HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.2 Presentation of the LCC Helen Putnam Award or
19 82 STAFF REPORT CITY CLERK
` CITY COUNCIL File #150-20
DATE: October 7, 2014
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Christopher L. Foss, City Manager "
SUBJECT: Presentation of the League of California Cities Helen Putnam Award of
Excellence to the City of Dublin
Prepared by Roger Bradley, Assistant to the City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Representatives from the League of California Cities will present the League's Helen Putnam
Award for Excellence to the City of Dublin for its work on the Emerald Vista housing
development. The Helen Putnam Award is designed to recognize and promote the outstanding
efforts and innovative solutions made by city governments each year. This is the second time
that the City of Dublin has received a Helen Putnam Award.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the award.
o,
Submitted By-" Reviewed By
Assistant to the City Manager Assistant City Manager
DESCRIPTION:
Background
The Helen Putnam Award for Excellence was established by the League of California Cities in
1982. It is awarded on an annual basis, and was established to recognize outstanding cities
based on demonstrated delivery of the "highest quality and level of service in the most effective
manner possible." Competition for the award is open to all of California's 482 cities each year,
and awards are only presented in 11 different categories. Examples of the categories include:
enhancing public trust, ethics and community, public safety, internal administration, health and
wellness programs, among others.
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Historically, Helen Putnam was the President of the League of California Cities from 1976-77.
Helen Putnam was a mother, school teacher, principal, mayor and county supervisor. But most
of all, Helen Putnam was a person who viewed meeting one's potential as the measure of
success. Excellence, to Helen Putnam, was someone who did his or her very best. She was as
supportive and loving of people who did their best as she was of people who did the best. To the
League of California Cities, Helen Putnam defined excellence, and as a result, the Award for
Excellence is given each year in her memory.
The Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program recognizes only a handful of California's cities
each year for their outstanding achievements. Such cities have made unique contributions to
their community's residents and businesses, contributions which may have resulted in lower
costs or more effective delivery of services.
The purpose of the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program is to recognize and promote
the outstanding efforts and innovative solutions by city governments to:
• Improve the quality of life in local communities
• Implement efficiencies in service delivery and operations
• Provide services responsive to the local community
Helen Putnam Award- Emerald Vista
The City of Dublin is proud to have won its second Helen Putnam Award for its work on the
Emerald Vista development along Dougherty Road, formerly known as Arroyo Vista. Arroyo
Vista was a federal public housing project located within the Dublin community. Throughout the
United States, thousands of aging public housing units have fallen into disrepair, and limited
funding has made it extremely challenging — if not impossible — for communities to upgrade
this important source of affordable housing. In many cases the inability of communities to
revitalize such housing has resulted in units being demolished without replacement. At the same
time, costs of developing infill parcels have increased and have impacted the production of
affordable housing even further.
Rather than ignore these challenges and pressures, the City of Dublin showed leadership and
vision in its approach to revitalizing and re-imagining Arroyo Vista. Built in the early 1980's,
Arroyo Vista was comprised of 150 garden apartments that served low-income households.
Like other such housing projects, the development had fallen into significant disrepair. The
residents and the City Council wanted to improve the property, but had virtually no funding
options in the public housing system to upgrade the units and improve the quality of life for the
residents. Scarce available federal resources were targeting big city projects. Yet, City leaders
were resolute and clear: Figure out a way to preserve the affordable housing; create a more
vibrant mixed-income community; and provide amenities for the whole neighborhood — all with
an eye towards creating a greener, more sustainable community. To do so, Dublin established a
partnership with both a non-profit (Eden Housing) and market rate builder (KB Homes) with the
goal of creating a vibrant new neighborhood with open space, links to resources, and on-site
community amenities.
Construction started at Emerald Vista in 2012 and continued through 2013. One-hundred and
Fifty (150) units of dilapidated public housing were replaced with 180 affordable apartments -- a
net gain in critically needed affordable housing for the region. Fifty (50) of these units serve
seniors and 130 units serve families. All of these homes are targeted to households with
incomes between 30 – 50% of the Area Median Income. In addition to these affordable
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apartments, 198 for-sale single family and townhomes offer a range of housing choices to
Dublin families and residents. Fourteen (14) of the for-sale units were reserved for moderate
income households.
The neighborhood components and amenities are described below:
• Carlow Court: 50 affordable apartments for seniors that are operated and maintained by
Eden Housing. Programs offered to the residents include those designed to help seniors
"age in place" and live independently for as long as possible.
• Wexford Way: 130 affordable apartments for families that are operated and maintained
by Eden Housing. The apartments have been developed using the latest green building
techniques and materials -- including solar hot water and solar photovoltaics scoring over
100 points on Build it Green's GreenPoint Rating system.
• For sale housing: 184 market rate and 14 below-market-rate for-sale single family homes
and townhomes that were built by KB Home. All of the new homes are both ENERGY
STAR® qualified and GreenPoint Rated, designed and built to help reduce energy bills.
• Emerald Vista Community Center. Through Eden Housing's free services, residents of
Emerald Vista can benefit from technology training, financial literacy, community
involvement, and classes on health, wellness, and safety. Additionally, the Dublin Unified
School District and the YMCA of the East Bay have formed a partnership to serve youth
residing at Eden's Wexford Way apartments with comprehensive on-site after-school
activities. A full array of YMCA programming is available, including homework tutorials,
recreational programs and technology support in the computer lab.
• Kidango Childcare Center. Kidango's Emerald Vista Center serves pre-school aged
children from both within the neighborhood and throughout the area.
Both the single-family and townhome market-rate units sold at a very brisk pace throughout
2012 and 2013. The City of Dublin and its development partners — including the Housing
Authority of the County of Alameda, Eden Housing, and KB Home — are extremely proud of
Emerald Vista.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
None.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
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