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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 07/11/20131 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING APPROVED Minutes 215 N. MASON ST., FORT COLLINS July 11, 2013, 6:30 P.M. COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Kay Rios, Chair Robert Browning Anita Basham Gordon Coombes Catherine Costlow Kristin Stephens Jamaal Curry Margaret Long STAFF PRESENT: Sharon Thomas, Co‐Liaison to Commission, Beth Rosen OTHERS PRESENT: Julie Brewen, Chadrick Martinez, Fort Collins Housing Authority (FCHA); Bill Reinke, CARE Housing; Ray Roth, citizen; Kate Jeracki, Note Taker The meeting was called to order by Chair Kay Rios at 6:38 p.m. without a quorum present. Jamaal Curry arrived at 7:10 p.m. and the quorum was in place. PUBLIC COMMENT None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Anita Basham moved to approve the minutes of the January 10, 2013, meeting, as presented. Margaret Long seconded; passed unanimously. Anita Basham moved to approve the minutes of the June 13, 2013, meeting, as presented. Margaret Long seconded; passed unanimously. FCHA SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UPDATE AND CONTRACT AMENDMENT REQUEST Julie Brewen and Chadrick Martinez presented conceptual designs and floorplans of the Redtail Ponds Supportive Housing Project, which is moving into the development phase with a planned groundbreaking in the first quarter of 2014. It is scheduled to go before the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board for approval as a result of the Land Use Code changes approved by City Council earlier this year. Before the changes, the project, located off College Avenue near the future South Transit Station and Woodley’s Furniture, would have only required an administrative review by a Hearing Officer. 2 The Housing Authority held two voluntary community meetings in the spring, contacting all owners within 1,500 feet of the site‐‐twice as far as required‐‐including those across College Avenue to the south. As part of the P & Z process, a required meeting was held at Council Tree Library at the end of June. Citizen turnout was much greater than expected, and both City and FCHA staff were unable to address all the questions and concerns. This meeting was also covered by the Coloradoan, which unfortunately further spread misinformation and created additional community concern about the project. Brewen said the Housing Authority was working to get the facts about the project out through meetings with individual HOAs, personal emails to attendees of the community meetings, a meeting with The Coloradoan editorial board, updates on the FCHA website, and other communication venues. She said she will provide members of the Commission copies of the talking points developed about the issue, as well. Brewen and Martinez reviewed the drawings and floorplans with commission members. Brewen pointed out that the project is designed for residents with incomes below 30 percent of Area Median Income (AMI) who would otherwise be homeless. The project includes furnished rooms, on‐site counseling and support services available 24/7, a single point of access, skills training, an urban garden, an 80‐stall bike barn, and other features that had been identified as best practices. Smoking areas and trash receptacles have been moved away from neighboring buildings. The FCHA is requesting that it be allowed to reallocate a portion of the HOME funds granted for land acquisition for the project by the Commission in the 2011 Fall Cycle of the Competitive Process to paying permit fees and a portion of the CDBG funds granted in the 2012 Spring Cycle to be used towards acquisition. Beth Rosen said the changes are eligible uses under HUD guidelines, but cautioned that exhausting all the HOME funds allocated starts the clock ticking toward a deadline to close out the project. Kay Rios moved that the Community Development Block Grant Commission allow the Fort Collins Housing Authority to reallocate a portion of the CDBG and HOME funds into development costs and retain a portion of the HOME funds, the percentage to be determined by City staff according to HUD guidance. Catherine Costlow seconded. The motion was approved unanimously. COMPETITIVE PROCESS DEBRIEFING Kay Rios reported that Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) had sent a letter to City Council, with copies to her, Bob Browning and City staff, expressing concerns that there was a bias against CASA on the Commission. Rios said she did not agree, but did understand where that perception might have arisen. Although one of CASA’s proposals received no funding, there was support for a second project, which received partial funding. 3 She said it is important that members remember that the Commission can only deliberate based on what is presented by the applicants. She felt the process had been fair and deliberate, and because of the limited funds and greater number of requests, this cycle was more competitive than in the past. She also pointed out that CASA is eligible to reapply in the Spring 2014 Competitive Process cycle. Sharon Thomas reviewed the history of CDBG funding of CASA. She added that staff is redesigning the application to give applicants more space to explain what they are asking to be funded. She hopes to bring the redesigned application to a future meeting for discussion. Jamaal Curry said he liked the idea of changes that can assist with communication in helping the Commission understand what the applicants are asking for, since there will likely never be more money than requests. Kay Rios said she and Vice‐Chair, Bob Browning, will be attending the Tuesday, July 16th City Council meeting, and asked any members who can, to show up for support. Sharon Thomas said several applicants will be addressing Council to thank the Commission for its efforts. Sharon Thomas said an issue related to a closing deadline had arisen with one of the housing‐related projects. Staff has discovered that JAG Properties is not eligible for CDBG funds, so the $100,000 that was recommended for funding cannot be allocated. If not allocated to other projects at this time, the amount should roll over into the Fall 2013 Competitive Cycle and be available, along with the Affordable Housing/HOME funds, as part of the funds available for the Commission’s recommendation. Beth Rosen explained that part of the problem was with the timing of the project. She has spoken with the applicant, and J.A.G. Properties will be working to get the project to the point where a proposal can come back to the Commission for funding during the upcoming Fall 2013 cycle. Catherine Costlow was concerned that the project could get rejected in the Fall Cycle, and the applicant should not suffer because of the City’s error. Kay Rios wanted the Commissioners to keep this situation in mind when the Fall 2013 applications are being reviewed. Thomas stated that J.A.G. Properties is eligible to receive HOME and/or Affordable Housing Funds. Rosen added that the overarching HUD eligibility language in this arena was misleading. It was only an in‐depth inquiry that determined that a for‐ profit is ineligible to receive CDBG funds in this case. Thomas said that there will be $1.1 million available for the Fall Cycle, and that to‐date, no applications have yet been received. 4 Margaret Long moved to allocate zero funding for JAG Properties. Jamaal Curry seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Anita Basham asked about the status of the Caribou II affordable housing development project. Beth Rosen reported that the developer had completed the 96 additional units using Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and $300,000 in HOME funds from the City. The project is already 100 percent leased, with 37 move‐ins in June alone. The project serves residents making less than 60 percent AMI, with many in the 30 percent to 40 percent range. It includes two‐bedroom units renting for $779 per month. Catherine Costlow pointed out that market rates for an equivalent unit in Fort Collins are now $1,600 per month. STAFF UPDATES Sharon Thomas pointed out the Spanish translation on this meeting’s agenda. She said the City will be doing more translation and interpretation of vital documents in the future, in accordance with Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. The three languages that are most prevalent in Fort Collins are Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin Chinese. The City is hiring and certifying more interpreters to attend meetings and to be on call as needed. NEXT MEETING Next meeting Thursday, August 8, 2013, 215 N. Mason St., Community Room, 6:30 p.m. Meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.