CDBG Funds Available:  
  
On July 18, 2017, the Board of Supervisors approved the Contra Costa County CDBG Annual Action Plan for the FY 2017/18 CDBG funds, which included allocating $323,994 to four projects in the Infrastructure/Public Facilities (IPF) category. On October 17, 2017, the Board of Supervisors approved allocating an additional $888,516 of CDBG funds to seven projects in the IPF category. One of these projects, the East County CARE Center Improvements project, was awarded $400,000 in CDBG funds; however, the project is unable to move forward with CDBG funds. Therefore, the County's CDBG Program has up to $400,000 that may be allocated and distributed to eligible IPF or housing activities that benefit Urban County residents.  
  
Real Property Acquisition:  
  
RYSE, Inc. (RYSE) currently leases real property from the County at 205 41st Street in the City of Richmond to operate a free public youth center. The youth center serves low-income youth in West Contra Costa County ages 13 to 21 including youth who are in and out of school, college bound, homeless, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, and some who have been incarcerated. The acquisition of the property will allow RYSE to not only continue the full operations of the youth center, but also to facilitate future expansion of the youth center that will add and/or enhance services provided to the youth in the City of Richmond.  
  
The negotiated price of the three parcels being acquired with the CDBG funds at 205 41st Street, (APN 517-320-016, -017, and -029) is $175,000. An additional $5,000 of CDBG will be used to pay for acquisition-related soft costs, such as appraisal costs and title and escrow fees.   
  
CDBG Compliance:  
  
The proposed acquisition project is consistent with the County's CDBG Consolidated Plan priority of "maintaining quality public facilities and adequate infrastructure, and ensure access for the mobility-impaired by addressing physical access barriers to public facilities." Furthermore, the proposed acquisition is an eligible activity in accordance with federal regulations for the CDBG program [24CFR 570.201 (a) and 570.201 (c)]. In order to maintain eligibility, the facility must continue to operate to serve low-income youth for at least five years. If the facility ceases to operate during that timeframe, the CDBG funds must be returned to the County at a pro-rated amount (i.e. if the facility only operated for one year, then $144,000 would be required to be repaid to the County CDBG Program).  
  
Finance Committee Meeting:  
  
The Finance Committee met on June 5, 2018, to consider staff funding recommendations for the RYSE Center Acquisition project. The meeting was noticed and the project applicant was encouraged to attend. After discussion, the Finance Committee recommended to allocate $180,000 in CDBG funds to RYSE, Inc. for the acquisition of real property located at 205 41st Street, (APN 517-320-016, -017, and -029) in the City of Richmond.   
  

If the Substantial Amendment to award the additional CDBG funds is not approved, RYSE, Inc.'s ability to complete the acquisition of the RYSE Center facility would be compromised.

The RYSE Center Acquisition project supports outcome 5: Communities are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.