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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-05-27 Housing PACKET Ashland Housing Commission Regular Meeting Agenda th Thursday May 27 2010: 4:30 – 6:30pm Community Development Building - 51 Winburn Way 1. (4:30) Approval of Minutes (5 min) th March 25, 2010 2. (4:35) Public Forum (5 min) 3. (4:40) New Member introductions (5 min) 4. (4:45) Sub-committee Reports (10 min) Subcommittee Reports Liaison Reports Finance (none) Council (Navickas) Education (none) Parks Commission(Hauck) Land Use (none) School Board(Frost) Planning Commission(Benjamin) SOU(???) Staff(Linda Reid) 5.(4.55)2010 CDBG Annual Action Plan Public Hearing(10 min) Draft Review and Approval 6.(5:05)Review and Discussion of New Boards and Commissions Rules(20 Min) 7.(5:25)Discuss Council Homeless Goal and HC involvement (20 Min) 8.(5:45) Discussion about potential recruits and member removal (15 min) 9. (6:00)SubcommitteeDiscussion (15 min) Regina Ayars-absentee e-mail recommendation th 10.(6:15)June 24 2010 MeetingAgenda Items (10 min) Commissioner items suggested(5 min) Quorum Check – Commissioners not available to attend upcoming regular meetings should declare their expected absence. 11.(6.25)Upcoming Events and Meetings (5 min) None Next Housing Commission Regular Meeting th 4:30-6:30 PM; Thursday June 24 2010 Community Development Building 12. (6:30) Adjournment In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone is 1-800-735-2900). Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting(28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1). ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES March 25, 2010 CALL TO ORDER – Chair Steve Hauck called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering Services Building, 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR. Council Liaison Commissioners Present: Graham Lewis Eric Navickas, absent Regina Ayars Aaron Benjamin Staff Present Steve Hauck Linda Reid, Housing Specialist Richard Billin Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk Commissioners Absent: Nick Frost APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes from the January 28, 2010 meeting were approved as presented. PUBLIC FORUM No one present SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS Sub-committee Reports Finance – No report Education – No report Land Use - No report Liaison Reports Council – No report Parks - No report School Board - No report Planning Commission - Benjamin reported that on April 6, 2010 the City Council will be making the final decision on the Croman project. Staff - Reid explained that she reissued the RFP for the remaining CDBG funds, and received an application whose representatives are present at this meeting.Reid did a mailing for the recovery act, which has been renamed the Energy Efficiency Program. Out of the fifty-two mailings she has received fifteen replies from home owners who are interested in taking advantage of the $3,000 grant that was approved with the Recovery Act funds. Because of the great response Reid suggested that the Commission might be interested in allocating some of the regular CDBG program funds to help fill the gap. Initially the City Council allocated $30,000 to the Conservation Program and $16,500 to the Public Works department for repairs of handicapped accessible wheelchair ramps. The Public Works department was able to use other monies to do ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION 1 MINUTES March 25, 2010 the handicapped accessible wheelchair ramp repairs. We now need to ask the council to re- allocate the $16,500 to the conservation program giving them a total of about $50,000 to do the activity, stated Reid. The request will go before the Council as a Consent Agenda item on April th 20. Reid will also need to amend the Action Plan to reflect the change. Transportation Growth Management (TGM) Grant Application The Planning Department has applied for a grant from TGM to create a Land Use and Transportation Plan for the Normal Avenue area. It is an approximately ninety-four acre developable parcel located in the Urban Growth Boundary. The City is asking for a grant to develop a plan to see how the space could be used. Two of the components of this project would be to update the Buildable Lands Inventory and create a new Housing Needs Analysis which would be of interest to the Housing Commission. Graham/Ayars m/s motion for Hauck to sign a letter of support for this Grant Application. Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed CDBG Program Public Hearing and Award Recommendation Reid explained that for the 2010 Community Development Block Grant year the City of Ashland is expecting a total allocation of approximately $207,000, $30,000 of which is available for public service projects. The City received one application for public services from St. Vincent De Paul. Their goal is to provide emergency housing and utility assistance to qualified low income households within the City of Ashland. Last year St. Vincent De Paul helped 587 low income households with $65,000. This year the goal is to help 620 household with the help of the $30,000 grant money. St. Vincent De Paul will be providing matching funds in the amount of $37,000. Staffs recommendation is to fully fund this activity. Applicant Presentation - Rich Hansen, Foundation Liaison and volunteer Charlotte Dorsey were present to represent St. Vincent De Paul. Mr. Hansen explained they have no paid employees and depend on over 250 volunteers to supply all staffing and services. Because there is no paid staff they can guarantee that 100% of the money they receive will go to help the poor in their moment of crisis. With today’s economy the needs have increased and the $30,000 would go a long way to help, stated Mr. Hansen. Their objective is to avoid homelessness. Question and Answer Discussion - What’s the typical profile of your clients? The majority of people they deal with in Ashland and Talent are low income families or individuals struggling with the economy due to the job situations. Most clients are families or single parents who have no job and rent becomes an issue. What percentage would you say are families with children? 50% What percentage are single parents? Not sure at this time but they are the minority rather then the majority. What kind of paperwork is required? Reid explained that she is required to report on the use of the money and show that it is being used to serve people who are 80% or below AMI. Currently St. Vincent De Paul does not require income verification and prides themselves in being blind to race, religion, color, age and creed. HUD wants to see the trends and asks for demographics, race, and female head of household, seniors, disabilities and income categories. St. Vincent De Paul will now need to record these demographics. Do you have any statistic showing a focus on chronology age groups? Age 0 to 17 is 28%, Age 24 to 44 25% ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION 2 MINUTES March 25, 2010 Age 55 to 69 6% Is any focus being placed on homeless youth or the elderly? The elderly have a lot more places to be referred to for housing, thanks to the government and the Community Action Agency, ACCESS, Inc. Typically what’s the period of time you work with a client and how many visits do you make. In past years one visit was typically made to do an initial screening to find out the medical and other immediate need. Now with the changes in the economy and with the increase in joblessness and homelessness they are returning more often. Graham thanked Mr. Hansen and said that as a staff of the United Methodist Church he really appreciates St. Vincent De Paul’s promptness and what they have been able to do for folks. Billin/Ayars m/s to approve the recommendation made by City staff to “Recommend funding St. Vincent De Paul – Home Visitation Program $30,000 to fund emergency rent and utility assistance for people to prevent homelessness.” Roll Call Vote: Commissioners Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes. Motion passed. New application for Capital Funds from Ashland Supportive Housing Reid stated this is an eligible activity as a rehabilitation of a home that will be serving, low income populations, since peoples with disabilities are presumed benefit by HUD. Though Reid has not had the sufficient time to evaluate this application it is her belief that staff will recommend to fund this project. Applicant Presentation - Sue Crader, Executive Director of ASH and Judy Byers Assistant Director were present to discuss their application. They are requesting $110,861.00 CDBG funds to renovate an existing structure. The organizational match is $30,994 funds and $2,700 from United Way. The total project cost is $143, 755. ASH owns a home located on the corner of Walker and Clark Street that they previously used as a group home for developmentally disabled adults from the early 1990’s until 2004. Having no money to put towards the renovation of the house they moved their clients into two other homes. ASH put the home on the market. Unfortunately the market fell apart and the house sat for a year and a half until it was leased by some folks who turned it into a kindergarten. Their business failed and ASH received the property back in January of this year. ASH would like to create a respite home, a place where people with disabilities can spend time out of their own homes for one, two, three nights even up to 60 days. This gives caregivers a break as well as the person who needs care a break. It offers a temporary placement within their community. ASH would like the grant money so they can fix up the property to meet this need. ASH has been in business since 1982 with 26 full time employees paid at a living wage with full medically and dental benefits. This project would create 9 full time positions. Funding will be provided primarily through creative supports and the state of Oregon. They will also be opening up beds for private pay. Their goal is to have the project completed by the end of the year and th then hire a staff and open the doors by March 15 of 2011. Discussion and questions - If you don’t get the funds will this project not go forward? It would not be easy but they will still try to make it happen. They would need to find other places to get the funds. ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION 3 MINUTES March 25, 2010 Graham/Billin m/s that we approve (this presentation) with the caveat that if another proposal comes in before the deadline we will reconvene with a public hearing to hear that proposal but if we don’t get another one in forget it. Roll Call Vote: Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes. Motion passed Public Hearing-Draft Consolidated Plan Review The Consolidated plan is a document that needs to be drafted every five years for the City to continue to receive Community Development Block Grant Funds. The Consolidated plan has to encompass all activities that CDBG could undertake although the City does not intend to undertake all the activities that are eligible for CDBG funding. Reid reviewed how the City did with the goals previously and what the new goals are. Out of the focus group meeting there were three priority goals. 1.Affordable and Workforce Housing 2.Homeless, At-Risk and Special Needs Populations 3.Economic and Community Development Reid commented that a one item she found to be quite interesting was that the percentage of families and individuals in poverty is greater in Ashland then it is in Jackson County, in the State of Oregon as well as the United States as a whole. The percentage is higher here then the national average. Our community has a lot more needs then people realize, stated Reid. The Commissioners congratulated Reid on a job well done with the Consolidated Plan. Billin/Graham m/s to recommend approval of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan.Roll Call Vote: Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes. Motion passed Hunger and Homelessness Forum Report Hauck thanked Regina for stepping in for him as he had other obligations and was not able to attend the forum. Ayars reported that approximately forty people attended mostly students, homeless people and stake holders in the community. They had a panel consisting of the woman who started the food bank, the man who started the Ashland food project, Jody Waters a professor at SOU who teaches homeless and hunger class, Ayars, the Mayor and a man living at the Gospel Mission. Regina shared that the Housing Commission’s role is prevention of homelessness by promoting affordable housing. Two communities of homeless people were present, those who choose homelessness as a life style and those who do not choose homelessness. The students who organized this did a really good job said Ayars though she was not sure what is going to happen with the information. Oregon has the highest concentration of homeless population of all states, one in every 250 stated Reid. Subcommittee Discussion This discussion was moved to next month’s meeting. Regina will not be present at next month’s meeting and will turn in a written report. nd April 22 2010 Meeting Agenda Items and Quorum Check Regina will not be present. Upcoming Events and Meetings th April 20 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-CDBG Program Award th April 20 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-Consolidated Plan Public Hearing nd April 22 2010 4:30-6:30 PM Thursday Regular Housing Meeting ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Carolyn Schwendener ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION 4 MINUTES March 25, 2010 ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION 5 MINUTES March 25, 2010 DRAFT ACTION PLAN: ONE YEAR USE OF FUNDS Program Year 2010 (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011) Prepared for: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development By: The City of Ashland Department of Community Development Planning Division Ashland, Oregon One Year Use of Funds Action Plan for CDBG Funds Program Year 2010 Mission Statement The following mission statement is taken from the City of Ashland’s current Strategic Plan. H OUSING The City has a responsibility to ensure that proper amounts of land are set aside to accommodate the various housing needs in the City, and that its land development ordinances are broad enough to allow for variation in housing type and density. E CONOMY The City seeks to provide opportunities for a variety of economic activities in the City, while continuing to reaffirm the economic goals of Ashland citizens. Economic development in Ashland should serve the purpose of maintaining and improving the local quality of life. S OCIAL AND H UMAN S ERVICES To ensure that all people in Ashland live in a safe, strong, and caring community, the City seeks to enhance the quality of life and promote self-reliance, growth and development of people. To these ends, the City will strive to provide resources and services to meet basic human needs. Executive Summary The City of Ashland is an Entitlement community. The city anticipates an annual allocation of $224,545 in Community Development Block Grant funds for Program Year 2010 (July 1, 2010- June 30, 2011) by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Additionally in the coming program year the City will utilize $2,370 in 2009 carry over funds that were unallocated. This document, the CDBG Action Plan for Program Year 2010 describes the project(s) that the City will undertake and the manner in which the project(s) are consistent with the priorities of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan. Within this document is a table summarizing the projects to be funded by CDBG dollars in Program Year 2010 (page 3). Following the recommendation of the Housing Commission, the City Council approved an award of $30,000 to St. Vincent de Paul-Home Visitation Program to provide emergency rental and utility assistance to qualified low-income households, and $110,861 to Ashland Supportive Housing (ASH) to rehabilitate an existing house to be used as a respite home. The un- requested remaining balance of $27,623 (based on the prior years allocation) was dedicated to completing ADA and Public Facilities improvements in qualified low to moderate income census block groups. The remainder of funds is to be applied to administration of the program (20% of annual award). City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 2 The table provided below shows the projects awarded CDBG funds in Program Year 2010: CDBG Funded Projects for Program Year 2010 Project ID Recipient Activity Name Location CDBG # Households or Organization Funds Persons Assisted Annually 2010-1City of Ashland CDBGCity wide $44,909city wide Administration (Consolidated Plan Goal 14) 2010-2AshlandRehabilitation of a 1016 Clark Street, $110,861 416 special needs Supportivehousing unit to be Ashland, OR client annually (Consolidated Housingused as a respite Plan Goals 8.1 & home for peoples 8.2) with disabilities. 2010-3 620 Low income Home Visitation City Wide $30,000 St. Vincent De (Consolidated Program households Paul Plan Goals 6.1) City of Ashland ADA 2010-4 City Wide $27,6232,379 peoples with Public Works Improvements (Consolidated disabilities reside in Department Plan Goal #7) Ashland (2000 Census) To Be $13,522 Unallocated Grant Determined Funds TBD Housing City wide $43,978 2009-5HousingBetween 2 and 5 Authority of (ConsolidatedRehabilitationhouseholds Jackson County Plan Goal #3) Program-(Program Income) City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 3 Citizen Participation th A Public hearing was held on March 25 2010 to consider comments on the potential uses of the 2010 CDBG allocation. Additionally at that meeting the Ashland Housing Commission reviewed the applications submitted for CDBG grant awards. After opening a hearing to solicit comments about how the City should apply the CDBG funds (no public testimony provided), the Housing Commission forwarded an award recommendation to the City Council. The City Council held a public hearing on April th 20 2010, at which time only the CDBG applicants testified during the public hearing and the Council selected award recipients. nd The Housing Commission held a public hearing on April 22 to elicit comments on the draft Action Plan and provide recommendations for potential changes. The public comment period on the 2010 one year thth Action Plan began on April 26 and ran through May 26. No public testimony was received and the Housing Commission motioned to accept the 2010 CDBG Action Plan as presented. All meetings were noticed in the Legal Notices section in The Ashland Daily Tidings, and posted on the City of Ashland website. th The availability of the draft plan was also posted on the City of Ashland web page on April 26, 2010 and an Adobe Portable document (PDF) of the Action Plan was available for download throughout the public comment period. An advertisement notifying the public of the availability of the draft Action Plan and the comment period th was published on April 26 2010 in The Ashland Daily Tidings. Sources of Funds There are several available private and public funding sources to assist developers of affordable housing, area non-profit service providers, and organizations that assist at risk and low-income populations. This section provides an overview of the potential funding sources for projects or services provided to the aforementioned populations. Only the programs and resources most likely to be utilized by organizations providing services to City of Ashland residents or that provide area wide benefit will be included in this narrative. The City of Ashland is an Entitlement Jurisdiction for Community Development Block Grant funds. Most other resources are provided on a competitive basis through state or federal programs. 1)Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program CDBG funds are an entitlement received by the City of Ashland based on a formula related to populations and other parameters. The City expects to receive $224,545 in formula grant funds for fiscal year 2010. The eligible uses of these funds permit the city to provide direct funding for community development projects such as streets, sidewalks and other public infrastructure in low-income neighborhoods. The City of Ashland also awards funds to agencies and organizations that provide housing and related services to low to moderate income and special populations through a competitive process that requires a 10% match. Similarly CDBG funds often allow the grantees to leverage substantial resources from state and federal funding sources. The City of Ashland has instituted a 15% set aside for public service projects that benefit low to moderate income populations and homeless, at- risk and special needs populations. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 4 Summary of Available CDBG Resources Total Fiscal Year 2010-2011 resources available for allocation in this program year Community Development Block Grant Fund $ 224,545 2009 Unallocated Carry-over Funds $ 2,370 CDBG Program Income (HAJC-Rehab loan repayments) $ 43,978 Total Funds Available $ 270,893 The funds identified above represent both federal and local CDBG resources available for allocation to eligible activities. The City intends that 100% of these funds will be invested in or support the delivery of activities that primarily benefit very low, low, and moderate income persons. This table does not reflect funding sources provided by federal, state, and local resources out side of the CDBG program which may be utilized in projects and services that help to meet goals identified in the City’s five year Consolidated Plan. Program income derived from Housing Rehabilitation Loan repayments are only eligibly for use in further Housing Rehabilitation Loan projects. The amount of program income shown is a cumulative total comprised of pay-offs received since the close of fiscal year 1997, the year that the fist Home Rehabilitation Loan program was awarded a City of Ashland CDBG grant. This amount is not solely reflective of repayments received or expected to be received in a single fiscal year. For fiscal year 2010 the Housing Authority of Jackson County does not expect to receive any program income from the City of Ashland’s Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program. 2)Home Program The City of Ashland is not currently a participating jurisdiction for HUD’s HOME funds. Some local developers of affordable housing are eligible to apply to Oregon Housing and Community Services Department which allocates funds based on a statewide Consolidated Plan. 3)Low-Income Energy Assistance and Weatherization ACCESS, Inc. serves as the CAP agency providing service to all of Jackson and most of Josephine County. ACCESS, Inc. receives U.S. Department of Energy funds which are distributed through Oregon Housing and Community Services. These funds are used to provide low-income households with help in paying their energy bills and weatherizing their homes. Furthermore, the City of Ashland owns and operates the Electric Utility; the City is in the unique position to assist very-low income households in meeting their energy needs, specifically during the winter months when energy costs and use are highest.To this end the City targets assistance to Low-income Ashland utility customers who need help to pay their heating bills over the course of each winter. Applicants must have an active electric utility account with the City and the Applicant’s household income may not exceed 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The City of Ashland also offers a Senior and Disabled Discount on electric usage charges. Last year the cumulative total the city provided out of the general fund toward this program was $107,326.80,serving 504 households. 4)Low-income Housing Tax Credit Program The Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program assists both for-Profit and non-profit housing developers in financing affordable housing projects for low-income families and individuals. Some local developers of affordable housing are eligible to apply to Oregon Housing and Community Services Departmentwhich allocates funds based on a statewide Consolidated Plan. The City of Ashland has not benefited from the use of these credits/funds in recent years. However a tax credit project is currently underway and the City expects to see that project completed in the near future. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 5 5)Exemptions from Local Property Taxes Non-profits that provide services for low and moderate income persons are often eligible for exemptions from local property taxes. ACCESS, Inc. and the Housing Authority of Jackson County are two such entities. 6)Homeless Populations Oregon Housing and Community Services receive federal and state resources to be used to support services for homeless populations. They include: Emergency Housing Account, Emergency Shelter grants, State Homeless Assistance Program, Shelter Plus Care, and Supplemental Assistance for Facilities to Assist Homeless. Additionally, under the Federal Continuum of Care program administered by HUD, local governments and agencies can apply for federal funding for programs and services to prevent and combat homelessness. The Jackson County Continuum of Care is an annual recipient of McKinney Vento funds. The City of Ashland does not directly receive any funds to assist homeless persons or persons at risk of becoming homeless, and there is no longer a local organization that provides services to homeless populations; however City of Ashland residents can access available services, programs and funds through ACCESS, Inc. the regional CAP agency that serves Jackson and Josephine Counties. Similarly, many non-profit agency’s that provide housing or support services for homeless populations are eligible to apply for funds through Oregon Housing and Community Services or through the Jackson County Continuum of Care. 7)Public Housing Assistance-Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program The Housing Authority of Jackson County is the local provider of HUD funded housing programs such as the Housing Choice Voucher program and the Public Housing program. The Housing Authority also operates a Family Self sufficiency program for families receiving federal housing assistance as well as an Individual Development Account program. Currently the Housing Authority receives approximately 1390 Housing Choice Vouchers for all of Jackson County. Just over 100 of those vouchers are provided to City of Ashland residents. 8)USDA Rural Development Mutual Self Help Home Loans/SHOP The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development offers several loan options to assist low to moderate income households attain homeownership. In recent years the City of Ashland has awarded Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation CDBG funds to help leverage funds and initiate two Self help homeownership projects that utilized funds from Rural Development programs.Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation has utilized Self Help Ownership Program (SHOP) grant funds awarded to Community Frameworks from HUD on these projects. Similarly USDA Rural Development also offers low-interest loans and grants to assist low to moderate homeowner’s complete health and safety repairs on their homes. 9)City General Fund Grants The City of Ashland offers two types of grants, Social Service Grants and Economic Development Grants. The City’s Social Service Grant program allocates approximately $118,000 annually to help fund public service agencies and organizations providing essential safety net services for City of Ashland residents. The City’s Economic Development Grant program provides over $150,000 in grants annually. 10)Land Donation/Systems Development Charge Deferrals/Fee Waivers City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 6 In recent years the City of Ashland has offered city owned land to developers of affordable housing through a competitive RFP process to assist in buying down the land costs thereby encouraging the development of affordable housing. In program year 2008 the City traded four city owned properties valued at $1.7 Million to assist in acquiring land for the purpose of developing an affordable housing project in conjunction with the Housing Authority of Jackson County and yet to be identified developer(s) of affordable housing. The City of Ashland also provided $620,000 in direct contribution from the General Fund in order to assist with this acquisition. The City offers incentives to private developers and affordable housing developers by deferring Systems Development Charges and waiving Community Development Fees for providing ownership and rental units priced for low and moderate income households. These incentives result in the non-collection of funds that would otherwise contribute to the City’s General Fund. Summary of Specific Annual Objectives The Action Plan allocates $224,545 in new 2010-2011 CDBG funds and $2,370 in unallocated carryover funds from program year 2009-2010. The funds will be used to support the following activities: Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance- St. Vincent De Paul-Home Visitation Program was awarded $30,000 in public service funds to provide emergency rental and utility assistance to qualified households. Outcome Statement:Availability/Accessibility of Decent Housing Respite Home Rehabilitation- Ashland Supportive Housing-Respite Home Rehabilitation was awarded $110,861 in Capitol Improvement funds to complete repairs on an existing home to utilize as a respite care home for peoples with disabilities. Outcome Statement:Availability/Accessibility of Decent Housing, Sustainability of Decent Housing ADA Improvements: The City is utilizing $27,623 in un-requested grant funds to complete ADA improvements in qualified low to moderate income areas throughout the City. Outcome Statement:Availability/Accessibility of Suitable Living Environment, Affordability of Suitable Living Environment Home Repair Program- the Housing Authority of Jackson County was awarded CDBG funds to administer a Home Repair Program within the City of Ashland in 1997, 1998 and 2000. The Home Repair Program is a revolving loan funds which uses loan repayments to further the program. Currently the cumulative total of repayments received totals $43,978. This Program Income will be used to complete needed health and safety repairs for between 2 and 5 households. Outcome Statement: Sustainability of Decent Housing. Program Administration -$44,909 will be used for general program administration. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 7 Table 3-A Summary of Specific Annual Objectives Outcome/Objective SpecificProjectsYear to be Expected Actual Performance Indicators Percent Obj. # (CDBG Funded) completed NumberNumber Specific Annual Objectives DH-1 Availability/Accessibility of Decent Housing Provide assistance to non-Home Visitation Number of DH-1.2 2010620 profit organizations that assist Program St. Vincent households at risk of the homeless and those at De Paul homelessness that risk of homelessness, provide have received transition assistance to the services designed to homeless and help prevent improve health and homelessness. safety, and counseling. HUD Matrix = 05 LMC DH-3 Sustainability of Decent Housing DH-3.3 Rehabilitation of an existing housing units occupied by low to moderate 20103 income homeowners. HUD Matrix=14A LMH City of Ashland Home Repair Program-HAJC Number of households assisted DH-1 Accessibility of Decent Housing To Support Housing and Ashland Supportive Number of group 2011 DH-1.3 1 supportive services for Housing homes or other people with special needs. supportive housing People with special needs developed for the includes; elderly, the frail elderly or individuals elderly, persons with with special needs. developmental disabilities, persons with physical disabilities, persons with severe mental illness, persons with alcohol or other drug dependencies and persons with HIV/AIDS or related illnesses. improvements HUD Matrix = 14A LMH SL-1Accessibility/Availability of Suitable Living Environoments SL-1.1 To provide safe and City of Ashland Public TBD 2010TBD convenient access to Works Department alternative transportation routes in extremely low-, low, and moderate income neighborhoods. HUD Matrix = 03 LMA City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 8 Outcome measures In addition to the table above, included in this submission is Table ‘3C’ (OMB 2506-0117) for each of the activities receiving CDBG funds for the 2010 program year. Within the 3C tables the City has indicated the Objective and Outcome categories and incorporated the identification of the CPD outcome statement as an Objective number. Allocation priorities and Geographic Distribution The City of Ashland is a small entitlement community with limited resources to apply to CDBG funded activities. As the City of Ashland primarily uses CDBG funds to assist projects that seek to create or retain affordable housing (these priorities are noted in Housing Goals 1-3 in the City’s 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan). The City aims to utilize CDBG funds to benefit the greatest number of households as opposed to a direct application of funds to a particular neighborhood as part of a revitalization strategy. With a limited number of applications received for CDBG funds the City has not had to further delineate a spending priority based on location as selection criteria in evaluation of proposals. However, as land values are slightly lower in designated low-moderate income census block groups the City is often in the position of making awards to acquire property or rehabilitate housing in such neighborhoods. In 2010 the City will utilize $27,623 in CDBG funds to complete ADA improvements in yet to be determined locations throughout the City. The jurisdiction has no plans to dedicate a percentage of CDBG funds to any one area. In recent years the city has encountered two main obstacles to addressing and meeting two of the priority goals identified within the 2005-2009 Consolidate Plan. These are the retention and/or creation of existing and new affordable rental housing units. An insufficient quantity new affordable rental housing units have been built within the City in recent years, this has been attributed to the high cost of land, which creates market conditions that are more favorable to for sale/ownership housing opportunities than to rental housing development and places developers at a further disadvantage by creating a more lucrative market for market rate developments. Similarly, the housing market has put stress on the existing affordable and market rate rental housing stock by making it more lucrative to condominimize those rental properties. The goals specified in the 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan that aimed to provide services to homeless, at-risk, and special needs populations have suffered due to the lack of support services for homeless populations within the City. The loss of the Interfaith Care Community of Ashland, who was the sole provider of homeless support services (aside from meals and the City’s Emergency shelter program which only operates in extreme weather conditions), has had a severe impact on the amount of homeless, at-risk and special needs populations that the City has been able to provide assistance for. Homeless populations and those at risk of homelessness still have access to regional service providers, most of which are located in and around the City of Medford approximately 13 miles from Ashland, however, there is no system in place to track the services provided by the numerous agencies by locality or without duplication. The 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan established the goal (4) of providing support services for homeless prevention and transition. The goal further states that services that are part of a comprehensive approach to improve the living conditions of clients are a priority The City received one proposal in 2010 which will assist the City in addressing this goal. Annual Affordable Housing Goals Goal 1: To increase the supply of affordable rental housing for extremely low-, low- and moderate- income families. Where possible, give funding priority to those projects that will provide benefits to residents with the lowest incomes. Goal 2: To increase the homeownership opportunities for extremely low-, low-, and moderate-income households. Where possible, give funding priority to those projects that will provide benefits to residents with the lowest incomes. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 9 Goal 3: To maintain the existing affordable housing supply. Where possible, give funding priority to those projects that will provide benefits to residents with the lowest incomes. Also, give funding priority to those programs which retain the units as affordable in perpetuity, or recapture the rehabilitation costs for further use in Ashland. During the 2010 CDBG Program Year the City of Ashland expects a number of affordable housing projects to be underway. The Housing Authority of Jackson County is currently working on construction on a 60 unit low-income rental housing development in the fall of 2009 and expects construction to be completed by fall of 2010. Ashland Community Land Trust in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Rogue Valley is expected to begin the construction of two new low-income ADA accessible homeownership units on land originally purchased with CDBG funds. Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation has applied for building permits for a 15 unit Mutual Self Help Homeownership project utilizing funding from HUD in the form of SHOP grants and from USDA’s department of Rural Development. Similarly RVCDC is expected to start work on a 5 unit workforce housing project utilizing SHOP funds. ACLT’s two units and RVCDC’s 15 units may be completed within the 2009 program year. Although all of these projects are underway and will go a long way toward helping the city meet the goals proposed in the five year Consolidated plan, only two of these projects is expected to be completed within this program year and therefore the city does not expect to attain the one year goals as outlined, specifically, Goals DH 2.1; the creation or acquisition of 2 affordable rental units by non-profit and private developers. (In 2009, Ashland’s land use ordinances that require a percentage of affordable units be created when certain conditions apply in condo conversions, annexations, and zone changes will add 15 additional affordable housing units to Ashland’s Inventory, as mentioned earlier those units will be built by RVCDC), and DH 3.1; the acquisition and development of 10 affordable rental housing units through sustainable programs. The Housing Authority of Jackson County continues to administer the City of Ashland’s Homeowner Repair Program utilizing Program income from that program’s revolving loan fund. Although the City has met its Consolidated Plan goal of assisting 3 homeowners complete needed repairs, both the City and the Housing Authority will continue to offer the repair program for low income homeowners with loan repayment funds. Needs of Public Housing The City of Ashland does not own or operate any public housing within the City. Additionally, the Housing Authority of Jackson County which serves the Ashland area in this regard does not currently own or operate any Public Housing units located within the city. The Housing Authority has no proposed Public Housing projects within the Ashland City limits for the 2010 CDBG program Year. Homelessness and other Special Needs Populations Goal 4: Support services for homelessness prevention and transition. Where possible, give funding priority to services that are part of a comprehensive approach that improves the living conditions of clients. Safety net services or services that meet basic needs shall only be funded with CDBG dollars if it can be demonstrated that clients receiving those benefits are part of a program that will eventually help them obtain self-sufficiency. Goal 5: Encourage the development of emergency and transitional housing for homeless families with children and/or individuals. Goal 6: To support housing and supportive services for people with special needs. People with special needs include the elderly, the frail elderly, persons with developmental disabilities, persons with physical disabilities, persons with severe mental illness, persons with alcohol or other drug dependencies and persons with HIV/AIDS or related illness. In prior years the City awarded CDBG funds and provided social service grant funds through the city’s general fund to Interfaith Care Community of Ashland (ICCA) to provide services to homeless individuals City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 10 and improve access to transitional housing; however the city no longer has a local provider of support services for homeless populations since the loss of ICCA. For Program Year 2010, the City has awarded public service funds to the St. Vincent De Paul, Home Visitation program in an effort to prevent homelessness. The city does continues to support regional service providers through the City of Ashland’s general fund social service grants to organizations that provide services to homeless, at-risk, and special needs populations. As mentioned previously, the City of Ashland’s Community Emergency Response Team organizes emergency shelters through area churches and public buildings in times of extreme weather conditions. Further, populations needing assistance not offered locally have the ability to access a variety of safety net services through ACCESS, Inc, the regional provider of Community Action Programs, as well as other social service providers located in Medford and surrounding areas. The city continues to partner with other governmental jurisdictions, agencies and organizations, in an effort to address homelessness and their special needs populations. The city also continues to be an active member in the Homeless Task Force, a sub-group of the Jackson County Community Services Consortium to address the needs of the homeless on a regional scale, and makes referrals to the appropriate agencies when necessary. Each year the Homeless Task Force conducts a one night homeless shelter survey, through a coordinated effort of the task force members, emergency shelters, social service agencies, and organizations that provide support services to homeless and special needs populations. This annual survey allows jurisdictions and agencies to track the progress, or lack of progress on addressing the issues of homelessness in the region as well as to recognize gaps in services. The city may attain a percentage of the goals as outlined in DH1.1 -1.3; assistance and support services for special needs and homeless populations, (3 group homes, 3 individuals, and 400-500 homeless individuals receiving services county wide) through support of St. Vincent de Paul’s program, through the use of City of Ashland general funds in the form of Social Service grants to area organizations offering services to at- risk, homeless, and special needs populations, and through staffs work with the Homeless Task force and the City’s involvement in the Project Homeless Connect event, a one day event to provide outreach, services, and resources to homeless and at-risk populations. Racial/Minority Populations According to the 2000 Census there were no block groups where 20% or more of the population is comprised of racial or ethnic minorities. Consequently the City does not intend to direct any 2010 CDBG funds to any one block group for this purpose. The City does however intend to direct resources toward furthering fair housing and implementing the recommendations identified in the 2008 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. Specific actions the City is currently undertaking include; partnering with the City of Medford to bring Fair Housing Trainings to targeted groups identified in the AI, supporting the Center for Non-Profit legal services through City General Fund Social Service Grants, and lastly, the City of Ashland’s Housing Commission is working on implementing several of the recommendations identified in the AI, including an update of the City’s Fair Housing Ordinance. Barriers to Affordable Housing Goal 13: Remain aware of the barriers to affordable housing in Ashland, and where it is within the City’s ability; take steps to overcome such barriers. Education and Outreach is a significant role of the Housing Commission and such activities often have the benefit of not just disseminating information, but collecting information as well. Such a dialogue within the City facilitates an awareness of the barriers to affordable housing and highlights mechanisms available to address such barriers. In the 2010 CDBG program year the Housing Commission will continue its ongoing efforts to produce informational material to raise awareness and understanding of issues that surround affordable housing. The Housing Commission has created a Finance Sub- Committee to work toward identifying a permanent funding source to support the Housing Trust Fund. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 11 The Housing Trust Fund Ordinance was adopted in late 2008 in an effort to promote the development of affordable housing by assisting developers in overcoming the barriers of land and development costs when developing affordable housing. The City of Ashland Housing Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council have initiated an examination of regulatory barriers and land use ordinance barriers to the promotion and development of affordable housing. Similarly, the Housing Commission and city staff continue to research and implement incentives to promote the development of affordable housing. Anti-Poverty Strategy Goal 11: To reduce the number of people living in poverty in the City of Ashland. Goal 12: Promote and support activities in the community that improve or provide access to economic opportunities for extremely low- and low-income residents of Ashland. The Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 requires communities to include in their Consolidated Plan a description of an anti-poverty strategy. This strategy takes into consideration factors over which the City has control. The City of Ashland has limited resources for addressing the issues involved in reducing poverty and improving the self-sufficiency of low-income residents. Affordable housing is one of the factors directly related to poverty that the City of Ashland does have some ability to influence. In addition, the City supports housing, social service, and economic development programs targeted at the continuum of care needs of the homeless. Goals 11 and 12 of the five year consolidated plan target reducing the number of people living in poverty, to this end the City adopted a Living Wage Ordinance in 2001 that stipulated that all employees, contractors, or recipients of city grants or funds must meet minimum living wage requirements adjusted annually to the Consumer Price Index. The Living wage ordinance continues to provide the benefits of a higher wage scale for all people working to provide the City with services, or working on City funded projects. Similarly economic development grants funded through the City’s General Fund provide support for non-profit organizations that create living wage employment opportunities and fund programs that provide job training for low-income, at-risk and special needs populations as well as supporting humanities and the arts. The City of Ashland recently added the position of Economic Development coordinator to increase the number of living wage jobs located within the city by promoting the expansion, retention and relocation of local and national businesses. The City of Ashland provides funding to agencies that address the needs of low income and homeless residents through a Social Service Grant program. The goal of this program is to improve living conditions and self sufficiency for residents by meeting such basic needs as food, shelter, clothing, counseling and basic health care. The goal is carried out by providing funds in excess of $100,000 every other year to various area agencies whose focus meets one or more of these targeted needs. Similarly, the City of Ashland’s utilities department through the Ashland Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (ALEAP) provides reduced costs energy bills and bill payment assistance to qualifying low-income, elderly, and disabled residents in an effort to reduce cost burden. Both of these programs are paid out of the City’s General Fund. An Affordable Housing Committee was formed in 1990 and reconvened in 1994 to search for ways to provide economical housing in Ashland. In 1995 a formal Housing Commission was formed. The Housing Commission has endeavored to create policies that will allow additional housing opportunities for low- and moderate- income Ashland households. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 12 Lead-Based Paint Goal 10: Assure activities assisted by the City are conducted in compliance with state and federal laws that apply to lead-based paint hazards, and the information distributed about lead-based paint is in compliance with current state and federal laws. The City of Ashland is acutely aware of the dangers posed by lead based paint poisoning. In goal number 10 of the five year Consolidated Plan, the city prioritized the goal of assuring that CDBG funded activities would be in compliance with all state and federal laws regarding Lead Based Paint safe work practices in federally assisted projects in an effort to reduce the number of housing units containing Lead Based Paint Hazards and thereby reduce the number of children affected by lead based paint poisoning. The city provides information regarding lead based paint hazards in the home, and information regarding lead based paint hazards as requested. Lastly, The Housing Authority of Jackson County hosts periodic Lead Based Paint Safe work practices training and certification which benefits local contractors and the general public. The City of Ashland’s Housing Program Specialist is certified in lead based paint safe work practices. One projects funded in the 2010 program year has the potential to involve issues of lead based paint, also the City housing rehabilitation program utilizing program income has the potential to involve issues of lead based paint. The City has in the past and will continue to ensure that lead testing and clearance is completed on any federally funded project involving a structure built prior to 1978. Monitoring The City of Ashland employs a full time Housing Program Specialist to oversee the Community Development Block Grant program, the City of Ashland’s affordable Housing Program, and to work with the City of Ashland’s Housing Commission in identifying the City’s housing needs, fostering knowledge of those needs and promoting the development of needed housing types. The Housing Program Specialist is responsible for monitoring the City’s progress in meeting the stated goals and objectives set forth in the 5 year Consolidated Plan annually, and to ensure that CDBG awards and the yearly Action Plans are developed to meet the intended goals. Specifically, the development of housing that is affordable to low- moderate and extremely low income households will be quantified each year. Throughout the year each new unit that is developed, through grant assistance or through the private market to meet regulatory requirements, will be deed restricted to ensure a period of affordability (typically 30 years or greater), The development of both rental and owner occupied affordable housing will be compared to the targets established in the Consolidated Plan and subsequent years CDBG awards will be targeted to those types of housing that are not keeping pace with projections. The City staff will complete an Annual Performance Evaluation Report which will quantify both housing and homeless accomplishments after the conclusion of each fiscal year. Housing accomplishments will be broken into the income and occupancy type categories identified in the 5-year Consolidated Plan. The success of the Ashland CDBG program, SDC deferral program, Accessory Residential Unit development, and Land Use requirements and incentives for affordable housing, will be examined and presented to the Ashland Housing Commission for evaluation. This information will inform potential modifications to existing or future programs to meet the goals outlined in the Consolidated Plan. The information contained in the Annual Performance Evaluation Report will assist in informing the CDBG award selection process undertaken in February-March of the following year. Sub-recipient Monitoring-The City of Ashland, as the grantee for CDBG grants, will monitor the sub- recipients on a quarterly basis. The Housing Program Specialist maintains a close working relationship with the CDBG sub-recipients. One benefit of being a small entitlement community with a limited grant amount is that the City typically provides only one award per program year. This enables the City Staff to closely follow the progress of CDBG projects and maintain open communication with Sub-recipients. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 13 The City is committed to ensuring that CDBG funds are used as specified in State and Federal regulations through: public and City Council monitoring through public hearings; staff evaluation; annual evaluation of the priorities set forth in the Consolidated Plan; periodic site visits and program evaluations; financial monitoring, record keeping, and financial and beneficiary reporting requirements. The City requires recipients of CDBG funds to provide a project timeline with benchmarks for completion which is incorporated into the Sub-recipient Agreement for use of CDBG funds. The City remains in regular contact with each sub-recipient throughout the projects development to monitor their accomplishments ensure they are meeting the projected benchmarks, and provide information on CDBG regulations. For currently funded projects in development, at a minimum the City CDBG administration staff will meet with each sub-recipient’s designated representative to review their project’s accomplishments and investigate any failures to meet anticipated benchmarks at quarterly intervals. If deemed necessary, the City of Ashland CDBG administrative staff will conduct a formal monitoring visit to evaluate the following items as they relate to CDBG funded projects. If at any point the City CDBG administration staff determines a project is failing to move forward the sub-recipient will be required to complete a Corrective Action Plan as described below. Financial management-The extent to which program participants account for and manage financial resources in accordance with approved financial management standards. Additionally this criterion relates to the amount of potential monetary exposure to the City, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Analysis to include assessment of: Amount of current/total funding obligated and/or expended Audits and/or Investigations Staff experience with CDBG History of performance Physical asset maintenance and operation-The extent to which HUD-funded physical assets are maintained and operated. Analysis to include assessment of: History of Performance Condition of HUD funded physical assets Use of facilities or physical assets in conformance with CDBG regulations Management-The extent which the program participant has the administrative capacity to carry out CDBG requirements. Analysis to include assessment of: Experience level of Key staff particularly as it relates to CDBG funded activities Program History including performance indicators Reporting consistency Satisfaction-Extent to which clients express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the delivery of the program services. Analysis to include assessment of: Types of program activities Complaints or compliments received Services-Extent to which HUD program participants effectively and efficiently deliver services to the intended beneficiaries/clientele. Analysis to include assessment of: City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 14 Types of program activities Accomplishments Timeliness Project development including timing benchmarks Corrective Action Plan-If the activities funded with CDBG dollars are not being accomplished in a timely manner, as set forth in the sub-recipient agreements the City of Ashland may issue a written notice requiring the submission of a corrective action plan that is subject to the approval of the City. The City shall provide the sub-recipient 14 days, or such time as City deems appropriate, to develop a corrective action plan that is acceptable to the City for correcting the problem. At a minimum, the corrective action plan must include; (1) A written performance measure to be implemented by the Sub-recipient that corrects the specific area(s) of noncompliance and how performance measure will be established and executed by the Sub- recipient’s organization, including subcontractors and; (2) Designates the person with authority within the Sub-recipient’s organization charged with the responsibility of accomplishing and monitoring compliance. Acceptance of the Corrective Action Plan by the City will establish the curative period necessary to bring the project into compliance. If the Sub-recipient has not submitted a corrective action plan that is acceptable to the City within the specified time frame or does not implement or complete the corrective action plan within the specified time frame, the City shall proceed with other enforcement remedies as outlined in the Sub-recipient Agreement. Coordination Goal 14: To provide institutional structure and intergovernmental cooperation. The City of Ashland’s Housing Program Specialist will continue to provide institutional structure as well as examine and implement expanded opportunities for intergovernmental cooperation. City of Ashland Staff will continue to; work with providers of public, private and assisted housing in an effort to promote the development of affordable ownership and rental housing; with social service agencies to maintain, expand, or bring needed services to homeless, at-risk, and special needs populations, and with other municipalities and government entities to coordinate services to avoid duplications and serve the identified needs of low-income populations throughout the region. City staff will provide technical assistance about City programs, regulatory requirements and incentives as well as the CDBG program to area non-profits and social service providers. The staff will also continue to work closely with and offer support to the City of Ashland Housing Commission The Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center provides a clearing house for housing related resources within Jackson and Josephine Counties. It is a collaborative effort between county governments, Access, Inc., the Housing Authority of Jackson County, and several municipalities including the cities of Medford and Ashland. The Housing Program Specialist sits on the Board of the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center to assist in regional coordination of their efforts. SOHRC is the mechanism for allocating revolving loan funds derived from program income generated by state funded CDBG grants awarded to Jackson and Josephine Counties. As mentioned before, the City of Ashland’s Housing Program Specialist is a member of the Homeless Task Force, which coordinates the efforts of city and county governments, social service agencies, federal agencies, and non-profit organizations to address affordable housing and homeless issues on a regional level. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 15 The City of Ashland established a Housing Commission to address issues relating to housing accessibility and affordability within the City. Serving in an advisory capacity to the City Council on housing related issues, the Housing Commission is charged with the review and recommendation on all CDBG related activities undertaken by the City. The Housing Program Specialist is the staff liaison to the Housing Commission and works closely with that body in disseminating information regarding fair housing and the needs of the community with regard to housing. Similarly staff and the Housing Commissioners act as a conduit between the residents and the city government allowing for public input and participation on issues of affordable housing and the CDBG program. City of Ashland general funds help to support coordination activities undertaken by the Housing Program Specialist and are also utilized to contribute toward CDBG program administration as well as staff support of non-profit organizations and intergovernmental cooperation. Program Benefit and Location-Low/Mod Benefit In the 2010 program year all CDBG funded activities, 100% of the intended beneficiaries are to be qualified as extremely-low, low or moderate-income or reside in a predominantly low to moderate income census block group. With a limited number of applications received for CDBG funds the City has not had to further delineate a spending priority based on location as selection criteria in evaluation of proposals. However, as land values are slightly lower in designated low-moderate income census block groups the City is often in the position of making awards to acquire property or rehabilitate housing in such neighborhoods. In 2010 the City will utilize $27,623 in CDBG funds to complete public facilities improvements in qualified low to moderate income census block groups. The remaining expenditure of CDBG funds will constitute 100% of the competitively awarded CDBG funds to directly benefit low to moderate-income households. Contingency The City of Ashland does set aside 10% of grant funds for contingency purposes. Impediments to Fair Housing and Fair Housing Activities Goal 9: To affirmatively further fair housing. An Analysis of Impediments (AI) is a review of impediments or barriers that affect the rights of fair housing choice. It covers public and private policies, practices, and procedures affecting housing choice. Impediments to fair housing choice are defined as: any actions, omissions, or decisions that restrict, or have the effect of restricting, the availability of housing choices, based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. The AI serves as the basis for fair housing planning and provides essential information to the city of Ashland as well as local housing providers, lenders, and housing advocates. The City Contracted with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon to undertake an update to the AI during the 2008 CDBG program Year. In June of 2009, the draft AI was presented to the City of Ashland Housing Commission. The final Draft of the AI was completed in September of 2009. In the 20010-2014 Consolidated Plan the City has identified a plan for corrective actions the city may need to address to remove impediments or barriers that exist in the community that have an affect on the housing choices of its residents based on the recommendations asserted in the 2008 Analysis of Impediments. The Fair Housing Council of Oregon continues to offer annual training workshops for social service agencies on fair housing issues, as well as offering a fair housing hotline for all Oregon residents to seek City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 16 assistance regarding issues of fair housing. The City of Ashland partnered with the City of Medford and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon in 2007 to create four separate web casts targeting realtors, landlords and tenants, housing advocates, and architects in an effort to provide fair housing education and training to those populations. The City of Ashland provides a link to one of these fair housing web casts filmed by RVTV on its website. The City’s of Ashland and Medford continue to work together to bring more advocacy and information to the Southern Oregon region and are currently planning to sponsor two trainings aimed at targeted populations identified in the AI. The City of Ashland’s Social Service Grant program offers annual support to the Center for non-profit Legal Services to advocate for tenants rights and offer advice on issues of fair housing. Underserved Needs The City of Ashland in its five year Consolidated Plan has identified far more needs within the community than its limited resources can meet. Consequently, the City has prioritized those needs through a ranking system which targets limited CDBG funds to those projects that offer the most benefit to those populations with the greatest need, i.e. long term affordability targeted to extremely-low, and low-income populations. Some underserved needs are supported through programs funded out of the City of Ashland’s general fund, such as Social Service and Economic Development grants to area non-profits, safety net service providers, agencies that offer support services to homeless, at-risk, and special needs populations, as well as helping to support medical services for low-income populations. Many of these providers address goals identified in the City’s Consolidated Plan which could not otherwise be met with the City’s limited CDBG funds. In recent years the City has worked to create incentives and regulations designed to promote and protect affordable housing. Incentives for both non-profit developers of affordable housing as well as private developers to build affordable ownership and rental housing such as SDC deferral, community development fee waiver and density bonus programs have served to create affordable units without relying on CDBG funds. Similarly, the City has adopted regulations that promote the retention of affordable housing types (such as the condo-conversion ordinance), and further the development of needed housing types (such as the annexation and zone change ordinances). Without such programs the City could not expect to meet the goals as outlined in the five year Consolidated Plan. Community Development Goal 7: To provide safe and convenient access to alternative transportation routes in extremely low-, low- , and moderate-income neighborhoods. Goal 8: To make City facilities easier and safer to use for people with disabilities. Goal 9: Make accessibility improvements to city-owned facilities. The City has awarded the $27,623 in CDBG fund to complete public facilities improvements in designated low to moderate income census block groups. This activity will assist the city in obtaining the community development goals identified in the five year consolidated plan. This will activity will serve to provide safe and convenient access for all City of Ashland residents including those residents with special needs. Further, this project may assist in fostering alternative transportation through the improvement of bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to needed services. Beginning in 2009-2010 the City of Ashland will be installing sidewalks along Laurel Street, as a local improvement district project. This project will provide a new sidewalk to access Helman School, assisting children and people with disabilities in having a safer more accessible pedestrian route. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 17 Strategy Implementation The following is a listing of the goals and strategies that will be implemented in the 2010-2011 Program Year. Each strategy is followed by the activity that will implement the goal and strategy. Where appropriate, the activity is followed by the proposed accomplishments of the activity for the year. Goal 6: Support services for homelessness prevention and transition. Where possible, give funding priority to services that are part of a comprehensive approach that improves the living conditions of clients. Safety net services, or services that meet basic needs shall only be funded with CDBG dollars if it can be demonstrated that clients receiving those benefits are part of a program that will eventually help them obtain self-sufficiency. Objective 1.2-Provide assistance to non-profit organizations that assist the homeless and those at risk of homelessness, provide transition assistance to the homeless, and help prevent homelessness. Location:Citywide/low income benefit Sub-recipient: St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program Funding: $30,000 Outcome: Number of homeless, or households at risk of homelessness that have received services designed to improve health and safety, and counseling. Availability/Accessibility of Decent Housing (DH-1) Activity Description: St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program was awarded $30,000 in CDBG grant funds to provide emergency assistance to households threatened with eviction and utility disconnection. St. Vincent volunteers will work with staff to provide resources and counseling to improve conditions. Goal 8:To support housing and supportive services for people with special needs. People with special needs include the elderly, the frail elderly, persons with developmental disabilities, persons with physical disabilities, persons with severe mental illness, persons with alcohol or other drug dependencies and persons with HIV/AID or related illnesses. Objective 8.1-Encourage development of transitional and supportive housing for extremely low- and low-income special needs populations. Objective 8.2-Provide assistance to non-profit organizations that provide support services for extremely low-and low-income special needs populations. Location:Citywide/low income/special needs benefit Sub-recipient: Ashland Supportive Housing Funding: $110,861 Outcome: Number of group homes or other supportive housing developed for the elderly, or individuals with special needs. Availability/Accessibility of Decent Housing (DH-1.3) Activity Description: Ashland Supportive Housing was awarded $110,861 in CDBG grant funds to rehabilitate and existing housing unit to be utilized as a respite home for peoples with disabilities. Goal 7: To provide safe and convenient access to alternative transportation routes in extremely low-, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 18 Objective-Construct new sidewalks and/or other public facilities improvements in extremely low-, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Location:Citywide/low income benefit Sub-recipient: City of Ashland Public Works department Funding: $27,623 Outcome: Public facilities improvements to low and moderate-income, and special needs residents. Availability/Accessibility of Suitable Living Environments 1.1 Accessibility-Availability of improved public infrastructure serving low-moderate income and special need populations. Activity Description: The City Council voted to utilize the remaining balance of unrequested CDBG grant funds in the amount of $27,623 to complete infrastructure improvements in to be determined low to moderate income census block groups. Goal 3: To maintain the existing affordable housing supply. Where possible, give funding priority to those projects that will provide benefits to residents with the lowest incomes. Also, give funding priority to those programs which retain the units as affordable in perpetuity, or recapture the rehabilitation costs for further use in Ashland. Objective: DH-3.3-Retain existing affordable housing, rental and ownership, by supporting rehabilitation programs which recapture the rehabilitation costs for further use in Ashland. Location:Citywide/low income benefit Sub-recipient: Housing Authority of Jackson County Funding: Program Income from revolving loan fund $43,978 Outcome: Assist between 2 and 5 low- to moderate-income home owners complete needed home repairs. Sustainability of Decent Housing 3.3 Activity Description: The Housing Authority will utilize Program Income from a revolving loan fund in the amount of $43,978 to complete needed home repairs for between 2 and 5 qualified low- to moderate- income home owners within the City of Ashland. City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 19 Table 3C Consolidated Plan Listing of Projects Jurisdiction’s Name: City of Ashland Priority Need Homeless Prevention-Emergency Services Project Title: St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program Description: Public Service Activity: Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance. Objective category:Suitable Living Environment Economic Opportunity Outcome category: X Availability/Accessibility Sustainability Location/Target Area: City Wide Objective Number Project ID Funding Sources: SL-1.2IDIS ID 2009-2 HUD Matrix Code CDBG Citation CDBG $30,000 05 LMC 570.201E ESG Type of Recipient CDBG National Objective HOME Non-Profit570.208a -LMC HOPWA Start Date Expected Completion Date Total Formula July 1, 2010 June 30, 2011 Assisted Housing Performance IndicatorsAnnual Units PHA #of homeless or at risk 620 Other Funding - SHOP households receiving services City of Ashland (SDC) RD Loans Total Local IDUnits Upon Completion 2010-3 The primary purpose of the project is to help: X the Homeless Persons with HIV/AIDS Persons with Disabilities Public Housing Needs City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 20 Table 3C Consolidated Plan Listing of Projects Jurisdiction’s Name: City of Ashland Priority Need: Supportive Housing for Special Needs populations Project Title: Ashland Supportive Housing-Respite Home Rehabilitation Description: Rehabilitation of an existing housing unit to be used as a respite home for peoples with disabilities. Objective category:Suitable Living Environment Economic Opportunity Outcome category: X Availability/Accessibility Sustainability Location/Target Area: 1016 Clark Street Objective Number Project ID DH-1.2IDIS ID 2010-3 Funding Sources: HUD Matrix Code CDBG Citation 14A LMH 570.201C CDBG $110,861 Type of Recipient CDBG National Objective ESG Non-Profit570.208(2)(a) -LMC HOME Start Date Expected Completion Date HOPWA July 1, 2010 June 30, 2011 Total Formula Performance IndicatorsAnnual Units Assisted Housing #of group homes or other 1 PHA supportive housing for the Other Funding - SHOP elderly or individuals with City of Ashland (SDC) special needs RD Loans Local IDUnits Upon Completion Total 2010-2 1 The primary purpose of the project is to help: the Homeless Persons with HIV/AIDS X Persons with Disabilities Public Housing Needs City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 21 Table 3C Consolidated Plan Listing of Projects Jurisdiction’s Name: City of Ashland Priority Need: ADA/Public Facilities Improvements Project Title: ADA/Public Facilities Improvements Description: ADA/Public Facilities Improvements in qualified low to moderate income census block groups. Objective category:X Suitable Living Environment Economic Opportunity Outcome category: X Availability/Accessibility Sustainability Location/Target Area: City Wide Objective Number Project ID Funding Sources: SL-1.1IDIS ID 2010-4 HUD Matrix Code CDBG Citation CDBG $27,623 03 LMA 570.201C ESG Type of Recipient CDBG National Objective HOME Municipality570.208(1) -LMA HOPWA Start Date Expected Completion Date Total Formula July 1, 2010 June 30, 2011 Assisted Housing Performance IndicatorsAnnual Units PHA TBD TBD Other Funding - SHOP City of Ashland (SDC) RD Loans Total Local IDUnits Upon Completion 2010-4 N/A The primary purpose of the project is to help: the Homeless Persons with HIV/AIDS X Persons with Disabilities Public Housing Needs City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 22 Table 3C Consolidated Plan Listing of Projects Jurisdiction’s Name: City of Ashland Priority Need Affordable Housing Project Title: Home Repair Program Description: Provide needed home repairs for low- to moderate income home owners. Objective category:X Suitable Living Environment Economic Opportunity Outcome category: Availability/Accessibility X Sustainability Location/Target Area: City Wide Objective Number Project ID Funding Sources: DH-3.3IDIS ID 2010-5 HUD Matrix Code CDBG Citation CDBG $43,798 14A LMH 570.202 ESG Type of Recipient CDBG National Objective HOME Public Housing Authority 570.208a3 -LMH HOPWA Start Date Expected Completion Date Total Formula July 1, 2010 June 30, 2011 Assisted Housing Performance IndicatorsAnnual Units PHA TBD Number of households 2-5 Other Funding - SHOP assisted City of Ashland (SDC) TBD RD Loans Total TBD Local IDUnits Upon Completion 2010-5 2-5 The primary purpose of the project is to help: the Homeless Persons with HIV/AIDS Persons with Disabilities Public Housing Needs City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 23 ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN EXPENDITURES Description of Activities Direct Grant Assistance to Capitol Improvement Projects: $110,861 Public Service : $ 30,000 Un-requested Grant funds for Public Improvements: $ 27,623 Program Administration: Delivery of technical assistance, maintenance of program $ 44,909 compliance, preparing and submitting reports to HUD regarding program activities, management and monitoring of grant financial and sub-recipient activities, compliance with federal and local public participation plans, planning and delivery of fair housing activities, and fostering relationships with area non-profit organizations, affordable housing developers, and social service agencies. Program Administration Total $ 44,909 Program Income Home Repair Program $ 43,798 Program Income Total $ 43,798 TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES $257,191 City of Ashland CDBG Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Page 24 Chapter 2.10 UNIFORM POLICIES AND OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR ADVISORY COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS Sections: 2.10.005 Purpose 2.10.010 Created or Established. 2.10.015 Appointment. 2.10.020 Terms, Term Limits and-Vacancies. 2.10.025 Meetings and Attendance. 2.10.030 Removal. 2.10.035. Public Meeting Law. 2.10.040 Quorum-and Effect of Lack Thereof. 2.10.045 Council Liaison. 2.10.050. Election of Officers, Secretary, and Subcommittees. 2.10.055. Role of Staff. 2.10.060 Agendas and Minutes. 2.10.065. Goals. 2.10.070. Rules and Regulations. 2.10.080. Code of Ethics. 2.10.085. Deliberation. 2.10.090. Council as Final Decision-Maker. 2.10.095 Gifts. 2.10.100 Budget, Compensation and Expenses. 2.10.105 Reports. 2.10.110. Lobbying and Representing the City. Section 2.10.005 Purpose Advisory commissions and boards (advisory bodies) require uniform rules, policies and operating procedures to assure maximum productivity and fairness for members and the public. Except where otherwise provided in this Code, the following policies and procedures govern all the City's commissions and boards, as well as ad ho entities. Nothing herein removes the requirement for compliance with more specific regulations and guidelines set forth by state statute, administrative rule, ordinance, or resolution specific to the advisory body. These rules do not apply to the elected Parks and Recreation Commission. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.010 Created or Established. See individual Commission or Board Code Chapters codified between AMC 2.11 and AMC 2.25. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.015 Appointment. See AMC 2.04.090.C. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.020 Terms, Term Limits and-Vacancies. All successors to original members of an advisory commission or board, shall have a three (3) year term, except as otherwise provided in the appointment order. Notwithstanding the three year limitation, Planning Commissioners shall serve four (4) year terms. All regular terms shall commence with appointment and shall expire on April 30 of the third year, unless otherwise provided in the appointment order. The appointing authority may stagger terms in the original appointment order as necessary. Members may serve three (3) terms on any single commission or board, after which time the Mayor and Council will give due consideration to other qualified candidates before making a reappointment. Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor, with confirmation by the City Council, for any unexpired portion of the term as provided in AMC 2.04.090.C. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.025 Meetings and Attendance. Unless otherwise provided by law, the number of meetings related to business needs of an advisory commission, or boards may be set by the advisory body. All members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings, study sessions and special meetings, when applicable. If a member will be absent from a meeting the member must notify the chair or the staff liaison at least two hours prior to the meeting. Any member who has two or more unexcused absences in a six month period \[i.e. January 1– June 30 or July 1 - December 31\] shall be considered inactive and the position vacant. Further any member not attending a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of all scheduled meetings (inclusive of study sessions and special meetings) shall be considered inactive and the position vacant. Attendance shall be reviewed by the commission or board during the regularly scheduled meetings in January and July, with a report sent to the Mayor and City Council advising of the need for appointment or re-appointment, if necessary. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.030 Removal. See AMC 2.04.090.F. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.035. Public Meeting Law. All meetings of advisory commissions and boards are subject to strict compliance with public meeting laws of the State of Oregon. Notwithstanding notice requirements under Oregon law, advance notice of at least 36 hours shall be provided for all meetings. Notice shall be sent to a newspaper with general local circulation and posted on the city’ s website. In the case of emergency or when a state of emergency has been declared, notice appropriate to the circumstances shall be provided and reasons justifying the lack of 36-hour notice shall be included in the minutes of such meeting. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.040 Quorum-and Effect of Lack Thereof. A meeting of greater than one-half of the regular members constitutes a quorum. Non-voting ex officio members, staff and liaisons do not count toward the quorum. A majority of the quorum is necessary to adopt any motion. Members need not be physically present at a meeting if another means of attendance (e.g. telephonic, internet etc.) has been established by the membership and public meetings law requirements are met. If there is no quorum for a meeting, no official business shall be conducted and all matters advertised shall automatically be continued to the next regularly scheduled meeting. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.045 Council Liaison. See AMC 2.04.100. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.050. Election of Officers, Secretary, and Subcommittees. At its first meeting of the year the advisory commission or board shall elect a chair and a vice chair who shall hold office at the pleasure of the advisory body. Neither the chair nor vice-chair shall serve as an officer for more than two consecutive terms. Without the need for an appointment, the head of the City Department staffing the commission, committee or board shall be the Secretary and shall be responsible for keeping an accurate record of all proceedings. The Department head may delegate such tasks to a staff liaison. Subcommittees may be formed for the purpose of gathering information and forming a recommendation to be brought forward to the full advisory body. Provided however, only the full body can make recommendations to the City Council. Subcommittees must comply fully with the requirements of Oregon Public Meetings law. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.055. Role of Staff. At least one staff person is assigned to work with each advisory commission or board. The staff liaison provides professional guidance, continuity, and insight into City policy and attends all regular and special meetings and workshops. The staff liaison supports the group as a whole and shall not do work at the request of individual members. Each staff liaison has a limited amount of time to devote to the group. If additional staff time is needed the request should be made to the City Administrator or appropriate Department Head. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.060 Agendas and Minutes. The chair or staff liaison will be responsible for the agenda of all meetings of advisory commissions and boards. A member or staff liaison will be responsible for taking minutes. Agendas and minutes will be posted on the city's web site. Members are encouraged to access those documents from the web site. Staff will email or mail documents to members upon request. The Council Liaison shall periodically be given the opportunity to report to the commission or board. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.065. Goals. Advisory commissions and boards are encouraged to establish annual goals and action items that reflect the body’ s charge as stated in the specific commission ordinance. Advisory bodies are expected to suggest, support and advance Council goals and are encouraged to look for ways within their own unique responsibilities to do so. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.070. Rules and Regulations. The advisory commission or board may make such rules and regulations as are necessary for its governance, including the conduct of meetings, when not inconsistent with Ashland City Charter, Ashland Municipal Code or Oregon law. These rules may be less formal than Roberts Rules of Order. In the event of conflicts that cannot be resolved less formally, Roberts Rules of Order shall be used as the standard for meeting rules and procedures. Failure to strictly follow Roberts Rules of Order shall not be cause to void or otherwise disturb a decision or action. The body will strive to be clear in its proceedings. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.080. Code of Ethics. The City of Ashland is committed to the highest ethical standards for its public officials. To ensure public confidence, all members of advisory commissions and boards must be independent, impartial, responsible and not use their position for personal gain or to benefit or harm others. Advisory commissions and boards shall operate in the general public interest serving the community as a whole and shall serve no special interests. Advisory commission and board members shall not endorse in their official capacity any commercial product or enterprise. Members should be aware the criminal codes, ethics and conflict of interest laws set forth in state statutes and city ordinances, including but not limited to the State of Oregon Criminal Code, ORS 244 and in AMC Chapter 3.08. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.085. Deliberation. It is the duty of the chair or presiding officer to ensure that each member has the opportunity to speak. Members speak only for themselves and shall be open, direct and candid. Members shall strive to deliberate to a decision and shall rely upon the chair to keep the discussion moving. No member shall speak more than once until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken or waived their right to do so. No member shall speak more than twice on the same motion without leave of the presiding officer. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.090. Council as Final Decision-Maker. With the exception of certain delegated quasi-judicial actions, most advisory commissions and boards do not make final decisions subject to appeal but rather make recommendations to, or act in an advisory capacity to the council. The City Council is the final decision-maker on all city policies and the use of city resources. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.095 Gifts. Subject to the acceptance of the City Council, an advisory body may receive gifts, bequests or devises of property in the name of the City to carry out any of the purposes of the advisory commission or board, which funds, if required by the terms of the gift, bequest or devise, shall be segregated from other funds for use with the approval of the City Council. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.100 Budget, Compensation and Expenses. Money is set aside in department budgets for Commission and Board expenses. Should an advisory body require additional funds, requests should be submitted to the department head through the staff liaison. Regular members of the advisory commissions and boards shall receive no compensation for services rendered. Members must receive permission and instructions from the staff liaison in order to be reimbursed for training or conferences and associated travel expenses related to official business. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.105 Reports. Advisory commissions and boards shall submit copies of its minutes to the city council and shall prepare and submit such reports as from time to time may be requested by the Mayor and City Council. Unless otherwise expressly provide in the Ashland Municipal Code or State Law, all reports or recommendations of City advisory bodies committee shall be considered advisory in nature and shall not be binding on the mayor or city council. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.10.110. Lobbying and Representing the City. Members shall only represent the opinion or position of the advisory body if specifically authorized by the full membership at a duly advertised meeting. Unless specifically directed by the City Council to state the city's official position on federal, state or county legislative matters, no lobbying before other elected bodies or committees will be undertaken by members of advisory commissions and boards. An individual member is free to voice a position on any issue as long as it is made clear that the speaker is not speaking as a representative of the city or as a member of an advisory commission or board. Advisory body members are prohibited from engaging in political activity in accordance with ORS 260.432. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Chapter 2.19 HOUSING COMMISSION Sections: 2.19.005 Purpose and Mission. 2.19.010 Established-Membership. Section 2.19.005 Purpose and Mission. The mission of the Ashland Housing Commission is to encourage housing that is available and affordable to a wider range of city residents, to enhance cooperation between the public and private sectors, to encourage financial entities to support housing programs in the city, to coordinate housing and supportive services programs and to educate the citizenry and promote public knowledge and understanding of the benefits of affordable housing. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) Section 2.19.010 Established-Membership. The Housing Commission is established and shall consist of nine (9) voting members and one (1) non- voting ex-officio member who shall be the City Housing Program Specialist. (Ord 3003, added, 02/18/2010) (4/16/2010) Linda Reid - Agenda April 22Page 1 From:"Regina Ayars" <reginariley@jeffnet.org> To:<stephenhauck@yahoo.com>, "'Graham Lewis'" <glewis@97520.net> CC:"'Linda Reid'" <reidl@ashland.or.us>, "'Regina Ayars'" <reginariley@jeff... Date:3/26/2010 8:22 AM Subject:Agenda April 22 Chair and Vice Chair of the Housing Commission I am recommending a discussion of restructuring the Commission's use of committees. None of the commission's three subcommittees (land use, finance, and education) are active. I am proposing that we dissolve these subcommittees and create a process of creating ad hoc committees on specific projects rather than standing committees. I request that this topic be added to the April 22nd agenda for discussion. I will be absent. Regina Ayars Housing Commission Housing in the NEWS Ashland Housing Commission Packet