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02/18/1997NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD CITY OF CLEARWATER February 18, 1997 Present: Mayme W. Hodges Howard Groth Shirley Moran Rev. William Graham Mary Myhill William Turner, Sr. Bertha Kelley Milly Joplin 9th seat vacant Chair Vice Chair Board Member Board Member (arrived 10:13 a.m.) Board Member Board Member (arrived 10:35 a.m.) Board Member Board Member Board Member   Alan J. Ferri Michael Holmes Gwen Legters Economic Development Director Economic Development Assistant Director Board Reporter   The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.. at Condon Gardens Community Meeting Room, 2990 Tanglewood Drive South. To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Minutes Approval -- January 21, 1997 Member Myhill had not been able to attend the January meeting, and requested an update regarding Item #6A, HOME Entitlement Status for Clearwater. Mr. Ferri responded at length Member Groth moved to approve the minutes as submitted in writing to each member by the Board Reporter. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Agency Presentations A. Clearwater Neighborhood Housing Services (CNHS) -- Isay Gulley Ms. Gulley said today’s report concerns CNHS range of services. She offered to present a detailed financial report to the board at their March meeting. Ms. Gulley discussed the services provided by CNHS, in joint partnership with the City, through the Infill Housing Development Program. She detailed the benefits to the community from more than 90 new rental properties, the marketing challenges, and mortgage considerations. She profiled the status of three subdivisions proposed as locations for new homes; the home ownership program; cooperation with the City’s Community Response Team to correct code violations; one-on-one in-house credit counseling, community need assessment, funding sources, and the CNHS mission to revitalize neighborhoods by promoting home ownership, economic development and housing rehabilitation. Nancy Hansen, CNHS Economic Development Specialist, detailed the educational seminars designed to assist homeowners in taking advantage of the benefits of home ownership. Three Americorps members are responsible for this program. Her office is reassessing whether home based businesses can relocate to the North Greenwood area. A nine course seminar series beginning on March 17 will teach real life experiences to members of the public who may want to start their own businesses. A panel of business consultants will be available to answer questions. She said the WinnDixie development at Cleveland Street and Myrtle Avenue is slowly progressing and may be finished by the first of next year. A question was raised whether NHS anticipates locating in another area of the City. Ms. Gulley briefly explained the determining factors of why NHS locates in a particular neighborhood, and how, in partnership with the City, it is determined when to move again. She responded to questions regarding the factors involved in moving individuals into replacement housing when it is determined rehabilitation of the existing homes is no longer feasible. While some concern was expressed the board had not heard a financial report, it was indicated CNHS had not been given guidelines of what the board expects them to provide. Mr. Ferri explained the preparations involved in the upcoming Consolidated Planning process, stating CNHS will be invited to speak in April as a part of that process. Scheduling a CNHS financial report for the March NAHAB agenda was not felt to be necessary. He asked CNHS to provide an educational update today to allow opportunity for the board to exercise due diligence and make informed decisions when voting to set funding. He said all agencies receiving board funding are scheduled to report during the course of the year. In response to questions, he said the agency presentations are not intended to replace the monitoring by individual board members. He urged board members not to approach each other with questions regarding their respective agencies, but to submit all requests for information through his office. B. Community Services Foundation -- Gerry Spilatro, Executive Director Mr. Spilatro updated members on the function of the Foundation in Clearwater and the surrounding communities to provide opportunities for affordable housing and social service to low income families. He reported NAHAB has provided $6,000 for the fair housing program, $45,000 for site acquisition, and $5,000 for the Neighbors Program. The Foundation’s 1996 annual report will be included in a newsletter that will be mailed to the board. Referring to display boards, Mr. Spilatro demonstrated the figures regarding the number of families helped with rent and mortgage payments, electric and water bills, and the funding sources for that help. He reported the number of families counseled on finding housing, eviction mediation, foreclosure forestallment, home buyer education, and budget training. Mr. Spilatro profiled the family support counseling provided through the neighborhood family center in Foundation Village, a 26-unit complex on Woodlawn west of Greenwood Avenue. The Foundation has purchased an adjacent “L” shaped lot at the corner of Woodlawn and South Garden Avenue. He will be coming to the board next year with a request for funding a proposal to tie in the City-owned corner lot with the “L” shaped parcel, to build six affordable rental units. He highlighted the conceptual plan to improve the corner, and to provide a wide range of social service programs to benefit all segments of the community. While Mr. Spilatro could not estimate the amount he would be requesting, he said the figure would be in the thousands, not millions. He and Mr. Ferri touched on the site’s history and concerns regarding contamination of this former gas station site. Board members offered suggestions for improvement of the corner, and for beneficial community programs. Brief discussion ensued regarding nonpayment of rent by tenants receiving rental assistance. C. Habitat for Humanity -- President Robin Reardon; Operations Manager Richard Giebner Mr. Reardon and Mr. Giebner profiled this Christian based ministry that builds houses for the working poor, allowing them to have more discretionary income and better lives. The houses cost $42,000 to $42,500, and are built by volunteers and potential homeowners who are required to have a $500 down payment and a 400 hour sweat equity endorsement to qualify for one of the three bedroom, one bath, 1,200 square foot homes. Habitat for Humanity holds a 20-year interest-free mortgage, and payments are typically about $250 per month. Between $3,000 and $5,000 is budgeted for a lot and care is taken not to get the cost too high, to avoid extending the payments out too far. Eight houses have been built in Clearwater to date. Mr. Reardon stated they have trouble finding affordable land in Clearwater in the target communities. He explained the site acquisition and homeowner qualification process, stating they are careful not to obligate a lot until it is known whether the potential homeowner will be following through. For this reason, he did not know whether they can use the $50,000 site acquisition grant from NAHAB. Mr. Holmes recommended for Mr. Reardon to come to the City Economic Development offices to talk with staff about developing a program that will work in Clearwater. Discussion ensued regarding methods of finding affordable lots, how the volunteer hours are compiled, safety rules, and the sense of involvement experienced while constructing the homes. D. Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation (CDC) -- Gregory Swartz Mr. Swartz said the CDC has three programs -- property acquisition, down payment assistance, and a home buyer’s club. He explained the operation of each aspect, stating the NAHAB $180,000 grant is split -- $120,000 is encumbered for acquisition, rehabilitation and sales; $60,000 will be used for down payment assistance. The CDC processes loans for a Tampa non-profit organization, the Alliance for Affordable Housing, which is marketing the rehabilitated Willowbrook project for the Housing Authority. The seventh unit was recently purchased by a graduate of the home buyer’s club. He expressed concern funding may not be available to continue to assist people wishing to buy homes in Clearwater. Discussion ensued regarding location of Willowbrook, a 28-unit complex on King’s Highway, near Union Street. Because the NAHAB had not funded the home buyer’s club last year, one member requested information that could help the board evaluate whether or not to grant funding for next year. Mr. Swartz indicated if the application for funding the three programs had come in as one request under the single cover of the Tampa Bay CDC, it may have gotten funded differently. He felt it likely that having the funding split two different ways had been a factor in the board’s decision. Discussion ensued regarding the number of people served, operating expenses, how funding comes in, and the criteria by which it is applied to public service programs, compared to infill housing programs. Mr. Swartz said the $25,000 he has requested is for operating expenses. He explained how the invoices for services are submitted through the home buyer process. One member indicated the CDC’s fee for service was unique, and an explanation of that process in the application might be helpful to the board. Discussion ensued regarding reasons why it was thought the home buyer’s club had not competed effectively in the scoring evaluation. One member was unhappy that the CDC’s performance, given its position in the Alliance, has been successful in placing only seven home buyers in four months. Mr. Swartz indicated Clearwater Housing Authority has referred many people, but the applicants had been over income and not eligible for subsidy, or were not bankable because, although they had good credit and job stability, their debt to income ratio was too high. Brief discussion ensued regarding how to more effectively market the Willowbrook units. 4. Subgrantee Reports Mr. Ferri said the monthly subgrantee reports have become a very time consuming process, and suggested the reports be submitted quarterly. Because of the limited space of staff’s temporary office quarters, and the amount of paper consumed by the monthly reports, the board felt the idea had merit. Consensus was to accept the reports on a fiscal quarterly basis. 5. Old Business A. Filling Board Vacancy for Housing Development Mr. Ferri introduced Warren Hunt, a qualified applicant for the vacant Residential Building Industry Representative seat. Mr. Hunt was invited to sit in on today’s meeting to get a feel for how the board conducts its business. Mr. Hunt related his background and business experience as a lifelong resident of Clearwater, and his reasons for wishing to serve on the board. Board members favored the appointment, looking forward to the development and business experience Mr. Hunt will bring to the board. Mr. Ferri briefly outlined the board’s mandate and function under the State and Federal guidelines, to recommend allocation of approximately $2 million in annual funding. He will coordinate with the City Clerk to get Mr. Hunt’s application on the next City Commission agenda. B. Brownsfield Program Report This item was continued from the last meeting. Mr. Ferri submitted copies of the report for board review, stating discussion will be scheduled for a future meeting. 6. New Business A. Review of Citizen Participation Plan B. Review of Consolidated Plan Application C. Review of Consolidated Plan Evaluation Form Mr. Ferri reviewed the three document packages, and responded to questions regarding details of entitlement funding, processing grant requests, and a comparison of the HOME program to the CDBG and SHIP programs. No recommendations for changes were made. D. Consolidated Plan Time Table -- Continued to the next meeting 7. Board Member Monitoring Reports Member Myhill said Deborah Vincent had presented her Clearwater Homeless Intervention Program report at the board’s February meeting. Consensus was to accept that report. 8. Announcements A. Next Scheduled Regular Meeting Mr. Ferri said the March 18, 1997 meeting will be held at Ross Norton Community Center if City Hall has not reopened. Mr. Holmes raised discussion of board member terms. Mr. Ferri discussed the term limits established by ordinance. He will contact those members whose terms are expiring, regarding whether or not their seats are eligible for reappointment. Ms. Moran suggested staggering the times of agency presentations to avoid the representatives having to sit through lengthy presentations by other agencies. Mr. Ferri responded he scheduled the four housing groups together to help the board gain greater familiarity with the structure. Member Groth noted standards for presentations should be supplied to the agencies. Member Hodges reported the NAACP Annual Freedom Fund Banquet, April 18 at Harborview Center. She inquired whether the NAHAB was interested in attending as a group. Tickets for the annual fund raiser are $30. 9. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.