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03/12/2002NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER March 12, 2002 Present: Stephen Jefferies Chair Rev. William Graham Board Member Warren Hunt Board Member William Turner, Sr. Board Member Laurel Braswell Board Member Vacant Seat Board Member Vacant Seat Board Member Absent: Peggy M. Cutkomp Vice-Chair Joyce L. Smith Board Member Also Present: Howie Carroll Assistant Housing Director Michael Holmes Housing Manager Brenda Moses Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. The Chair welcomed Assistant Housing Directory Howie Carroll. Mr. Carroll said he started his position with the City in mid-January and looks forward to the job. ITEM 3 – Approval of Minutes – January 8, 2002 Member Graham moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of January 8, 2002, as submitted in written summation to each Board Member The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM 4 – Citizens to be Heard - None ITEM 5 – FY2002-2003 Action Plan Update/Schedule Mr. Carroll briefly reviewed the FY 2002-2003 Consolidated Action Plan and Schedule of Events. He said a bus tour of subrecipient locations is scheduled for March 21, 2002, at 8:30 a.m. Everyone is to meet in the City Hall parking lot. The tour will return to City Hall for lunch, then resume in the afternoon. ITEM 6 – Old Business Update on Greenwood Apartments Mr. Carroll said hopes are to close on the Greenwood Apartments bond financing with Pinellas County by early April 2002, pending some real estate issues. Last month, due to Fannie Mae enhancements to the Bank of America contract and the City, it was decided that Greenwood Apartments would begin paying principal and interest back to the City in 2006. Originally, the City’s payment was deferred for 10 years. The net result to the City will be an approximate $80,000 in additional interest over the life of the loan. A groundbreaking ceremony is tentatively scheduled for the end of May 2002. Staff welcomes the NAHAB’s (Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board) attendance. Update on Fulton Apartments Mr. Carroll updated the NAHAB on the status of the Fulton Apartments. He said a contractor has been hired. Traffic and fire issues are being resolved in hopes of beginning the project soon. Update on SHIP Modifications Mr. Carroll said the State requires any modifications to the SHIP Program be adopted by resolution of the City. The State’s SHIP Review Committee is meeting on March 20, 2002, to review staff’s proposed modifications and strategy to the SHIP Program. Mr. Carroll anticipates the modifications will be approved. Also being reviewed is the subsidy for downpayment assistance and rehabilitation. Those limitations are too low for current economic conditions. Increasing the limits would allow more people who are in greater need for assistance to purchase homes and expend more dollars for the program. Performance Reports Mr. Carroll said letters have been sent to some of the subrecipients regarding their monthly/quarterly reports. Eight subrecipients sent in monthly reports after the reminder was mailed. Some subrecipients do not provide reports monthly if there is no activity. Staff is developing new reporting procedures. Housing Manager Michael Holmes reviewed the subrecipient status report. Mr. Carroll said a narrative regarding the subrecipient status report along with the financial statistics would be provided to the NAHAB beginning next month. The Chair commended Partners in Self-Sufficiency for their timely reports. ITEM 7 – New Business - None ITEM 8– Announcements Sylvia Costello, Partners in Self-Sufficiency, said her agency is planning to contract with Pinellas WorkNet to develop a homeownership training and personalized homeownership package. She anticipates training to potential recipients would be held in Pinellas Village and at Jasmine Courts. Isay Gulley, CNHS (Clearwater Neighborhood Housing Services), thanked the City for its continued support in helping to make a difference in Clearwater, especially in North and South Greenwood. She said everyone should feel proud about the results at the Greenwood Apartments. She said with the help of the City, CNHS has built over 160 houses, mostly in Greenwood. Mr. Carroll said the reprogrammed dollars left over from last year’s block grants totaling approximately $500,000 would be available for reallocation to other agencies. Hopes are to award those dollars prior to the fiscal year ending October 1, 2002. ITEM 9 – Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10:36 a.m.