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Jean Laurin -Lawrence CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
Castaneda & Associates PALM DESERT. CA
23 August 2012
The Honorable City Council
City of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
2012 AUG 23 PM 1: 30
SUBJECT: City of Palm Desert Housing Element Update
On July 9, 2012, the City of Palm Desert issued a Request for Proposals for
professional services for the update of the City's Housing Element. The City's
Department of Community Development accepted proposals through July 31,
2012. On August 23, 2012, the Department of Community Development
submitted their Staff Report recommending award of the contract to Terra Nova
Planning & Research, Incorporated.
We fully support the City's right to award the contract to any consultant they
select, but award it because of past relationships with the City, not because
their consultant has the most experience preparing housing elements. Few
people have the broad housing program experience of Castaneda and
Lawrence.
After reviewing the Staff Report, we would like to offer the following comments
for your consideration:
• The State of California, Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD), has specific, definitive, requirements for the form,
format, and content of the City's Housing Element. HCD leaves little, if
any, discretion in preparation of the Housing Element. The consultant's
responsibility is the accurate accumulation, recording and reporting of
specific required information required by HCD.
• The City's Staff Report recommends award to Terra Nova in the amount of
$47,110.00. Castaneda & Associates quoted the City $29,650.00 for
performance of exactly the same tasks, a difference of $17,460.00. Any
submittal will have to meet all HCD requirements and must receive HCD
certification.
The City's Staff Report cites a scoring process and evaluation listing two
primary reasons award of the contract to Terra Nova:
40101 Monterey Ave., B1-221
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
760-831-4676
3638 University Avenue, Suite 203
Riverside, CA 92501
951.235.2755
EQ
City of Palm Desert
Housing Element Update
23 August 2012
Page Two
• First, The City's Staff Report states the "evaluation team selected Terra
Nova Planning & Research Inc. based upon the qualifications of the
principal planner, Nicole Criste, who has prepared over 25 housing
elements for various municipalities in Southern California."
However, the City's Request for Proposals requested only a listing of
"three similar projects that you have completed in the past five (5) years.
The Jean Lauri n-Lawrence/Castaneda & Associates complied with this
requirement.
If the number of prepared Housing Elements is a factor in the City's
evaluation process, consideration should be given to Ms. Laurin-
Lawrence's experience and expertise. She drafted her first (1 St) Housing
Element for the County of San Bernardino in 1978. Additionally,
Ms.Lawrence and Castaneda & Associates have prepared Housing
Elements for the cities of Bakersfield, Beaumont (3), Brawley, Calexico
(3), California City, Canyon Lake, Carpentaria (2), Carson (2), Cerritos,
Citrus Heights, Coachella, Coronado (2), Costa Mesa, Desert Hot Springs,
El Centro, Hawaiian Gardens, Hughson, Huron, Imperial, Imperial Beach,
Indio (2), Norwalk (3), Oakley, Oroville, Placentia, Portola, Rancho Palos
Verdes (3), San Joaquin, Signal Hill (3), Waterford, Westmorland, and
Kern County. All have been approved and certified by HCD.
• Secondly, the City's Staff Report cites that Terra Nova has "demonstrated
the greatest knowledge of Palm Desert's deep history of providing quality
affordable housing in the community."
This requirement was not mentioned in the City's Request for Proposals.
If that had been a requirement we would have cited Ms. Laurin -Lawrence
and Mr.Castaneda's experience which include housing market feasibility
studies for the development of a wide range of housing; including one in
Palm Desert for Mr. Dan Horn. These studies were prepared for local
jurisdictions such as Indio, Coachella, Thermal, Mecca, North Shore, and
Travertine Point.
In addition, Ms. Laurin -Lawrence was President of the California Council
of Affordable Housing (CCAH) and has over twenty years of service on
CCAH's Board of Directors. She has also lived in the Coachella Valley,
full time, for over 20 years and has a strong continuing commitment to
eastern Riverside County
e
City of Palm Desert
r Housing Element Update
23 August 2012
Page Three
While specific Palm Desert experience may be laudable, the real housing
need and demand is part of a regional concern. The governmental
borders between the Valley cities stretching from Palm Springs to
Coachella are virtually invisible, except on maps. And while the State
mandates each jurisdiction prepare their own housing element,
specifically addressing site issues, the actual development of the units
being planned for will also be subject to the economic health of all of Palm
Desert's neighbors.
I sincerely wish you good luck on this project. The collection and publication of
pertinent housing, population, land use, environmental, and economic data for
any area of our Valley is important to everyone who lives here.
When you award the contract this evening, please do so because Terra Nova is
the City's choice, not because of criteria that was not included in the NOFA.
Sincerely,
?Jn Laur in - Lawrenceity Staff