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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5d. Consideration of Funding Priorities for the 2024-25 Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) Item 5d Department: Community Development Cost Center: N/A For Agenda of: 11/7/2023 Placement: Consent Estimated Time: N/A FROM: Timmi Tway, Community Development Director Prepared By: Owen Goode, Assistant Planner SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING PRIORITIES FOR THE 2024-25 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION As recommended by the Human Relations Commission (HRC), approve the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding priorities for the 2024 -25 funding year. POLICY CONTEXT The City’s Housing Element contains several programs to help facilitate affordable housing and homelessness services through various grant programs including CDBG. The Housing Element also refers to the County Consolidated Plan, a five -year strategic planning document for the Urban County of San Luis Obispo that establishes the goals for the Urban County’s community development and affordable housing activities . The funding priorities recommended in this staff report align with the Housing Element and Consolidated Plan. DISCUSSION The City’s annual review of the CDBG program provides the City Council and the public with opportunities to provide early input into the grant award process and its alignment with current community needs. Establishing funding priorities is an essential step within the grant process, which helps to ensure a transparent, equitable, and intentional application process. Background The CDBG program is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The County of San Luis Obispo manages this grant, and the final funding decision must be approved by the Board of Supervisors in the County’s annual Action Plan. The funding is non-competitive, however, projects that are recommended for funding must directly or indirectly benefit low-income persons. The City and County participate in a Cooperative Agreement that allows each participating jurisdiction to receive the funding from the County. This agreement identifies roles and responsibilities for the City and County, which includes City review of each CDBG application. Staff require approval of funding priorities so that they may provide funding recommendations that align with the community priorities and needs. Page 69 of 231 Item 5d Annually, the City hosts the Community Needs Grant Workshop in connection with the CDBG program at the advisory body level with the Human Relations Commission (HRC). The workshop allows the public to provide comments on current community development, social equity, and human service needs in the community. This input is used by the HRC to review, update, and approve the funding priorities for the CDBG program. The funding priorities are necessary to develop funding recommendations for CDBG applications during staff review. Staff held this workshop previously as a hearing at the October 4, 2023 HRC meeting and received input that supported these priorities from local non -profit housing providers. CDBG funds are intended to assist in the development of viable urban communiti es by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. Eligible projects include those that meet community development needs, and that are identified as a public improvement or facility. Previous Council or Advisory Body Action After hearing and reviewing public testimony on October 4, 2023, the HRC reviewed the previously adopted funding priorities for the CDBG program and voted to uphold and maintain the current ranked funding priorities as listed below and reflected in Attachment A. CDBG Funding Priorities (Ranked) Previous Priorities HRC Recommended Funding Priorities for 2024-25 Cycle 1) Provide emergency and transitional shelter, homelessness prevention and services. 2) Develop and enhance affordable housing for low and very-low income persons. 3) Enhance economic development (to include seismic retrofit, economic stability, low- and moderate-income jobs). 4) Promote accessibility and/or removal of architectural barriers for the disabled and elderly. 1) Provide emergency and transitional shelter, homelessness prevention and services. 2) Develop and enhance affordable housing for low and very-low income persons. 3) Enhance economic development (to include seismic retrofit, economic stability, low- and moderate-income jobs). 4) Promote accessibility and/or removal of architectural barriers for the disabled and elderly. Page 70 of 231 Item 5d Public Engagement In addition to legal advertisement requirements for holding a public hearing at the HRC, staff communicated with previous CDBG applicants to encourage participation in the Community Needs Workshop and to provide comment on the funding priorities. CONCURRENCE Community Development staff will continue to monitor the applications and maintain communication at the County level for CDBG requirements and timelines. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378. FISCAL IMPACT Budgeted: No Budget Year: 2024-25 Funding Identified: No Fiscal Analysis: Funding Sources Total Budget Available Current Funding Request Remaining Balance Annual Ongoing Cost General Fund $ $ $ $ State Federal Fees Other: Total $ $ $ $ The purpose of this report is to approve funding priorities for the CDBG program. The funding priorities have no fiscal impact at this time and the funding priorities are only to be used as a tool for staff review of the CDBG applications to be received at a later date. ALTERNATIVES Council could decide not to approve the funding priority recommendations. This action is not recommended by staff because the funding priorities are required to rank the CDBG applications that are received, and award must be identified for the upcoming CDBG funding cycle. ATTACHMENTS A - HRC Minutes of October 4, 2023 (Approving the CDBG Funding Priorities) Page 71 of 231 Page 72 of 231 1 Human Relations Commission Minutes October 4, 2023, 5:00 p.m. Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo HRC Members Present: Commissioner Catuih Campos, Commissioner Stephanie Carlotti, Commissioner Vincent DeTurris, Commissioner Sierra Smith, Commissioner Taryn Warrecker, Vice Chair Angie Kasprzak, Chair Dusty Colyer-Worth City Staff Present: DEI Manager Nestor Veloz-Passalacqua, DEI Management Fellow Matthew Melendrez, City Clerk Teresa Purrington _____________________________________________________________________ 1. CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Human Relations Commission was called to order on October 4, 2023, at 5:05 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, by Chair Colyer-Worth. 2. STAFF INTRODUCTIONS DEI Manager Nestor Veloz-Passalacqua introduced Assistant City Manager, Whitney McDonald. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Public Comment: Walker Burdick --End of Public Comment-- 4. CONSENT 4.a CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES - SEPTEMBER 6, 2023, HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MINUTES Motion By Commissioner Carlotti Second By Commissioner Smith To approve the Human Relations Commission Minutes of September 6, 2023. Ayes (7): Commissioner Campos, Commissioner Carlotti, Commissioner DeTurris, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Warrecker, Vice Chair Kasprzak, and Chair Colyer-Worth CARRIED (7 to 0) Page 73 of 231 2 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS 5.a ANNUAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDGB) COMMUNITY NEEDS GRANT WORKSHOP Assistant Planner Owen Goode presented the staff report and responded to inquiries. Public Comment: Joanna Dominguez --End of Public Comment-- Motion By Vice Chair Kasprzak Second By Commissioner Campos To approve the CDBG funding priorities as presented during the Community Needs Grant Workshop. Ayes (7): Commissioner Campos, Commissioner Carlotti, Commissioner DeTurris, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Warrecker, Vice Chair Kasprzak, and Chair Colyer-Worth CARRIED (7 to 0) 5.b 2023-24 DEI HIGH IMPACT GRANT FUNDING RECOMMENDATION Chair Colyer-Worth declared a conflict and recused himself from the discussion regarding GALA Pride & Diversity Center due to his employment with GALA Pride & Diversity Center. Commissioner Carlotti declared a conflict and recused herself from the discussion regarding Transitions Mental Health Association due to her employment with Transitions Mental Health Association. DEI Manager Nestor Veloz-Passalacqua presented the staff report and responded to inquiries. Public Comment: Greg Ellis Wendy Wendt Rita Casaverde Courtney Haile Chelsea Ruiz Dan Rivoire Nicole Mullikin --End of Public Comment-- Page 74 of 231 3 Motion By Commissioner Smith Second By Commissioner Carlotti To provide the following 2023-24 DEI High Impact Grant funding recommendation to City Council: Organization Project/Program Recommended Funding Amount GALA Pride & Diversity Center SLO Queer Cultural Revitalization Project $20,000 Ayes (6): Commissioner Campos, Commissioner Carlotti, Commissioner DeTurris, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Warrecker, and Vice Chair Kasprzak Recused (1): Chair Colyer-Worth CARRIED (6 to 0) Motion By Vice Chair Kasprzak Second By Commissioner Campos To provide the following 2023-24 DEI High Impact Grant funding recommendations to City Council: Organization Project/Program Recommended Funding Amount Diversity Coalition BIPOC Board Leadership Program $40,000 History Center of SLO County Translation & Multilingual Access $6,000 Race Matters Shop Talk & Hair Fund $16,800 San Luis Obispo County UndocuSupport San Luis Obispo County UndocuSupport $39,775.62 SLO Hillel Jews of Color Speaker Series Presentation $10,000 SLO Museum of Art Expanding Equity Exhibitions $9,424.38 Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Diversity is the Power of Change - Year 2 $8,000 Ayes (7): Commissioner Campos, Commissioner Carlotti, Commissioner DeTurris, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Warrecker, Vice Chair Kasprzak, and Chair Colyer-Worth CARRIED (7 to 0) Page 75 of 231 4 5.c DEI STRATEGIC PLAN COMMUNITY WORKSHOP DEI Manager Nestor Veloz-Passalacqua presented the staff report and responded to inquiries. Public Comment: None --End of Public Comment-- Action: No action taken on this item. 6. COMMENT AND DISCUSSION 6.a STAFF & COMMISSIONER UPDATES AND AGENDA FORECAST Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager Nestor Veloz-Passalacqua provided an update on upcoming projects. 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m. The next Regular Meeting of the Human Relations Commission is scheduled for December 6, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. APPROVED BY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION: XX/XX/2023 Page 76 of 231