Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 06-02-09 special — reading text

Miracle Strip Parkway Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32549  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Every five years, Community Development Block Grant ( CDBG) Entitlement Grantees must prepare a Five Year Consolidated Plan that identifies long term strategies for community needs, resources, and priorities. Additionally, an Annual Action Plan is prepared to provide information concerning the intended use of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development ( HUD) program funds to address the needs identified in the Consolidated Plan. The FY 2005 -2010 Consolidated Plan was approved by the City Council August 1, 2005 along with the FY 2005 -06 Action Plan. The City of Fort Walton Beach receives funding from HUD for community development projects which reduce or reverse evidence of social or economic decline in low income neighborhoods. The City of Fort physical, Walton Beach is considered an " entitlement community" with a prescribed formula for funding. This formula developed by HUD was using select City demographic information. The Consolidated Plan is the process whereby a community establishes a strategy to address HUD' s National Objectives and the City' s housing, community development, homeless, and economic development needs. HUD' s National Objectives are: 1. Benefiting low- and moderate -income persons, 2. Preventing or eliminating blight, or 3. Meeting other community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community, and other financial resources are not available to meet such needs. The priority needs, goals, and objectives of the City are outlined in the Consolidated Plan and have been defined by HUD as the following: 1. Providing Decent Affordable Housing — relates to a wide range of housing activities to meet individual family or community housing needs. 2. Providing a Suitable Living Environment — relates to activities that are designed to benefit communities, families, or individuals by addressing issues in their living environment. 3. Expanding Economic Opportunity —applies to activities related to economic development, commercial revitalization, or job creation. In addition, HUD has added a standard set of outcomes for the objectives listed above. These outcomes include: 1. Availability /Accessibility — applies to activities that make services, infrastructure, public services, public facilities, housing, or shelter available or accessible to low and moderate income people, including persons with disabilities. 2. Affordability —applies to activities that provide affordability in a variety of ways to low and moderate income people. It can include the creation or maintenance of affordable housing, basic infrastructure hook -ups, or services such as transportation or day care. Affordability is an appropriate objective whenever an activity is lowering the cost, improving the quality or increasing the affordability of a product or service to benefit a low income household.  3. Sustainability- applies to activities that are aimed at improving communities or neighborhoods, helping to make them livable or viable by providing benefit to persons of low and moderate income or by removing or eliminating slums or blighted areas through multiple activities or services that sustain communities or neighborhoods The program goal is to extend and strengthen partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including non -profit and for -profit organizations for the provision of public services, affordable housing, and economic opportunities. The FY 2008 -09 Action Plan continues the strategies contained in the approved Consolidated Plan. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PROCESS Pursuant to Section 104( a)( 3) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, the City established a Citizen Participation Plan to ensure that the citizens of Fort Walton Beach, FL, particularly persons of low and moderate income residing in slum and blight areas and in areas in which CDBG funds are proposed to be used, are provided the opportunity and encouraged to participate in the planning and implementation of CDBG- funded activities. The City is currently rewriting the Plan for clarity, consistency and to ensure that it addresses all the requirements of Section 91. 105. The objectives are: 1. To encourage citizen participation, especially citizens of low- and moderate- income, particularly those living in slum and blighted areas and in areas where CDBG funds are proposed to be used, by residents living in predominantly low- and moderate- income neighborhoods, including minorities, and non -English speaking persons, as well as persons with disabilities, in the development of the consolidated plan, any substantial amendments to the consolidated plan, and the performance report. 2. To encourage the participation of local and regional institutions and other organizations including businesses, developers, and community and faith -based organizations) in the process of developing and implementing the consolidated plan. 3. To increase the interchange of information between the CDBG staff and the Citizens concerning housing, community development and related needs or concerns. 4. To heighten public awareness regarding the purpose and function of the CDBG Program, including the types of assistance available, especially among low /moderate income residents of areas targeted for assistance. 5. Create local support for and understanding of the CDBG Program and its importance to the community by increasing community participation in data collection /needs assessment, planning program design, project implementation, substantial amendment and performance reporting /evaluating issues associated with the CDBG Program. 6. To allow affected or potentially affected citizens, agencies and organizations to directly assist in shaping and guiding the impacts of the CDBG Program upon their neighborhood as well as the City. The City established a Citizen Advisory Committee of five members. Members are residents of the City and 3 members represent low /mod income property owners. The Citizen Advisory Committee advises the CDBG staff as follows: 1. Review and prioritize applications for public services funds; 2. Advise the Staff on the funding allocations for the Annual Action Plan each year; and 3. Advise on the priority of rehabilitation applications. Public hearings are the primary means of obtaining citizen views and responding to proposals and questions related to community development and housing needs, proposed CDBG activities and past CDBG performance. In the event CDBG funds are granted by the State, the City of Fort Walton Beach conducts at least two public hearings in a location within the target area if possible to identify community development and housing needs, including the needs of low and moderate income persons, as well as other needs in the community that might be addressed through the CDBG program, and to review proposed CDBG activities and the past performance of the City of Fort Walton Beach in carrying out its CDBG responsibilities. Hearings are held at times and locations convenient to potential and actual beneficiaries whenever possible, and with accommodation for the handicapped. In the case of public hearings where a significant number of non -English speaking residents can be reasonably expected to participate, arrangements are made to have an interpreter present. SCHEDULE FOR ADOPTION OF ANNUAL ACTION PLAN 2008 -2009 The following is the schedule for the adoption of this Annual Action Plan: o March 23, 2008 — Public Notice appeared in the Northwest Florida Daily News copy attached) o March 31, 2008 —CAC public meeting to discuss CDBG program o April 7, 2008 — Public Hearing at the Chester Pruitt Center at 6 pm for the 08/ 09 Grant ( Publicized on March 23, 2008, meeting the required 15 day notice period) o May 9, 2008 — Public Service d Applications due to City Hall Annex by 4: 30 p. m. Publicized on March 23 meeting the 45 day notice period) o May 12, 2008 —CAC meeting to review applications and recommend 08/ 09 budget. o May 20, 2008 —CDBG Draft Annual Action Plan complete and submitted to the CAC and available for public comment. o May 24, 2008 — Public Notice appeared in the Northwest Florida Daily News copy attached) o August 12, 2008 —City Council consideration of the Annual Action Plan for 241h 08/ 09 ( Publicized on May providing the required 30 day notice period. Agenda for the meeting is also publicized and the meeting is televised.) o Plan received by HUD on August 14, 2008. o Note: no written comments were received. Information and records regarding the proposed and past use of CDBG funds are available at Community Development Services Department, 105 Miracle Strip Parkway SW during regular office hours. Special communication aids can be made available to persons upon request. No comments were received. The City of Fort Walton Beach staff respond to written complaints and grievances in writing in a timely manner. When practicable, such written responses shall be made within fifteen ( 15) working days. PROPOSED PROGRAMS FOR FY 2008/ 2009: The City of Fort Walton Beach Citizens Advisory Committee proposes the following programs for FY 2008 -2009: Housing Rehabilitation: This program provides financial assistance to low /moderate income homeowners to rehabilitate their homes and obtain emergency repairs. This program furthers the City' s goal to maintain its housing stock and provide decent housing to all its residents. World Changers: This program helps low /moderate income homeowners by replacing roofs and painting the exterior of the home and supports the City Changer program, which is a City initiated program to assist low /moderate income homeowners in yard work, handicapped ramps, painting the exterior and other minor projects. Because the labor is provided through the World Changers program, a faith base /city partnership at no cost to the City, 20 to 30 homes are able to be reroofed for $35, 000 of CDBG funds and $ 12, 500 of SHIP funds. Volunteer labor is provided in the City Changer program by local churches, youth groups, military groups such as Red Horse, etc. These programs are very important and beneficial to the City. Okaloosa Comprehensive Head Start Child Development: This year CDBG funds will be used to build a handicapped accessible walkway from the building to the playground