Placement: New Business
Action Requested: Discussion
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FY 2024-2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Project Discussion
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Submitted By: Alessandra “Alex” Tasca, Deputy Director, Neighborhood Services Dept. (NSD)
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to be responsive to our community.
Executive Summary (General Business): The CDBG program provides federal funds for projects and programs that help improve the physical, economic, and social conditions of our community. Eligible projects must benefit low to moderate-income persons, address urgent needs or slum and blight also referred to as community development or redevelopment. Staff is presenting eligible projects to the City Council for discussion. Staff will return to a future City Council meeting to launch a 30 day public comment period and seek final approval of a final prioritized project list together with an Annual Action Plan, based on this discussion.
Presentation Information: NSD will briefly present proposed projects (10 minutes); additional detailed information about the projects and prioritization methodology is available upon request. The project managers from each department will be available to discuss their specific project proposals and priorities for CDBG funding and to address any questions regarding their proposed projects, if needed.
Staff Recommendation: Request that the Council review eligible projects for inclusion in the 2024-2025 CDBG Action Plan and provide feedback to staff on the current proposals. Staff requests further Council input if any of the proposed projects are not desired by the City Council so they can be removed completely from the list. The Draft Action Plan will come back to Council for approval (approximately June/July 2024) prior to submittal to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (deadline August 15, 2024).
Background: The City is required by HUD to prepare an Annual Action Plan report detailing our CDBG and housing activities for the coming year. The Action Plan report provides a concise summary of the actions, activities, and specific federal resources that will be used each year to address the priority needs and specific goals identified in the 5-Year Consolidated Plan.
Issues/Analysis: Once the proposed projects are discussed, staff will prepare the 2024-2025 CDBG Action Plan based on City Council feedback and make the Action Plan available for public review and comment during the beginning of the summer. All comments received during the public comment period will be summarized, answered, and forwarded to HUD in Jacksonville, Florida, with the Annual Action Plan by August 15, 2024.
Public input was also solicited via an online survey during the month of April and via two (2) public input sessions hosted at 12:30 pm and 5:30 pm on April 10, 2024, in City Hall, City Council Chambers. Information from these sources will be input into the Annual Action Plan as well.
Financial Information: HUD has not yet provided next year’s funding estimates. This year’s formula allocation was approximately $1,055,000 and for the purposes of this discussion we are estimating approximately $1M for next year. The final estimated allocation will be available by June/July when the public comment period is announced. Historically, twenty percent (20%) of the allocation is set aside for administrative costs and eighty percent (80%) is allocated to project or program funding. The year’s allocation does not include additional funding or program income which might become available at other times during the program year.
Special Consideration: Unless the City Council requests to remove specific projects from the list, all projects will be left on the list as funded or alternates. Those that are unable to be funded initially will be considered alternate projects and funded if additional funding becomes available or if the primary projects finish under budget.
Location of Project: There are 15 Official HUD CDBG Low-Moderate Income Block Groups located within the City. Projects must be located in one of these Census tracts to be eligible for funding. Alternatively, a program or project can also target the City as a whole (in certain circumstances) or provide assistance to low-moderate income households individually (in certain circumstances). Up to 15% of a municipalities’ allocation can be used for public services. Actual programs or projects coincide with City Council Strategic Plan priorities and are subject to City Council approval.
Attachments: CPSL CDBG Proposals 2024-2025 DRAFT EXHIBIT-A APRIL 2024, CPSL CDBG Quick Facts APRIL 2024, CPSL HUD CDBG Low-Moderate Income Census Block Group Map, additional information/presentation about Parks and Recreation Proposals provided by the Department, including a Map/Exhibit from the 10 Year Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and additional information (proposal for $650,000 project and revised proposal for $251,000 project) about Public Works Windmill Point Culvert Projects provided by the Department.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: N/A
Legal Sufficiency Review:
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