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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 09/14/1995L CDBG COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES September 14, 1995 The meeting of the CDBG Commission began at 6:40 p.m. in the Community Planning Conference Room, 281 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. Commission members present at the meeting included Chairman Dan MacArthur, Holly Sample, Tom Hartmann, Linda Coxen, Bobbie Guye, and Tim Ostic. Staff members present included Ken Waido, Jackie Davis, Mary Hile, and Julie Smith. Approval of minutes was tabled pending a quorum. Tom Hartmann introduced himself as the new CDBG Commission member. A public hearing was held on review of funding expenditures for the past program year and preview of anticipated expenditures for the upcoming program year. Ms. Davis reviewed the funding expenditures for the 1994-1995 fiscal year. Applicant and project summary is as follows: 1) The Larimer County Consortium is developing an affordable housing information system. $10,000 in funding is available to be payable in three installments, one for $6,000 and two subsequent year payments of $2,000. Contract has been sent to the Consortium for signatures. 2) Habitat for Humanity has expended $58,000 in funds for acquisition of land for low- income housing projects. 3) CARE has an addendum to contract in process for $225,000 in fundingr for acquisition of land for low-income housing. The Planning and Zoning Board will hear this project on October 23, 1995. 4) Neighbor to Neighbor, Inc. has $132,350 available in funding for costs associated with land acquisition. All costs have been approved except for permanent loan costs. 5) DDA has $60,000 available in funding for facade acquisition and streetscape improvement. DDA's attorney is drawing up an MOA with the City. Estimated completion date is 12-31-95. 6) Housing Authority has $205,000 available in funding for acquisition rehabilitation. The project will be going to the Planning and Zoning Board on October 23, 1995. 7) Volunteer Clearing House has requested funding for a building addition. Preliminary drawings have been completed and the estimated cost is $188,000. $121,000 in funding is available for this project. CDBG Commission Mtes • September 14, 1995 Page 2 8) DMA Plaza, Inc. has requested $94,203 available in funding for window rehabilitation. Project started in August of 1995 and 120 days are allowed 10 completion. 9) One West Art Center, Inc. has requested funding for exterior restoration. Bid documents are being prepared by architect. No estimate of cost has been completed at this time. $60,000 in funding is available. 10) Housing Authority has $15,750 available in funding for architectural barrier removal. One project has been completed. Four applications are in process. Three have been declined because they are out of the city. One has been declined because of completion before application. One is a corporation applicant requesting funding for removal of bathtub and replacement with roll -in shower. The latter needs CDBG Commission approval. 11) Disabled Resource Services has expended $10,500 for their youth employment program. Twenty-five persons were served, and project is complete. 12) Neighbor to Neighbor has $39,131 in funds available for comprehensive housing counseling that will be expended by the end of the fiscal year. As of 1995, 2,113 persons were served. 13) Project Self -Sufficiency has expended $15,000 for family self-sufficiency. 260 households were served, and project is complete. 14) Child Care Collaborative has $17,850 in funding available for sliding scale day care. For BASE Camp, all funds have been expended with 118 households served, and project is complete. For Sunshine School, all funds will be expended by the end of the fiscal year. As of August of 1995, 39 households were served. For United Day Care, all funds will be expended by the end of the fiscal year. As of March of 1995# 33 households were served. 15) New Bridges has expended $18,000 in funding for operating expenses of their day shelter. 2,535 persons were served, and project is complete. 16) Crossroads Safehouse has $9,520 available in funds that will be expended by the end of the fiscal year for their children's program. As of July of 1995, 279 persons were served. 17) Senior Employment Services has $12,625 available in funds that will be expended by the end of the fiscal year for job -finding help. As of July of 1995, 332 persons were served. 18) Healthy Start/Children's has $42,295 available in funds that will be expended by the end of the fiscal year for an increased physician services clinic for indigent children. As of July of 1995, 9,455 persons were served. 19) Catholic Community Services has expended $12,767 in funds for Hostel of Hospitality and Hope Job Bank. For Hostel of Hospitality, 1,188 person were served, CDBG Commission Minutes September 14, 1995 Page 3 and project is complete. For Hope Job Bank, 1,467 person were served, and project is complete. i Approximately $7,862 in funding is left to be reprogrammed into next year's unprogrammed funds. The CDBG Work Program for 1995-1996 will begin October 1, 1995, and the Commission received a copy of that program. No public comment was heard on either CDBG Program. Moved by Mr. Ostic, seconded by Ms. Sample, to fund the renovation of the bathtub to a roll -in shower at Elderhaus out of the 1994 Architectural Barrier Removal program funds in the amount of $500. Ms. Sample questioned how the Housing Authority was advertising the availability of funds. Ms. Davis replied that such advertisement has been in the newspaper and on cable and relayed that Mary Beth at the Housing Authority would be the contact person for anyone wishing to apply for assistance from the Housing Authority. Ms. Coxen stated that she would be supporting the motion but feels the Housing Authority makes sound decisions and questioned why this decision needed to come back to the Commission. The determination was made that policy required an issue to come back to the Commission if there was any change in program character, applicant, or recipient. Motion approved unanimously. A HOME hearing followed regarding the CARE Housing reapplication. Ms. Sinith stated that CARE came before the Commission in July requesting $190,000 of which the Commission decided to fund $100,000. CARE then went before the City Council on August 15th requesting an additional $50,000. At that time, the Council approved the $100,000 previously granted by the Commission but asked CARE to return to the Commission with an updated presentation to request the additional $50,000. Ms. Coxen expressed her desire to see a breakdown of monies left in the general fund, and the determination was made that the funds were available and should be granted to the first worthy project that applies. Sister Mary Alice and Terry Wahl gave an updated presentation on the project. Sister Mary Alice stated that CARE needs as much funds as can be allowed from the Commission because that, in turn, will leverage the funds at the State level. A copy of the architect's drawing of the new units was presented. These new units are slightly different in appearance to prevent occupants from being stigmatized. However, essentially the same floor plan is being used to keep costs down. Sister Mary Alice also stated that anything made over and above needed funding for this project will go to future housing projects. CDBG Commission Minutes September 14, 1995 Page 4 Terry Wahl supplied the Commission with a handout to aid in the understanding of the fund requirements. This handout contained comparisons with other affordable housing projects as well as cost breakdowns for this project. Discussion was held on the larger community center that is being proposed on this project. Mr. Wahl explained that the expectation is to have offices in the upstairs of the community center which will be used as CARE offices and perhaps will also be used by the Housing Authority. Mr. Wahl explained that by obtaining the funds as laid out in the project, CARE will be assisting those persons who are within the 30 to 50 percentile of the median income. This will result in an average at the 40 percent of the median income range. Sister Mary Alice pointed out that this plan will allow occupants in who are at 30 percent and allow them to be able to move up in the median percentile without having to move out of the project. Discussion was held on the importance of using Foxfire Management for CARE projects. Mr. Wahl stated that approximately 3 percent of management fees paid for Greenbrier went to Foxfire. He believes this is a worth while cost. However, CARE will continue to monitor the situation for a better management opportunity. Ms. Smith stated that she believes the new figures are in line with HOME requirements, the square footage is in line with community figures, and development fees have been reduced to within a reasonable amount of HUD guidelines. From the Staffs point of view, she believes that $50,000 is reasonable. Ms. Coxen expressed her frustration with the HOME fund distribution process stating that as a board member, she feels the responsibility to ensure an equitable distribution of HOME funds. Mr. Waido explained that the HOME program is different frome the CDBG process of comparing projects and stated that this process is taken on a case - by -case basis. The issue of possible neighborhood opposition was questioned. Mr. Wahl believes that all planning an zoning issues have been met at this point and if this project does not receive approval, it will be a result of prejudice against affordable housing. Sister Mary Alice stated that the landowners of the project will appeal on the grounds of prejudice if approval does not go through. Moved by Ms. Sample, seconded by Ms. Guye, for approval of the requested $50,000 funding for the CARE Housing reapplication. Ms. Coxen stated that she is very supportive of the project, however, feels a great deal of frustration with the process of not being able to compare this project with other projects. Ms. Smith stated that analysis of a proposed project consists of a determination of whether the project meets the guidelines set forth by HUD. Once Staff has made that determination, the Commission should look at the project to determine most importantly CDBG Commission Minutes • September 14, 1995 Page 5 whether it meets a community need. However, she stated that the Commission could apply other standards or performance criteria beyond that. i Ms. Sample stated that she believes this project meets a community need and is particularly pleased with the community center set forth in the project due to its potential to strengthen the community. Mr. Ostic stated that he would be abstaining from voting on this project because CARE is receiving some funding through his employer, First National Bank. Motion passes with two abstentions and four ayes. The determination was made that the process for considering projects for HOME funds needed to be discussed as an agenda item at the next Commission meeting. Mr. Waido stated that the November 28 City Council Study Session also needed to be put on the agenda for the next Commission meeting because more work needs to be done on this issue. At this work session, City Counsel will be interested in hearing the Commissions' ideas on how funds can be used for affordable housing. Ms. Davis asked the Commission whether a formal RFP process should be undertaken for soliciting proposals for the $235,000 set aside for Pioneer Mobile Home Park assistance or if a simple advertisement should be taken out in the local newspaper as has been done in the past. Agreement was reached that an ad would be sufficient for soliciting proposals. Mr. Waido gave the Commission copies of a draft of the CDBG Commission 1996 Work Plan and stated that additional items could be added. Ms. Coxen suggested adding the Consolidated Plan. Mr. Waido stated that HUD has now determined that the members of the Affordbble Housing Board would have a conflict of interest if they became involved with the CDBG and HOME programs. HUD will be reducing this determination to writing and the Commission will receive a copy of such once it is received. Mr. MacArthur announced that he had received a letter of resignation from Commission Member Jim Elias stating that he was too busy to continue on the Commission. Ms. Sample announced her appointment to the Multicultural Commission as one of the City liaisons. Mr. Ostic moved adjournment, seconded by Ms. Sample. Upon a unanimous vote, the meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.