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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 02/14/19910 LI CDBG COMMISSION MINUTES NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING/PUBLIC HEARING February 14, 1991 The Neighborhood Meeting and Public Hearing of the Community Development Block Grant Commission was called to order at 6:35 p.m. in the 281 N. College Conference Room. Members Present: Bobbie Guye, Dan McArthur, Linda Coxen, Tina Ribera, Lou Stitzel, Tom Dougherty, Carolyn Early Members Absent: Josie Mata Staff members Present: Jackie Davis, Ken Waido, Carmen Jimenez Guests: Margaret Guzman, George Lemos, Barbara Rutstein, Steve Barbier, Daniel Gamino INTRODUCTIONS The new members of the CDBG Commission introduced themselves. New members included Linda Coxen, Tom Dougherty, Carolyn Early, and Tina Ribera. Ongoing members from the former CDBG Citizens Steering Committee were Louise Stitzel, Carl McWilliams, Josie Mata, and Bobbie Guye. Jackie Davis announced that City Council would be appointing the remaining five members at the City Council meeting of February 19,, Ken Waido explained that this meeting is the beginnning of the FY 1991 CDBG Program process. He advised that after a brief overview of the FY 1989 and 1990 CDBG projects, the meeting would be open to the public for citizens to express their views on the spending of the FY 1991 CDBG funds. NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING Mr. Waido explained that after a public hearing is held, the CDBG Program office will begin accepting proposals for allocation of CDBG funds. Proposals will be accepted from March 1, to March 29, 1991 at noon. The Commission will evaluate the proposals in April and May and select priority projects. In June, the City Council will conduct a public hearing and adopt the CDBG Program by resolution setting forth which projects will receive funding for FY 1991. Mr. Waido briefly explained that the City of Fort Collins is an entitlement city and receives U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds based on the amount of money that is allocated to the CDBG program by Congress and on the city's total population size, housing stock conditions, etc. Mr. Waido explained that CDBG funds must meet HUD's three broad national objectives: 1) To aid in the elimination of blight and 0 L, slum conditions, 2) 70% of funds must benefit income persons, and 3) meet other community having a particular urgency. low and moderate development needs The eligible activities that CDBG can fund are land acquisition; public facilities, such as water and sewer lines or street and park improvements; public/human services; removal of architectural barriers for handicapped accessibility into homes and businesses; planning and administration, such as downtown or neighborhood plans, and administration costs; historic preservation; and rehabilitation of substandard housing units. Mr. Waido advised that only 15% of CDBG funds can go to public services projects and 20% to planning and administration. REVIEW OF CDBG PROJECTS Jackie Davis reviewed the FY 1989 CDBG projects. Projects were completed by the required date of September 30, 1990. Attached is a list of the FY 1989 projects. Questions included how carryover funds are handled, amount of requested funds and amount of contingency. Staff members responded that funds from projects that are not completed by the expected date are reprogrammed into the next fiscal year. About 1.5 million dollars or one-third of available funds are requested annually. About 10% of the funds is usually held in contingency to cover any unexpected cost overruns. Ms. Davis reported on the FY 1990 CDBG projects. FY 1990 projects must be completed by September 30, 1991. Attached is a list of those projects. Ms. Coxen asked what were the reporting requirements. Ms. Davis replied that CDBG funds are available on a reimbursable basis only. Recipients must submit monthly progress reports, along with documentation of all bills paid before the City will reimburse the Recipient. Mr. Waido announced that in FY 1989 the City of Fort Collins was the only city in Region VIII to receive a HUD Financial Management Award. The award recognizes Fort Collins for its superior financial management of the CDBG Program. Mr. Waido credited this achievement to the way in which Jackie Davis administers the CDBG program. Mr. Dougherty asked the difference between a steering committee and a commission. Mr. Waido explained that when the CDBG Program was first established in the early 1970s, there was a mandatory requirement for local citizen participation. A citizens -based steering committee was established to assist in the administration and allocation of funds. -2- The Fort Collins CDBG steering committee consisted of neighborhood representatives from the three neighborhood strategy areas, Buckingham, Alta Vista, Andersonville, also known as BAVA Holy Family, and Laurel School, various agencies interested in community development, and members -at -large. After concerns about conflict of interest and lack of new members, City Council converted the committee into a City commission appointed entirely by City Council. PUBLIC HEARING Steve Barbier, Director of Neighbor -to -Neighbor, Inc. introduced several citizens who are interested in community development needs in their neighborhoods: Margaret Guzman, resident of Alta Vista, George Lemos, resident of Andersonville, and Daniel Gamino, from the Buckingham neighborhood. Steve emphasized the need for continued funding of housing assistance programs. He mentioned that in the 1980s housing programs were drastically reduced due to Federal cutbacks. Housing groups had no other alternatives but to turn to CDBG for funding. Those resources continue to dwindle but at the same time progress in improving housing stock conditions in the northside of Fort Collins have taken place. These projects include construction of parks, rehabilitation of substandard homes, street paving, and improvements to water and sewer lines. Mr. Barbier pointed out that there are also impediments for redevelopment in Alta Vista because of the potential historic designation in that neighborhood. Mr. Dougherty asked what the relationship between Neighbor -to - Neighbor and the Housing Authority is. Mr. Barbier replied that the Housing Authority administers long-term rental public housing units and Section 8 certificates and vouchers. Neighbor -to -Neighbor provides housing counseling, transitional housing, elderly housing assistance, and owner -occupied housing rehabilitation. Mr. Barbier reported that his agency sees about 2,000 new families a year. Neighbor -to -Neighbor also works with the 879 people on the Housing Authority's public housing waiting list until the families get into public housing. Mr. Barbier mentioned that their first transitional housing facility, which has been in operation for six years, has seen 300 families. Barbara Rutstein spoke for the need for more space for the Children's Clinic. She advised that the Children's Clinic has received a grant for the operation of the clinic. She stated that the Clinic has been very successful and would like to get another doctor. The clinic has served 2240 children and 1400 low income families. -3- Lou Stitzel mentioned that she had been asked to speak for New Bridges. New Bridges is a daytime homeless shelter, which also provides its clients with workshops on employment training. New Bridges would like to purchase the facility they are in. The shelter is currently receiving a rental donation from the owner but the owner would like to sell it. Mrs. Guzman stated that she has lived in the Alta Vista neighborhood for three years. She advised that Alta Vista desperately needs more lighting. There has been some vandalism of property there. She stated that the neighborhood also needs a baseball field and tennis courts to give the teenagers something to do. Alta Vista also needs sidewalks because the traffic gets heavy on one side of the street. Mr. Barbier mentioned that the City wants to move their public works facility to the other side of the sugar beet factory along east Vine. This is a difficult decision for the neighborhoods because of the impact related to truck traffic and the visual impact. He advised that at the same time there is a strong feeling of neglect by the city performing routine city services, such as police protection, maintaining of streets, lack of lighting in the parks and lack of the land use plan. OTHER BUSINESS Staff distribu,:ed Boards and Commission manuals. Mr. Waido advised the Commission would be selecting a chairperson and a vice chairperson at the March meeting. Ms. Davis reported that the City's entitlement grant for FY 1991 would be $728,000. She stated that the City also received an additional $7,000 for FY 1990 and it will be added to the FY 1991 grant. The amount available for FY 1991 will be around $825,000, which will include the entitlement grant, the additional amount from FY 1990, reprogrammed funds and program income. Ms. Stitzel mentioned she is a. member of the Larimer County Affordable Housing Task Force. She reported the task force is examining the following items: 1) comprehensive statistics for better leveraging of funds outside and within the community, 2) what the housing issues and the gaps and needs are, 3) community education and advocacy, and 4) funding sources. The task force has been in contact with the Federal Home Loan Bank board, which has established several million dollars worth of funds. The Fort Collins Area Foundation has shown interest in managing any grants or loans for the area. She stated if anyone is interested in learning more about the task force, to contact her. Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. -4- RESOLUTION 90-73 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROVING THE 1990-91 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the administration is authorized to submit the 1990-91 Community Development Block Grant application as follows: AMOUNT APPLICANT. PROGRAM/PROJECT -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Planning and Administration (Maximum - $135,000) $104,500 City of Fort Collins CDBG Administration 14,272 Neighbor -to -Neighbor, Inc. Housing Counseling 3,225 Neighbor -to -Neighbor, Inc. CHOICE Senior Housing Counseling Acquisition 17,000 Habitat for Humanity Law -Income Housing 176,000 Housing Authority Acquisition of Distressed Prop. �/� Housing Rehabilitation 40,000 Housing Aay Payment of Non -Federal Share 85,549 Neighbor -to -Neighbor, Inc. Housing Redevelopment 75,000 Larimer Co. Food Dist. Rehab of Warehouse 33,270 Sunshine School : Fire Sprinkler/Kitchen Rehab Public Services (Maximum - $96,750) 20,000 Children's Clinic Healthy Start 10,000 United Day Care Center Sliding Scale Assistance 10,000 Sunshine School, Inc. Sliding Scale Program 19,000 Neighbor to Neighbor, Inc. Housing Counseling 6,450 Neighbor to Neighbor, Inc. Choice Housing Counseling 18,300 Catholic Community Hostel of Hospitality 10,000 Colo. Housing Asst. Corp. Foreclosure Prevention 3,000 Disabled Resource Services Employment Assistance 79,434 Contingency --------------------------------------------------------------------------- $725,000 , Total b RESOLUTION 897121 60THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FWT COLLINS APPROVING THE 1989-90 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the administration is authorized to submit the 1989-90 Community Development Block Grant application as follows: AMOUNT APPLICANT PROGRAM/PROJECT ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- • Planning and Administration (20% - $155,800) ' $106,600 City of Fort Collins CDBG Administration 10,000 City of Fort Collins East Side/West Side Neighborhood Plans Design Guidelines 31,223 Neighbor -to -Neighbor, Inc. Housing Counseling 7,417 Neighbor -to -Neighbor, Inc.. CHOICE Senior Housing Counseling Acquisition 180,000 Housing Authority Acquisition of Distressed Properties 50,000 Power Plant Visual Arts Acquisition of the Old Post Office Housing Rehabilitation• 21,450 Volunteer's Clearing Hse Building Renovation Phase III 64,949 Neighbor -to -Neighbor, Inc. HousinG Rehabilitation, Emergency Repair, Architectural Barrier Removal Public Facilities 28,000 City of Fort Collins Downtown Alleys. 50,000 Community Horticulture Center 81,576 ' Larimer County Food Center, Office, and Warehouse Distribution 100,000 Larimer County Shelter Shelter Facility Relocation Public Services (157.-.S1019850) 1 30,000 Children's Clinic Health Care for Indigent Children 20,000 United Day Care Center .' .Sliding Scale Assistance 17,640 Sunshine School, Inc., Sliding Scale Program 6,000 Sunshine School, Inc. Childcare for the Homeless 7,145 • Disabled Resource Services Employment Assistance Project 51000 The Women's Center Short-term Child Care Assistance 16,000 Catholic Community Hostel of Hospitality, Hope Job Bank Services/,Northern 36,000 Contingency (Frozen Appropriation) -------------------- SB69,000 Total Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins held this 20th day of June, A