04/15/1997 NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
April 15, 1997
Present: Howard Groth Vice-Chair
Rev. William Graham Board Member
Milly Joplin Board Member
Bertha Kelley Board Member
Shirley Moran Board Member
Mary Myhill Board Member
William Turner, Sr. Board Member
Warren Hunt Board Member
Alan J. Ferri Housing and Urban Development Director
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
Absent: Mayme W. Hodges Chair
The Vice-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 - Approval of Minutes
Member Moran moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 18, 1997, as recorded and submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded
and carried unanimously.
ITEM #3 - SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) Local Housing Assistance Plan
Housing and Urban Development Director Alan Ferri said the local housing assistance plan, which usually is submitted to the State annually, triggers the release of program funds. This
is the first time staff has developed a 3-year plan regarding City housing needs. He anticipated the City will receive $600,000 for housing programs annually for each of the next 3
years. The plan indicates how the City will use the funds each year. Programs in the plan are flexible and can be modified, without formal approval from the City Commission or State.
Increased attention is being directed to rehabilitating housing. Previous plans have reached every target. Less than $100,000 of the $500,000 allocated last year was rolled over.
Mr. Ferri said a critical piece of the plan is in the “Housing Delivery Goals,” which includes home ownership and rental strategies, anticipated funding, and estimates of the number
of units that will be generated. The plan identifies the units to be directed to very low income, low income, and moderate income residents. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said
the City is now an-entitlement community under HOME and will withdraw from the Pinellas County HOME Consortium. The City now will deal directly with Federal offices in Jacksonville
regarding HOME funding. He anticipated the City will receive $400,000 annually in additional funding for housing through HOME. State funding varies because it is tied to document stamp
receipts. The Housing and Urban Development Department will receive $63,000, or 10%, for
administration support. One finding of the Plan indicated 5% administration fees are inadequate. Actual costs for the Housing and Urban Development Department average 9.8%.
Member Joplin moved to approve the Local Housing Assistance Plan for SHIP. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #4 - Old Business
a) Brownfield Program Report
Mr. Ferri distributed a proposed committee structure for Brownfield representation. Environmental Services Supervisor Miles Ballogg said the Brownfield program will redevelop potentially
contaminated properties or contaminated properties for a higher and better use. Components of the proposed committee structure include: 1) Community & Economic Redevelopment with representation
from the neighborhood, lending community, real estate, labor, development community, and environmental equity; 2) Technical Advisory with representation by a hydrologist, toxicologist,
geologist, environmental attorney, biologist, environmental scientist, public health officer, and risk assessment; and 3) Management with representation from USEPA (U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency), the Clearwater Brownfield Coordinator, Pinellas County representative, FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection), FDCA (Florida Department of Community
Affairs), TBRPC (Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, Technical Advisory Committee, and NAHAB (Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board). The Technical Advisory and Management
committees will present reports to the Community & Economic Redevelopment Committee (NAHAB). The committees represent a partnership of the regulatory entities, the scientific community,
and management. The purpose of the process is to create public dialog. Concern was expressed the process not become too cumbersome.
Mr. Ballogg said community benefits from the redevelopment of contaminated properties must be secured. NAHAB members will consider issues such as “how clean is clean” regarding contaminated
sites and if jobs created by redevelopment benefit the community. NAHAB will provide community and economic redevelopment insight. The Technical Advisory Committee, composed of scientists,
will help determine how best to use resources and ensure that public health issues are addressed. The management committee is made up of governmental agencies involved with Brownfields,
potential funders, or those that provide regulatory support. County representation is recommended as 2 salvage yards are located in enclaves. FDEP heads the State’s Brownfield program.
NAHAB and Technical representation on the Management Committee will provide input regarding local and technical concerns and actions. As the committee is developed, additional slots
may be created.
In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said NAHAB is the only Committee already formed. In the Brownfield application, NAHAB was designated as the lead agency for citizen participation
as the board represents a broad cross-section of the community. The existing Citizens’ Participation Plan calls for NAHAB to be the primary vehicle for citizen participation in Clearwater.
He anticipated NAHAB will not be the sole citizen participation entity regarding Brownfields but, as needed, will invite others to join NAHAB meetings.
In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said staff may be able to consolidate a tour of City Brownfield sites with visits to agencies applying for consolidated plan funds. Additional
technical information regarding Brownfields was requested. Mr. Ferri anticipated the Technical Advisory Committee will provide critical technical information and recommend changes in
standards for environmental remediation. NAHAB participation and input will be critical to the State and Clearwater in establishing new environmental remediation standards. Only 5
Brownfield sites will be designated in Florida. It was recommended information be written in clear, non-technical English. The City is about to release a RFQ (Request for Qualifications)
for an environmental engineering firm to work on Brownfield. Currently, $55,000 is available through EPA and $5-million from future Penny for Pinellas funds for assessments and remediation
of City owned sites. Under our EPA funding, the City has a 2-year contract for $100,000. Federal increases are being considered. Community response to the program has been positive.
Currently, the degree of liability related to property contamination is unknown and uncertain.
Mr. Ferri said additional State funding may be approved to subsidize businesses in Brownfield areas that create jobs paying at least $15,000/year and hire income eligible persons. He
said seed money needs to be established for developers of some problematic sites. Among other things, Senator Latvala’s pending legislation limits the liability for the lender and redeveloper
who did not cause the pollution. The committees will start meeting after the contractors are on board. Mr. Ferri anticipated NAHAB will begin receiving committee reports after July
1, 1997. The State will make the final decisions regarding changes to environmental standards.
b) Consolidated Plan Presentation to City Commission
Mr. Ferri said the City Commission had requested the Consolidated Plan Funding Process’ focus on Economic Development activities be increased. He modified the evaluation and application
forms to include another point section. Any agency requesting funding under the Consolidated Plan will receive additional points if their proposal includes creation of permanent private
sector jobs paying more than $15,000/year. The maximum points agencies can receive: 1) 5-points - 1-5 jobs; 2) 10-points - 6-10 jobs; and 3) 15-points - 11+ jobs. He said last year
NAHAB had recommended 19% of available CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funds be dedicated to economic development. The national average is 6%. He anticipated next year’s application
will reflect this change of focus.
ITEM #5 - New Business
a) Consolidated Plan Time Table
Mr. Ferri distributed a proposed Consolidated Plan Process Schedule for FY (fiscal year) 1997/98: 1) April 18, 1997 - Notice of Funding Availability; 2) April 23, 1997 - Technical Assistance
Meeting; 3) April 29, 1997 - Homeless Public Hearing; 4) May 1, 1997 - Housing Public Hearing; 5) May 6, 1997 - Economic Development Public Hearing; 6) May 8, 1997 - Special Needs Population
Public Hearing; 7) May 23, 1997 - Funding applications due; 8) June 2, 1997 - Site visits; 9) June 9, 1997 - Subgrantee Public Presentation; 10) June 10, 1997 - NAHAB Evaluations; 11)
June 13, 1997 - TRC Evaluations; 12) June 16, 1997 - Consolidated Plan published; 13) June 16, 1997 - Public Comment Period begins;
14) July 16, 1997 - Public Comment Period ends; 15) July 17, 1997 - City Commission presentation; and 16) August 15, 1997 - submission to USHUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development).
Locations will be selected after Commission approval.
In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said the impact of modifying the evaluation form will be minimal this year although some agencies may be able to capitalize on the new point system.
Staff will work with potential agencies. It was recommended evaluation forms be included with site visit packages and that the packages be arranged in the order of visits. Mr. Ferri
said the packages were organized alphabetically. Upgrading the binding was requested.
It was recommended that members limit questions during visits so the tour remains on schedule. It was felt gathering information is more important than sticking to a schedule. It
was requested that questions not be repeated. It was noted some agencies provide too much information while others do not provide enough. Last year, agencies were requested to prepare
answers to 5 specific questions. It was recommended each agency have equal time with visiting members to be fair. Mr. Ferri said agencies with multiple programs cannot have 15 minutes
to present each program.
Agency Financial Reports
In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said agency financial reports are distributed on a quarterly basis. Agency reports are due today. Quarterly reports will be forwarded with the
May agenda. It was recommended reports be distributed monthly. The issue will be discussed at the next meeting.
ITEM #6 - Board Member Monitoring Reports - None
ITEM #7 - Announcements
a) Next Scheduled Regular Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled on May 20, 1997.
It was felt the great successes of Consolidated Plan programs were due to Mr. Ferri’s leadership. A special thanks was offered to him.
ITEM #9 - Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 10:53 a.m.
__________________________________
Chair
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing
Advisory Board
Attest:
________________________________________
Board Reporter