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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Adoption of a Resolution Approving Membership in the Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust (WSCAHT) Joint Powers Authority; and (2) Appointment of City Council Members to the WSCAHT Board of Directors.
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Meeting Date: September 14, 2026
Contact Person/Dept.: Arames White-Shearin, Housing and Human Services Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6022
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/10/2026)
Department Approval: Diane Glauber, Housing and Human Services Director (08/20/2026) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) adopt a Resolution approving the City's membership in the Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust (WSCAHT); and (2) appoint current members of the Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG) to the WSCAHT.
DISCUSSION
Staff recommends that the City join the proposed Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust (WSCAHT), a regional Joint Powers Authority (JPA) being considered by the member cities of the Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG), to expand affordable housing financing opportunities through regional collaboration.
The Trust will provide a dedicated structure for receiving, managing, and deploying affordable housing funding resources while preserving local control over land use and development decisions. The Trust is intended to help member cities access additional housing resources, leverage regional funding opportunities, provide technical assistance, and support affordable housing production and preservation activities throughout the region.
Membership in the Trust does not obligate the City to approve any housing development, contribute funding to any housing project, waive local land use authority, or assume liability for the Trust's obligations.
BACKGROUND
The WSCCOG received Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) funding from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) to evaluate the feasibility of creating a regional affordable housing trust.
Since early 2026, WSCCOG staff, housing finance consultants, a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from Westside member cities, and local housing developers have evaluated regional housing needs, reviewed affordable housing trust best practices, assessed potential funding opportunities, conducted community and stakeholder outreach, and developed a Strategic Plan, Joint Powers Agreement, and Bylaws for the proposed Trust.
Following this process, the WSCCOG Board recommended formation of the WSCAHT and directed that the Joint Powers Agreement be presented to each member city for independent consideration and action by its respective City Council.
WESTSIDE CITIES AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST
The WSCAHT would be established as a separate public entity pursuant to California Government Code Sections 6500 et seq. and 6539.19.
The mission of the Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust is to expand affordable housing opportunities through financing, technical assistance, and regional collaboration that support participating cities and housing partners in creating, preserving, and improving housing opportunities throughout the Westside region.
The Trust would have authority to:
• Receive and administer public and private funding sources.
• Provide grants and loans for affordable housing activities.
• Support acquisition, predevelopment, construction, preservation, and homeownership programs.
• Provide technical assistance and project readiness support.
• Pursue additional housing funding opportunities on behalf of member jurisdictions.
The Trust would operate independently from WSCCOG, maintain separate financial records, comply with the Brown Act, conduct annual independent audits, and provide annual public reporting.
GOVERNANCE
The Trust will be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of:
• One Director from each member agency: Each member agency will appoint one elected official to serve as its Director on the WSCAHT Board. For Culver City, it is anticipated that the Mayor, who is the Ex-Officio Member of the WSSCOG, will serve as the City’s appointed Director.
• One Alternate Director from each member agency: Each member agency will also appoint one Alternate Director, as determined by its governing body, to serve in the absence of the appointed Director. For Culver City the alternate member of the WSSCOG will serve as the City’s alternate Director.
• Housing and homelessness policy experts appointed by the WSCAHT Board.
The number of appointed expert members will be two, the minimum number required by California Government Code Section 6539.1. All Board members will have voting authority.
This governance structure is intended to maintain direct local government oversight while incorporating affordable housing and housing finance expertise into Trust decision-making.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
The Trust's Strategic Plan establishes four initial Strategic Priorities:
1. Technical Assistance and Pipeline Development
a. Support member cities in identifying, evaluating, and advancing housing opportunities while building a pipeline of viable housing projects.
2. Capital Funding, Deployment and Growth
b. Deploy available funding resources effectively, support housing production and preservation, and pursue additional funding opportunities.
3. Systems, Data and Communications
c. Strengthen organizational transparency, performance measurement, reporting, and public communication regarding Trust activities and outcomes.
4. Regional Partnerships and Member Engagement
d. Strengthen collaboration among member cities, developers, lenders, nonprofit organizations, funding partners, and other housing stakeholders.
Together, these priorities are intended to support housing production, preservation, financing, and long-term organizational sustainability throughout the Westside region.
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Trust provides several potential benefits:
• Access to regional housing financing programs and funding opportunities.
• Increased competitiveness for State, County, Federal, and philanthropic funding resources.
• Technical assistance and housing finance expertise.
• Access to acquisition, predevelopment, and project financing resources.
• Regional collaboration and shared best practices.
• Ability to leverage funding through a revolving capital structure.
• Shared administrative infrastructure and economies of scale.
Collectively, these benefits strengthen each member city's ability to finance affordable housing, leverage external funding, and advance locally supported housing priorities through regional collaboration.
LOCAL CONTROL
Membership in the Trust does not alter the City's authority over land use, zoning, planning, entitlement, environmental review, or project approval decisions.
The Joint Powers Agreement expressly prohibits the Trust from regulating land use or requiring cities to approve housing projects. In addition, projects seeking Trust funding must first obtain preliminary written support from the host jurisdiction before being considered for funding.
Participation in the Trust does not obligate the City to approve any project, provide local funding, or modify existing land use policies.
CONCLUSION
The Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust provides a regional framework for expanding affordable housing financing opportunities, increasing access to external funding resources, providing technical assistance, and supporting housing production and preservation activities throughout the Westside region.
The proposed Trust preserves local control, does not require project funding commitments from member agencies, and establishes a governance structure that combines local government oversight with housing expertise.
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution approving membership in the Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Administrative costs are anticipated to be funded entirely through Measure A for the first 12 months, to the extent funds are available and eligible for such use and determined by the WSCAHT Board of Directors.
The Joint Powers Agreement does not require member agencies to contribute capital funding to housing projects. If future administrative contributions become necessary, the Trust Board would establish a cost allocation methodology after accounting for available grants and other eligible administrative revenue sources. Any proposed administrative contribution would require Board approval and advance notice to member agencies, providing each agency an opportunity to consider the proposal through its normal budget and decision-making process.
The Trust is a separate legal entity, and its debts, liabilities, and obligations are not debts, liabilities, or obligations of its member agencies.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026-09-14_ATT1_Proposed Resolution
2. 2026-09-14_ATT2_Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement
3. 2026-09-14_ATT3_Power Point Presentation
recommended action
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Adopt a Resolution approving the City's membership in the Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust (WSCAHT);
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents;
3. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute such documents on behalf of the City, including the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement establishing the WSCAHT; and
4. Appoint the Current City Director of the WSSCOG, Mayor Freddy Puza, to serve as the City's Director and the Alternate City Member of the WSSCOG, Bubba Fish, to serve as the City's Alternate Director on the WSCAHT Board of Directors.
