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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/05/1999 - RESOLUTION NO. 20 AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 6 DATE: October 5, 1999 • FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Fischbach SUBJECT: Resolution No. 20 Authorizing the Submission of a Five-year Agency Plan and Annual Agency Plan to The Department of Housing and Urban Development. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the adoption of the Agency Plan, including revisions and additions to existing Fort Collins Housing Authority policies. FINANCIAL IMPACT: At this point the financial impact of the Agency Plan is negligible because the approved changes brought about by approval of the Plan affect operating policies and HUD reporting requirements. • EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Fort Collins Housing Authority has prepared this Agency Plan in compliance with Section 511 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) and the ensuing HUD requirements. Due to the length of the Plan, copies are not included in the agenda materials but are available for review at the City Clerk's Office, City Manager's Office,the City Council Office,and the Housing Authority. The recently enacted QHWRA makes important changes to the operations and programs of public housing and tenant-based assistance. One of the most important changes made by the QHWRA is the introduction of the public housing agency plan requirement, which consists of a five-year plan and an annual plan. The five-year plan describes the mission of the Fort Collins Housing Authority and its long range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the next five years. The annual plan provides details about immediate operations,program participants, programs and services,strategy for handling operational concerns,residents'concerns and residents' needs, and programs and services for the upcoming fiscal year. The annual plan includes the following required components: Housing Needs Financial Resources DATE: October 5, 1999 2 ITEM NUMBER: 6 Policies Governing Eligibility, Selection, Admissions Rent Determination Operations and Management Grievance Procedures Capital Improvements Homeownership Community Service and Self-Sufficiency Safety and Crime Prevention Ownership of Pets in Public Housing Civil Rights Certification Asset Management The Agency Plan contains an Executive Summary,which gives a more detailed description of these required items. A copy of the Executive Summary is attached. The following policies require a formal resolution of adoption by the Fort Collins Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Agency Plan and Certification: HUD Form 50075 Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy Section 8 Administrative Plan Public Housing Grievance Procedure Tenant-Based Informal Review Procedure Pest Control Policy Drug-free Workplace Policy Safety and Crime Prevention Policy Blood-borne Diseases Policy Hazardous Materials Policy Public Housing Lease w - RESOLUTION NO. 20 . OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE FORT COLLINS HOUSING AUTHORITY AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A FIVE-YEAR AGENCY PLAN AND ANNUAL AGENCY PLAN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT WHEREAS,the federal Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998("QHWRA") made certain changes to the operations of public housing and tenant-based assistance programs, which changes are designed to revitalize and improve such programs; and WHEREAS,one of the changes made by the QH WRA is the requirement that public housing agencies such as the Fort Collins Housing Authority must submit to the Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") a five-year plan and an annual plan; and WHEREAS,the purpose ofthe five-yearplan is to describe the mission of the public housing agency and its long-range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the subsequent five years,while the annual plan is to provide details about the agency's immediate operations,program participants, programs and services and its strategy for handling operational concerns, residents' concerns and needs, programs and services for the upcoming fiscal year; and WHEREAS, such plans are to be prepared and submitted in conformance with regulations issued by HUD and are required to address various subject areas referenced therein; and WHEREAS,the Acting Executive Director of the Authority has caused to be prepared,and has reviewed and recommended for approval,a five-year plan and an annual plan(collectively"the Agency Plan") to be submitted to HUD, which Plan meets the requirements of the foregoing regulations and which is consistent with the certifications and agreements shown on the "PHA Certifications of Compliance with the PHA Plans and Related Regulations Board Resolution to Accompany the PHA Plan" ("Certifications of Compliance"), attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference; and WHEREAS, a public hearing has been held with regard to the proposed plans, pursuant to notice as required by law; and WHEREAS, copies of the Agency Plan are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and in the Office of the Authority, and remain available to the public for inspection; and WHEREAS. the Board wishes to approve the submission of the Agency Plan to HUD. NOW. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE FORT COLLINS HOUSING AUTHORITY that the Chair of the Board be, and hereby is, authorized to forthwith submit the Agency Plan for the Authority to HUD by execution of the • Certifications of Compliance. Passed and adopted at an adjourned meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Fort Collins Housing Authority, held this 5th day of October, A.D. 1999. Chairperson ATTEST: Secretary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Fort Collins Housing Authority has prepared this Agency Plan in compliance with Section 511 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) and the ensuing HUD requirements. The recently enacted QHWRA makes important changes to the operations and programs of public housing and tenant-based assistance. One of the most important changes made by the QHWRA is the introduction of the public housing agency plan requirement, which consists of a five-year plan and an annual plan. The five-year plan describes the mission of the Fort Collins Housing Authority and its long range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the next five years. The annual plan provides details about immediate operations; program participants; programs and services;strategy for handling operational concerns,residents'concerns and residents' needs; and programs and services for the upcoming fiscal year. The annual plan includes the following required components: • Housing Needs A statement of the housing needs of the low-income and very-low income families, including elderly families and families with disabilities,in the jurisdiction served by the housing authority and on its waiting list. • • Financial Resources A statement of the financial resources available to the housing authority and the planned uses of those resources. • Policies Governing Eligibility, Selection,Admissions A statement of the housing authority's policies governing eligibility, selection and admission including admission preferences, assignment, and occupancy policies with respect to public housing and Section 8 tenant-based assistance, and procedures for maintaining waiting lists. • Rent Determination A statement of the discretionary policies of the housing authority that govern rents charged for public housing units, and rental contributions of assisted families. • Operations and Management A statement of the housing authority's rules,standards,and policies governing maintenance and management of the housing owned. assisted, or operated by the housing authority, and management of the agency and programs of the agency. • Grievance Procedures A statement of the grievance procedures that the housing authority makes available to its residents. • • Capital Improvements With respect to public housing projects owned, assisted, or operated by the housing authority, the plan describes the capital improvements necessary to ensure long-term physical and social viability of the projects. • Homeownership A description of any homeownership programs administered by the housing authority. • Community Service and Self-Sufficiency A description of any community service and self-sufficiency programs operated by the housing authority. • Safety and Crime Prevention The housing authority's plan for safety and crime prevention to ensure the safety of the residents that it serves. The Plan is developed in consultation with local law enforcement. • Ownership of Pets in Public Housing A statement of the policies and requirements that pertain to the ownership of pets in public housing. HUD has yet to issue final guidance on this requirement. • Civil Rights Certification A certification by the housing authority that it will carry out its plan in conformity with all applicable civil rights requirements and will affirmatively further fair housing. • Asset Management A statement of how the housing authority will carry out its asset management functions with respect to the public housing inventory, including how we will plan for long-term operating, capital investment,rehabilitation,modernization,disposition and other needs for such inventory. Attached to the Plan, which follows,you will find the required HUD form, summarizing this plan, which will be submitted electronically. The most significant impact on operations can be found in the changes to eligibility and admissions preferences. We have worked with the Resident Advisory Board and Fort Collins Police Services to develop screening and monitoring procedures to reduce crime in our programs. Specifically,we will conduct criminal background checks on all applicants and participants of housing programs. We will have the ability to deny participation to applicants or current families who have a history of criminal activity by any household member involving crimes of physical violence against persons or property and any other criminal activity including drug-related criminal activity that would adversely affect the health, safety, or well being of other tenants or staff or cause damage to the property. FCHA will review arrest records for the past five years,however,more than five years can be considered depending upon the nature of the offense. These changes can be found in the • Eligibility, Selection and Admissions section of this plan. In addition, changes have been made which will help us better utilize our staff resources and serve families in a more efficient and timely manner. An example of such a change is the new admission preference system,which can also be found in the Eligibility, Selection,and Admissions section of this plan. In the past,the admissions preference procedure created a great administrative burden and "bottleneck" effect for families on the waiting list. Thirteen local preferences were in place,which had to be verified by FCHA for each family. Often,families would claim a preference, which was not accurate or verifiable. Program fraud by applicants was evident in respect to these preferences. Families who had been on the waiting list for as long as 10 years were skipped over for families with certain preferences. The new system gives priority to applicants with an adult family member enrolled in an employment-training program or currently working and/or attending school on a full- time basis. This preference is also extended equally to all elderly families and all families whose head or spouse is receiving income based on their inability to work. The date and time of application will be utilized to determine the sequence within the prescribed preferences. In summary, the annual plan details our strategy for maximizing the current resources of the Fort Collins Housing Authority,while the five-year plan sets forth our vision for growth, advocacy, and community partnership that will improve the condition of affordable housing in Fort Collins and Latimer County, Colorado. •