SAC MIN 2001-08-09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Senior Affairs Commission Page 3 I linutes of Thursday,August 9,2001 schools and jobs. Spanish speaking counseling services are coming to Fair Oaks offering bilingual case management services. This fall, computer classes and labs will be offered in English and Spanish. Fair Oaks Senior Center is serving lunches to 38-49 patrons on a daily basis. Possible collaboration of Fair Oaks Senior Center and Adelante School in an intergenerational program was discussed. A future Senior Affairs Commission meeting at Fair Oaks will be coordinated. ITEM 3 — HOUSING REPORT — JOHN DEMPSEY John Dempsey of the Housing and Human Concerns Committee addressed the Commission about the need for low income housing for seniors and its lack of mention in Redwood City's Consolidated Plan and Housing Element. Mr. Dempsey reported that Palo Alto has a plan in place to provide housing for residents at a cost of 30% of their income level. He stated that Redwood City does not have such a plan and does not know the number of people in need in order to provide a count to HUD. He also stated that a statistical analysis of low to moderate income people in need of assisted living had been compiled by a company seeking to build such facilities in Redwood City. He suggested that the Housing Element Committee could make use of that report in establishing an inclusionary ordinance for developers to provide low to moderate housing for seniors. Mr. Dempsey stated that people with incomes of 120% or below the median income of the County qualify as having low to moderate incomes. He also reported that housing called "SRO's - single room only", had been rejected by the Housing Element committee as undesirable based on comments that only very low income people would be interested in it. He countered that such living space might be in demand for higher income people who may desire a small and convenient residence. The Housing Element draft report will be available in late September. Mr. Dempsey requested the Senior Affairs Commission obtain copies of the report from Maureen Riordan or Nancy Alexander of the Planning Department before it is sent to Council, and if the report does not mention support for Senior housing, that the Commissioners address City Council and tell of the need for it. The Commissioners discussed with Mr. Dempsey the need for facts and numbers of low income seniors in the area who need housing. He stated that the City has those figures. He also stated that the Mid Peninsula Housing Coalition has recommendations for achieving the goal of low income housing. ITEM 4 — COMMITTEE WORK PLAN UPDATES Manager Griffith presented revisions of the Senior Affairs Commission Committees and Work Plan to the Commissioners.