local government

Governor Proposes Multi-Year Goal for Closure of All Three Developmental Centers

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May 14, 2015:

The following information is provided via CDCAN (CA Disability-Senior Community Action Network):

BREAKING NEWS:
GOVERNOR PROPOSES MULTI-YEAR GOAL FOR CLOSURE OF ALL THREE DEVELOPMENTAL CENTERS  
Target Date for Sonoma Developmental Center Closure 2018 With Closure of Fairview and Porterville Approximately 2021 – Closure Plan And Transition Will Be Based On Recommendations and Work of Developmental Centers Task Force; Includes Recognition of Need of Some Type of State Operated Facility or Crisis Center – Negotiations With Federal Government on Compliance Issues in Sonoma and Other DCs Will Continue Toward A Settlement

SACRAMENTO, CA [CDCAN LAST UPDATED 05/14/2015 – 10:10 AM] – In a stunning move, Governor Brown, in his budget revisions released this morning, includes a major proposal for a plan to close all three of the remaining state owned and operated developmental centers where currently 1,108 adults with developmental disabilities reside, based on the transition and process as recommended by the Developmental Centers Task Force last year.  The closure process would cover several years, with the focus first on Sonoma.

Under the Governor’s proposal, Sonoma Developmental Center in Eldridge, where 408 persons with developmental disabilities reside, would be targeted for closure by 2018, with the other two centers – Fairview Developmental Center in Pomona and Porterville Developmental Center near Bakersfield, slated for closure around 2021.

The Brown Administration made it clear that the closure process and transition would be different from the previous closures of developmental centers, including most recently the closures of Lanterman Developmental Center and Agnews Developmental Center, and be based on the new transition ideas as developed over a two year process by stakeholders who made up the Developmental Centers Task Force last year headed by California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley.

Those recommendations included looking at different ways the land, once closure of the facilities are completed, can be used and developed possibly for other uses by the Department of Developmental Services. The task force recommendations also recognize the need of some type of state operated facility or crisis center, which would be developed as part of the larger transition of closure of the developmental centers.

The Brown Administration said that negotiations with the federal government will continue on the compliance issues related to Sonoma Developmental Center and the other facilities with the goal of reaching an agreement, and continued support through the closure process.

While the Legislature will likely make adjustments and additions to the Governor’s closure plan, it appears all but certain both houses will approve it.

CDCAN will release a report later today with more details about this proposal and other proposals in the Governor’s budget revisions.

Provided courtesy of CDCAN website, by Marty Omoto.

Hope, Despite Developmental Centers Legislative Struggle

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April 2, 2015:

Capturing the legislative struggles developmental centers have and continue to deal with pertaining to the care of this fragile population, Jay Gamel’s article explains how data shortages are creating problems when attempting to analyze expense claims; heightening the State’s desire to close the Centers. Therefore, through the help of the Sonoma Developmental Center Coalition there is hope that the May 2nd workshop at the Vintage House in Sonoma will be a successful community starting point in charting a course away from closure at the Sonoma Developmental Center and towards a transformed and revitalized Center.

Legislative battles looming for Developmental Centers 

Provide courtesy of the Kenwood Press website, by Jay Gamel.

A Sonoma County Coalition Committed to Preserving SDC

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March 16, 2015:

Distributed at the start of the SDC Legislative Meeting on Saturday was the following flyer attached below. This handout, created courtesy of the Parent Hospital Association, provides a brief overview of a few of the SDC Coalition’s key partners. As described in the flyer, these partners have pledged their support in ensuring the Coalition’s vision of preserving critical health services, protecting the environmental resources, and opening the land to the public is achieved.

A Sonoma County Coalition Is Committing Its Resources to Preserving Sonoma Developmental Center

Provided courtesy of  the Parent Hospital Association via the SDC Legislative Meeting.

SDC Legislative Meeting

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March 14, 2015:

John McCaull, pictured here is just one of the many speakers that day presenting to an audience of more than 200 people, as well as elected officials and representatives from Sonoma County and state, where the support for saving the Sonoma Developmental Center was heard loud and clear.

Photo courtesy of Sonoma Land Trust.

SDC Legislative Meeting

The Department of General Services Surplus Land Process and Policy for the Sonoma Developmental Center

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January 20, 2015:

The Department of General Services (DGS) Real Estate Services Asset Enhancement Section 

The following describes the step-by-step process of how State-owned land is determined to be surplus and then dispensed:

  1. The State owns all state-owned land; however different agencies have control over lands and account for them in their respective budgets. In the case of the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC), the agency is the Department of Developmental Services (DDS).
  2. Every year, state agencies must report to DGS on all state-owned land they operate, and identify it as being “fully utilized,” “partially utilized,” or “excess.”
  3. If an agency identifies property/land to be excess, it means that it is no longer efficient or financially sound for the agency to keep it in their budgets.
  4. DGS then takes over, where they send a report to the state legislature each year listing excess properties. They need legislative approval to officially “surplus” state property. This happens in January/February of each year and always takes a year at least to get from being listed as excess to being approved for dispensation by legislature.
  5. Once DGS has approval, they must consult local government about any property that will be dispensed. Local government could mean the city, county, special districts, etc. Local government has the first opportunity to take over the property. If they so wish to use if for a governmental purpose, a park and/or open space, or affordable housing, it will be transferred to them. It must stay in their ownership and they must have a thorough and detailed management plan.
  6. If there is no local government interest in the land, and the property has the potential to be very valuable as urban infill, DGS will negotiate with city/county development agencies about how the property should be zoned. The state is always looking to make the absolute most money out of the situation, so they’ll be pushing for subdivisions or whatever type of zoning will yield the highest purchase price. It is at this point that the county has some pull. If the Board of Supervisors decides that this excess land should be kept as open space, and want to severely limit the development potential, DGS will not go out of their way to fight it, which is not worth the time or expense. They’ll just go ahead and accept the local decision in most cases. 
  7. Once development potential has been determined, DGS puts the property up for sale and sells to the highest bidder.

By looking up SDC on the Statewide Property Inventory, it can be determined that the agency controlling the Center is the Department of Developmental Services, a division of Health and Human Services that deals with people living with developmental disabilities. They would be the ones letting DGS know each year how “utilized” the property is.

Private individuals may contact the controlling agencies to see if any property may one day be listed as “excess.”

Governing Law:  Government Code Sections 54220-54232.

Announcement courtesy of Bob McKinnon, Assistant Chief.