12/08/2009
NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
December 8, 2009
Present: Kip Corriveau Chair
Peggy M. Cutkomp Vice-Chair
Lisa Hughes Board Member
Laurel E. Braswell Board Member
Donald F. Brackett Board Member
Linda Kemp Board Member
Absent: William R. Griffiths Board Member
Also Present: Geri Campos Lopez Economic Development & Housing Director
Jim Donnelly Economic Dev & Housing Assistant Director
Michael Holmes Housing Manager
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
3 – Approval of Minutes
– October 13, 2009
Member Kemp moved to approve the minutes of the regular Neighborhood and
Affordable Housing Advisory Board meeting of October 13, 2009, as recorded and submitted in
written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
4 – (CAPER) Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report
Housing Manager Michael Holmes reviewed the City’s FY (Fiscal Year) 2008/09 CAPER
(Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report), which documents for HUD (Housing
& Urban Development) City expenditures for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and
HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funded programs. The City’s $1,596,948 budget for FY
(Fiscal Year) 2008/09: 1) $926,211 – CDBG; 2) $520,737 - HOME; and 3) $150,000 - program
income. The City’s budget was reduced by approximately $1 million due to a State Housing
Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP) funding reduction. A summary of City activities
conducted with SHIP was included, though SHIP funds were not included in the totals. In FY
2008/09, the City expended $1,098,353 for CDBG and HOME program activities. This total
included prior year funds, program income, and recaptured funds. Unexpended funds will be
reprogrammed in future year budgets.
The CAPER monitors grantee activities and financial audits for compliance and
assesses each grantee’s ability to provide necessary services for Community Planning and
Development programs and comply with all rules and regulations. The report provides grantees
an opportunity to describe to citizens their successes in revitalizing deteriorated neighborhoods.
Report information is included in HUD’s Annual Report to Congress.
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2009-12-08 1
The FY 2008/09 CAPER includes: 1) assessment of 3- to 5-year goals/objectives; 2)
affordable housing; 3) continuum of care; 4) leveraging resources; 5) affirmatively furthering fair
housing; 6) citizens comments; and 7) self-evaluation. Grantees assisted more than 17,304
persons through Public Services, Public Facilities, Housing Rehabilitation and New
Construction, Fair Housing, and Economic Development projects. The City also expended
$809,632 of prior year SHIP and $182,573 of prior year Pinellas County Housing Trust funds.
Key accomplishments: 1) completed 17 rehabilitations - $620,711; 2) purchased 8 vacant lots
and built 3 homes - $248,500; 3) completed 15 down payment assistance loans - $205,335; 4)
provided funds for Boley/Covert Apartments Rehabilitation (13 units) and Pinellas Hope II (50
Units) - $255,699; 5) implemented Florida Homebuyers Opportunity Program in support of First
Time Homebuyer Tax Credit; 6) razed Blue Chip Bar in North Greenwood; 7) obligated
$251,249 in CDBG-R funds to East Gateway for improvements to sidewalk infrastructure and
façades; 8) engaged East Gateway stakeholders in Action Program implementation; 9)
developed East Gateway District Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (component of
Consolidated Plan); and 10) created East Gateway District Façade & Building Lot Improvement
Program (4 façade project applications have been submitted). The CAPER is due to HUD by
December 30, 2009.
In response to questions, Mr. Holmes said the report’s cutoff date was September 30,
2009; many agencies did not submit final reimbursement requests until October, when
necessary documentation became available. Economic Development & Housing Assistant
Director Jim Donnelly said staff is working with some Public Facilities recipients to finalize
construction processes. The largest carryover of funds was for Public Facilities; agencies were
unable to use all appropriated funds since the number of rehabilitation projects had decreased.
Mr. Holmes said the process to develop a new five-year plan is underway: 1) the past
five years will be reviewed; 2) new programs will be considered; 3) new goals will be set; 4) new
benchmarks will be established; 5) new strategies will be adopted; and 6) stakeholders will be
invited to provide input. Economic Development & Housing Director Geri Campos Lopez said
the County is receptive to working with the City to develop the new plans. The cities of Largo
and St. Petersburg also are required to submit new plans. Mr. Donnelly said with no SHIP
funding from the State this year, the City will need to reinvent its programs to meet as many
community needs as possible with increasingly limited funds. Mr. Holmes thanked grantees for
helping the City meet its goals.
Concern was expressed regarding the chronic need for affordable rental housing. Ms.
Lopez said the City Council had questioned why current apartment vacancy rates are high. It
was commented that rents are unaffordable for the unemployed and working poor, including day
care workers, wait staff, etc. Many who earn a minimum wage can pay no more than $400 per
month for rent. It was stated that CHA (Clearwater Housing Authority) has a 24-month backlog
of applications, the census will show that many people now share living quarters, and many
families lose day care subsidies when they are laid off from work and cannot find another job
quickly.
Member Hughes moved to recommend approval of the FY 2008/09 CAPER. The motion
was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
5 – Old/New Business
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2009-12-08 2
Citizens to be Heard: None.
Mr. Donnelly invited board members to attend the Florida Legislation Delegation's public
hearing in St. Petersburg on December 14, 2009. Local communities have been allotted seven
minutes to present their request to repeal the cap on the Sadowski Trust Fund and use that
money to fund SHIP programs.
6 - Next Meeting - January 12, 2010
Mr. Holmes reported that today is Member Brackett's last meeting. Mr. Brackett was
invited to the January 12, 2009, meeting to be publicly acknowledged for his service on the
board.
7 - Adjourn
Chair,
&~
r4eig orhood & Affordable
Housing Advisory Board
The meeting adjourned at 9:34 a.m.
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2009-12-08
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