The Sun Sunnyvale's Newspaper Legislators ask for rent decrease at local shelter National Guard due to respond to the request this week By Justin Berton The Emergency Housing Consortium, which shelters close to 100 homeless people each night during the cold-weather months at the armory in Sunnyvale, hopes to receive good news from their landlords this week: a drop in the cost of rent. Officials at the California National Guard, who operate the armory in Sunnyvale and 26 others throughout the state, are expected to answer a plea from local legislators who claim the $454-per-night charge is an excessive cost to local governments and nonprofit organizations. "I hope they show some flexibility and a greater understanding of the problem that local communities are facing," said Maury Kendall, spokesperson for the housing consortium. The consortium was able to come up with the rent money this year--which totaled $90,000 between the Sunnyvale and Gilroy armories--after Santa Clara County supervisors approved the emergency appropriations late last month. But in terms of lowering the rent in the future, the National Guard may have its hands tied, according to Lieutenant Colonel Warren Alberts. Alberts said the rent charge--which was levied for the first time last year in the 10 years the armories have been open to homeless--was mandated in Assembly Bill 242 in 1997. "The $450 per night was reviewed by the state Department of Finance," Alberts said, "and then it was enacted into law." Alberts said the cost is for maintenance on the buildings, security provided by the guards, utilities, and offices for an on-site administrative staff. Alberts said he was unsure if the bill would need an amendment to lower the rent cost, and declined to comment on price options being discussed by National Guard officials. But he did say he expected the National Guard to issue a response to a letter sent signed by eight local legislators--including Sunnyvale's representative, Assemblymember Elaine White Alquist. "What we're asking, if possible, is that the National Guard re-evaluate the fees charged. That's the intent of the letter," said Jon Hellesoe, field representative for state senator Byron Sher, who was the primary author of the letter. Hellesoe said he hoped the National Guard--should they be kept from adjusting the rent to AB242--would show flexibility and try to find other solutions to cut costs. Hellesoe said he hoped the National Guard would work with local agencies to provide services or funds to bring the rent cost down. Alberts maintained that lowering the rent was a near impossibility for the Guard. "There is no profit in that $454 per night," he said. "Lowering the price would detract from any sustained maintenance, and would cut into personnel cost. We couldn't be able to open the armories." Beth Wyman, homeless service coordinator for Santa Clara County, said the rent charges were part of an ongoing effort by the Wilson administration to make homelessness a fiscal responsibility at the local level. "Four hundred and fifty dollars is a disincentive to use the armories," Wyman said. "The best of reasons wouldn't make any difference." Alberts said prior to AB 242, the state gave the National Guard appropriations to operate the armories. "But the money was never sufficient," Alberts said. Alberts said the Guard pays for the staffing of two security personnel each night the homeless use the armory, adding that the aging facility is in need of repair. Taking note of the need to upgrade the Sunnyvale facility, city officials laced a recently signed contract with the National Guard to provide a fixed-up armory. In July of this year, the city and the National Guard renewed a 25-year contract where the Guard pays the city $1 per year for leasing the land where the armory sits. According to the lease, the Guard is responsible for a laundry list of upgrades, including a new coat of paint, earthquake resistance standards, upgrading the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and installing showers and locker rooms. Despite the needed maintenance, the space is still desired by Kendall and the Emergency Housing Consortium, which estimates 2,000 to 4,000 people live on the streets each night in Santa Clara County. "These armories are providing life-saving shelters," Kendall said. The armories, including the Sunnyvale facility, were opened to the homeless in 1989 on an emergency basis during a particularly stormy and cold winter. The executive action taken by then Gov. George Deukmejian was only intended to be a temporary solution. Since then, extensions for the use of the armories have been granted, the last of which expires in March of 1999. Several recent legislative efforts were drafted to assist the counties with funding for the shelters, or to provide funds to construct permanent homeless shelters, which would end reliance upon the armories altogether. Senate Bill 1950, which would have provided $5 million to begin replacing the state's armories with permanent housing for the homeless, was vetoed by Gov. Wilson last month. At the time, Gov. Wilson noted, "Any expansion of emergency shelters is a local government responsibility." Now, advocates for the county's homeless are hopeful that governor will reconsider ending the cold-weather program. "We'll work toward a better solution, given that we have a new governor and the advocacy of the legislators," Wyman said. [ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, December 9, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.