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NAHAS
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing
Advisory Board
MINUTES
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Date
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NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD
CITY OF CLEARWATER
September 17, 1996
Present:
Shirley Moran
Mayme W. Hodges
Rev. William Graham
William Turner, Sr.
Bertha Kelley
Howard Groth
Mary Myhill
Milly Joplin
Empty Seat
Alan J. Ferri
Michael Holmes
Patricia O. Sullivan
Chair
Vice-Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Economic Development Director
Economic Development Assistant Director
Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed In that order.
ITEM #2 ~ Aooroval of Minutes
~~ Member Groth moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of May 21,
June 4, and June 18. 1996, as recorded and submitted in written summation to each
member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Member Hodges said she did not receive the evaluation forms she had requested at
the May 21, 1996, meeting. It was stated board members departed the June 4, 1996,
meeting after completing their evaluation forms. No vote or actions were taken.
ITEM #3 - Agencv Presentation bv the Salvation Armv
Salvation Army Commanding Officer John Needham greeted the board. Salvation
Army Director of the Homeless Intervention Program Ed Brandt said the Salvation Army
served approximately 34 homeless persons per month at their previous 10-bed shelter and
now averages 63 per month in their temporary 20-bed facility opened in 1995. Residents
now stay longer and receive more help. Their homeless program on Ft. Harrison Avenue
provides food and showers and serves 750 cases per month. Each visit is counted
separately. He estimated 80% of the Salvation Army's homeless clients have not returned
to the street. Many have jobs or have gone home to family support. He thanked NAHAB
(Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board) for their support. He noted the
importance of a trained shelter staff.
Salvation Army Business Administrator Paul Bridges said they are active with the
new non-profit CHIP (Clearwater Homeless Intervention Program). The City of Clearwater,
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~ St. Vincent de Paul, and CHA (Clearwater Housing Authority) also participate. The
.I Salvation Army's homeless program will move to the 48~bed CHIP facility when it opens
next year. The temporary shelter will close. It was questioned if the structure will require
pilings. Mr. Bridges said engineers are investigating that issue. It was questioned if pilings
will increase the projectts cost. Mr. Bridges said if pilings are deemed necessary, the
engineers will consider other options. In response to a question, Mr. Bridges said funds
remaining in their City grant are sufficient. The program also is funded by a Pinellas
County Social Action Grant and Salvation Army fund-raising. It was questioned if more
funds will be needed next year to run the larger facility. Mr. Bridges said CHIP will raise
funds for the facility's operation. Program operations also may receive support from CHIP.
ITEM #4 ~ Presentation of the Economic Develooment Element of the Comorehensive Plan
Economic Development Director Alan Ferri distributed the draft of the first Economic
Development Element of the Comprehensive Plan prepared by the City. Identifying
benchmarks will be beneficial when applying for State money. The plan includes specific
goals the City can reach in 5 years and is broad enough to meet changes in the local
economy. The plan addresses the need for financial resources to finance business
expansion and retention. Mr. Ferri said in the past year, the Economic Development
Department has closed 20 loans for business development, leveraging $1. 7~mi1lion of
private sector money with $175,000 of public tunds. Affected businesses created new
jobs through start up or expansion.
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Mr. Ferri requested the board review the draft and call him with questions or
suggestions before discussion at Octoberts meeting. The Planning & Zoning Board will
review the plan following NAHAS's endorsement. After Commission approval, the plan
will be forwarded to the State.
ITEM #5 M Subgrantee Reoorts
Concern was expressed the board does not recommend or determine how
unexpended funds are used. It was suggested those funds be transferred to agencies
whose applications were not funded. Mr. Ferri said he could not determine which
programs were funded by other sources. He estimated $350,000 of the $2.2-million
approved will rollover this year. Within 11 months, his department moved $750,000 for
home ownership. Concern was expressed 9 agency programs were not funded because of
a shortage of available funds. Mr. Ferri said housing programs receive the greatest
percentage of funding. Every housing program was funded last year. In response to a
question, Mr. Ferri said his department funded the Tampa Bay Homebuyers Club and
Community Services Foundation Neighbors program through a different source after they
did not quality for State or Federal funds through the City. He had recommended
establishing a separate category next year that facilitates home ownership.
It was felt the board should allocate every funding dollar. Mr. Ferri said the
Economic Development Department determines how rollover funds are spent based on
categories established by State and Federal statute. Recaptured funds are used for the
same designated category. He said NAHAS's role is to evaluate the original applications
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and make allocations. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said when evaluating
applications, NAHAS can penalize agencies that rolled over funds. Previously, staff and
the Commission determined all allocations. The evaluation system rewards agencies that
are successful at moving their appropriated funds.
It was suggested that NAHAS be able to approve partial funding. Mr. Ferri
expressed concern that procedure would encourage subgrantees to falsify their
applications and inflate their requests. He noted some failures to meet spending goals are
based on market conditions beyond agency control. Then, Economic Development staff is
able to "step up to the plate" and deliver the approved services to the community. It was
suggested that NAHAB should recommend how unspent funds are used rather than
Economic Development staff. Mr. Ferri said his annual budget assumes funds will rollover
to his department. Next yearts contracts permit the Economic Development Department to
recapture contract funds not spent by the end of each quarter and deliver services when
an agency does not succeed at meeting their contracted goals. Rollover funds cannot be
allocated to other agencies without repeating the entire funding process, including public
hearings. Categories cannot be modified once the City submits the Consolidated Plan to
the Federal government.
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It was noted agencies have reported that Mr. Ferri is doing a marvelous job. It was
felt it would be more fair if requests could be partially funded. Mr. Ferri cautioned that
method would create management problems. He said raising the standards each year will
reduce rollovers. Rollovers have decreased from $1.million to $ 3 50 ,000. or 1 2 % of
allocated funds. Economic Development Assistant Director Michael Holmes said he will
propose a minor procedural change at the October meeting.
It was suggested NAHAS have an increased role in the decision making process.
Currently, NAHAS and TRC (Tec~nical Review Committee) scores have equal value.
Concern was expressed NAHASts role is limited after members score the applications. It
was felt the current process awards some agencies with more funding than they can use
while other worthy programs receive nothing. Mr. Ferri reported he had extended Mustard
Seed's contract by 6 months when the program's creation in Clearwater was delayed due
to the Executive Director's slow recovery from serious illness. After startup, the program
will be self-sustaining. It was felt this type of information should be forwarded to NAHAB.
Mr. Ferri cautioned against changing the process. It was suggested the process
could be improved. He said the penalty for agencies not using all appropriated funds will
increase from 5 % to 10% or 1 5 %. Performance standards are raised annually, penalizing
agencies that fail to perform. Under the current system, he said infill home construction
increased from 15 to 40 annually, home rehabilitations doubled, and business development
loans increased from $0 to $1. 7-million. It was felt quarterly review of agency
expenditures could permit adjustments. Mr. Holmes said language referring to reviews
must be included in the contracts. It was felt board members need a better understanding
of agency expenses. It was stated application budgets should identify contract services
and the cost of each.
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Mr. Ferri said in the last 2 % years, production numbers have increased, the rollover
rate has decreased, and the number of clients served has increased. The City has more
control over quality and non profits have more freedom to deliver services. He felt
numbers are going in the right direction. In reply to a suggestion, Mr. Holmes said
crediting agencies in the evaluation process for serving a large number of clients would
unfairly benefit programs such as food kitchens. Mr. Ferri said Federal and State rules
strictly require programs to serve the low and very low income population. He suggested
the cost per unit of service could be considered as an evaluation tool.
~ It was stated NAHAB members want to increase their level of participation in the
i process. Concern again was expressed that surplus funds cannot be allocated to
organizations that were not awarded funding. Mr. Ferri said funding levels are capped. He
reviewed funding targets and limits, i.e., money designated for housing cannot be used for
public services. The City Commission approves annual allocations. If partial funding is
allowed, he warned agencies will pad their budgets. In response to a question, he said
Tampa Bay CDC has requested working capital to buy two houses, renovate them, and sell
them. Other agencies are encouraged to adopt similar programs. In response to a
question, he said the City gives owners of unsafe buildings an opportunity to renovate their
property. If nothing is done, the City razes the house to discourage unacceptable uses and
liens the property. In an earlier program. the City had found problems remained after liens
were forgiven. Some owners have gifted unsafe buildings to CNHS. More than 300
families are waitlisted for housing rehabilitations.
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A new evaluation form will be drafted in January 1997. A series of Public Hearings
will be held in the Spring. More than 120 people attended last year's hearings. Broadcast
of NAHAS meetings has increased community awareness of the diversity of agencies
funded and their production numbers.
The Board indicated they want to be a more involved in the decision process. It
was suggested the Economic Development Department report changes and indicate how
reallocated funds are used.
ITEM #6 - Old Business
a) Telephone poll results of the housing element of the Comprehensive Plan
Mr. Ferri said a poll of NAHAB members following the last meeting regarding the
Comprehensive Plan resulted in 8 minor changes. The plan was forwarded to the Planning
& Zoning Board and City Commission for approval before submission to the Florida
Department of Community Affairs.
b) Board vacancy for Housing Development
Mr. Ferri requested members forward recommendations for a residential or building
industry representative to fill the board's empty seat.
ITEM #7 - New Busines~
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a) Subgrantee monitoring schedule and assignments
Consensus was to approve the monitoring schedule: 1) Boys & Girls Club - Graham;
2) Clearwater Homeless Intervention Project - Myhill; 3) CNHS - new home owners -
Moran; 4) CNHS - rehabilitations - Moran; 5) CNHS - business loans- Moran; 6) Community
Response Team - Kelley; 7) Community Services Foundation - intervention cases - Joplin;
8) Community Services Foundation - land acquisition - Joplin; 9) Girls Inc.. of Pinellas -
Graham; 10) Habitat for Humanity - Turner;-11) Homeless Emergency Project, Inc. -
Hodges; 12) Partners in Self-Sufficiency - Moran; 13) Pinel1as Opportunity Council -
Hodges; 14) RCS Spouse Abuse Shelter - Joplin; 15) Salvation Army - Groth; 16) Tampa
Bay COC - Groth.
Mr. Ferri requested all visits be completed before April 15, 1997.
b) Subgrantee presentation schedule
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Mr. Ferri distributed the presentation schedule for Clearwater Consolidated Plan
Subgrantees: 1) September 17, 1996 - Salvation Army; 2} October 15, 1996 - Partners in
Self-Sufficiency and Pinenas Opportunity Council; 3} November 19, 1996 - Boys & Girls
Club and Girls Inc., of Pinellas; 4) January 21, 1997 - Clearwater Homeless Intervention
Project and RCS Spouse Abuse Shelter; 5) February 18, 1997 - CNHS, Community
Services Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Homeless Emergency Project, and Tampa Bay
COC; 6} March 18, 1997 - Community Response Team; and 7) April 15, 1997 - Economic
Development Department.
c) Brownfield program overview and NAHAS role as citizen. participation component
It was stated the City is fortunate to have been awarded Brownfield funding. Mr.
Ferr; said Clearwater and Miami are the only Florida cities approved for Brownfield to date.
Brownfields are developed areas that no longer have beneficial uses. The properties are
usually vacant and contaminated but are near existing infrastructure. Approximately
33,000 residents live within the Brownfield boundaries: North - Stevenson's Creek, South -
Belleair Road, East - Betty Lane, and West - Ft. Harrison Avenue. The City has identified
100 potential contaminated sites. Funds will be used to evaluate the extent of
contamination, reduce exposure, and recommend a better reuse of the land.
Citizen participation is required during the 2-year, $100,000 contract. NAHAS is
the designated citizen board. NAHAB previously held neighborhood meetings to solicit
input. Mr. Ferri suggested joint meetings with the North Greenwood Avenue Task Team
and South Greenwood Citizen Alliance for Progressive Action may be advantageous. He
recommended residents be encouraged to address ecology and environmental concerns.
The process may help redirect priorities. The contract starts in November. Further
discussion will be held during the October meeting.
ITEM #8 . Announcements
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tJ a) Next Schl!3duled Regular Meeting - October 15, 1996
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Chair Moran announced she cannot attend the next meeting.
ITEM #9 - Adiourn
The meeting adjourned at 11 :45 a.m. ("-':_ ~
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Ch tr "
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing
Advisory Board
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