Housing & Community Development Act Committee
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HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE Tuesday, March 11, 2014 7:30 pm Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Avenue Aldermanic Library AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER / DECLARATION OF QUORUM 2. APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 15, 2013 MEETING MINUTES 3. PUBLIC INPUT ON THE DRAFT 2014 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT (CAPER) 4. STAFF REPORTS 6. ADJOURNMENT Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 7:30 pm Order of agenda items is subject to change The City of Evanston is committed to ensuring accessibility for all residents. If an accommodation is needed to participate in this meeting, please contact Sarah Flax (847-448-8684; [email protected]) 48 hours in advance at so that arrangements can be made for the accommodation if possible. La ciudad de Evanston esta comprometida a proveer accesibilidad a todos; si necesita facilidades adicionales para poder acudir a esta junta, por favor contacte Sarah Flax (847-448-8684; [email protected]) con 48 horas de anticipación para que se hagan los arreglos necesarios para cumplir con su pedido si es posible. DRAFT MEETING MINUTES HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE TUESDAY, October 15, 2013 7:30 P.M. Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Avenue, Room 2404 Members Present: Ald. Braithwaite, Ald. Burrus, Ald. Holmes, M. Lacy, S. Opdycke, Ald. Rainey, J. Sanke, Ald. Wilson Members Absent: A. Hansen, J. Vlahogiannis Staff Present: S. Flax Presiding Member: Ald. Rainey, Chair Declaration of Quorum There being a quorum, Chairman Rainey called the meeting to order at 7:32 PM. Approval of Meeting Minutes of July 16, September 5, 10, 18 and 24, 2013 Ald. Burrus moved approval of the minutes of the July 16, September 5, 10, 18 and 24, 2013 meetings; Ald. Wilson seconded the motion; the minutes were approved unanimously. Ald. Rainey noted for the record that the minutes totaled 47 pages and recognized Bobbie Newman, who took minutes for the four meetings in September. Public Input on the draft 2014 Action Plan and the estimated 2014 CDBG Allocations Ald. Rainey opened the floor for input on the draft Action Plan and invited Jordan Goldberg to speak. Mr. Goldberg declined comment on the plan. He explained that he was an Evanston resident and was interested in getting involved in civic affairs and was attending different committee meetings to find out about their work. He found the work of the committee to be interesting and important. Ald. Rainey outlined the responsibilities of the committee and staff offered to provide additional information about how to apply to serve on a committee or commission. Committee consideration of the draft 2014 Action Plan and vote to recommend approval of that plan to City Council Staff noted that 2014 CDBG planning was based on a grant of $1,500,000, which is approximately 10% less than received in 2013. HUD field office staff was furloughed in the partial government shutdown and there were no indications of when a 2014 budget would be passed. Staff noted that implementation of the new HOME Rule on July 24, 2013 resulted in pushing the application for HOOME funds into 2014; this required an amendment to the City’s 2013 Action Plan. The new HOME rule includes more rigorous capacity requirements for developers and CHDOs, additional compliance and revisions to HOME policies and procedures. If grant estimates differ from actuals by more than 10%, the City would be required to amend its plan, as was done in 2013 because ESG grant was about 24% less than estimated. Page 1 of 2 Housing & Community Development Act Committee Meeting October 15, 2013 DRAFT Ald. Wilson moved that the committee recommend approval of the draft 2014 Action Plan to City Council; Ms. Sanke seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously. Staff Reports Staff reported on a multi-family rehab of an 18-unit, three building rental property in the south NRSA that had been cited for code violations. The building was one of the biggest problems in the neighborhood but the current owners made substantial improvements and it is now a stable property with primarily very low and low income tenants, many with children. Rents are lower than the current Fair Market Rent to be affordable to households below 50% AMI. Correction of the code violations will include lead paint mitigation and asbestos removal, which adds significantly to the project cost. The project is being evaluated for a forgivable loan through CDBG Housing Rehab with affordability restrictions similar to the HOME program because operating revenues will not support additional debt. The housing rehab program has not been meeting its goals for multi-family rehab, in part because interest rates are low enough that property owners are unwilling to take on both the debt and the income restrictions under the current program. Experience with this project would be used to evaluate program structure going forward, including for the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan that would be developed in 2014. Committee members expressed support for, and requested updates on, the project. Staff noted that landlord-tenant workshops that are part of the City’s ongoing education program working with Open Communities, would include information on the newly effective change to the Cook County human rights ordinance that prohibits discrimination based on source of income, making it illegal for a property owner to deny to rent to a household with a housing choice voucher. Ald. Rainey asked about outreach to property owners and requested that staff provide information about future trainings to committee members. Other Ald. Rainey informed the committee that Bob Roy, former executive director of the Evanston Community Defender (now Moran Center for Youth Advocacy), passed away today and recognized his tireless work on behalf of Evanston youth, including his many interactions with the committee relating to that work. Evanston had lost two of its best legal minds and strongest advocates for the needs of low income people that year, as Bill Kolen, an attorney with LAF who headed the Evanston office for many years, passed away in June. Public Comment There was no public comment. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Sarah K. Flax Housing & Grants Administrator, Community Development Department Page 2 of 2 Housing & Community Development Act Committee Meeting October 15, 2013 FY2013 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report Draft for Public Comment March 04, 2014 City of Evanston 2013 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report GENERAL I. Executive Summary This Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) reviews how the City of Evanston used federal funding provided by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) combined with other federal, state and local resources to successfully implement programs and projects that address community needs during the 2013 program year (January 1 to December 31, 2013). Summary of Resources Evanston received $2,034,743 in HUD federal entitlement funds in the 2013 program year: $1,668,544 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $250,418 in HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds and $115,781 in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds. Together with unexpended CDBG and HOME funds from prior years, plus program income, the City spent a total of $2,679,685 in the 2013 program year to assist low‐ and moderate‐income residents and address or eliminate conditions that result in blight and deterioration. Available Expended Grant FY2013 FY2013 CDBG Prior years' funds $ 1,201,630 2013 entitlement $ 1,668,544 Entitlement subtotal $ 2,870,174 Program income $ 91,369 Total CDBG $ 2,961,543 $ 1,828,652 HOME Prior years' funds $ 1,163,730 2013 entitlement $ 250,418 Entitlement subtotal $ 1,414,148 Program income $ 27,384 Total HOME $ 1,441,532 $ 731,319 ESG Prior years' funds $ 138,862 2013 entitlement $ 115,781 Total ESG $ 254,643 $ 119,714 TOTAL FUNDS $ 4,657,718 $ 2,679,685 Distribution of Funds City of Evanston 2013 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report – DRAFT for public comment 1 Programs and projects funded in 2013 were identified as high or medium need in the City’s 2010‐2014 Consolidated Plan. All funded activities work to improve the quality of life for low and moderate income individuals, families and households in Evanston and address one or more of the three federal statutory goals to: • Provide decent housing • Provide a suitable living environment • Expand economic opportunities. CDBG resources continued to be focused in the City’s two Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas that were approved as part of the 2010‐2014 Consolidated Plan and represent areas of greatest need in our community. Evanston’s low‐ and moderate‐income residents, as well as its minority residents, are concentrated in these neighborhoods. In addition, the CDBG Target Area, comprising 24 census block groups primarily in west and south Evanston, defines the geographic area for two programs, CDBG Targeted Code Enforcement and Graffiti Removal, that are qualified on a low/moderate income area benefit. Housing programs, which represent 57% of total funds expended in 2013, were concentrated in these geographic areas. In addition, approximately $3 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2) funds expended in two census tracts, 8092 and 8102, are wholly contained within the NRSAs. HOME‐funded rehabilitation projects that were undertaken in 2013 were predominantly in the NRSAs, where HOME funds were layered with NSP2 on rehab of rental properties and development of new housing in Emerson Square. In addition, two rental properties undertaken by Community Partners for Affordable Housing, a CHDO, are also in the west NRSA. Most CDBG‐ funded substantial rehabilitation was completed on units in the west NRSA. CDBG Targeted Code Enforcement, approximately a third of housing‐related expenditures, is an essential tool for maintaining decent affordable rental housing and livable neighborhoods in the CDBG Target Area.