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Attachment 7 Letter from Abode Services (March 30, 2012) ABODE SERVICES Because everyone March 30,2012 should have a home. 40849 Fremont Boulevard Scott Erickson Fremont,CA 94538 City of Pleasanton,Housing Division Phone(51016577409 200 Old Bernal Ave Fax(510)657-7293 Pleasanton,CA 94566 TTY 151012520428 into @abodeservices.org RE: 12/13 HHSG funding recommendation abodeservices.erg Dear Mr.Erickson, We are requesting that the Counsel consider restoring the funds for the Tri- Valley Housing Scholarship Program to the City of Pleasanton staff's recommendation amount of$24,000 for the case management services. The City of Pleasanton has a long history of supporting this program and the Pleasanton households in desperate need of affordable housing.As you may be aware,it costs on average,$1,600 to rent a two bedroom apartment in Pleasanton. The amount of income needed to afford that amount of rent is$57,600/year.The Housing Scholarship program has allowed households who were homeless or at risk of homelessness complete their education while living in their own community. Through intensive services and a housing subsidy,households stabilize,graduate with their college degrees,and retain their housing paying the rent on their own. The original request of funding from Abode Services to provide case management services was$30,000.However given the shrinking city resources, city staff made a recommendation to fund at$24,000. The Human Services Commission has recommended$12,000,which is a 60%cut in the amount Abode Services requested to cover the case management services and a 50%cut from the City of Pleasanton staff recommendation,At this level,Abode Services will no longer be able to support the program,and the Pleasanton citizens struggling to survive in this economy. As the funding for this program is split evenly with the City of Livermore,Livermore residents would also suffer from this cut,as the entire program would be closed. The funding for Tri-Valley Housing Scholarship Program should be restored,as the program has an extremely positive track record,is in perfect alignment to the published Pleasanton Consolidated Plan Goals,and provides housing options in an area with very limited amounts of affordable housing.To date,this program has helped 55 Pleasanton households sustain permanent housing who would otherwise be homeless. Thank you for your consideration of our request.We appreciate all the support that has been provided over the past decade and please contact me should you want more information. Sit at Abode Services believes everyone should have a home ours Chicoine Every day we provide Executive Director housing and services to homeless people in our community while working to end the cycle of homelessness