(a) The department shall, upon appropriation pursuant to Section 993.3, make grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of acquiring, renovating, or constructing youth centers. This article shall not apply to agencies or institutions under the jurisdiction of the department prior to the operative date of this section.
(b) A nonprofit organization receiving a grant for the acquisition of a facility to be used as a youth center shall agree that the facility will be used for that purpose for at least 10 years from the date of acquisition.
(c) A nonprofit organization receiving a grant for renovation of an existing facility to be used as a youth center shall agree that the facility will be used for that purpose for at least 10 years.
(d) A nonprofit organization receiving a grant for the construction of a facility to be used as a youth center shall agree that the facility will be used for that purpose for at least 20 years after completion of construction.
(e) Prior to the grant award, and as a condition to receipt of the award, the nonprofit organization shall execute and deliver a promissory note to the department in a form approved by the department. The amount of the note shall be the amount of the grant, reduced proportionately for each year of compliance as set forth in subdivisions (b), (c), and (d). The department shall have a lien on any facility construction, acquired, renovated, or remodeled under this act for the period of time described in subdivisions (b), (c), and (d). The lien shall be evidenced by a deed of trust or other suitable recordable document approved by the department. This subdivision shall not apply when the department determines that application of its provisions is not in the best interests of the public.
(f) Should any of the following events occur, the department may, without the consent of the Department of General Services, foreclose upon the lien, take possession of and sell the property:
(1) The owner of the facility ceases to be a nonprofit organization.
(2) The facility is no longer used for youth center activities.
(g) A facility altered, acquired, renovated, or constructed using funds allocated under this article may not be used and may not be intended to be used for sectarian instruction or as a place for religious worship.
(h) The Director of the Youth Authority, prior to issuing a request for proposal under this article, shall create an advisory committee. This advisory committee shall advise the director on the request for proposal and on the criteria for reviewing and evaluating the responses. The department shall not issue a request for proposal for acquiring, renovating, or constructing youth centers any later than three months after the moneys are deposited in the fund for the purpose of this chapter. The advisory committee shall consist of representatives, including, but not limited to, representatives from statewide nonprofit youth organizations, local government, probation and law enforcement, and community-based nonprofit organizations serving youth or youth related issues. Any local chapter, branch, group, or other entity within an organization shall not be eligible for funding under this article if a representative of the organization serves on the advisory committee and that representative is a member of the particular chapter, branch, group, or other entity within the larger organization that is applying for the funds.
The department shall review and evaluate proposals from applicants for funding. The proposals shall be consistent with the criteria developed by the department following consultation with the advisory committee.
(i) Proposals from an applicant for youth center funding shall do all of the following:
(1) Document the need for the applicant’s proposal.
(2) Contain a written commitment and a plan for the delivery of programs, including, where appropriate, plans for innovative nontraditional programs designed to meet the needs of the youth of the targeted community.
(3) Contain a match for funding that meets the following:
(A) Equal to 15 percent of the total amount requested.
(B) Match is in cash or in kind.
(4) Document the cost effectiveness of the proposal.
(5) Contain a written commitment and plan to develop and implement a process to receive and consider feedback and suggestions from the community served including a separate mechanism for the youth it serves. A board of directors reflecting broad representation of the community shall satisfy the requirement for community input.
(6) Document plans to utilize and coordinate availability of the youth center facilities with other organizations serving the same youth population and, where possible, when the facilities are not being utilized for youth activities, to maximize utilization by other community organizations, including, but not limited to, senior groups and crime victims’ and crime prevention organizations.
(j) The department shall rank the proposals received for funding on a priority consideration based on established greatest need, the number of youths that can be served, the most underserved areas, and the most economically disadvantaged areas, both in urban and rural counties. The department shall also evaluate the cost effectiveness of the proposal, the nonprofit organization’s experience in programs serving youth, and the proposed utilization of, and coordination with, other agencies serving youth.
(k) The department shall, to the extent possible, and giving consideration to the amount of funds available, attempt to ensure a broad distribution of the funds consistent with the program priorities, in order to meet the needs of the youth in the state.
(l) The department shall consider any protest or objection regarding the award of a contract grant, whether submitted before or after the grant award, as long as the protest is filed within the time period established in the request for proposal. All protests or objections shall be made in writing. The protesting party shall be notified by the department in writing of the final decision on the protest. The notification shall set forth the rationale upon which the decision is based.
(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 499, Sec. 2. Effective September 15, 1998.)