Title
a. Conduct a Public Hearing to take comments on the draft Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 and proposed allocation of funds;
b. Approve the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Action Plan containing recommendations for funding of projects and programs;
c. Authorize the Director of Economic Development to submit the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Action Plan to HUD and to execute any and all other necessary HUD documents;
d. Authorize the Director of Economic Development to execute contracts and any and all other necessary and associated documents in regard to the allocations for projects and programs; and
e. Approve an allocation of Urban County Community Development Block Grant funds for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 of $865,067.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Conduct a Public Hearing to take comments on the draft Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 and proposed allocation of funds;
b. Approve the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Action Plan containing recommendations for funding of projects and programs;
c. Authorize the Director of Economic Development to submit the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Action Plan to HUD and to execute any and all other necessary HUD documents;
d. Authorize the Director of Economic Development to execute contracts and any and all other necessary and associated documents in regard to the allocations for projects and programs; and
e. Approve an allocation of Urban County Community Development Block Grant funds for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 of $865,067.
SUMMARY:
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) qualified Monterey County together with the Cities of Del Rey Oaks and Gonzales as an Urban County for entitlement purposes on November 1, 2012. Subsequently, in May of 2013, the Urban County submitted a Consolidated Plan (Consolidated Plan), including a First Year Action Plan, and an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AIFHC) to HUD for approval. HUD approved the documents in June of 2013.
DISCUSSION:
Each year, HUD recipients are required to submit an Action Plan to HUD which includes approved funding recommendations for projects, services, and administration. To satisfy that requirement, on December 4, 2013, a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) was issued for CDBG funds for FY 2014-2015. On December 16, 2013, an application workshop for interested parties was held at the County Government Center. Nineteen applications for funding were received on or before the due date of January 23, 2014. On January 28, 2014, the Board of Supervisors created an Ad Hoc Committee to review and recommend funding for County projects and services and appointed Supervisors Calcagno and Salinas to the Committee. On March 6, 2014, the Ad Hoc Committee reviewed the applications received for funding and made recommendations on those to be included in the Annual Action Plan. On April 1, the Board of Supervisors approved the Draft Action Plan for Fiscal years 2014-2015, including recommendations for projects and programs to be funded, for issuance for a 30 day period of public review. On April 3 and April 5, a Notice of 30 Day Public Comment Period and Adoption of Community Development Block Grant Program FY 2015 Annual Action Plan was published in the following papers: Salinas Californian, Monterey Herald, Gonzales Tribune, Soledad Bee, Greenfield News and the King City Rustler and El Sol newspapers
The purpose of the public hearing is to receive final comments on the Draft Action Plan for the Fiscal Year 2014-15 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. In the absence of evidence and testimony to the contrary, it is recommended that the Board of Supervisors take action to submit the Action Plan to HUD for approval in order to receive the County direct entitlement for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 from HUD. A final copy of the documents will be made available on each participating jurisdiction's website and a hard copy will be available at the Economic Development Department immediately thereafter.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Cities of Del Rey Oaks and Gonzales partnered with the County to become a HUD designated Urban County. Each City approved applications for projects located in their jurisdictions. County staff made recommendations for county projects to the Ad Hoc Committee. Staff from the two cities and the county made recommendations to the Ad Hoc Committee in regard to programs. On March 6, 2014, the Ad Hoc Committee reviewed these applications and made recommendations to the Board of Supervisors that are included in the draft Urban County Action Plan. County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Action Plan.
FINANCING:
The HUD grant is a five (5) year agreement which is funded annually. Funding in the amount of $856,820 was awarded for Fiscal Year 2013-2014. The funding award for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 is $865,067. The award includes funding for administration in the amount of $173,013. Of this, $154,234 is allocated to the County, $15,804 is allocated to Gonzales, and $2,975 is allocated to Del Rey Oaks. If the County complies with the grant, the County will continue to receive annual entitlement funding, subject to the federal budget process.
The grant has been included in the department's baseline budget submissions for FY 2014-15 in its Appropriations Unit DEO003, Fund 013, Budget Unit 8200 (Community Development Grants).
Prepared by:
_____________________________
Jane Royer Barr
Housing Programs Manager
831.755.5389
Approved by:
_____________________________
Dave Spaur
Director of Economic Development
831.755.5387
ATTACHMENTS:
FY 2014-2015 Action Plan