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6.B. - Page 4 of 8 Despite these existing and new funding sources, staff anticipates that there will be a far greater need in the community for rental assistance than what the current funding sources can provide. With the current funding that's available, staff estimates that 80-100 households could receive assistance. Fair Oaks Community Center staff have experienced a significant increase in the number of calls from residents seeking rental assistance help and is averaging about 50 calls per day for rental assistance. In 2018, the City Council committed the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) it collects from short-term rental uses (e.g. Airbnb) to the Affordable Housing Fund (Fund 299), which is intended to provide affordable housing to extremely -low to moderate income households. The City has $150,000 available in short-term rental TOT funds that could be used to support a COVID-19 emergency rental assistance fund. This would increase the funding available for rental assistance to approximately $400,000. The COVID-19 emergency rental assistance fund would be implemented through the Fair Oaks Community Center and would help households who have no other remedies (e.g. paid leave, unemployment insurance) to replace lost income due to COVID-19. Staff recommends the following program parameters based on input from Fair Oaks Community Center staff: • COVID-19 impacted households who qualify as low income (earning 80% or less of area median income) • Rental assistance up to $3,000 per household • Demonstrated COVID-19 impact (e.g. a copy of the employer notification about reduced work hours and/or layoff) • Rental assistance funds would be made available through May 31, 2020 Staff will continuously evaluate the needs of the community and usage of the funds, and recommend that the City Council authorize the City Manager or her designee to modify program parameters to better serve the community, if needed. Utility Payment Research Most Redwood City residents receive water, sanitary sewer, and solid waste (trash and recycling services) from the City in concert with Silicon Valley Clean Water and Recology. To preserve public health, water service will not be shut off for any residential customer while shelter in place orders are in effect. Staff recommends conducting additional research about the feasibility and impact of deferring and/or eliminating late payment penalties for late payment of utilities related to COVID-19 financial impacts to residents. With City Council support, staff will return at a future date with recommendations for the City Council's consideration. General Outreach/Education to Residential & Commercial Tenants Staff will work with Bay Area Legal Aid, California Apartment Association, Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto, Fair Rents for Redwood City, Faith in Action, Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, Project Sentinel, One Redwood City, Redwood City Tenants Union, and other tenant/landlord stakeholders to Page 4 of 6 AL . City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.ore 126