Title
Approval of the minutes from the December 11, 2019 regular meeting of the Commission on Disability
Body
City of Alameda
Commission on Disability
December 11, 2019
Meeting Summary
ROLL CALL
• Chair Leslie Morrison was present via teleconference. All other members were present. Commissioner Elizabeth Kenny served as Acting Chair.
MINUTES
• Minutes from the October 9, 2019 Retreat were approved with 4 aye votes and 1 member abstaining because they were not present at the Retreat.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
• No public comment was heard.
NEW BUSINESS
4A: The following is a summary of Community Development Director Debbie Potter’s presentation on Alameda Point.
• History: Alameda Point reached its heyday during WWII, expanding the island by filling in the Bay. The Base was a huge job generator. In 1993 it was announced that the Base would close and there was a lengthy engagement process that followed to develop the initial vision for Alameda Point. In 1997 the Base was decommissioned and given significance as a registered historic district.
• It has taken over 20 years to get to where we are at today. In 2010, the decision was made for the City to become the master developer. In 2012, the first land was conveyed from the Navy.
• Today’s plan looks similar to the 1996 Community Reuse Plan that was developed. There are a mix of land uses; a focus on job creation, economic development, and housing; and it is important that there is a seamless integration with the rest of the island.
• Today’s project includes 900 acres, 1425 housing units including 25% affordable, 5.5 million square feet of commercial development, 300 acres of open space, and 611 acres VA property.
• To date, 5 buildings have been sold, generating $34,901,240, which is being reinvested in infrastructure to spur development.
• We have had a robust leasing program since the Base closed. We lease 1.8 million square feet to 66 businesses, who provide over 1,000 jobs at the Base and $14 million in annual lease revenue. This money pays for staff salaries, maintenance, and property management.
• Today’s map is divided into sub areas so it can be developed in bite sized pieces. Adaptive Reuse, Site A - the waterfront town center, Main Street, and the Enterprise District - the job generating area.
o Site A includes 68 acres and is a gateway project with 800 housing units, commercial, parks, and transit infrastructure. We are currently building the backbone infrastructure. The big yellow building you can see is a 60-unit affordable senior elevator building that is 100% adaptable and visible -- user friendly for the disabled community. It will be completed in 6 months. A 200-unit apartment building is being developed behind that and will be done in 2021. There are also 67 townhomes under construction. 10% of units are ground floor and park improvements are all ADA compliant.
o The Enterprise District is a commercial area that will be home to 5,000 employees someday. They are selling 24 acres as part of Phase 1.
o The Ferry Terminal at Seaplane Lagoon will be a game changer and a key amenity for the employment base in San Francisco. The float was recently installed and it will be completed in April 2020 and service to begin in August 2020.
o Main Street - the RESHAP project is here, rebuilding the Alameda Point Collaborative housing, which currently provides 200 units for formerly homeless families and expanding that to 267 new units. West Midway is 21 acres of market rate housing, which is complicated because of the phasing, but we are restarting the process to find a new developer for this project. Package K are the “big whites” which are 67 ranch style houses that are rentals.
o The East Bay Regional Park District is signing an MOU to lease the Northwest Territory and the VA is developing a clinic and columbarium on their 112 acres, with 300,000 niches for veterans. 512 additional acres will be a nature reserve. The focus on this area is soil treatment, the backbone infrastructure, and protecting the lease turn’s 10 acre colony.
Presentation Q&A
• Do new areas need to have universal design? Yes.
• Are any units designated for people with disabilities? No, but we will have a number of disabled residents at the new building which is 100% senior with low or very low incomes, and there are VASH vouchers for homeless veterans. The building will have a lottery and a waitlist.
• Are the developers aware of the disability community for commercial development? Yes, universal design is focused on residential and all commercial development will be ADA compliant.
• Will there be any schools at Alameda Point? There is a day care center there now and there is Head Start as well. AUSD owns 20 acres at the Base but there is no talk yet about a new school. Several existing schools are very close.
• Was thought given to mental health and other disabled communities? There will be health services available. The Council approved $100,000 to Alameda Family Services for mental health in schools, supporting the Let’s Talk Alameda campaign. The City also received a $135,000 grant from First 5 for a feasibility study for a family service center with mental health services.
• We need transit at Alameda Point. Line 96 is there now and they are working on a second Line 96 express during peak hours by August 2020. Employees and residents get free easy passes to encourage transit.
• Who does the property management? River Rock is our property manager and they subcontract with Gallagher & Lindsay for Package K rental units. An RFP was recently posted for these services. Our broker is Cushman & Wakefield.
• Where is housing for young disabled adults who grew up in their family home in Alameda? We are exploring another Jack Capon. People should apply for all types of housing.
• For RESHAP, please consider a drop-in mental health clinic. There is a high rate of 5150s in Alameda.
• How will APC staff up to serve 67 additional households? This will be a phased process. The $34 million from the sales will go to the capital improvement fund. No money will be set aside, it will all be spent on infrastructure. We do not have any more big sales plans - just 1 or 2 more buildings. That money must be reinvested in the Base.
• Dine & Connect meals twice a month have mobile showers. We are getting bids for the fire training center to be a day center for our unhoused neighbors. The County’s mobile medical clinic comes to Dine & Connect as well.
4B: The 2020 meeting dates and locations were approved 5-0
• Wednesday, January 8, 2020: Council Chambers
• Wednesday, March 11, 2020: Council Chambers
• Wednesday, May 13, 2020: Council Chambers
• Wednesday, July 8, 2020: Council Chambers
• Wednesday, September 9, 2020: Council Chambers
• Wednesday, November 18, 2020: Room 360
4C: Census update - Chair Leslie Morrison was asked if the Commission on Disability to participate in two community outreach events on the Census. Sarah Henry will send information to all to share via email. Lisa Hall will check to see if we can help share information at the Warming Shelter. A flyer/postcard is needed at the Food Bank. Sarah Henry will produce and share. Arnold Brillinger can help with sharing information at nursing facilities. He will share with the administrator of the facilities.
OLD BUSINESS
• None to report
STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
6A: Elizabeth Kenny will represent the Commission on Disability on the Disaster Council with Jennifer Roloff first alternate and Leslie Morrison second alternate. Elizabeth Kenny will represent the Commission on Disability on the Let’s Talk Alameda subcommittee with Jennifer Roloff as an alternate.
6B: 2020 presentations will include Mastick, homeless update, Let’s Talk Alameda, Registrar of Voters - early participation, outreach
Is the application to join the Commission online? Sarah Henry will send a link.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• None to report
ADJOURN
• The meeting adjourned at 8:16 pm.