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Receive and File the Update on The Proposed CCARP Fee and Hardship Program
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Meeting Date: September 1, 2026
Contact Person/Dept: Tomás Herrera-Mishler /PRCS
Phone Number: (310) 253-6682
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-mail) Meetings and Agendas - Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission (08/27/2026); (E-mail) Parks, Recreation & Community Service Department Updates (08/27/2026)
Department Approval: Tomás Herrera-Mishler, PRCS Director (08/27/2026)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) Commission receive and file the update on the proposed CCARP Fee and Hardship Program
BACKGROUND
The Culver City Afterschool Recreation Program (CCARP) is an after-school program offered through the Park, Recreation and Community Services Department. The program operates 36 weeks of the year in conjunction with the Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) calendar at the following sites:
• Blanco Park serving students at El Rincon Elementary School.
• El Marino Park serving students at El Marino Language School.
• Lindberg Park serving students at Farragut Elementary School.
• Linwood E Howe Elementary School serving students on the school’s campus.
The fee for CCARP was reviewed as part of the PRCS Department’s comprehensive fee update for Fiscal Year 2026-2027. Prior to the recent fee update, PRCS fees had not been updated since 2014. Pursuant to Article XIII C, Section 1(e) of the California Constitution, fees charged for a specific government service or product must not exceed the reasonable cost of providing that service or product. To ensure compliance with these requirements, PRCS worked with NBS Government Finance Group to conduct a detailed cost analysis of the CCARP program before considering any fee adjustments.
The cost analysis for CCARP included the following components:
• The Fiscal Year 2025-2026 adopted budget for CCARP, including part-time staff costs, supplies, contracts, and materials;
• A proportionate share of indirect staff costs associated with administering and supporting the program, calculated as a percentage of the adopted Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget;
• Costs allocated to CCARP through the City’s Cost Allocation Plan prepared by NBS Government Finance Group; and
• Actual facility and field usage costs associated with program operations.
Based on this analysis, staff determined that the full cost of providing the program was $219.07 per participant per week. Staff then applied various subsidies to the full cost of the program to mitigate the impact of a significant fee increase. These included:
• Service Category Philosophy: Consistent with the City’s cost recovery philosophy and use of service categories, CCARP falls within the “Out of School Activities” service category. Staff applied a 70% cost-recovery target with a 30% subsidy to participants.
• Phased Increase of Fee: The service category cost recovery amount represented a 200% increase from the $51.00 fee last established in Fiscal Year 2013-2014. To mitigate the impact on participating families, PRCS staff recommended phasing in the increase over time through additional subsidy.
• Resident Discount: City Council directed PRCS staff to define “Resident” as anyone who lives within the boundaries of Culver City or is enrolled at a CCUSD school. All participants therefore receive an additional 10% subsidy for being residents.
After applying these subsidies to the CCARP cost, the proposed fee per week is explained as follows:
• Cost per Participant: $219.07
• 30% Service Category Subsidy: $153.35
• 34% Subsidy for a phased increase: $102
• 10% Resident Discount: $91
The proposed fee would have increased the weekly cost for all participating families from $51 to $91.
During the City Council Regular Meeting on May 26, 2026, the City Council directed staff to return with additional information regarding the proposed fee increase and to develop an assistance program for families participating in CCARP. During the City Council Regular Meeting on August 10, 2026, the City Council again directed staff to return with a proposal to reevaluate the CCARP fee increase for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, along with a revised subsidy program.
DISCUSSION
In response to City Council’s direction, PRCS staff reevaluated the proposed fee increase and is recommending to Council, maintaining the CCARP fee at $51 per participant per week for Fiscal Year 2026-2027. Maintaining the current fee will provide additional time for staff to reevaluate the service category, cost-recovery target, and subsidy structure applicable to CCARP. The proposed fee freeze is intended to be temporary and would allow these policy considerations to be addressed as part of the City's comprehensive fee update scheduled for late Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
To complement the continued $51 weekly fee, PRCS proposes implementing the CCARP Family Stabilization Fund, a confidential hardship-based assistance program designed to ensure that families experiencing financial strain can maintain access to CCARP. The program is intended to provide a more accessible and dignity-centered approach to affordability by directing limited assistance to families experiencing genuine financial hardship, while avoiding the administrative burden and stigma that can accompany traditional income-based assistance programs.
Eligibility for the Family Stabilization Fund would be based primarily on self-attested hardship rather than income verification. Families may describe circumstances affecting their ability to afford CCARP, including job loss or a reduction in work hours, unexpected medical or caregiving expenses, housing instability or significant increases in housing costs, family crises, or other significant financial disruptions. Single-caregiver households experiencing financial strain may also seek assistance. The program is intended to accommodate both temporary and ongoing hardships and would not require families to provide tax returns, pay stubs, or detailed household financial information.
Approved families may receive partial or full fee assistance, with the level and duration of support determined based on the severity and anticipated duration of the hardship and the availability of program funding. Assistance may be provided for a defined period, such as a semester or school year, and families experiencing continued hardship may request renewal through a streamlined process. This structure allows PRCS to tailor assistance to individual circumstances while preserving the $51 weekly fee for all CCARP participants.
The Family Stabilization Fund would be administered confidentially to protect the privacy and dignity of participating families. Applications would be reviewed only by designated PRCS staff, and hardship-related information would be maintained separately from general program registration information. Families would be able to request assistance through a short online hardship request form, by phone or in person with designated PRCS staff, or through referrals from school counselors, social workers, or trusted community partners. PRCS staff would provide respectful and supportive communication throughout the application process.
The $51 per participant per week fee would remain in effect through June 30, 2027. The $10 multi-child discount would also remain in effect through June 30, 2027. The hardship application would remain open throughout the school year so that families may request assistance when circumstances arise.
Throughout Fiscal Year 2026-2027, PRCS staff would evaluate the effectiveness of the Family Stabilization Fund, including participation trends, utilization of assistance, and equity of access across the schools served by CCARP. Staff would use this information to inform future affordability strategies and, as funding allows, consider adjustments to the assistance program. During the Citywide comprehensive fee update scheduled for late Fiscal Year 2026-2027, staff would return with updated fees and potentially a revised subsidy structure for CCARP.
FISCAL IMPACT
During the City Council Regular Meeting on June 8, 2026, the City Council approved an ongoing increase of $100,000 to the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget for the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services After School Program account (10130233). The $100,000 allocation will be used to provide partial or full CCARP fee assistance to eligible families. The amount and duration of assistance will depend on the severity and duration of hardship, the number of participating families, and available funding.
ATTACHMENT
None.
MOTIONS
That the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission:
1. Receive and file the presentation on the Childcare Subsidy Program and,