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02/17/1998 NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER February 17, 1998 Present: Mary Myhill Chair Howard Groth Vice-Chair Milly Joplin Board Member Mayme W. Hodges Board Member William Turner, Sr. Board Member Warren Hunt Board Member Vacant Seat Board Member Alan J. Ferri Housing & Urban Development Director Michael Holmes Housing & Urban Development Assistant Director Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter Absent: Rev. William Graham Board Member Bertha Kelley Board Member The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Center. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #2 - Approval of the Minutes Member Joplin moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 16, 1997, as recorded and submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #3 - Citizens to be Heard Lois Cormier expressed disappointment at the turn-out for tonight’s meeting. She said she had invited many South Greenwood residents to the March 17, 1998, meeting. ITEM #4 - Agency Presentation - None. ITEM #5 - Member Subgrantee Monitoring Reports It was noted subgrantee monitoring reports for Boys & Girls Clubs, Homeless Emergency Project, Salvation Army, and Tampa Bay CDC have not been presented. Housing & Urban Development Director Alan Ferri said visits must be completed prior to the NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability) currently scheduled for April 3, 1998. ITEM #5 - Old Business a) Review of Application and Evaluation forms Mr. Ferri reviewed changes to the forms. He and Assistant Housing & Urban Development Director Michael Holmes will complete an executive summary for each applicant. Most information needed for NAHAB (Neighborhood & Affordable Housing Advisory Board) evaluations will be summarized on a single sheet. Copies of these forms have been forwarded to the TRC (Technical Review Committee) for comment. Mr. Ferri requested board members forward to him written comments and suggestions regarding the forms. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said all applicants are required to adhere to the specified format. It was recommended all budgets be submitted according to the established format. It was suggested applicants specify the number of clients to be served upon implementation of the subject program. Mr. Ferri reviewed the application process which includes training sessions and staff available to help agencies submit complete and effective applications. The process was established for maximum fairness. He reported the City Commission has accepted the NAHAB/TRC recommendations regarding the distribution of CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Program), and HOME funds since the current process was initiated. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said each grant identifies the maximum percentage of program delivery fees available for staff salaries and overhead. Housing program fees, tied to loan amounts, are not distributed until after each closing. No funding policy changes are recommended for the FY (fiscal year) 1998/99 Consolidated Plan Process. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said applicants are required to adhere to stated objectives. Federal and State regulations dictate these objectives and cannot be changed. b) Funding Policy Changes Mr. Ferri reported Pinellas County had changed its allocation policy two years ago. The County now sets aside a county-wide pool for housing and economic development needs without setting aside funds for specific programs. Agencies are pre-qualified to submit projects that meet funding criteria. A fixed fee structure, similar to the City’s, is used. He recommended an agency’s capacity be based on a performance indicator that limits funding to no more than 10% greater than the agency’s average annual production during the previous 3 years. Under past policy, some agencies have been unable to use all funds set aside for them. Those funds remain unspent instead of being invested in community needs. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said current policy requires agencies to spend at least 20% of their allocated funds each quarter or forfeit unspent funds. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said first year applicants would be judged on their track record. It would be unusual for a new agency to be established that focuses on rehabilitation. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said the County previously had not used CDBG funds for economic development. He said current loan programs funded through the City are not site specific. Mr. Ferri said under the proposed funding policy, a city-wide pool would be available for projects that meet funding criteria. As long as funds remain available, agencies could submit proposals for qualified projects on a first come, first served basis. Previously, unspent funds have been returned to a designated pool. Current policy requires agencies to make 18 months forecasts. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said staff would determine which proposed projects qualify for funding. In response to a question, he said religious organizations do not qualify for these funds. He indicated the Mt. Carmel CDC was established as a 501(c)3 organization to accept funds for the new job training program. Member Groth moved to recommend the City Commission change the funding policy whereby the City would set aside a City-wide pool for housing and economic development needs for which pre-qualified agencies could submit projects that meet funding criteria, that an agency’s capacity be based on a performance indicator that limits funding to 10% more than the agency’s average annual production during the previous 3 years, and that approval of new agencies be based on proven track records. The motion was duly seconded. Concern was expressed NAHAB members will not know the size of the City-wide pool. It was noted some agencies had ranked too low last year to receive funding. Mr. Ferri said those subject agencies would have received funding had so much money not been set aside for the top ranked agency which was unable to use all of its appropriated funds. The amount of available funds decreases every year. Concern was expressed that NAHAB continue to meet its responsibility to approve funding allocations. Upon the vote being taken, the motion carried unanimously. c) Annual Report to Commission Mr. Ferri suggested NAHAB schedule their annual report to the City Commission for July after the Consolidated Plan Process. It was recommended the entire board participate in the presentation to make personal recommendations as board members. Mr. Ferri will verify if the City Commission continues to receive formal presentations of Annual Reports. d) Letter from Lois Cormier Mr. Ferri said Ms. Cormier’s December 11, 1998, letter regarding the City’s performance report for USHUD (U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development), as well as staff’s reply, were included in the City’s package sent to HUD. A copy of December’s minutes, approved tonight, also will be sent. Ms. Cormier said she has acted as a watch dog for the City for 24 years. She has always been interested in how CDBG funds are spent. She felt increased advertising would have resulted in more people attending the December public hearing. She complained Housing & Urban Development Department staff was unable to locate a public record when Mr. Holmes was on vacation. She felt NAHAB members should survey their neighborhoods for local opinion and encourage residents to attend NAHAB meetings. ITEM #6 - New Business a) Vacancy due to resignation of Shirley Moran, Provider of Affordable Housing Mr. Ferri stated former Member Moran had resigned to serve on the City’s Development Code Adjustment Board. He requested members encourage qualified residents to apply for the vacancy. Mr. Ferri reported 6 of 9 NAHAB positions are mandated by the State. Although former Member Moran served as a low-income housing provider, Mr. Ferri recommended Vice-Chair Groth, who is Chair of CHA (Clearwater Housing Authority), be appointed to complete the remainder of Ms. Moran’s term. Mr. Ferri recommended appointing a new member to represent East Clearwater, and complete Vice-Chair Groth’s current term. Service on NAHAB is limited to 2 full terms plus a fraction of the first term. Consensus was to recommend these changes to the City Commission. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri indicated NAHAB members provide citizen participation as part of the allocation process. Members are not required to survey residents to assess neighborhood needs. It was noted the North Greenwood community has many more active citizen groups than South Greenwood. It was felt City Commissioners are elected to reach out to City residents. It was noted CRT (Community Response Team) efforts in the Greenwood areas were funded by CDBG funding. That program reduced the number of substandard housing structures from 800 to less than 300. The goal of less than 100 structures will mirror the City as a whole. CDBG funds are no longer used for this purpose. In response to a question, Mr. Ferri said changes to the Citizen Participation Plan require City Commission and USHUD approval. Consensus was for the Citizen Participation Plan to stand as written. b) Consolidated Plan Time Table Mr. Ferri distributed the FY 1998/99 Consolidated Plan Process Schedule: 1) April 3, 1998 - NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability); 2) April 8, 1998 - Technical Assistance Meeting; 3) April 14, 1998 - Homeless Public Meeting; 4) April 16, 1998 - Housing Public Meeting; 5) April 21, 1998 - Economic Development Public Meeting; 6) April 23, 1998 - Special Needs Population Public Meeting; 7) May 8, 1998 - Application Due Date; 8) May 21, 1998 - Site Visits; 9) May 26, 1998 - Subgrantee Public Presentation; 10) May 27, 1998 - NAHAB Evaluations; 11) May 29, 1998 - TRC Evaluations; 12) June 12, 1998 - Publish Consolidated Plan; 13) June 13, 1998 - Public Comment Period Begins; 14) July 13, 1998 - Public Comment Period Ends; 15) July 16, 1998 - City Commission Presentation & Public Hearing; and 16) August 15, 1998 - Submission to HUD. Most meetings are scheduled for City Hall. Staff will request agencies to host the public meetings. Last year’s meetings indicated the City is short 500 needed day care slots. Once welfare ends, that shortage will increase by 300 slots. Staff is working with Head Start to meet this need. Staff will report on the meeting locations. Mr. Ferri encouraged NAHAB members to attend the public meetings. In response to a question, he reported TRC members will be invited to attend the site visits. c) C-View TV Broadcast Change Mr. Ferri reported Community Outreach Manager Carrie Huntley had indicated C-View TV will no longer broadcast NAHAB meetings. It was recommended a letter be forwarded to Ms. Huntley reviewing the important issues addressed by this board. ITEM #7 - Announcements It was reported the North Greenwood Task Team will meet on February 25, 1998, at the Martin Luther King Center for a presentation by the City Manager regarding “One City. One Future.” Sympathy was expressed for Member Kelley who is absent due to 2 recent deaths in her family. ITEM #8 - Next Scheduled Regular Meeting a) Next scheduled regular meeting - March 17, 1998, at Ross Norton Recreation Facility at 6:30 p.m. TRC members will be invited. ITEM #9 - Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:54 p.m.