LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council has given the go-ahead for an expedited review of an updated affordable housing project and appointed members to a new committee to oversee how proceeds from the Measure Z sales tax are spent.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram received the council’s approval to revise an award from the HOME Investment Partnership Program, which in 2015 granted the city – in partnership with Pacific West Architecture – a $4.5 million grant for a 32-unit affordable senior housing project at 1255 Martin St.

Pacific West Architecture developed the Bella Vista affordable housing apartment project for seniors, also on Martin Street, a successful project that has a waiting list that’s estimated to be up to two years long, according to statements at the meeting.

Ingram said the city has formed a good working relationship with the developer, which is how the current project became possible.

Due to the recent flood events, Ingram said the city became aware of an extreme shortage of affordable housing in the city, noting that the situation hit a “critical emergency point.”

Although the project originally was supposed to be a 32-unit apartment complex for seniors, Ingram said that city staff is recommending changing it to a 24-unit affordable multifamily housing project, with two- and three-bedroom units.

He said that the city has approached the California Department of Housing and Community Development – which administers the HOME programs – about the changes, and the agency is open to the project being modified.

Ingram said the project also needs offsite improvements in the form of another grant, a $1.2 million Community Development Block Grant program award.

In order to get the necessary approvals, Ingram said they need an expedited review process, and he asked for the council to give direction for such a review to the Community Development Department and the Lakeport Planning Commission.

He said the the developer is keeping the updated project to the same footprint as the previous one, which is 3.5 acres of the overall 10.5-acre site. Because of its size, that property has the potential for further projects to be developed on it in the future.

Also aiding the project moving forward quickly is that all of the previous project’s environmental studies can be quickly revised and used for the new iteration of the project, Ingram said.

He said he hoped this new project would lay the groundwork for future affordable housing projects.

“I think it's awesome how quick they flipped this over,” said Mayor Stacey Mattina.

Ingram said the council’s recommended action would give the planning commission clarity on the nature of the new project deadline. He said staff already is moving forward and the commission may have a special meeting in May to consider the project.

In addition to the floods, City Manager Margaret Silveira noted that the recent fires had led to the city’s available rental housing stock being taken up. That added to the difficulty of finding new homes for the families displaced by the flooding.

Mattina asked if Pacific West will keep and manage the project after it’s built. Ingram said yes, noting that part of the requirement for the Community Development Block Grant funding is that the project be kept and managed.

Ingram said Pacific West came back to the city to explore doing more projects after they saw the demand for units at Bella Vista.

“There's a lot of room at this site,” he said of the Martin Street location, adding that the developer is looking at other areas in the county as well.

Lea Passantino, the developer’s local representative, said they are asked all the time about when they are going to build another project.

Passantino pointed out that there is a huge need for new, clean, safe, affordable housing throughout California and especially here in Lake County. She said they don’t sell any of their projects, but keep and maintain them all.

She estimated that they have a one-and-a-half to two-year backlog for applicants to get into Bella Vista.

Councilman Kenny Parlet moved to approve expediting the updated project, which was seconded by Councilwoman Mireya Turner and approved 5-0 by the council.

On Tuesday the council also approved the five members of the new Measure Z Advisory Committee, or MZAC.

Voters approved the one-percent sales tax in November. It took effect on April 1, with the first proceeds expected to be received by the city this summer.

The city received 12 applications for the five seats on the committee. An ad hoc advisory committee that included two council members vetted the applicants and suggested the final five candidates.

Mattina, who was on the ad hoc committee, said they met great people who want to volunteer and are looking at other things to contribute to in the city, calling it a “great process.”

City Clerk Kelly Buendia presented to the council on Tuesday the five recommended committee members – Annette Hopkins, Susan King, Dennis Rollins, Nathan Speed and Tim Wynacht – which the council unanimously approved.

Committee members’ terms will be four years, but to start with, some of them will be shorter so as to stagger the terms. The council decided that the terms for King and Wynacht will expire Dec. 31, 2018, while the terms for Hopkins, Rollins and Speed will expire Dec. 31, 2020.

Silveira said the MZAC will hold its first meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 11, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall.

With city staff now preparing the 2017-18 fiscal year budget, Silveira said they want committee members’ input on proposed spending for Measure Z proceeds in the coming year.

In other business on Tuesday, Mattina presented a proclamation honoring Alexander Beare for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, and the council unanimously adopted a proposed resolution approving the revised administrative policy for utilities billing.

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