Subject:
Title
Resolution authorizing the execution of a Release of Leasehold Use Agreement with the Young Women’s Christian Association of Tampa Bay, Inc. for the project known as Family Village in downtown St. Petersburg.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve a resolution to execute a Release of Leasehold Use Agreement dated September 9, 1997, between Pinellas County and the Young Women’s Christian Association of Tampa Bay, Inc. (YWCA) for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project known as Family Village, and to execute all other documents necessary to effectuate the resolution.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
Summary:
Due to the amount of County CDBG funding invested in the construction of Family Village, the YWCA is obligated to provide emergency shelter and transitional housing for homeless families, on a site owned by the City of St. Petersburg, for 20 years (through September 2018), pursuant to Specific Performance Agreements executed in 1994 and 1995 and a Leasehold Use Agreement executed in 1997.
In July of 2015, the YWCA Board of Directors voted to close Family Village by September 1, 2015. At the time of its closing, the families at Family Village were actively relocated by YWCA staff and no families were displaced or returned to homelessness.
The YWCA operated Family Village, as required, for 18 years. The goals of the Leasehold Use Agreement and SPAs have been substantially met, and YWCA is no longer able to successfully fulfill the remaining two year obligation due to a change in ownership of the property; an inability to relocate Family Village to an alternative site; shifting federal preferences as it relates to funding operational expenses for transitional housing programs and YWCA’s cash flow difficulties in regard to agency operating expenses.
The termination of the County’s Leasehold Agreement would release YWCA from its financial and legal obligation to continue to operate Family Village. The City of St. Petersburg (City) undertook similar action at its November 2015 City Council meeting to relieve the YWCA of any remaining financial or legal obligations under the City’s award of CDBG funding award from the late 1990’s, which was also in the amount of $300,000.
The day care center, which operates on a site immediately adjacent to Family Village, was also built with this particular joint CDBG funding from County and City; the YWCA continues to operate the day care center.
Background Information:
On August 2, 1994, the Board of County Commissioners (Board) executed a Specific Performance Agreement (SPA) with the YWCA in the amount of $100,000.00 for the construction of sixteen, two bedroom apartments, a day care center, and space for social services on a property located in downtown St. Petersburg which had been donated to the YWCA by the University of South Florida (USF). On July 25, 1995, the Board executed a second SPA with YWCA for an additional amount of $200,000.00 which clarified that the composition of the sixteen units would include eight two-bedroom apartments to be used as a short term emergency shelter and eight, two bedroom transitional housing units for families requiring longer term transition assistance. On July 25, 1995, the Board executed a Land Use Restriction Agreement (LURA) on the USF property, where the project was scheduled for construction, and on July 1, 1997, the Board released the LURA as a different project location was ultimately selected.
On September 9, 1997, the Board executed an Amendment to the July 25, 1995 SPA with the YWCA outlining the new site for the project and revising the construction schedule, and executed a Leasehold Use Agreement with the YWCA as the new location for the project was owned by the City. Pursuant to the SPAs, the YWCA began providing housing at the newly constructed facility in 1998.
In 2013, All Children’s Hospital (ACH) offered to exchange property with the City resulting in ACH becoming the owner of the Family Village and day care property. ACH sought to acquire the property to facilitate its short and long term campus expansion planning, enable the growth of its mission tenets, spur development of the healthcare corridor and demonstrate ACH’s commitment in downtown St. Petersburg, while simultaneously providing extensive economic development by creating numerous temporary construction and permanent high income jobs. Further, the property exchange enhances the medical district within the Bayboro Harbor Community Redevelopment Area and increases the density of future development on the property due to plans for a proposed clinical facility that may exceed 250,000 square feet and house over 100 new employees.
The City’s lease with YWCA was assigned to ACH; ACH provided a two year period for the YWCA to continue providing housing for homeless families. On August 11, 2015, the YWCA notified the County and City of its intent to discontinue emergency shelter and transitional housing at Family Village citing cash flow difficulties. As planned, Family Village was vacated and closed on September 1, 2015. On November 12, 2015, the City passed Resolution #2015-541 authorizing the Mayor to execute a termination of the City Agreement and cancelling the City’s $300,000.00 promissory note executed on March 3, 1998.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Staff Member Responsible:
Gordon Beardslee, Director, Planning
Partners:
Young Women’s Christian Association of Tampa Bay, Inc.
City of St. Petersburg
Attachments:
Resolution for Young Women’s Christian Association of Tampa Bay, Inc.
Specific Performance Agreement, dated August 2, 1994
Specific Performance Agreement, dated July 25, 1995
Leasehold Use Agreement, dated September 9, 1997
Resolution 15-61
Release of Leasehold Use Agreement