REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Evaluate and Consider Adoption of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) Pilot Program (Study Issue - CDD 22-07)
Report
SUMMARY OF COMMISSION ACTION
Human Relations Commission
Staff provided a presentation to the Human Relations Commission (HRC) on September 12, 2024. No recommendation was requested from the HRC, this was simply an educational presentation and staff answered several questions the Commission had regarding the Program. Minutes from this meeting can be found as Attachment 6.
Housing and Human Services Commission
The Housing and Human Services Commission (HHSC) considered this item on September 17, 2024. The motion to approve Staff’s Recommendation (Alternatives 1 and 4) failed 2-2 with three commissioners absent. The Commission was unable to make another motion due to the split nature of the vote and decided to not pursue any further motions, making no recommendation to Council. Since there was lengthy discission from the four Commissioners on why a second motion was unable to be made, Chair Duncan encouraged Council to watch the video of the meeting to get a clear understanding of the discussion.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the NOVA Workforce Services reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Accept the Final GBI Report (Attachment 3), including the recommended Programmatic Components as outlined in the report and listed above.
2. Accept the Final GBI Report with modified Programmatic Components.
3. Direct staff to return with a Budget Modification to allocate funding form the General Funds to fund a two-year pilot program.
4. Direct staff to continue to look for non-City funding opportunities, and report back to Council in one year with a funding update on both a pilot and an ongoing program.
5. Do not approve the creation of a GBI Program at this time.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternatives 1 and 4: 1) Accept the Final GBI Report, including the recommended Programmatic Components; and 4) Direct staff to continue to look for non-City funding opportunities, and report back to Council in one year with a funding update.
JUSTIFICATION FOR RECOMMENDATION
Studies indicate that participants in GBI programs have benefitted in numerous ways and therefore it may be worthwhile for Sunnyvale to consider a GBI program. However, as no outside funding source has been identified, funding for a GBI program would be competing with other City initiatives. Staff finds that an overall strategy of services could inform whether GBI is of a high enough priority to fund with City resources. A report back in one year approach also allows staff to prepare a homeless and human services strategy for City Council consideration and to further seek outside funding. In addition, staff is hopeful to learn more about the status of participants one to three years after participation in a GBI program to further inform the priority of a GBI initiative and assist in determining if a pilot or an on-going program is desirable.
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $250 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
_X_ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Ernie Defrenchi, Affordable Housing Manager
Reviewed by: Jenny Carloni, Housing Officer
Reviewed by: Shaunn Mendrin, Planning Officer, for Trudi Ryan, Community Development Director
Reviewed by: Dennis Jaw, Interim Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Connie Verceles, Deputy City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Report to Housing and Human Services Commission [24-0966, September 17, 2024] (without attachments, same as Human Relations Commission report)
2. CDD 22-07 UBI Study Issue Paper
3. Guaranteed Basic Income Final Report
4. Staff Notes: City Council Study Session October 24, 2023
5. Community Outreach Meeting Notes and Mentimeter Comments
Additional Attachments for Report to Council
6. Excerpt of Draft Minutes of the Human Relations Commission Meeting of September 12, 2024
7. Excerpt of Draft Minutes of the Housing and Human Services Commission Meeting of September 17, 2024