10/11/2022 Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022
Housing Advisory Board
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
9:00 AM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory
Board
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City of Clearwater
Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022
Housing Advisory Board
Roll Call
Present 6 - Chair Camille Hebting, Vice Chair Kevin Chinault, Board Member
Peter Scalia, Board Member Gaby Camacho, Board Member Carmen
Santiago, and Board Member Robyn Fiel
Absent 1 - Board Member Lindsay Dicus-Harrison
Also Present - Denise Sanderson — Economic Development & Housing Director, Gina
Clayton — Planning & Development Director, Chuck Lane — Economic
Development & Housing Assistant Director, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board
Reporter
1. Call To Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 11:30 a.m. at the Main Library.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the August 9, 2022, NAHAB Meeting Minutes.
Member Scalia moved to approve the minutes of the August 9,
2022 Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board
meeting as submitted in written summation. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4. New Business Items
4.1 Recommend City Council approval of the Third Substantial Amendment to the City of
Clearwater's 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan to reallocate existing funding provided by the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to address needs
resulting from the COVID-19 Emergency.
In 2020, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
allocated $1,351,560 of Community Development Block Grant
Program - Coronavirus Response funds (CDBG-CV) to be used by the City
of Clearwater to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. This
amount is the total of two allocations from the first and third tranches of
funding authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136, which was signed by President
Trump on March 27, 2020, to respond to the growing effects of the historic
public health crisis.
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City of Clearwater
Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022
Housing Advisory Board
Ajurisdiction's Annual Action Plan implements its multi-year Consolidated
Plan and is developed through significant citizen participation, analysis, and
planning. A First Substantial Amendment to the city's 2019 Annual Action
Plan (AAP) was approved by the City Council on May 7, 2020, to incorporate
$492,592 from the first tranche of CDBG-CV funding. A Second Amendment
to the 2019 AAP was approved by City Council on October 14, 2020, to
incorporate $858,968 from the third tranche of CDBG-CV funding.
Staff is recommending approval of the Third Substantial Amendment to the
2019 AAP to reallocate funding to programs and activities that will more
effectively distribute CDBG-CV funding assistance. The city's administration
of CDBG-CV funding has focused on providing funding assistance to
non-profit service providers. Non-profit organizations have shown a lack of
ability to expand capacity to expend funds and assist Clearwater residents
as set forth in various CDBG-CV funding contracts. Staff is
recommending a shift to utilize a portion of the funds for improvements to
public facilities. Staff recommends the following budget:
The Substantial Amendment reduces funding for the following activities:
($58,695) - CDBG Program Administration
($657,763) - Suncoast Housing Connections - Mortgage Assistance/
Foreclosure Prevention
Contracts are already in place for the following CDBG-CV Public Services:
$29,693.90 - Suncoast Housing Connections - Mortgage Assistance/
Foreclosure Prevention
$104,441.47 - Homeless Leadership Alliance - Housing Navigation
$132,559.00 - Directions For Living - Prospect Towers - Assistance to
Tenants being Displaced
$38,354.00 - Gulfcoast Legal Services (COVID Housing Legal Services)
$345,593.00 - Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County
$8,500.00 - Showered & Empowered, Inc. (complete)
$2,000.00 - Pet Grooming On The Go LLC (complete)
The Substantial Amendment adds the following Public Facility
Improvements:
$51,662.00 - R'Club Child Care - Gateway Facility HVAC Air Quality
Upgrades
$47,140.00 - R'Club Child Care - Breeden Facility HVAC Air Quality
Upgrades
$190,000.00 - Ross Norton Lake Bellevue Recreational Pier
$190,000.00 - Ross Norton Playground
$211,616.63 - CDBG-CV Administration
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City of Clearwater
Neighborhood and Affordable Meeting Minutes October 11, 2022
Housing Advisory Board
CDBG-CV Grantees are required to spend 80% of their allocations within
three years of receiving the funds. Accordingly, the City of Clearwater must
expend $1,081,248 by June 2023. CDBG Expenditures to date total
$207,509.90.
This agreement will be funded with Community Development Block Grant -
Coronavirus funds, a funding source provided by the United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Economic Development & Housing Assistant Director Chuck Lane reviewed
the proposed Third Substantial Amendment to the City's 2019/20 Annual
Action Plan.
In response to questions, Mr. Lane agreed the County had a robust
emergency rental program. Despite multiple outreach efforts, few
requested help from the City's program that focused on homeowners. It is
now difficult to connect homeowner difficulties with the pandemic. The 2
R'Club Child Care facilities previously received CDBG funding for facility
upgrades, these funds are for different projects.
Member Chinault moved to recommend City Council approve the Third
Substantial Amendment to the City of Clearwater's 2019-2020 Annual
Action Plan to reallocate existing funding provided by the United
States Department of Housing and Urban Development to address
needs resulting from the COVID-19 Emergency. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
5. Old Business Items: None.
6. Director's Report
Mr. Lane said a future agenda will include discussion of the City's down
payment assistance program. Decisions by the City Manager and City
Attorney will determine if the suggestion to combine the AHAC (Affordable
Housing Advisory Committee) and NAHAB (Neighborhood &Affordable
Housing Advisory Board) will be agendaed for future discussion. City Council
and City Manager approval would be necessary for any change.
Improved guidance and clarification were requested re the main differences
between the board and committee including each one's goals and mission. It
was noted that many AHAC conversations should be occurring at NAHAB
meetings. It was recommended that discussions on evening meetings be
held after the merge discussion.
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City of Clearwater
Neighborhood and Affordable
Housing Advisory Board
7. Board Members to be Heard: None.
Meeting Minutes
8. Adiourn
The meeting adjourned at 11:52 a.m.
2
October 11, 2022
Chair
Neighborhood & Afforda•Ie ousing Advisory Board
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City of Clearwater