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HomeMy WebLinkAboutITEM NO. 2 LETTERS OF SUPPORT William G. Steiner Public Affairs/Governmental Relations 8143 E.Cheshire Road Orange,CA 92867 714-287-9604 wgsteiner1937@gmaii.com July 27, 2020 OC Health Care Agency 183 - HCA/CONTRACT SERVICES 405 W 5TH ST. ROOM 600 SANTA ANA CA 92701 Re: Family Promise of Orange County Grant Application Bid 042-0029320-BD I am pleased to write this letter of support for Family Promise of Orange County(FPOC). I have been involved in Orange County social services for over 40 years in terms of my role with Orangewood Children's Home and as a member of the OC Board of Supervisors. I have known of Family Promise for many years and have been impressed by the multiplicity and unique way this organization serves families experiencing homelessness in Orange County. As a member of the Family Promise OC Advisory Counsel and through my congregation's involvement, I have learned about the effort to create additional transitional housing and a state- of-art Navigation Center for families who apply for shelter and housing. Through its House of Ruth project, Family Promise of Orange County has partnerships with the City of Tustin,HomeAid Orange County and Brookfield Homes as the builder of the 7-unit complex. The timeline of the House of Ruth project perfectly matches that described in the RFP. If approved,this grant application will provide funds to build a multifaceted Navigation Center, that will serve as a point of entry into all resources needed to access emergency housing and create stability for many families with children who are homeless. This Navigation Center is a one stop opportunity to stabilizing the family's future and provide the tools and assistance to access housing options. It is a pleasure for me to recommend without reservation this fine organization as a recipient of the Bid 042-CO29320-BD for Capital Funding for Homeless Service Programs. I want to personally thank you for your thoughtful consideration. Sincerely, William G. Steiner TUV MeB HUR H August 10, 2020 To whom it may concern: Tustin Presbyterian Church has been working with Family Promise since its inception in our area. We continue to host families each year for three to five weeks. We have bought and maintain equipment to provide comfort and privacy for the families and volunteers who stay with us. We partner with a local synagogue to provide meals. Four years ago, one of our members, a long-time supporter of Family Promise,approached our mission committee with the dream of raising money to buy/build transitional housing in our area. Our congregation raised over $54,000 in less than a year and we applied for, and received, a matching grant of$50,000 from the Presbytery of Los Ranchos for the project, which we named the House of Ruth. With the help of the leadership of Family Promise,we approached the City Council of Tustin and we were able to get them to partner with us on this project, by providing land on which we can build the transitional housing. All of this from a congregation of 224 members. This is just a glimpse of our support for the work of Family Promise. The work that this organization does is well worth our time and resources. The lives they touch by giving families a safe place to land as they fall into homelessness goes a long way toward helping them not get swept into the terrible cycle of despair and loss that envelopes families that get broken up in the shelters or through life on the street. I can think of no better program that allows families the chance to stay together,kids to stay in their schools, and support that allows them to get back into a home and back to a sense of normalcy. Of all the organizations that we support, Family Promise is at the top of our list in effectiveness. Please know that they have our strongest support and we invite others to join in this good work. If you would like to hear this from me personally, please call me at 636-484-0544. This is my personal cell number. Sincerely, J4 The Reverend Dr. Steven Ranney Pastor, Tustin Presbyterian Church (714-544-7070) 225 West Main Street,Tustin,CA 92780-4319.714/544-7070•FAX 714/544-1948•www.tustinpresbyterian.org HomeAid Orange County 1130 North Citrus Street, Orange, CA 92867 949.220.1136 EIN: 33-0568079 August 12, 2020 County of Orange/Health Care Agency Contract Services Division 405 W.5th Street, Suite 600 Santa Ana, CA 92701-4637 Dear HCA, HomeAid Orange County is writing this letter of support for the Family Promise, House of Ruth development in the City of Tustin. HomeAid Orange County is thrilled to partner with Family Promise to provide critically needed housing for families experiencing homelessness. Our organization has already recruited Brookfield Residential to be our lead builder on the development,working with us currently on the pre-development of the project. HomeAid's mission is to end homelessness by building new lives for homeless families and individuals through housing and community outreach. For the past 30 years, HomeAid has been the leader in developing the basic need of shelter in partnership with other nonprofits. HomeAid's role as the developer is to work directly with nonprofit partner agencies to develop the housing needed to end homelessness for families or individuals. HomeAid recruits a homebuilder to take the lead as builder captain to work alongside the team as the project moves forward. This involves each phase of development from land acquisition,funding, exterior design, entitlements, construction, interior design and landscaping. By utilizing the model of partnerships,volunteerism,and in-kind donations, HomeAid is able to reduce the overall cost. On February 18, 2020,the Tustin City Council unanimously approved the Disposition and Development Agreement or'DDA' with Family Promise. By the terms of the agreement,the City of Tustin will convey the vacant 18,800 sq.ft. lot to Family Promise under a 30-year forgivable Promissory Note. Family Promise has 18 months to raise the funds to build the project and then 24 months for the construction. The development timeline is as follows: DEVELOPMENT PHASE BEGIN COMPLETE Design January 2020 June 2020 Entitlements & Permits June 2020 May 2021 Construction May 2021 April 2022 Fundraising Campaign June 2020 April 2022 Dedication and Grand Opening April 2022 May 2022 Thank you in advance for your consideration. With Sincere Gratitude, Gina R. Scott, Executive Director HomeAid Orange County Office of the City Council August 12,2020 Cyndee Albertson,Executive Director Family Promise of Orange County PO Box 6225 Orange, CA 92863 RE: HOUSE OF RUTH LETTER OF SUPPORT Dear Ms. Albertson: I am pleased to write a "Letter of Support" for the Family Promise House of Ruth project, a seven- unit Transitional Housing Project. I am also delighted to know Family Promise is partnering with HomeAid Orange County, bringing over 30 years of experience and a record of accomplishment building homeless housing. Homelessness is an epidemic across our country, and it requires strong partnerships such as this one and support from all of us to address this issue. I am proud to represent a city that has consistently supported and addressed the needs of the homeless in our community. In the last 20 years,we have facilitated the development of the 262-bed Village of Hope (2008), the 26-bed Tustin Veterans Outpost (2016), and more recently the 57-bed Tustin Temporary Emergency Shelter (2019). And now in 2020, the City Council has taken another step towards serving homeless families by entering into a Disposition and Development Agreement with Family Promise for the House of Ruth project. The House of Ruth project will not only provide transitional housing for seven families, but the proposed Navigation Center for Families will serve as additional support and outreach to other families in our community experiencing homelessness. The needs are great and Family Promise has recognized that by committing to operate a center with case managers on-site seven days a week. Your proposal,which includes access to a shower and free use of washers and dryers for those unhoused families who have not transitioned to shelter, offers much needed additional services. Thank you for your concern for caring for those who find themselves homeless and your creative approach to offering solutions through the House of Ruth project. I look forward to hearing about your successful application for funds request to the County of Orange. Please feel free to reach out to me for any other support I can provide. Sincerely, Letitia Clark Mayor Pro Tem Mayor Dr.Allan Bernstein Mayor Pro Tem Letitia Clark Charles E. "Chuck"Puckett Barry W.Cooper Austin Lumbard 300 Centennial Way • Tustin,California 92780 • www.tustinca.org Office of the City Manager t A, August 12, 2020 County of Orange Health Care Agency Contract Services Division 405 W. 5th Street, Suite 600 Santa Ana, CA 92701-4637 Re: Bid Number: 042-CO29320-BD This letter shall serve as documentation that the City of Tustin has full knowledge and approves of Family Promise of Orange County's plans to build a seven-unit Transitional Housing Project, known as the House of Ruth within Tustin City limits. This project includes a Community Navigation Center to provide additional outreach and support for families experiencing homelessness. The City of Tustin, along with HomeAid Orange County and their Builder Captain, Brookfield Homes, are Family Promise's partners in the project. The Tustin City Council unanimously approved the Disposition and Development Agreement(DDA) with Family Promise on February 18, 2020. Under the terms of the DDA, the City of Tustin will execute a 30-year forgivable Promissory Note with Family Promise and convey a vacant 16,790 square foot parcel for the project. Prior to the property being conveyed, Family Promise has 18 months to raise the necessary funds and 24 months after conveyance to complete construction. Family Promise is providing quarterly reports to the City on the progress of their capital campaign. To date, Family Promise has met its obligations under the DDA, including the submission of their Development Application. Brookfield Homes will be the builder of this facility. The City has previous experience with this builder, and we have confidence in their expertise and ability to bring this project to fruition. The inclusion of the Community Navigation Center, which is the main component of the Family Promise application to OCHCA is a critical part of this entire project proposal as it will be a fundamental front line of support and assistance for those families experiencing homelessness from Tustin and surrounding communities. Should you have any questions about this project, please contact Jerry Craig at 714.573.3121 or jcraiggtustinca.org. Sincerely, 'may' � MU Ar Matthew S. West City Manager 300 Centennial Way • Tustin,California 92780 • www.tustmca.or • 7I4-573-30I2