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Home My WebLink About10-02-2012 ph1 cdbg & gia funding prioritiesMeeting Date 10-2-1 2 Item Number PH 1 counci l agenba 12epo12t C I T Y O F S A N L U I S O B I S P O FROM : Derek Johnson, Community Development Directo r Monica Irons, Human Resources Directo r Prepared By :Tyler Corey, Housing Programs Manage r SUBJECT :CONSIDERATION OF THE HUMAN RELATION COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDED PRIORITIES FOR THE 2013 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) AND GRANTS-IN-AID (GIA ) PROGRAMS . RECOMMENDATIO N As recommended by the Human Relations Commission, approve Community Developmen t Block Grant and Grants-In-Aid funding priorities for 2013 . DISCUSSION • Backgroun d The County of San Luis Obispo and the cities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Morro Bay, Pas o Robles and San Luis Obispo have been designated by the federal Department of Housing an d Urban Development (HUD)as an "urban county" eligible to receive annual, formula-base d Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). The City participates with the County throug h a cooperative agreement and retains a high degree of authority over funding decisions regardin g how CDBG funds are used . The City also provides grants using General Fund monies for non - profits that serve the community . The City's CDBG and GIA review process provides Counci l and the public with an opportunity to provide early input in the grant award process . Establishing funding priorities is the first step in the process, which helps to maintain an open , inclusive and fair grant application process . The Human Relations Commission (HRC) is th e advisor to the Council on funding priorities and funding recommendations for these programs . The four steps in the CDBG and GIA review process include : 1.HRC hosts a "Needs Workshop":The HRC hosts a public hearing to inform the publi c about upcoming funding amounts and how to apply for grants ; to hear community views o n grant funding needs ; and to recommend funding priorities . This meeting was held o n September 5,2012 (Attachment - draft minutes). 2.Council priority-setting hearing :Council holds a public hearing to set CDBG and GI A funding priorities . This is scheduled for October 2, 2012,prior to the grant applicatio n submittal deadlines . • PHI-1 CDBG &GIA Funding Priorities for the 2013 Program Year Page 2 •3.CDBG applications hearing :HRC holds a public hearing to review CDBG applications i n light of the adopted funding priorities and forwards its funding recommendations to th e County for Program Year 2013 (scheduled for December 5, 2012). 4.CDBG Program hearing :After the County releases the Draft One-Year Action Plan (which includes projects recommended for funding by the HRC), Council holds a publi c hearing; approves the City's 2013 CDBG Program ; and forwards its recommendation to th e Urban County for inclusion in the final One-Year Action Plan (tentatively scheduled fo r February 19, 2013). On September 5, 2012, the HRC completed the first step by holding its combined GIA an d CDBG community needs hearing . An audience of about 20 people attended the hearing and 1 3 speakers addressed a wide variety of community needs . The testimony provided indicated to th e Commission and staff that difficult economic conditions continued to drive an increase in servic e needs . Representatives from non-profits who spoke pointed to an increase in demand fo r services including emergency shelter, transitional housing, hunger prevention, child care, healt h services, affordable housing and social programs, while funding at the state and local level ha s significantly decreased . The increase in demand along with a decrease in grant funding has strained providers' ability to deliver core services . The service providers stressed the importanc e of the GIA and CDBG programs and encouraged the HRC to continue its support . HRC Recommended CDBG Funding Priorities for Program Year 201 3 After discussion of the current economy and testimony provided by the public, the Commission reviewed the prior year CDBG funding priorities and decided to re-affirm the priorities withou t modification . HRC's recommended 2013 CDBG funding priorities are : 1.Emergency and transitional shelter, homelessness prevention and services . 2.Develop and enhance affordable housing for low and very-low income persons . 3.Economic development (to include seismic retrofit, economic stability, low and moderat e income jobs). 4.Promote accessibility and/or removal of architectural barriers for the disabled and elderly . The priorities adopted by Council set the framework by which the HRC reviews gran t applications and recommends funding choices to the Council . Generally, most applications fo r CDBG funds fit intuitively within one of the listed categories . HRC Recommended GIA Funding Priorities for 201 3 The HRC also reviewed the 2012-13 GIA funding priorities and decided to re-affirm th e priorities without modification . The list below is bulleted instead of numbered specificall y because the HRC does not rank these recommended funding priorities to allow maximu m flexibility when making funding recommendations dependent upon the applications received . •Homeless prevention including supportive services and transitional housin g •Hunger and malnutrition prevention •Supportive physical and mental health services • • PH1-2 CDBG & GIA Funding Priorities for the 2013 Program Year Page 3 • Services for seniors and/or people with disabilitie s • Supportive services for youth and their development ; especially targeted to youth at ris k Next Step s The next step in the CDBG and GIA program cycles is for the Council to consider the HRC's recommendations and to affirm or revise the City's funding priorities . This step is important because these priorities will guide the HRC's review of grant applications and recommendation s for finding . These priorities will also guide Council's final funding decisions when it consider s CDBG and GIA funding recommendations on February 19 and June 4, 2013, respectively . FISCAL IMPACT Decisions made regarding priorities will affect how CDBG and GIA applications are evaluate d and chosen for support . The City of San Luis Obispo receives CDBG funds through the Count y allotment and, while this does not directly impact the General Fund, to the extent that project s can be funded through CDBG, they are not otherwise requesting money from the City's Genera l Fund . The City does designate a portion of General Fund monies for the GIA progra m ($126,600 per year for the last two Financial Plans) and the priorities expressed by the Counci l will influence how those grants will be awarded . Establishing priorities has no immediate fisca l impact but will be helpful in allocating the CDBG and GIA funding regardless of the amount . ALTERNATIVE S 1.The Council may modify the proposed funding priorities . 2.The Council may continue consideration of funding priorities . Direction should be give n to staff regarding additional information needed to make a decision on priorities . Thi s alternative is not recommended because the deadline to submit a request for 2013 CDB G funds ends on October 12, 2012, and applicants to the program benefit from knowing th e City's funding priorities in advance . ATTACHMENT HRC Draft Meeting Minutes from 9-5-1 2 T:\Council Agenda Reports\ 2012\ 2012-10-02\CDBG Funding Priorities (Johnson-Corey)\CDBG 2013 Funding Priorities .docx • • PH1-3 ATTACHMENT 1 HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION (HRC ) MINUTES REGULAR MEETIN G September 5, 201 2 5 :00 p .m . 990 Palm St — Council Chamber s CALL TO ORDER : 5 :00 P M PRESENT :Chairperson :Charlene Rosales,Vice Chairperson :Louise Mathen y Commissioners :Theresa Merkle, John Rollefso n ABSENT :Commissioners :Hillary Trout and Ronald Tille y STAF F PRESENT :Derek Johnson, Director of Community Development, Monica Irons, Huma n Resources Director, Steve Gesell, Police Chief, Tyler Corey, Housin g Programs Manager, Jake Hudson, Transportation Operations Manage r CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES : ACTION :Moved by Trout/Merkle to approve the minutes of August 1, 2012 a s submitted ; motion carried 3 :0 ; Rollefson abstained . PUBLIC COMMEN T No public comment for items not on the agenda . Item 1 .PRESENTATION OF HOMELESS SERVICES ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIE S (JOHNSON I Commissioners received the presentation . PH1-4 • • • ATTACHMENT 1 Item 2 .OVERVIEW OF THE 2013-14 GRANTS IN AID AND CDBG PROCES S •(IRONS/COREY ) Commissioners received the presentation . Item 3 .TESTIMONY FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING HEALTH AND HUMA N SERVICE NEEDS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISP O (ROSALES ) Thirteen speakers gave testimony to the commissioners and staff . Carl Hansen, Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo Count yCharlene Ables, President of Assistance Leagu eHeather Murphy, Community Action Partnership (CAPSLO )Jim Griffin, SLO residen tKayla Wilburn, 40 Wonderful Program, CAPSL OPearl Munak, Transitional Food and Shelte rRick London , CEO of United Way San Luis Obispo Count yDee Torres, Director of Homeless Services, CAPSL O •Carolyn Huddelston, One Cool Eart hJen Kirkpatrick, County YCM ACynthia Ray Eastman, SLO Residen tMarianne Kennedy, Executive Director of the Women's Shelte rStephanie Medina, Wilshire Community Service s Item 4 .REVIEW GIA AND CDBG FUNDING PRIORITIES (ROSALES ) ACTION : Moved by Matheny/Rollefson to keep GIA funding priorities as is . ACTION : Moved Merkle/Matheny to keep CDBG funding priorities as is . •COMMISSIONER COMMENTS PH1-5 ATTACHMENT 1 Matheny asks staff for clarification on rent control . Community Development Directo r Johnson explained most rent control programs pre-date legislation that prohibits ren t control . Matheny asked about housing subsidies and Johnson suggested that at a futur e agenda he and Mr . Corey could come back along with a Housing Authority representative t o explain the City's housing programs . There being no further business to come before the HRC, Rosales adjourned the HR C meeting at 7 :06 p .m . to the regular meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 3, 2012 a t 5 :00 p .m . in the Council Hearing Room at 990 Palm St . Respectfully Submitted , Monica Irons , Human Resources Director • • • PH1-6