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TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: Daniel Barreiro, Chief Community Services Officer
DATE: November 1, 2016
SUBJECT:
Resolution Authorizing Approval of the City of Aurora 2017 Annual Action Plan for Federal Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership Act Funding.
PURPOSE:
Staff requests the adoption of the City of Aurora 2017 Annual Action Plan, which includes funding recommendations for the use of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Aurora receives annual CDBG and HOME program entitlement allocations to support housing and community development efforts that benefit low and moderate income residents of Aurora. The funding amounts contained in the attached 2017 funding recommendation summary ("Exhibit A") and draft 2017 Annual Action Plan ("Exhibit B") for each grant source are estimates only and are based upon 90% of the prior year's funding levels. For this year, the estimated 2017 allocation for CDBG and HOME funds, respectively, is $1,322,542 and $450,124. (The City's 2016 CDBG allocation was $1,469,491 and HOME allocation was $500,138.) At such time as HUD announces the City’s actual 2017 award amounts (anticipated in spring 2017), NRD staff will present any necessary plan and funding modifications for City Council approval through the City's CDBG citizen participation process.
Funding that is not expended during the grant period will be reallocated to other program(s) or project(s) in order to make use of the federal funding investment in the community. In addition to the 2017 recommended funding allocations, the Annual Action Plan (AAP) also reflects the allocation of unexpended funds from prior year grants.
DISCUSSION:
All 2017 Annual Action Plan (AAP) funding recommendations must qualify under HUD's eligible activity requirements and correspond to the goals and objectives established in the City's 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan which relate to the following priorities:
1. Economic development and job training;
2. Youth services and youth violence prevention;
3. Funding assistance for Aurora's existing neighborhood planning processes;
4. Addressing housing and infrastructural issues in areas that have just become, or are in danger of becoming, low to moderate income in character; and
5. Redevelopment and/or creation of rental housing units; replacement units for
scattered site housing, elderly, special needs or homeless (HOME).
The City of Aurora Block Grant Working Committee (BGWC) met on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 to finalize their CDBG funding recommendations. A summarized list of the 2017 AAP funding recommendations which includes the HUD required funding contingency statement and pre-award costs public disclosure together with the draft 2017 AAP are attached. The City received twenty-seven proposals, and the BGWC has recommended sixteen agencies for funding. The proposals were evaluated based upon the following criteria:
1. Ability to Address a City Objective;
2. Organizational capacity and experience;
3. Leveraged Resources;
4. Project Readiness; and
5. Location within the NRSA.
The BGWC's 2017 HOME funding recommendations have been proposed as per HUD's regulatory allocation requirements. Of note, HOME project applications are accepted by the City on an ongoing basis. Specific 2017 HOME projects will be presented at a later date to the City Council for review and approval as project proposals are received and recommended by the BGWC.
In accordance with the City of Aurora’s Citizen Participation Plan and the requirements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development CDBG Program, a 30-day notice of the Annual Action Plan and Public Hearing was posted in the Beacon News on October 23, 2016 (Exhibit C"). The list of funding recommendations was also made available on October 23, 2016 for public review at all Aurora public library branches, the Neighborhood Redevelopment Division office, and the City's website. A public hearing will be held on November 7, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. to provide the public with an opportunity to comment.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Since its inception in 1974, the CDBG program has invested over $35 million in the City of Aurora. This investment has supported neighborhood revitalization, housing rehabilitation, housing development, job training, youth development, homeless services, historic preservation, and senior services.
Since becoming an entitlement community under the HOME program six years ago, the City has committed close to $3 million in HOME funds to rehabilitate its aging housing stock and to support affordable housing projects.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approval of a Resolution Authorizing Approval of the City of Aurora 2017 Annual Action Plan for Federal Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership Act Funding, and that the Mayor, Chief Community Services Officer, or their designee be authorized to execute CDBG subrecipient agreements and any other documents associated with the 2017 Annual Action Plan, including but not limited to HUD's program administration requirements.
cc: Alderman Saville, Chairman
Alderman Donnell
Alderman Irvin
Alderman Hart-Burns, Alternate
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution Approving the 2017 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 an Annual Action Plan is required as a pre-requisite to any such funding; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora's Block Grant Working Committee recommended adoption of the 2017 Annual Action Plan, including funding recommendations attached hereto as Exhibit "A" at its October 5, 2016 meeting; and
WHEREAS, said 2017 Annual Action Plan includes allocations for funding using
an estimated entitlement amount of $1,322,542 in 2017 CDBG funds, and $450,124 in 2017 HOME funds; 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 are hereby adopted for the 2017 CDBG and HOME program year, that authorization is given for submission of the 2017 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), that the Mayor is hereby authorized to execute any contracts or other overall program documents with HUD that authorizes the use of these federal funds, and that the Mayor, Chief Community Services Officer, or their designee be authorized to execute CDBG subrecipient agreements and any other documents associated with the 2017 Annual Action Plan, including but not limited to HUD's program administration requirements..