04/22/2003 (2)
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NAHAS.
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing
Advisory Bo~rd
MINUTES
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NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
April 22, 2003
Present: Peggy M. Cutkomp
Laurel Braswell
Stephen Jefferies
Joyce L. Smith
Tracy Reid
Don Brackett
Chair
Vice-Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Absent: Rev. William Graham
Board Member
Also Present: Howie Carroll
Michael Holmes
Patricia O. Sullivan
Assistant Housing Director
Housing Manager
Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:08 a.m. at City Hall.
To,provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
ITEM #3 - Approval of Minutes
Member Smith moved to defer approval of the minutes from the February 11 and April 8.
2003 meetings until May 13,2003. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #4 - Citizens to be Heard - None.
ITEM #5 - Fundinq Allocations - FY(Fiscal Year) 2003/04 Consolidated Action Plan
Assistant Housing Director Howie Carroll reviewed the process to fund agencies to
address fair housing, public facilities and improvements, economic development, public
services, administration, acquisition. rehabilitation, relocation, demolition.' housing education
and development, the HOME Investment Partnership' program. and CHDO (Community Housing
, Development Organization) reserves. He thanked members of NAHAB (Neighborhood &
Affordable Housing Advisory Board) and TRC (Te~hnical Review Committee).
In response to a question, Mr. Carroll said as proposed, the top two rated Public
Services Category agencies' were scheduled to receive 60% of their requested allocations. As
the second and third rated agencies had tied scores, the top three in this category will receive
600/0 of their requests. The next two agencies are scheduled to receive 500/0 of their requests.
The remaining agencies receive 40% of their requests until available funds are all used.
Funding for Public Services is capped at 150/0 of the total COSG (Community Development
Block Grant) allocation,
In response to a question, Housing 'Manager Michael Holmes said some agencies were
not rated due to required information missing from their applications. He reviewed these items.
which included unclear requests. a lack of reassurance that facility improvements made, with
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2003-0422
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federal funds would be reimbursed, and a request for toys, which cannot be funded by this
source. HOME and SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) funds are limited to housing
related issues.
Concern was expressed the process used to determine funding allocations for Public
Services Category agencies seems unfair. Scores are based on how well an agency meets City
objectives. It was stated an agency with a score of 54 received $8,890 while an agency, with
the much higher score of 82. received only $4,000. It was recommended funding not be
provided to agencies that score below 75 or 80. Mr. Carroll said it is up to NAHAB to determine
that issue. Concern was expressed agencies with poor grant writing skills do not score well.
Mr. Holmes said scoring applications is not an exact science and welcomed suggestions to
improve the system. It was felt all top scoring agencies should receive some funding.
Betty Cranes of Girls Incorporated of Pinellas County thanked the board for funding the
agency, stating funds will support a variety of programming.
Elizabeth Shaw of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, Inc. expressed concern the
agency's application had reflected the amount of funds necessary to receive a federal match to
serve clients.
Laron Barber of Clearwater Community Based Organization requested input regarding
his agency's poor score and how they can improve it in the future. He said his agency is at a
disadvantage to other agencies. which know how to write grants and recommended other
agencies collaborate with his agency to write grants.
, Alex Emmanuel, of UNO Federation Community Services. Inc. said grant applications
are costly to produce. He said his agency lacks funding to present its application correctly.
It was recommended that requests be limited to a percentage of available funds. In
response to a question. Mr. Carroll said some funds returned last year allowed the City to fund 4
Public Facility agencies not originally identified for funding. To receive them, agencies must be
ready to use available funds immediately. Unused funds greater than 1500/0 of each year's
allocation must be returned to USHUD (Department of U.S Housing & Urban Development) if
they are not drawn down by August 1. The City does not want to be in that position.
In response to a concern that new groups do not know how to write grant proposals, Mr.
Carroll said staff would be agreeable to host a grants workshop every fall to help agencies with
the application and writing process. Mr. Holmes said staff is available to help bring grass roots
organizations up to sp~ed. Ms. Shaw said the Pinellas Grants Collaborative meets monthly at
SPC (St. Petersburg College) and provides grass roots organization with seasoned grants
people for men~oring. A Bridges to Grant Writing workshop is planned in June 2003.
Member Braswell moved to recommend funding allocations as listed in the FY (Fiscal
Year) 2003/04 Consolidated Action Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
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ITEM #6 - New/Old Business
771,
Mr. Carroll reported staff will develop a formal action plan for 30 days of pUblic comment
before it is presented to the City Commission on June 19. 2003. The goal is to have all agency
agreements executed by October 1 , 2003.
, Member Jeffries was thanked for his service to the- board.
ITEM #7 - Announcements
a) Upcoming Meeting - May 13, 2003
ITEM #9 - Adiournment
, The meeting adjourned at 9:43 a.m.
Neighborhood & Affordaqle Housing 2003-0422 I,
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Chair
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing
Advisory Board'
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ITEM #6 - New/Old Business
Mr. Carroll reported staff will develop a formal action plan for 30 days of public comment
before it is presented to the City Commission on June 19. 2003. The goal is to have all agency
agreements executed by October 1 t 2003.
Member Jeffries was thanked for his service to the board.
ITEM #7 - Announcements
a) Upcoming Meeting - May 13, 2003
ITEM #9'- Adiournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:43 a.m.
Neighborhood & Afford~ble Housing 2003~0422 ,
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Chair
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing
Advisory Board . .
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