reUse2

Community Center Reuse Information Update

WHAT IS COMMUNITY CENTER REUSE?

The City Council adopted a Community Center Reuse Policy April 22, 2008. City Council directed staff, at the April 22nd meeting, to revise the Reuse Policy to allow for up to five-year (renewable) facility agreements for reuse sites not situated on Park property. Facility agreements for Resuse sites located on Park property will be limited to three (renewable) years. The three-year limitation is consistent with Article XVII, Section 1700 of the San Jose City Charter.

The Reuse Policy establishes guidelines and criteria that allows Santa Clara County-based Nonprofit, Neighborhood Associations, school districts, and other government agencies or community service providers (collectively referred to as Service Providers) to use older neighborhood centers at no charge in return for providing services that benefit San José residents. In return for providing no-cost or low-cost services to the community, the City would also pay for a facility’s major system repairs, maintenance, and utilities.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN

For the past two years, Community Services Division staff managed a Community Center Reuse process whose genesis was a budget proposal to reconcile the following three convergent realities:

An increased public demand for recreation services as the projected population of San José increases,
An approximate doubling of community center square footage resulting from the passage of the Measure P Bond in September 2000, and
Declining Community Services Division staffing levels (-49.7%) coupled with decreased operational revenues (-25%) since FY 2001-02.

These three converging realities forced staff to re-examine the PRNS service delivery model. In 2006, the City of San José found itself once more confronting the need for significant budget reductions after five consecutive years of structural deficits. On May 16, 2006, Staff submitted a cost-saving proposal to close older centers and concentrate reduced Staff at newer facilities built with Measure P Bond funds. The community and nonprofit groups denounced Staff’s recommendation. The City Council directed Staff to conduct additional outreach to the community and nonprofit groups, and return with a recommendation that allowed the City to maximize partnership opportunities with neighborhood associations and nonprofit groups that could competently provide needed services

Staff conducted numerous citywide community Reuse meetings and focus groups. The Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits also held a number of focus groups represented by over 85 nonprofit organizations. Subsequent City Council actions reduced the Reuse list to 17 from 35 original Reuse sites, and in the FY 2007-2008 Adopted Operating Budget, Council approved a funding solution that kept community centers open.

WHERE ARE WE NOW

The City Council funding solution adopted during the FY 2007-2008 budget process provided for a Community Center Reuse Property Management Team to oversee Service Provider use of the 17 Reuse sites. In the months since, staffing is in place, an updated facility conditions assessment was completed for the 17 sites on the Reuse list, and a Reuse Policy was adopted.

The Reuse Policy builds on the key ingredients the community and nonprofit groups said they wanted in the City’s Reuse plan, and ensures that Community Center Reuse property use agreements have reasonable terms and appropriate insurance language that serves Service Providers’ interests while protecting the City.

Proposed Community Center Reuse Policy

Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits

Letter of Endorsement of Proposed Reuse Policy

WHERE WE ARE GOING

Staff has also completed the preliminary preparations to begin the solicitation, review, and selection of Service Providers and facility move-ins. With Council adoption of the Reuse Policy, Staff can begin the Service Provider solicitation, evaluation, and selection process as follows: