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TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: Jeff McLaughlin, Neighborhood Redevelopment Manager
DATE: October 28, 2014
SUBJECT:
A Resolution Authorizing Approval of the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding and the 2015 Annual Action Plan Funding Recommendations - Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Act Programs (HOME)
PURPOSE:
Staff requests authorization of the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding and the accompanying 2015 Annual Action Plan for the CDBG and HOME Programs. Annually, the City of Aurora receives approximately $1.4 million in CDBG and $530,000 in HOME funds that are used to eliminate slum and blight; provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing; and provide services and projects to low-to-moderate income persons (defined as earning at-or below- 80% of the Area Median Income, or $57,900 for a family of four in 2014). For Aurora, this means that approximately 79,000 residents are CDBG and HOME program eligible. At its meetings of 22 and 31 October 2014, the City of Aurora's Block Grant Working Committee approved the draft Consolidated Plan and a list of program/project recommendations (Attachment "A") that form the heart of the 2015 Annual Action Plan.
BACKGROUND:
Every five years the City, as a direct recipient of CDBG and HOME funds, must plan for how these monies will benefit the Aurora community and produce a Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding (Draft as Attachment "B"). The City began an intensive community participation process in summer of 2014 and sought guidance from over 120 Aurora residents and stakeholders. The results of citizen input, demographic and mapping analysis, as well as staff analysis and discussions, form the backbone of recommendations to the Consolidated Plan, the goals of which are reinforced annually through CDBG and HOME funding recommendations in the Annual Action Plan Process. For 2015, both Plans are merged into one document for submission to HUD.
DISCUSSION:
The 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan stresses the following objectives:
1. Economic development and job training;
2. Youth services and youth violence prevention;
3. Funding for Aurora's existing neighborhood planning processes;
4. Working on housing and infrastructural issues in areas that have just become, or in danger of becoming, low to moderate income in character; and
5. Continued support for the Aurora Impact Initiative (HOME).
For the 2015 Annual Action Plan, a summarized list of agencies recommended by the BGWC for CDBG funding is attached, and based on applications from a request for proposals that was issued in July of this year. This list of funding recommendations was published for comment in the "Beacon Press" on November 3, 2014, and have been available for review at Aurora Public Libraries, the offices of the Neighborhood Redevelopment Division, and on-line. All funding recommendations in the 2015 Annual Action Plan must correspond to an objective listed in the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Since its inception in 1975, the CDBG program has invested $46,107,452 in the city of Aurora. Which has supported streets and infrastructure, housing development, job training, youth development, homeless services, historic preservation, and senior services among others. Since becoming an entitlement community under the HOME program four years ago, the City has used $2,057,623 in HOME funds to rehabilitate its aging housing stock, and support the Aurora Impact Initiative, a major acquisition, rehabilitation, rental program.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approval of the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding and the 2015 Annual Action Plan for CDBG and HOME funding.
cc: Alderman Saville, Chairman
Alderman Donnell
Alderman Irvin
Alderman Hart-Burns, Alternate
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution Authorizing Approval of the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding and the 2015 Annual Action Plan Funding Recommendations - Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Act Programs (HOME).
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has made preservation of older neighborhoods, production of decent housing, and the support of human service programs, a priority;
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has initiated numerous community development activities through participation in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's CDBG and HOME programs, and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora's Block Grant Working Committee recommended adoption of the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding of the CDBG and HOME Programs and 2015 Annual Action Plan at its October 22nd and October 31st special meetings; and )
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, finds as facts all of the preamble recitals of this Resolution and hereby that the Block Grant Working Committee's funding allocations by adopted for the 2015 CDBG and HOME program year, that authorization be given for submission of the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding and the 2015 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), that the Mayor be authorized to sign execute any contracts or other overall program documents with HUD that authorizes the use of federal funds, and that the Neighborhood Redevelopment Manager be authorized to execute any CDBG subrecipient agreements/amendments for the 2015 program year.
PASSED AND APPROVED on ______________.
AYES ____ NAYS ____ NOT VOTING ____ ABSENT ____
____________________________ __________________________
Alderman Bohman, Ward 1 Alderman Garza, Ward 2
____________________________ __________________________
Alderman Mesiacos, Ward 3 Alderman Donnell, Ward 4
____________________________ __________________________
Alderman Peters, Ward 5 Alderman Saville, Ward 6
____________________________ __________________________
Alderman Hart-Burns, Ward 7 Alderman Mervine, Ward 8
____________________________ __________________________
Alderman Bugg, Ward 9 Alderman Johnson, Ward 10
____________________________ __________________________
Alderman Irvin, At Large Alderman O'Connor, At Large
ATTEST:
____________________________ __________________________
City Clerk Mayor
A. List of 2015 Recommendations for CDBG Funding; B. 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Federal Funding and 2015 Annual Action Plan.