City Hall, Council Chamber  
100 Santa Rosa Avenue  
Santa Rosa, CA  
City of Santa Rosa  
Housing Authority  
Special Meeting Minutes - Final  
Monday, December 19, 2022  
1:30 PM  
1. CALL TO ORDER  
Chair Test called the meeting to order at 1:30PM.  
2. ROLL CALL  
6 -  
Present  
Chair Diane Test, Vice Chair Jeffrey Owen, Commissioner Stephen  
Burke, Commissioner Thomas LaPenna, Commissioner Scott  
McWhorter, and Commissioner Yvonne Rawhouser  
1 - Commissioner Wayne Downey Ph. D  
Absent  
3. STATEMENTS OF ABSTENTION  
NONE  
4. STUDY SESSION  
NONE  
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS (ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS)  
None  
6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
6.1  
November 28, 2022 - Draft Minutes.  
Approved as submitted.  
7. PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS  
7.1  
PROCLAMATION - PROCLAMATION OF APPRECIATION FOR JEFF  
BERK  
Chair Test read into the record the Proclamation of Appreciation for  
Jeff Berk.  
Public Comments:  
None  
8. CHAIRPERSON/ COMMISSIONER REPORTS  
Commissioner Burke asked for an update regarding  
recommendations made during the Housing Authority Planning Day.  
Megan Basinger, Housing and Community Services Director, stated  
that recommendations discussed during the Housing Authority  
Planning Day will be reviewed at the January, 2023, Housing  
Authority meeting.  
9. COMMITTEE REPORTS  
NONE  
10. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORTS/ COMMUNICATION ITEMS:  
10.1  
COMMUNICATION - PENDING DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE UPDATE  
Provided for information only  
Megan Basinger, Housing and Community Services Director,  
provided information regarding the Pipeline Update, the status of  
leasing the 45 affordable housing units at Orchard Commons, and  
stated that four out of five Community Development Block  
Grant-Disaster Recovery funded projects were either under  
construction or have been completed.  
Public Comments:  
None  
11. CONSENT ITEMS  
NONE  
12. REPORT ITEMS  
12.1  
REPORT - BENNETT VALLEY APARTMENTS - $272,000  
REDUCTION TO PRIOR FUNDING COMMITMENT FOR COSTS  
ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEMOLITION OF THE SITE PRIOR TO  
DEVELOPER ACQUISITION  
BACKGROUND: On May 10, 2021, the Housing Authority approved a  
conditional commitment of $5,800,000 in loan funds for  
construction-related costs for Bennett Valley Apartments (the “Project”).  
On October 20, 2022, a fire occurred, which resulted in the City’s  
Building Division “red-tagging” the City-owned site and necessitating  
the demolition of the site before the anticipated April 2023 sale to the  
Developer. The Developer has agreed to reduce the conditional  
commitment of loan funds awarded by the Housing Authority by up to  
$272,000 so that those funds may be utilized by the City for costs  
associated with the demolition of the site.  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Housing and  
Community Services Department that the Housing Authority, by  
resolution, approve a reduction up to $272,000 to a prior conditional  
commitment of loan funds in the amount of $5,800,000 to Freebird  
Development Company, LLC for the Bennett Valley Apartments project  
to allow funds to be utilized for demolition of the site prior to developer  
acquisition.  
Nicole Del Fiorentino, Housing and Community Services Manager,  
gave a presentation and answered Commissioner questions.  
Jason Nutt, Assistant City Manager, assisted in responding to  
Commissioner questions.  
Megan Basinger, Housing and Community Services Director,  
assisted in responding to Commissioner questions.  
Public Comments:  
Robin Zimbler, Founder of Freebird Development, commented that  
the buyer is fully supportive of the agreement, and that the Freebird  
Development Environmental team has assessed no significant  
environmental issues at the site.  
A motion was made by Vice Chair Owen, seconded by Chair Test, to waive  
reading of the text and adopt:  
RESOLUTION NO. 1750 ENTITLED: RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSING  
AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING A REDUCTION  
UP TO $272,000 TO A PRIOR CONDITIONAL COMMITMENT OF LOAN  
FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,800,000 TO FREEBIRD DEVELOPMENT  
COMPANY, LLC FOR THE BENNETT VALLEY APARTMENTS PROJECT TO  
ALLOW FUNDS TO BE UTILIZED FOR DEMOLITION OF THE SITE PRIOR  
TO DEVELOPER ACQUISITION.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
6 -  
Yes:  
Chair Test, Vice Chair Owen, Commissioner Burke, Commissioner  
LaPenna, Commissioner McWhorter and Commissioner Rawhouser  
1 - Commissioner Downey Ph. D  
Absent:  
13. ADJOURNMENT  
Seeing no further business, Chair Test adjourned the meeting at  
2:13PM.  
Approved on:  
_______________________________  
Steven V. Brown  
Recording Secretary