HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-18-2016 Item 10 Consideration of the Human Relations Commission Recommended Priorities for the 2017 Community Development Block Grant and Grants In Aid Programs Meeting Date: 10/18/2016
FROM: Michael Codron, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Jenny Wiseman, Acting Housing Programs Manager
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF THE HUMAN RELATION COMMISSION’S
RECOMMENDED PRIORITIES FOR THE 2017 COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) AND GRANTS-IN-AID (GIA)
PROGRAMS
RECOMMENDATION
As recommended by the Human Relations Commission, approve the Community Development
Block Grant and Grants-In-Aid funding priorities for 2017.
BACKGROUND
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
The City’s annual CDBG review process provides Council 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 ap plication process. The
Human Relations Commission (HRC) is the advisor to the Council on CDBG funding priorities
and recommendations. The four steps in the CDBG review process include:
1. HRC Hosts a “Needs Workshop”: The HRC hosts a public hearing to inform the public
about upcoming funding amounts and how to apply for grants, to hear community views on
grant funding needs, and to recommend funding priorities (held on September 7, 2016).
Attachment A contains the draft minutes from this hearing.
2. Council Priority-Setting: Council sets CDBG and GIA funding priorities. This is
scheduled for October 18, 2016.
3. CDBG Initial Recommendations Hearing: HRC holds a public hearing to review CDBG
applications in light of the adopted funding priorities and forwards its funding
recommendations to the County for 2017. This is scheduled for December 7, 2016.
4. CDBG Program Hearing: After the County releases the Draft Action Plan, the City
Council holds a public hearing to approve the City’s 2017 CDBG Program and forwards its
recommendation to the Urban County for inclusion in the final One-Year Action Plan. This is
tentatively scheduled for March 7, 2017.
Grants-in-Aid (GIA)
The City’s GIA program serves to provide financial support to non-profit organizations that
promote the economic and social well-being of the citizens of San Luis Obispo. The HRC is also
the advisor to the Council on funding priorities and recommendations for the GIA program. The
main steps in the GIA review process, similar to the CDBG process, include:
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1. HRC “Community Needs Workshop”: The HRC hosts a public hearing to inform the
public about upcoming funding amounts, how to apply for grants, to hear community views
on grant funding needs, and to recommend funding priorities (held on September 7, 2016,
minutes can be found in Attachment A).
2. Council Priority-Setting: Council sets CDBG and GIA funding priorities. This is
scheduled for October 18, 2016.
3. GIA Initial Recommendations Hearing: HRC holds a public hearing to finalize GIA
recommendations. This is scheduled for May 3, 2017. These recommendations are then
forwarded to Council.
4. GIA Program Hearing: City Council holds a public hearing to approve the City’s 2017 GIA
Program. This is tentatively scheduled for July 18, 2017.
Community Needs Workshop
On September 7, 2016, the HRC completed the first step of both the CDBG and GIA programs
by holding the Community Needs Workshop. An audience of about 20 persons attended the
workshop and 10 speakers addressed a wide variety of community needs. Testimony provided to
the Commission indicated that there is an increase in demand for services including: affordable
and alternative housing, homeless prevention and services, health care and pharmaceutical
supply, hunger prevention and nutrition, child care, and senior services. The service providers
stressed the importance of the GIA and CDBG programs and encouraged the HRC to continue its
support.
In addition, an Open City Hall online forum was available to those not able to attend the
workshop. Ten comments were received, which focused the need for affordable housing,
reducing homelessness, and assisting at-risk youth. These comments were also used to assist the
HRC develop the grant funding priorities.
2017 FUNDING PRIORITIES
HRC Recommended CDBG Funding Priorities
After hearing and reviewing public testimony, the Commission reviewed the 2016 CDBG
funding priorities and decided to make very minor adjustments to these previous priorities. The
HRC’s recommended 2017 CDBG ranked funding priorities are:
1. Provide emergency and transitional shelter, homelessness prevention and services.
2. Develop and enhance affordable housing for low and very-low income persons.
3. Promote accessibility and/or removal of architectural barriers for the disabled and elderly.
4. Enhance economic development (to include seismic retrofit, economic stability, low and
moderate income jobs).
The priorities adopted by Council set the framework by which the HRC reviews grant
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applications and recommends funding choices to the Council. Generally, most applications for
CDBG funds fit intuitively within one of the listed categories.
HRC Recommended GIA Funding Priorities
The HRC then reviewed the 2016 GIA funding priorities and decided to modify them to include
affordable housing and further distinguish clients that are in need. The HRC does not rank these
recommended funding priorities to allow maximum flexibility when making funding
recommendations dependent upon the applications received.
Homeless prevention including affordable and alternative housing, supportive services
and transitional housing.
Hunger and malnutrition prevention.
Supportive physical and mental health services for those in need.
Services for seniors and/or people with disabilities in need.
Supportive and developmental services for children and youth in need.
Next Steps
Once the Council considers the HRC’s recommended funding priorities, these priorities will
guide the HRC’s actions when reviewing grant applications and awarding funding. These
priorities will also guide Council’s final funding decisions when it considers CDBG funding
recommendations on March 7, 2017, and GIA funding recommendations on July 18, 2017.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is exempt from environmental review per Section 15061 (b)(3) General Rule and
Section 15306 Categorical Exemption of the CEQA Guidelines. The project is an action to
develop priorities to guide future decisions regarding the allocation of CDBG & GIA funding.
Each grant request approved for funding will be subject to CEQA at the time the project is filed.
It can be seen with certainty that the proposed action to develop priorities for funding will have
no significant effect on the environment and is exempt from environmental review.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding priorities will affect how CDBG and GIA applications are evaluated and how funds are
awarded. The City receives CDBG funds through the County allotment; while this does not
directly impact the General Fund, to the extent that projects can be funded through CDBG, they
are not otherwise requesting money from the City’s General Fund. The City does designate a
portion of General Fund monies for the GIA program and the priorities expressed by the Council
will influence how those grants will be awarded. While final 2017-18 GIA fund amounts have
not yet been established, a total of $138,500 in General Funds was set aside for GIA in fiscal
year 2016-17. Staff expects to receive similar GIA funding amounts for fiscal year 2017-18.
Establishing priorities has no immediate fiscal impact but is helpful in allocating the CDBG and
GIA funding regardless of the amount.
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ALTERNATIVES
1. The Council may modify the proposed funding priorities.
2. The Council may continue consideration of funding priorities. Direction should be given
to staff regarding additional information needed to make a decision on priorities. This
alternative is not recommended because the deadline to submit an application for 2017
CDBG funds ends on October 21, 2016, and applicants to the program benefit from
knowing the City’s funding priorities in advance.
Attachments:
a - HRC Draft Minutes - 09-07-2016
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Minutes - DRAFT
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Regular Meeting of the Human Relations Commission
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Human Relations Commission was called to order on Wednesday,
September 7, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm Street, San
Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Tasseff.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioners Julia Jones, Paul Orton, Carol Sexton, Nancy Welts, Vice Chair Robert
Clayton, and Chair Michelle Tasseff.
Absent: Commissioner Gene Strohl
Staff: Acting Housing Programs Manager Jenny Wiseman, Planning Technician Steven
Orozco, and Recording Secretary Monique Lomeli
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
None.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES
1. Consideration of Minutes
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JONES, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WELTS,
CARRIED (ABSENT: COMMISSIONER STROHL) 6-0 to approve the minutes of the
Human Relations Commission for the meeting of August 3, 2016.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. 2016 Community Needs Workshop
Acting Housing Programs Manager Jenny Wiseman presented an overview of the
Grants-in-Aid and Community Block Grant process and timelines, highlighting key
dates for the applicants.
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Packet Pg. 128 Attachment: a - HRC Draft Minutes - 09-07-2016 (1467 : 2017 CDBG and GIA Funding Recommendations)
DRAFT Minutes – Human Relations Commission Meeting of September 7, 2016 Page 2
In response to Commission inquiry, staff clarified that the Community Needs
Workshop is intended to gather information from the public regarding health and
human services needs in order to develop funding priorities for the 2017-18 grant cycle.
Public Comments:
Chair Tasseff opened the public hearing.
The following representatives of various local organizations provided program
information and advocated for specific needs in the community, citing access to proper
nutrition for seniors, mental health services, and affordable housing, childcare, and
medical services as primary needs in the community:
Juliane McAdam, Senior Nutrition Program
Frank Ricceri, Transitions Mental Health Association
Charlene Ables, Assistance League of San Luis Obispo County
Dona Hare Price, Learn. Connect. Play. Foundation
Claudia Lopez, Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access, Inc.
Audrey Flemming, Pharmaceutical Access, Inc.
Consuelo Meux, SLO Noor Foundation
Jenny Luciano, Child Development Resource Center
Suzanne Russell, Tolosa Children’s Dental Center
Anne Wyatt, Home Share SLO
Chair Tasseff closed the public hearing.
2. Establish 2017 CDBG and 2017-18 GIA Funding Priorities.
The Commission discussed the critical state of the housing situation, needs expressed
during the Community Needs Workshop, obtained through Open City Hall, and written
correspondence, and the possibility of ranking funding priorities.
ACTION: MOTION BY VICE CHAIR, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JONES,
CARRIED, (ABSENT COMMISSIONER STROHL) 6-0 to approve the 2017 CDBG
and 2017-18 GIA Funding Priorities.
COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS
Vice-Chair Clayton informed the Commission that October is Suicide Prevention month and
suggested interested parties consider participating in one of the local awareness walks.
Staff introduced new Long-Range Planning Technician Steven Orozco.
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Packet Pg. 129 Attachment: a - HRC Draft Minutes - 09-07-2016 (1467 : 2017 CDBG and GIA Funding Recommendations)
DRAFT Minutes – Human Relations Commission Meeting of September 7, 2016 Page 3
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:23 p.m. The next Regular meeting of the Human Relations
Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at 5:00 p.m., in the Council Hearing
Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California.
APPROVED BY THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION: XX/XX/2016
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Packet Pg. 130 Attachment: a - HRC Draft Minutes - 09-07-2016 (1467 : 2017 CDBG and GIA Funding Recommendations)
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