Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on a Resolution Approving the 2015-2019 Community Development Block Grant Consolidated Plan and the 2015-16 Annual Action Plan
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Operational Excellence
MEETING DATE: August 3, 2015
DEPARTMENT: Housing & Community Development Department
CONTACT: Shirletta Best, Community Services Administrator
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
• Conduct Public Hearing and approve Resolution
ITEM SUMMARY:
• The City of McKinney receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Housing and Community Development activities through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The Consolidated Plan is a planning document for the city, enhanced through a participatory process with the public. The five-year plan helps identify housing and community development needs and market conditions in order to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions. The plan is carried out through the Annual Action Plan: a summary of eligible programs, projects, and specific federal and non-federal resources for use each year, to address the priority needs and goals identified in the Plan.
• The consolidated planning process serves as the framework for a community-wide dialogue to identify those housing and community development priorities that align under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The City reports on accomplishments and progress toward Consolidated Plan goals in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). The city will begin its process to engage the public and community leaders to participate in helping to shape the priorities and activities under the plan.
• A new consolidated plan is required every five years. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determines overall funding allocations under each city’s Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan, as required by the Federal regulation, has the following components:
o Identification of the lead agency
o Housing and homeless needs
o Housing Market and Fair Housing Analysis
o Strategic Plan (Housing and Community Development)
o Action Plan and Certifications
• The current Five-Year Strategic Plan Summary is as follows:
Strategy 1. Improve the condition of housing occupied by the city’s low to moderate income homeowners and preserve affordable housing stock. Includes home repair services through a citywide program, with emphasis in the older and historic communities of the city.
Strategy 2. Support organizations that assist the City’s Special Needs Populations and provide public services benefiting predominately low to moderate income persons in areas including youth services, senior services, education, mental health, employment training, counseling, community and disability services, healthcare, neighborhood programs, child advocacy, etc.
Strategy 3. Provide supportive services for residents who encounter homelessness or have a need of homeless prevention services. Includes homeless prevention (short-term rental, mortgage and utility assistance), services for shelter residents, and involvement in Collin County’s Continuum of Care activities.
Strategy 4. Increase homeownership opportunities for low and moderate income persons.
Strategy 5. Expansion of community development opportunities through eligible CDBG Economic Development activities.
The 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan, Strategic Plan Summary, based on Community Input:
Strategy 1. Improve the condition of housing occupied by the city’s low to moderate income homeowners and renters and preserve affordable housing stock. Includes home repair services through a citywide program.
Strategy 2. Provide supportive services for residents who encounter homelessness or have a need of homeless prevention services. Include emergency (short-term rental, mortgage and utility assistance for shelter residents; and involvement in Collin County’s Continuum of Care activities.
Strategy 3. Support organizations that assist the City’s Special Needs Populations and provide public services benefiting predominately low to moderate income persons and households. Priority youth services, senior services, education, mental health, employment training, counseling, community and disability services, healthcare, neighborhood programs, child advocacy, etc.
Strategy 4. Increase homeownership opportunities for low and moderate income persons.
Strategy 5. Expansion of neighborhood and community development investment resources through eligible funding resources to benefit low to moderate income persons, including economic development resources, infrastructure, job creation, public facilities, or improvements.
Annual Action Plan
The first year of the consolidated plan will begin October 1, 2015 and includes funding recommendations from the Community Grants Advisory Commission. Under statutory regulations, only 15% of the total CDBG grant can be used for Public services and 20% of the total grant must be used for Grant Administration. Other programs including but not limited to Housing, and Economic Development account for the remainder of the budget.
Federal regulations require a public comment period of 30 days and at a minimum two public hearings, for all Annual Action Plans submitted to HUD for review and final approval. To date, one public comment has been provided and public hearings were held on May 20, 2015 and May 21, 2015. A public meeting for the Consolidated Plan was held on July 30, 2015 and a Public Hearing was held on August 3, 2015. In continued public participation, the public will be able to review performance under the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) in November, 2016.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• The City of McKinney has participated as a HUD Entitlement Community since FY 2003. The Consolidated Plan 2015-2019 begins October 1, 2015.
• Public stakeholders have participated in the process through community forum engagement, one-to-one meetings, public hearings, public comment periods, telephone conversations, and other communications.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY:
• The City anticipates receiving more than $3.5 million over the next five years as a resource for Housing and Community Development. The primary resource to fulfill the five-year Strategic Plan and the Annual Action Plan is CDBG funding. In addition, the city will leverage non-federal resources contingent upon budget and allocate the use of HOME dollars, either from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs or directly from HUD.
• Under the Annual Action Plan 2015-16, the City anticipates receiving an allocation of $703,937 for CDBG funded activities and programs and anticipates use of approximately up to $412,000 from carryover reallocated CDBG funds previously awarded.
BOARD AND COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
• The Community Grants Advisory Commission met on June 11, 2015 and recommended approval of the Annual Action Plan under the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan.