CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Memo Date: February 6, 2020
Agenda Date: February 26, 2020
Prepared By: Ibis S. Berardi, Housing Program Manager
Through: Nancy A. Bunt, Community Services Director
Requested Action:
title
Conduct a Public Hearing to obtain citizen input and comments on housing and community development needs; approve recommendations on FY2020-2021 CDBG and HOME program funding; and provide notice to solicit public comment and notice of final public hearing scheduled for May 13, 2020.
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BACKGROUND:
For FY2020-2021, the City anticipates receiving $177,490 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) as a direct entitlement. The City also anticipates receiving $65,872.88 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds from HUD as part of the Brevard County HOME Consortium, which is composed of the cities of Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville, and Brevard County.
The use of CDBG funds must meet one (1) of the three (3) National Objectives: benefit low/moderate income persons; eliminate or prevent slums or blight; or meet urgent needs. CDBG allows a maximum of 15 percent of the grant to be allocated to a public service agency and a maximum of 20 percent of the grant be allocated for staff administration.
HOME funds can only be used to address housing needs, such as: home purchase or rehabilitation financing assistance; build or rehabilitate housing for rent or ownership; or for other reasonable and necessary expenses related to the development of non-luxury housing, including site acquisition or improvement, and demolition of dilapidated housing to make way for HOME-assisted development. Additionally, some special conditions exist with HOME funds. The City must provide a 25 percent match for every dollar of HOME funds used (except for administrative costs) from nonfederal sources and at least 15 percent must be set-aside for Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) activities. Eight (8) percent is available for staff administration and the remaining allocation towards eligible HOME activities (Two (2) percent retained by Brevard County as lead agency).
All activities carried out with CDBG and HOME funds must be consistent with the priorities and needs of the five (5) year Consolidated Plan. A one (1) year Action Plan must be completed and submitted to HUD through Brevard County, Consortium’s lead entity, addressing those needs. Prior to submittal, a 30-day public comment period and a second public hearing must be conducted. The FY2020-2021 Action Plan must be submitted to Brevard County by June 19, 2020 for submission to HUD.
Staff advertised a notice of funding availability along with a Request for Proposals (proposals) using the anticipated grant allocations. In addition to city staff generated requests, four (4) proposals were received. All proposals were reviewed at a publicly noticed meeting by a staff review committee. The committee consisted of: Charlene Neuterman, Deputy Community Services Director; Ibis Berardi, Housing Program Manager; Anthony Hagan, Grants Administrator; Christine Kuhn, Staff Accountant; Rebecca Bowman, Finance Director.
Proposals were reviewed and evaluated according to the criteria below:
A. Introduction (maximum of 10 points)
B. Demonstration of Need (maximum of 10 points)
C. Description of Target Clientele (maximum of 10 points)
D. Measurable Outcomes (maximum of 10 points)
E. Consolidated Plan Consistency (maximum of 10 points)
F. Organizational Capacity and Capability (maximum of 10 points)
G. Leveraging (maximum of 10 points)
H. Financial Capacity (maximum of 10 points)
I. Past Performance (maximum of 10 points)
The four (4) agencies that requested CDBG public service dollars were ranked by committee members as follows:
|
AGENCY NAME: |
Charlene |
Ibis |
Anthony |
Rebecca |
TOTAL |
AVERAGE |
|
|
Neuterman |
Berardi |
Hagan |
Bowman |
POINTS: |
SCORE: |
|
Community Services Council |
87 |
82 |
83 |
75 |
327 |
81.75 |
|
Central Brevard Sharing Center |
86 |
81 |
77 |
82 |
326 |
81.50 |
|
Salvation Army |
82 |
82 |
82 |
71 |
317 |
79.25 |
|
Family Promise |
72 |
64 |
46 |
51 |
233 |
58.25 |
* Christine Kuhn, Staff Accountant only reviewed and ranked Financial Capacity, her score was added to each of the reviewers scores.
Of the four (4) proposals submitted, four (4) requested public service funds related to the CDBG Program. The total amount of funds requested was $34,100 and the City will have approximately $26,623 available to support public services. As contained in the Request for Proposals, the minimum amount of funding per any CDBG public service agency is $5,000.
Based on thorough review of each agency’s proposal and financial statements, the committee’s recommendations are as follows:
|
CDBG Public Services - Maximum 15% allowed $26,623 |
|
Name of Agency |
Description of services to be provided |
Amount Requested |
Amount Recommended |
|
Community Services Council of Brevard - Senior Nutrition Program. |
Provide 9,200 well-balanced nutritional meals to 92 frail and nutritionally at risk seniors. |
$8,500 |
$8,500* |
|
Central Brevard Sharing Center |
Provide daily nutritional meals to 1,600 low/mod income persons. |
$15,000 |
$13,123* |
|
The Salvation Army North Central Brevard Corps |
Provide daily nutritional meals and provide basic necessities to 75 residents of their domestic violence shelter. |
$5,000 |
$5,000 |
|
Family Promise |
Provide transportation to 140 homeless individuals. |
$5,600 |
$0.00 |
|
CDBG Other/Public Improvements - $115,369 |
|
Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program |
Repayment of Section 108 Loan |
$115,369 |
$115,369* |
|
CDBG Administration - 20% - $35,498 |
|
City Staff |
|
|
$35,498* |
|
Fair Housing |
|
|
$1,000 |
|
Total CDBG Admin $36,498 |
|
Total CDBG Allocation $177,490 |
|
*Any increase or decrease in funding will be deducted from the award. |
|
HOME Administration - 8% - $5,269* |
|
City Staff |
|
|
$5,269* |
|
HOME CHDO & Housing Set Aside - $60,603.88* |
|
CHDO Housing Activity |
15% Mandatory CHDO set aside |
|
$9,880* |
|
Housing and CHDO |
Housing Activities |
$50,723.88 |
$50,723.88* |
|
Total HOME Allocation $65,872.88 |
|
*Any increase or decrease in funding will be deducted from the award. |
All new applicants are required to attend a mandatory technical assistance workshop with staff prior to submitting an application, Family Promise was the only new applicant. This assists the applicant to ensure that the application meets all of the federal requirements of the grant prior to submitting the application. After the review committee scored Family Promise’s application and did not recommend funding, staff provided additional technical assistance to try to strengthen their application and encourage them to reapply next year.
As required by the City’s Citizen Participation Plan, staff is requesting City Council hold a Public Hearing to obtain citizen input and comments on housing and community development needs and approve recommendations on FY2020-2021 CDBG and HOME Program funding. Upon City Council’s approval, a 30-day public comment notice listing proposed projects along with the corresponding Action Plan will be advertised in the Florida Today newspaper. The notice will also inform the public of the date of the second and final Public Hearing, which will be held on May 13, 2020.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONNECTION:
Community Development (Redevelopment of the City’s Core) - Supporting these projects the City will raise the quality of life for its residents, especially those underserved and disadvantaged.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
No budgetary impact in FY2019-2020, funds shall be budgeted in FY2020-2021.
PREVIOUS ACTION:
None
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Recommendation
Conduct a Public Hearing to obtain citizen input and comments on housing and community development needs; approve recommendations on FY2020-2021 CDBG and HOME program funding; and provide notice to solicit public comment and notice of final public hearing scheduled for May 13, 2020.