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HomeMy WebLinkAbout102621 NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR - CONTRACT - AGREEMENT MISC - NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR (13)Offer 3 Affordable Housing Fund and Human Services Program Funding and Administrative Support. – Core Offer – General Fund – Ongoing. Offer Summary This offer requests funding for continuation of the City’s Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) and Human Services Program (HSP) and includes administrative (personnel and non-personnel) costs. The AHF and HSP provide financial assistance to affordable housing and community development agencies. The City’s financial assistance to affordable housing is allocated through the semi- annual competitive process which involves both the Affordable Housing Board and CDBG Commission. Administrative costs cover staff involvement in the competitive process as well as contract preparation and monitoring of funds allocated to recipients. The funding levels for the AHF and HSP projects/programs are set at 2012 funding levels.  Funding 2013: AHF - $325,047 (Projects/Programs) $ 18,090 (Personnel) $ 8,000 (Non-personnel) $351,137 HSP - $389,601 (Programs) $ 10,418 (Personnel) $ 10,000 (Non-personnel) $410,019 2014: AHF - $325,047 (Projects/Programs) $ 18,090 (Personnel) $ 8,000 (Non-personnel) $351,137 HSP - $389,601 (Programs) $ 10,418 (Personnel) $ 10,000 (Non-personnel) $410,019 1,079 charcters Offer Description The following describes how Affordable Housing Funds (AHF) and Human Services Program (HSP) funds are used and the specific tasks related to administering these funds which are distributed through the semi-annual Competitive Process. Administration STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO ADMINISTER THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND (AHF) AND THE HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM (HSP) THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS. The City began receiving funding from two important entitlement programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program in 1975, and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Program in 1995. It was recognized that the federal programs could not address all of the city’s affordable housing and community development needs so General Fund dollars were allocated into the AHF and HSP to supplement the federal grants. In the past, all administrative costs for managing and administering the federal grants and the City’s AHF and HSP were resourced with federal dollars. Continuing could raise concerns from HUD. Since City funds represent more than one-half of funds that are distributed, this offer requests a portion of the AHF and HSP funds to be used to appropriately cost center the administration of the City’s programs, including the Competitive Process. Federal funds will continue to cover administration costs of the federal programs. The federal funds and AHF and HSP dollars provide financial assistance to developers of affordable housing, affordable housing agencies, first-time homebuyers, and non-profit agencies that provide vital projects and human/social services to low-moderate income citizens of Fort Collins. City staff does not provide “direct service” to individuals. Staff will assist more than 10,000 individuals in Fort Collins in fiscal year 2011. City funds are distributed in combination with grants from the federal government semi-annually. The City continues to be more efficient, reducing paper usage and associated costs for the City and applicants by using a web-based application system for the Competitive Process. As one of the first municipalities in Colorado to embrace this innovative paperless system, staff continues to seek to improve the application process and remain cutting-edge in its approach to customer service. The Competitive Process is a year-long, two-cycle, process of allocating funds to non-profit agencies, affordable housing developers, affordable housing agencies and other programs. Oversight of the Competitive Process begins with the on- line application process, training of applicants and one-on-one technical assistance to applicants. After funds have been allocated staff prepares contracts, reviews funding reimbursements, conducts on-site monitoring and overall management of the affordable housing portfolio. ADMINISTER THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE (HBA) PROGRAM. The HBA program began as a federally funded program to assist first-time, low-income homebuyers in Fort Collins attain home ownership. Providing financial assistance to first-time homebuyers is one of the four priorities of the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan. Because of federal regulatory changes in how the HOME funds can be used, at least half of the funds for this program currently come from the AHF. NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMEBUYER EDUCATION. The Homebuyer Assistance (HBA) provides loans for a portion of the downpayment and closing costs to low-income first-time homebuyers. One of the requirements of the program is for the homebuyer to attend a homebuyer education class. In prior years some of the HOME funds were used to subsidize the classes that Neighbor to Neighbor, a local non-profit housing agency, teaches. Because of federal regulatory changes in how the HOME funds can be used the City can no longer use these funds to assist in the cost of administering the classes. Affordable Housing Fund dollars allow us to continue partnering with Neighbor to Neighbor. A portion, $12,000, of the AHF $325,047 annual amount will be specifically dedicated to funding a partnership with Neighbor to Neighbor to provide homebuyer education to first-time, low-income homebuyers using the City’s HBA program. 4,219 characters Linkage to RFR Purchasing Strategies Economic Health PS7 – Funds from the AHF and HSP will provide “collaborations and leverage City resources for the benefit of the community…” by funding affordable housing agencies/builders to build new or rehabilitate existing affordable housing units. Often the City’s money is “first-in” money to help housing entities receive funds from other sources (e.g., State Division of Housing). Providing affordable housing for families/individuals in our community helps to achieve the goal of significantly reducing homelessness in Fort Collins. In addition to the housing providers, the funds the City provides to the non-profit human service agencies helps leverage money received from other funders (e.g., United Way). City funds provide a strategic investment. When people can stay in their homes and keep their employment they contribute to the local economy. This contributes to a more thriving and sustainable community. Community and Neighborhood Livability PS 7, 8 & 9: The City financially leverages the AHF and federal monies we loan to affordable housing agencies and developers. This will provide funding to build new or rehabilitate existing housing to offer better quality and affordable housing choices to low-moderate income citizens. In addition, the HSP and federal dollars will provide assistance to human service agencies to help stabilize low-moderate income families/individuals in our community. This offer is a partnership that provides essential financial assistance to increase affordable housing opportunities, and supports critical human service agencies that support the City’s low-moderate income population. Most of the human service agencies we partner with are working towards reducing poverty in Fort Collins and are highly involved with Pathways Past Poverty, Bridges Out of Poverty, and Homeward 2020. Through these agencies we offer individuals a path to self-sufficiency and independence by providing childcare (so they can work or go to school), education, training, etc. Affordable housing and human services go hand-in-hand in the prevention of homelessness, and this offer strategically provides assistance to both. High Performing Government PS7: Staff has established a culture of outstanding customer service while delivering services that are responsive to customer needs. The City completes two Competitive Process cycles every year, in the spring and fall. Each cycle involves much coordination with applicants to help them submit a proposal that gives them the best opportunity for funding. Staff provides training and one-on-one technical assistance for every applicant. To reduce paper and the time it takes an applicant to complete a proposal we continue to use a web-based application. We no longer require each applicant to submit 20 to 30 copies of their proposals. We also now allow electronic submissions (email) of their grant reimbursement requests. They are not required to submit hard copies any longer (driving to our office to deliver reimbursement requests is a time saver). In addition to the grantees, we have made changes to the HBA program that reduces paper and the need for lenders to drive to our office. We now have HBA funds delivered by wire rather than issuing a paper check. Closing documents are emailed directly to lenders rather than requiring them to drive to the City’s HBA office to pick up the documents. All of these are time-saving changes to help us deliver better services to our customers. Safe Community PS4: Through the HSP we partner with non-profit agencies that work directly with low-income youth, many are emancipated youth or homeless youth. With their involvement and intervention they help reduce recidivism of juvenile offenders in our Community. The Matthews House and Turning Point are two examples of agencies that we partner with that have an impact in this area. 3,887 characters Personnel Changes This offer adds no new staff positions. The same number of FTEs will be involved in the administration of the federal entitlement grant programs and the City’s AHF and HSP. What the offer does request is funding to appropriately cost center the administration of the City’s programs reducing federal regulations questions from HUD. Performance Measures This offer measures performance by recording the leveraging ratio of local and federal dollars compared to the funds affordable housing agencies and developers are able to acquire from other sources. We anticipate a 1:10 overall leveraging ratio for affordable housing projects. The public service sector will be measured by the number of unduplicated individuals our local and federal dollars served through our partnering agencies in the following categories:  Childcare/early childhood development/feeding program  Seniors  Persons with disabilities  At-risk youth  Homelessness intervention/prevention  Self-sufficiency/poverty programs  Medically uninsured/underinsured  Victims of Domestic Violence For fiscal year 2010 (October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011) the City allocated $567,959 which assisted 10,232 individuals (4,579 more than estimated contracted amounts). Many of these individuals can be put in multiple categories but are counted only once here:  Childcare/early childhood development/feeding program 4,061  Seniors 190  Persons with disabilities 128  At-risk youth 0  Homelessness intervention/prevention 3,715  Self-sufficiency/poverty programs 214  Medically uninsured/underinsured 208  Victims of Domestic Violence 1,716 Difference to Prior Budget Cycle (if applicable) n/a Offer 3a. Competitive Process (KFCG Portion) – Affordable Housing and Human Services Project Funding. – Core Offer – KFCG – Ongoing. Offer Summary This offer provides the KFCG portion of the funding and administration of the semi-annual Competitive Process. The funding levels in this offer are set at the KFCG 2012 funding level.  Funding: 2013: $150,047 (Human Services/Affordable Housing) 2014: $150,047 (Human Services/Affordable Housing) Offer Description The KFCG portion of the funds in the Competitive Process provides much needed funding in Fort Collins for affordable housing and social service providers for low-moderate income citizens. The City does not provide direct service to individuals but relies on the expertise of our partnering agencies. The KFCG funds provided funding for 6 additional agencies in 2011, that otherwise would not have been funded. The categories range from rental assistance, housing counseling, suicide prevention awareness and the safehouse for victims of domestic violence. These funds provide crucial outreach and direct assistance to over 6,500 individuals in Fort Collins. Linkage to RFR Purchasing Strategy Personnel Changes Performance Measures Differences to Prior Budget Cycle (if applicable) Offer 3b. Competitive Process – Affordable Housing and Human Services Project Funding. – Enhancement – KFCG – One-time. Offer Summary This offer is for increasingly greatly needed additional KFCG funds for the semi- annual Competitive Process which provides funding to affordable housing agencies, developers and non-profit social services agencies that give support to low-moderate individuals in our community.  Funding: 2013 KFCG - $300,000 (Affordable Housing/Human Services) 2014 KFCG - $300,000 (Affordable Housing/Human Services) Offer Description We are requesting additional funding for the Competitive Process to enable the City to partner with more agencies and assist more low-moderate income people in Fort Collins. Because of the economic problems of the last few years the need for assistance for individuals/families in this income group continues to increase. Over the last three years the funding shortfall has increased from $235,491 in 2010 to $307,100 in 2012. This is a strategic investment in our community; people who remain in their homes and are employed contribute to the local economy. A thriving community leads to a more stable and sustainable community. Linkage to RFR Purchasing Strategy Personnel Changes Performance Measures Differences to Prior Budget Cycle (if applicable) 3c Contingency Funding for Potential Federal Budget Cuts in the Administration of the CDBG and HOME Program FY2013 (Federal Budget Year). – Enhancement – General Fund – Ongoing. Offer Summary This offer is for contingency funding in the event the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Programs receive significant funding decreases in Fiscal Year 2013. Offer Description This is contingency funding in anticipation of Fiscal Year 2013 (FY2013) (impacts City Budget Year 2014) federal budget cuts in the CDBG and HOME Programs. These programs have a different fiscal year than the City; October 1 through September 30. As a condition of having received ongoing, previous federal funding, the City has compliance obligations, and roles and responsibilities in administering and monitoring the City’s portfolio of grants and loans, despite any loss of future federal funding. There are sufficient funds to fully cover administration through September 2013. Cost estimates are based on an anticipated 15% cut to each of the programs. A change in presidential administration this November may mean more drastic cuts than what is estimated in this enhancement offer. 2013: None 2014: HSP $18,735 Human Services Program (HSP) AHF $18,735 Affordable Housing Program (AHF) $37,470 Linkage to RFR Purchasing Strategy Personnel Changes Performance Measures Differences to Prior Budget Cycle (if applicable)