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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 02/09/1995j �11\ L � CDBG COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES February 9, 1995 The meethig of the CDBG Commission began at 6:35 p.m. in the Community Planning .0onference Room, 281 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. Commission members present at the meeting included Chairman Linda Coxen, Bill Bertschy, Bobbie Guye, Tim Ostic, Holly Sample, and William Steffes. City Council liaison Bob McCluskey was present. Staff members present included Ken Waldo, Jackie Davis, Dickson Robin, Julie Smith, and Mary Hile. Proceedings continued absent a quorum. Mr. McCluskey spoke on the role of CDBG and Affordable Housing Board. He noted the contention by Tom Sibbald that few housing units have been produced with CDBG funds. Mr. McCluskey spoke of the desire to get units built, to accomplish some affordable housing goals with City property, to use SID properties to their best advantage, and to deal with the pressing needs of affordable housing in Fort Collins. Mr. McCluskey opined that plenty of work exists for both boards. Affordable Housing can play a larger role in soliciting viable applicants for funding. CDBG will be a player in helping to resolve the affordable housing issues in the city. He asked for input on what Board members saw as issues and the discrete roles of CDBG and the Affordable Housing Board. A general discussion ensued concerning the adjustment of various fees to facilitate affordable housing; street sizing; the need of mixing household and services within neighborhoods; varying perceptions of what constitutes high- and low -density housing; acceptance of housing solutions on a community basis but not on a neighborhood basis; and how neighborhood opposition engenders leapfrog development. Regarding HOME funds distribution, Mr. Waldo stated that it was currently staffs intention to accept applications submitted to staff on an ongoing basis rather than following an RFP-style process through CDBG. In addition to HOME applicants, CDBG applicants would be screened for eligibility for HOME funds. Staff would send HOME applications to the State Division of Housing for a pro forma analysis. Upon State approval, the CDBG Commission would then review the application and make recommendations to City Council. Council would then decide on the application. The HOME funds are intended as gap -type funding rather than a CDBG style of seed -money funding. Mr. McCluskey felt that Council would be amenable to an already -existing board overseeing HOME funds distribution, particularly with the experience found in the CDBG Commission. Mr. Waldo noted that while the CDBG Commission Minutes February 9, 1995 Page 2 Commission's goal is community development, HOMEE funds W✓oLj'od be used strictly for housing. He stated that the style of program he had outhined seemed to work best in other venues that Julie Smith had researched. The merits were discussed between a yearly RFP-style funding program and an on.going grant process. Mr. Waldo felt that there would be few HOME applicants initially. Discussion was held concerning: In an RFP process, appkarently worthy grants may be evaluated fairly against subsequent grants; in an ongilrng process, applications must meet CHAS criteria and are not as subject , to political considerations when viewed against competing grants; in an ongoing process, units would be built earlier. Mr. Waldo stated that under the proposed HUD reinvention plan, CDBG funds would no longer be used for housing. Staff would like to have an economic development seminar held for the Commission on use of CDGB funds. General HUD reorganization and possible elimination was discussed. The intricacies of HUD rules and staffs propensity to strictly follow those rules, rather than "pushing the envelope" and incurring penalties, were discussed. Mr. Waldo and Mr. McCluskey encouraged the Commission to recommend formally to Council a proposal for processing of HOME grants. Mr. Waldo will present the staff recommendation to the Commission for the Commission's evaluation. The Commission members discussed the time frame criteria for HOME funding and the need to resolve their recommendation quickly. Ms. Sample commented that the roles of the Commission and Affordable Housing Board seemed like a natural division of labor. She spoke of her experience in the Summitview subdivision and asked that safety within neighborhoods not be sacrificed in the name of affordable housing. Mr. McCluskey stated that Council needed to hear such comments and encouraged Commission members to make their opinions known. Discussion was held on trade-offs between costs and safety issues. Ms. Smith announced that a consultant from Washington, D.C., will be present next Thursday to discuss HOME issues and recommended attendance by Commission members. Ms. Guye stated that she would probably attend that meeting. Mr. McCluskey reiterated that both the Commission and Affordable Housing Boards are looked upon by Council as strong resources and recommended that the two entities find ways to work cooperatively on housing issues. The Commission's efforts are appreciated by Council, and Council relies heavily on the work performed by CDBG, as it does with all the volunteer boards and commissions within the City. Mr. Bertschy recommended that the Commission receive Affordable Housing minutes, since animosities are often engendered by a lack of communication. Mr. CDBG Commission mutes February 9, 1995 Page 3 Steffes and Ms. Sample joined in the request and offered for Affordable Housing to receive the Commission's minutes. Ms. Davis announced that Roy Porter, economic development specialist at the HUD Denver regional office, will attend the next meeting to speak about the role of CDGB funds in economic development. Different sectors of the public will be invited to that meeting. Ms. Coxen asked that all Affordable Housing members be invited to attend. Community Planning and Environmental Services has been reorganized. CDBG and Affordable Housing are now contained within the Advance Planning section. Staff support will remain the same. In response to inquiry, Mr. McCluskey outlined the City Manager hiring process. The Volunteers Clearinghouse issue will be presented as an agenda item at the next meeting. Ms. Coxen advised the Commission of Mr. Sibbald's letter to her and her response. It was noted that the graphic display represents one, but not the only, interpretation of regulations. Application forms in general, and Mr. Sibbald's in particular, were discussed. Ms. Coxen felt that the application forms needed updating and remarked on the gamut of areas that CDBG grants cover. Mr. Waido noted that the Commission held question -and -answer sessions as well as reviewed applications and thereby could glean a fairly complete view of an applicant. Discussion was held on the past decisions by the Commission on issues brought forth in Mr. Sibbald's letter and his apparent concern that too much subjectivity resides in the current process. The Commission reviewed the status of Mr. Sibbald's last funding request. The pros and cons of "pushing the envelope" concerning existing regulations and possible Council views on this issue were discussed with Mr. McCluskey. Mr. McCluskey stated that actual number of units built seemed to be the primary concern of people interested in the issue of affordable housing. Mr. Waido noted the need for subsidies and tax credits in order for housing projects to succeed. Ms. Sample expressed her concern that a focus on number of units would divert attention from other types of successful community development aided by CDBG, particuarly items such as rehabilitation and maintenance of existing units and the number of units which would be lost had those types of projects not been funded. Mr. McCluskey acknowledged the political nature of the focus on raw number of units built and that other related accomplishments could be overlooked in the drive to build new units. The market approach mentioned in Mr. Sibbald's letter was discussed, along with restrictions inherent in awarding money directly to developers. Mr. Waido mentioned the possibility of the City buying property and soliciting bids by parties to develop such property for affordable housing. CDBG Commission Minutes %- February 9, 1995 Page 4 The mail -in ballots mailed out by the City Clerk were rioted and discussed. The meeting ended at 8:05 p.m.