CHC 04-08-04
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CUPERTINO HOUSING COMMISSION
AND THE CDBG STEERING COMMITTEE
April S, 2004
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Seward called meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
Members Absent:
Richard Abdalah, Kim Dovel, Sarah Hathaway-Feit, Mahesh Nihalani, Frances
Seward and John Wesley.
James Cai
Members Present:
Planning Commissioner Present: Lisa Geifer
Staff Present: Vera Gil
Written Communications: None
Oral Communications:
Committee member John Wesley expressed concern that the initiatives may have a negative impact of
the City of Cupertino's construction of affordable housing.
Approval of Action Minutes: None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Review draft Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI)
Consultant Diana Elrod reviewed the AI in detail. The AI is defined as a comprehensive review of
an entitlement jurisdiction's laws, regulations, and administrative policies, procedures, and
practices. The AI involves an assessment of how these laws, regulations, policies, and procedures
affect the location, availability, and accessibility of housing and how conditions, both private and
public, affect fair housing choice.
A jurisdiction must include a summary of the impediments identified in the AI plus a description of
actions taken to overcome the effects of impediments identified through the analysis in their
Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report.
Of special interest to the Committee were the Loan Approval Rates by Tract on page 34 of the
document and the information on predatory lending. Committee member Wesley made the
comment that he did not think that predatory lending practices were prevalent in California. Ms.
Elrod explained that although predatory lending practices may not be prevalent in Santa Clara
County, we are still required to address the issue in the AI.
Ms. Elrod also reviewed the five-year and one-year recommendations for the program. Both of the
five-year goals will be addressed by the Santa County Fair Housing Task Force. Specifically, these
actions are as follows:
a. Conduct a fair housing audit to investigate whether unreported discrimination exists.
b. Conduct a survey oflenders.
The one-year actions will require the City to establish new policies regarding how to adequately
serve citizens with disabilities at the public counter. The one-year actions are as follows:
Minutes ofthe CDBG Steering Committee
Page 2
April 8, 2004
a. Develop a "reasonable accommodation" protocol for the permitting process.
b. Develop a variety of informational materials in relevant languages pertaining to the
permitting process.
Committee member Wesley believes that the five-year goal to conduct a fair housing audit to see
whether unreported discrimination exists should not be recommended. He felt there was a hidden
agenda by a group and that the audit may not be unbiased. He further explained that he did not
believe enough evidence was presented that there is any significant problem or problems in any of
the three areas recommended for audit.
Action: The CDBG Steering Committee recommended that the City Council approve the Analysis
of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) with the recommendations noted in the
document.
Motion
made
by
Commissioner
Abdalah,
seconded
by
Commissioner
Nihalani
Vote:
Aves: Abdalah, Hathaway-Feit, Seward and Nihalani
Noes: Wesley Abstain: Dovel
Committee Member Reports:
None
Announcements:
None
Adjournment:
Meeting adjourned at 7: 16 p.m. to regular meeting of May 13, 2004.
SUBMITTED BY:
JJJ1.£1 _2L2
Vera Gil, Staff liaison to the Cupertino Housing Commission