE NORTH FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE SIT DOWN IN YOUR HOMETOWN WITH THE FOLKS THAT REPRESENT YOU SOMEWHERE ELSE SO THEY, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE THINKING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THEY CAN ADVOCATE FOR US. AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR. UH, I TOO ATTENDED THE RIBBON CUTTING OR GRAND OPENING FOR THE PROSPERO, UM, OUTTA CASTLE. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, DIRECTOR SERATO AND HIS TEAM FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB. UM, UH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UM, UH, THIS PAST WEEK WAS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ME MARIE GREEN, UH, CENTER OPENING UP THE PSYCHIATRIC CENTER. AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT ARE THERE ARE, ARE LOCKED IN AND, AND IT'S KIND OF A SURREAL, UH, SETTING, BUT OUR STAFF WORKS REAL HARD AT, UM, MAKING IT AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN THRIVE AND GET HELP AND GET BETTER. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT GOOD WORK. AND THEN, UH, YESTERDAY, UH, ATTENDED THE, UM, UH, TOUR OF THE SYNERGY FACILITY. YOU KNOW, SYNERGY, YOU'RE KIND OF THINKING IT'S SOLAR OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, IT'S, UH, PSY IN ENERGY, UH, AND IT'S, UH, PSYCHOLOGY AND, AND THEY, UH, THEY TAKE CLIENTS OF OURS THAT NEED TO BE IN A FACILITY. IT'S NOT A LOCKED IN. UH, IN FACT, WE WENT DOWNTOWN FOR LUNCH AFTERWARDS AND WE SAW SOME OF THE CLIENTS, UH, WALKING DOWN THE STREET, UH, THAT WE HAD SEEN IN THE FACILITY EARLIER THAT MORNING. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY SEEMED HAPPY AND HEALTHY AND THEY, THEY REALLY PRESS ATTENTION TO TREATING THE WHOLE PERSON. UH, THEIR FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAM IS PROBABLY AS GOOD AS ANY I'VE SEEN IN A PUBLIC FACILITY. UH, SO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT. AND KNOWING THAT OUR RESIDENTS, IF THEY GO OVER THERE FOR HELP, THEY'RE GETTING WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY A STAFF THAT REALLY CARES. AND THEY HAVE A LADY THAT SITS AT THE DOOR, AND IF ANYBODY NEEDS HELP WITH ANYTHING, UH, SHE'S THERE TO ASSIST THEM, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, FINDING A BUS ROUTE OR, OR WHATEVER, A STORE OR, OR IF THEY HAVE A NEED IN THE FACILITY. AND I JUST THINK THEY'RE REALLY RESPONSIVE AND AND APPRECIATED THAT. UM, AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR RA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. BEEN A BUSY, UH, COUPLE WEEKS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING. UM, I ATTENDED THE CSAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN, UH, SACRAMENTO A WEEK AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO, AND THEN I MADE IT BACK FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL PROSPERO OPENING IN LOS MANNA OUT ON THE WEST SIDE. SO, YES, I MADE IT BACK IN TIME. CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIC. BY THE TIME I GOT THERE, UM, DOING THREE KIND OF GROUND BREAK OR RIBBON CUTTINGS IN A MATTER OF JUST HOURS IS QUITE THE TASK. AND I COULD SEE A GREAT TURNOUT, A GREAT LITTLE, UM, JOB FAIR THAT THEY DID ALONG WITH IT. BUT YOU COULD TELL THAT THE FOLKS THAT WERE DOING ALL THE HARD WORK OF PUTTING IT ON AND GETTING EVERYTHING READY, I THINK THEY WERE READY TO BE DONE BY THE TIME THEY GOT DONE WITH THEIR THIRD ONE IN THE SAME DAY. SO, GREAT JOB ON TO ALL, UM, THE SAN JOAQUIN RALLY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION, THE COUNTIES, WE HAD OUR, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO 'EM QUARTERLY, WE HAD A MEETING ISSUES THAT PERTAIN TO, UH, THE EIGHT SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY COUNTY IS ALWAYS A GOOD, UM, GROUP ATTENDED. THE LAST WEEK I WAS IN SACRAMENTO FOR THE STATE ASSOCIATION COUNTY'S BOARD MEETING. UM, AND THEN ON THAT FRIDAY, I'M ALSO PART OF THE, UH, CSAC WORKING GROUP FOR SIGMA. SO IT'S BRINGING PERSPECTIVE SIGMA IS THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT. UM, AND IF YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GOT OUR, THE WAY WE SEE IT IN THE VALLEY, AND DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE IN THE VALLEY, YOU SEE IT DIFFERENTLY. WELL, NOW YOU BRING IN THE COASTAL PARTS, RIGHT? AND YOU, YOU KNOW, UM, HERE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT SALTWATER INTRUSION. THAT'S A BIG THING FOR THEM OVER THERE. SO IT'S TRYING TO BRING AWARENESS AT A STATEWIDE LEVEL AS A STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION TO IG UH, ISSUES [02:25:01] IN AND AROUND RELATING TO SIGMA. UM, I WANNA THANK JAMES HUNT. UM, HE HAD A FIELD DAY. HE'S GROWING AGAVE OUT HERE, I GUESS THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY. UM, HE HAD AN, I'M, I'M GONNA CALL THE, THE GAL THAT HE BROUGHT IN AN EXPERT. SHE CAME IN FROM AUSTRALIA. UH, AGAVE IS SOME PRETTY, PRETTY INTERESTING STUFF. AND, AND NOT JUST FOR THE FOLKS THAT ENJOY THE SPIRITS PART OF AGAVE, THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS IN THAT SPACE. IT'S, IT'S, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE WILD, WILD WEST OF A NEW PRODUCT AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, THAT CAN COME OUT OF AGAVE AND AGAVE PLANTS. UH, SO REALLY THANKFUL THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT THERE AND SEE SOME OF THAT STUFF FIRSTHAND. UH, SEAN, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FOUR MORE YEARS. AND THEN THE LAST THING YOU KNOW IS ON CONSENT CALENDAR. UM, WE APPROVED OUR REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LOSIS, AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UH, HAN WANTED TO BE HERE BUT WASN'T ABLE TO. SO HE SENT A STATEMENT AND, UM, I'M GONNA READ IT REALLY QUICKLY. IT JUST SAID, CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LOSIS, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT LED TO THIS AMENDED TAX SHARING AGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR TWO AGENCIES. THE AGREEMENT REFLECTS ON OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO THOUGHTFUL LAND USE, PLANNING, RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, AND ENSURING THAT BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE APPROPRIATELY POSITIONED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS. AND AS, AS TRUE PARTNERS, THE AGREEMENT STRENGTHENS COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR AGENCIES AND CREATES A FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUED COOPERATION AS WE PLAN FUTURE. AND JUST A SPECIAL THANKS TO MYSELF, CEO HENDRICKSON, ASSISTANT CEO, MARIANI, FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT AND DEDICATION THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND ALL OF OUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY, HELP BRING THIS EFFORT TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION. AND, AND SO THE REASON I READ THIS IS, IS THESE THINGS ARE NECESSARY. UM, COUNTIES DON'T ANNEX LAND, CITIES DO. AND AS PART OF THAT, UM, YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THESE, THESE REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENTS BECAUSE THERE ARE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY OF MERCED PROVIDES THAT ARE BLIND TO WHETHER YOU LIVE IN AN INCORPORATED AREA OR AN UNINCORPORATED AREA. AND THAT'S WHERE THESE REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENTS COME INTO PLACE. AND THIS IS FOR ALL THE OTHER CITIES OUT THERE, OUR TWO LARGEST CITIES WITH IN REALLY SHORT ORDER, A COUPLE MEETINGS WITH, WITH OUR STAFF AND THEIR STAFF, WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE THESE REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENTS. SO IT COULD BE THAT EASY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TWO CITIES AND TWO MEETINGS. VERY GOOD. COUNTY COUNCIL. CEO HENDERSON, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I, I, I ATTENDED A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS. I DO A, A BIG, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIC SERATO ON THE PRESS BUREAU, GRAND OPENING, UM, AND TO, UH, LESLIE AVESTA FOR, UH, HER LEADERSHIP AS, AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT, OF THAT GROUP. UH, ALSO HAD TO ATTEND RCRC LAST WEEK. WE HAD VERY FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS ON, UH, SOME OF THE STUFF COMING UP ON THE BALLOTS, AND IT WENT VERY WELL. UH, A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO CASTLE FAMILY HEALTH CENTER, UH, WITH THEIR DESIGNATION WITH, UH, AS AN HQFC. UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG DEAL, UH, FOR THEM. AND THE FACT THAT THEY HAD SECRETARY KENNEDY COME HERE TO, UH, DELIVER THAT MESSAGE, I THOUGHT THAT WAS QUITE SPECIAL. IT WAS NICE TO HAVE HIM HERE. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, HE WORKED OUT AT A, AT ONE OF THE GYMS AND, UH, A LOT OF THE MERCED PD FOLKS WERE OUT THERE WORKING IN THE GYM AND GOT TO HAVE PICTURES WITH HIM AS WELL. AND THERE WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION [POSSIBLE DIRECTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS] WITH THAT. SO WITH THAT, UH, THE NEXT WRIGLEY, UM, SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 10:00 AM ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH. SO THIS CONCLUDES OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR AUGUST 25TH, 2026. MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.