COC won’t ask for affordable-housing funds back 

This is a crazy story.  A community college in Santa Clarita Valley wanted to become a landlord, a renter of apartments to students.  They actually received $68 millions to turn this education facility into a developers delight.  But, the condition on the money could not be met and they are giving the tax dollars back.

“However, the situation for both the college and the state changed between the initial state grant award in 2022 and the design the college received in 2024, according to a presentation Wednesday from Ann Volz, a consultant the district hired to discuss the plan. 

She said her role was neither to be an advocate nor opponent, but to empower COC’s leadership with information from her experience in project construction. 

However, her report ultimately raised questions about the viability of the previously approved plans. 

“If it’s in the red, that’s an immediate ‘no-go,’” she said, citing deficiencies in the project’s revenue and expense analysis, “unless there is some ongoing funding source which … I haven’t worked with a school anywhere that has that.” 

Indeed, much of the funding discussion Wednesday was underscored by interim Superintendent David Andrus saying state budget projections don’t call for any increases for the district over the next three years.”

You read that right.  This tax funded program was going to LOSE money.  Yet, some wanted to continue it.  At least some realized the public would be upset having to use education dollars for real estate holdings.

COC won’t ask for affordable-housing funds back 

Perry Smith, SCV Signal, 2/14/25    https://signalscv.com/2025/02/coc-wont-ask-for-affordable-housing-funds-back/

The recently elected majority on the College of the Canyons governing board wanted to take another look at a plan for affordable student housing on Valencia’s campus at the Santa Clarita Community College District governing board meeting Wednesday. 

The topic drew emotional testimony from board members, administrators and the public who all wanted to see more housing for students.  

However, the board ultimately voted 4-1 not to re-seek the student housing funds due to concerns about the plan they would have been committed to and the new financial entanglements involved in building and running a “24-7” campus. 

Board member Darlene Trevino said she was being completely transparent and vulnerable when she described herself as an “unhoused” freshman at COC. She ended up staying with a family friend while a student, and she had no idea how she could have afforded any rent. 

“So, when you guys talked about this, that’s when I said yes, I jumped on it because I felt like, ‘How dare you to give this money back and not see it as an option?’” 

However, she ultimately voted no after the lengthy discussion. 

Fred Arnold was the lone yes vote for the plan, saying he believed a community as generous as the Santa Clarita Valley would have made it possible to overcome the financial shortcomings. 

Jasmine Ruys, assistant superintendent of student services at College of the Canyons, said no one wanted to see student housing on the campus more than her, but this wasn’t a good plan for a number of reasons. 

Background 

The district was chosen by the state to receive almost $62 million through a competitive grant process the college began in 2021 with a feasibility study. 
COC ended up with a design from the architectural firm of Westburg White last year that called for a 100-unit, 209-bed affordable-housing complex planned for parking lot 6, west of Rockwell Canyon Road and south of Valencia Boulevard. 

However, the situation for both the college and the state changed between the initial state grant award in 2022 and the design the college received in 2024, according to a presentation Wednesday from Ann Volz, a consultant the district hired to discuss the plan. 

She said her role was neither to be an advocate nor opponent, but to empower COC’s leadership with information from her experience in project construction. 

However, her report ultimately raised questions about the viability of the previously approved plans. 

“If it’s in the red, that’s an immediate ‘no-go,’” she said, citing deficiencies in the project’s revenue and expense analysis, “unless there is some ongoing funding source which … I haven’t worked with a school anywhere that has that.” 

Indeed, much of the funding discussion Wednesday was underscored by interim Superintendent David Andrus saying state budget projections don’t call for any increases for the district over the next three years. 

Wednesday’s talk on the district’s previously approved and since-canceled affordable-housing plan was the result of an action the board took last week.  

In October, the previous governing board voted to return the nearly $62 million. One of the reasons given was the college’s funding allocation was about $5 million short. 

“This is not an easy decision emotionally, OK, but intellectually and fiscally, it is an easy recommendation to the board,” Andrus said at the time, according to a previous report.  

However, in February, the three newest members of the college district’s governing board — Arnold, Trevino and board President Sharlene Johnson, who were elected in November — made a 3-2 decision to rescind the letter and see about pursuing the funds.  

A potential violation of the state’s open meeting law was cited because that decision wasn’t associated with an action item on the agenda for the Jan. 31 meeting. So, the district counsel recommended re-agendizing the discussion and hearing another presentation before taking any action. 

Problems with the plan  

Arnold suggested the foundation might be able to help close the gap, but Ruys said that just wasn’t feasible for several reasons.  

“It’s millions of dollars that we’re short. And on top of that, we don’t want to put ourselves in a place where we have to kick these students out,” Ruys said, adding there are very few alternatives for homeless students.  

The reality is, if a student can’t pay rent or take 12 units, then they can’t stay in student housing, she said, and there’s really no place else for them right now. 

The nearest place with space available for COC students is The Village, a nonprofit in Granada Hills, she said, which has been a great partner even though it’s at capacity.  

She also said that to date the COC Foundation has not really provided significant support for COC’s unhoused students, saying their support to date has largely come through community partnerships with organizations like the SCV Food Pantry. 

Gary Horton, board president of the COC Foundation, said the organization “exists solely to serve the needs of the students to advance progress in the college,” in a text message Friday. “That is our sole purpose and direction, to support students and to support the important college initiatives. The foundation is a nonpolitical entity committed to advancing accessible affordable, high-quality education in the Santa Clarita Valley. Our members focus on fundraising and support while the board of trustees and the president of the college work between themselves to determine the direction of the college’s investments and momentum.” 

Ruys said that, at the end of the day, she had to advocate for what was most fiscally responsible for the college, which is why she hated to be the one to say no. 

“And it kills me to say that I have to return $62 million. That’s a ton of money,” she said. “It is not a ton of money when you’re talking about student housing, when you’re talking about affordable housing. It is not.” 

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