Item 27 - Ord. Amending the Muni. Code to Comply with the State's Water Shutoff Protection Act

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Ordinance Amending the Municipal Code to Comply with the State of California’s Water Shutoff Protection Act May 21, 2024 Page 2 4 2 5 9 the disconnection of water services due to nonpayment. Additionally, during the COVID- 19 pandemic, the State and City placed an emergency moratorium on water shutoffs for any reason, including nonpayment. These moratoriums, though, have expired. Furthermore, the City sought out means and strategies to aid the community during the pandemic, and still to this day, by participating in several programs to provide financial assistance to water customers including: •California Extended Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program (CWWAPP): The California State Water Resources Control Board utilized federal funds to provide relief to community water and wastewater systems for unpaid bills which covered water and wastewater debt from residential and commercial customers accrued between March 4, 2020 through December 31, 2022 (originally through June 15, 2021, but extended on July 10, 2023 by Governor Newsom). o To date, the City has received approximately $1,178,025 in CWWAPP funding for 2,700 residential and commercial water utility accounts. o Effective December 2023, the City submitted a second application to the State Water Resources Control Board to request additional CWWAPP Extended Program funding in the amount of $1,795,368 for approximately 3,600 residential and commercial water utility accounts. On March 19, 2024, the City was informed that its application has been approved for payment disbursement. •California Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP): Established by Congress in December 2020, a federal program that provides one-time financial assistance to low-income Californians to help manage their residential water utility costs with the maximum arrearage benefit set at $15,000 as of April 2023. o To date, approximately 400 Santa Ana residents have applied, qualified, and received $507,000 in program benefits. •Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act): The Santa Ana CARES Utility Assistance Grant was launched in August 2020, and was designed to assist households within Santa Ana that were impacted by COVID- 19. The Santa Ana CARES Utility Assistance Grant provided $500 for qualifying Santa Ana households that required assistance towards meeting their financial obligations related to eligible past-due utility bills including water bills. o Through the CARES Utility Assistance Grant Program, the City issued 1,857 totaling $928,500 in grant issuance. Unfortunately, funding for these financial assistance programs is limited and have either expired or are set to expire soon. As a result of emergency state and local moratoriums on water shutoffs expiring, the City seeks to resume water shutoffs for nonpayment in compliance with the requirements of Senate Bill 998. The legislation stipulates that