REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Grant Agreement with MidPen Housing Corp. for the Persian Drive Sidewalk Project and Approve Budget Modification No. 30 to Appropriate an Additional $324,500 to the Project, for a Total of $973,000
Report
BACKGROUND
The sidewalk along the south side of Persian Drive between Morse and Borregas Avenues will provide the connection between two discontinuous segments of sidewalk, and connectivity between the Morse Park neighborhood and the Borregas Avenue bike/pedestrian bridge into Moffett Park. For residents who live closer to Borregas Avenue, this sidewalk extension would improve pedestrian access to the retail center and light rail station at Fair Oaks and Tasman Drive. The sidewalk installation was proposed as part of a joint application for an Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant by MidPen Housing Corp., with the City as a joint applicant (RTC No. 15-1009). To qualify for an AHSC grant, applications must include an affordable housing project and a transportation infrastructure component, which could be an active transportation project such as sidewalks or bike lanes. City and MidPen staff considered possible transportation projects within the constraints of the AHSC guidelines and existing infrastructure in the neighborhood, and came up with the Persian Drive sidewalk extension as the most feasible project to fit the AHSC proposal.
Staff estimated the cost of the sidewalk extension project at nearly $1 million, including green street features (bioswales) recommended by the Environmental Services Department (ESD). Council approved the joint application for AHSC funds in early 2016 (RTC 15-1009) with support for the sidewalk project. Council allocated a local match of $200,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the sidewalk project as part of the 2016 HUD Action Plan (RTC No.16-0041), in the hopes of improving the odds of getting the AHSC grant. Unfortunately, the AHSC grant was not ...
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