City May Not Renew Concord Nonprofit's Lease Of Keller House

CONCORD, CA — A City of Concord report suggests the city could choose not to renew the lease of a restored historical building that for the past several years has been the main office for the local community service nonprofit group Monument Impact.

On Wednesday night, the city's Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Community Services Committee will hear a report about the Keller House, a restored historical building off of Clayton Road near downtown.

City staff recommends Monument Impact's lease of space at the Keller House, which expires this coming Friday, not be renewed, and that that space instead accommodate the Volunteers in Police Services Program, which provides resolution to non-criminal complaints from Concord residents.

VIPS members perform a number of other functions in support of the Concord Police Department, as well. The VIPS Program has historically been housed in the Concord Police Department main building.

But since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the VIPS program has been on hiatus because it can't do business in the PD building because of a lack of social distancing space.

A move by VIPS to the Keller House, the city report says, would provide enough room.

Monument Impact serves immigrants, refugees and low-income residents of Concord and Contra Costa County, providing a variety of services for residents of the Monument Boulevard corridor and other areas.

In an email on Friday, Monument Impact representatives said about three-quarters of Monument Impact's staff, and programs, including the free Monument Shuttle, a youth anti-tobacco internship program, a resource referral and "know your rights" programs for undocumented immigrants and rental tenants its COVID-19 Monument Relief Fund, are housed at Keller House.

Friday's email also says Monument Impact staffers have "received word from a few sources that the recommendation to not renew the lease of Keller House was related to Monument Impact's advocacy around tenant rights. There may be alternate reasons; nevertheless we are deeply concerned about the city's reduction of support for social services in the midst of a pandemic and worldwide economic crisis."

Wednesday's Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Community Services Committee begins at 5:30 p.m., and can be viewed by going to Cityofconcord.zoom.us/.

Copyright ©2020 by Bay City News, Inc.—Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.