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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-02-27 Housing PACKET Ashland Housing Commission Regular Meeting Agenda February 27, 2013: 4:00 – 5:45pm Council Chambers-1175 East Main Street 1. (4:00) Approval of Minutes (5 min) January 24, 2013 2. (4:05) Public Forum (5 min) 3.(4:10)CDBG Presentations (45 min) Applicant Presentations- Public Service: Maslow Project St. Vincent De Paul Capital Improvement: AEFB Living Opportunities City of Ashland 4.(4:55) Staff Recommendations (5 min) Linda Reid-Housing Program Specialist 5.(5:00)Housing Commission Discussion and Recommendation (20 min) 6. (5:20) Liaison Reports discussion (10 min) Liaison Reports Council(Carol Voisin) Staff(Linda Reid) General Announcements 7.(5:30)Fair Housing Survey for Students (10 min) Commissioner Evan Lasley th 8.(5:40)March 27 2013 MeetingAgenda Items Commissioner items suggested(5 min) Quorum Check – Commissioners not available to attend upcoming regular meetings should declare their expected absence. 9.(5.45)Upcoming Events and Meetings Next Housing Commission Regular Meeting 4:00-5:45 PM; March 27, 2013 10. (5:45) 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 DRAFT MINUTES January 23, 2013 CALL TO ORDER ChairRegina Ayars called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room at the Community Development and Engineering Building located at 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR 97520. Andrew Ensslinintroduced himself as the new SOU Liaison to the Housing Commission. He is a Political Science and History Major with a Minor in Psychology. Ensslin is very interested in politics and the public service process. He is currently doing an internship with Congressman Walden. Commissioners Present:Council Liaison Regina AyarsCarol Voisin Brett Ainsworth Barb BarasaSOU Liaison Evan LasleyAndrew Ensslin Michael Gutman Staff Present: Commissioners Absent:Linda Reid, Housing Specialist Ben Scott, excused Carolyn Schwendener APPROVAL OF MINUTES Lasley/Barasa m/s to approve the minutes of the October 22, 2012 regular Housing Commission meeting. Voice Vote: All Ayes; minutes were approved as presented. PUBLIC FORUM No one spoke UPDATE ON FUNDRAISING EFFORTS OF ASHLAND EMERGENCY FOOD BANK Ward Wilson from the Ashland Emergency Food Bank (AEFB) was present to give an update. Wilson distributed to the Commissioners two different types of brochures. One brochure targeted the large donors the smaller brochure was intended for a wider distribution; two thousand of which will be going out to the Ashland Food Project volunteers. Wilson acknowledged they did not get started very quickly with their fundraising. He attributed this to three things; they are not fundraising professionals, the three primary members of the board have had a difficult time getting together and they had not put together any brochures until recently. Wilson pointed out they received what they call a “lead donation” of $50,000 from a high profile local individual. That donor would like to work with the board and help solicit similar individuals. They also were interested in talking to them about how much money the AEFB would require for a gift that would result in naming their building. Currently AEFB has a total of $176,000 in pledges and gifts including the funds that were awarded from the City of Ashland. The Commissioners had some questions for Wilson. 1 Originally AEFB stated that they were expecting gifts last year, one in May and one in December. Were there delays with those gifts? Yes, we only received one. We attribute this to the fact we have never done fundraising before and didn’t aggressively seek out those gifts. You mentioned last year that the bank might consider extending the deadline for the purchase of the property. Is this still a possibility? Peoples Bank of Commerce owns the property through bankruptcy. The bank is still very supportive. They have leased the building to us at 18 cents a square foot. The deadline for purchase is August 31. At that time we can discuss that possibility if necessary. Who is the point person responsible for fund raising? Initially it was Greg Lemhouse but he found he didn’t have enough time so he asked me to help. I declined though offered my support to the others who would be doing the fundraising. We do not have a point person but are doing the fundraising together as a group. The campaign committee consists of four individuals; Greg Lemhouse, Kate Jackson, Pam Marsh, George Kramer and myself. How many donors make up the $176,000? Our goal is $600,000. We have approximately thirty donors two of which make up $137,000. One donor is the City of Ashland and the other is the private donor who gave the $50,000. Are you planning on asking for CDBG funds again this year? Yes. We are hoping to have made more progress by the time of application. The Request For Proposal (RFP) closes on February 15, 2013. Reid pointed out that staff will review applications making a recommendation to the Housing Commission. At February’s meeting the Commissioners will hear the presentations and then make a recommendation to the Council. The Council will make the final determination at their April meeting. Reid implied that the City is obligated to hold the awarded funds from last year until August 31. The City does have the ability to re-award those funds should the AEFB not make their ultimate goal to purchase the property. UNIFIED LAND USE CODE UPDATE Maria Harris, City Planning Manger, gave an update on the progress of the Unified Land Use Ordinance Project. The Planning Commission has been reviewing the draft of this reorganized code. Most of the amendments being made have been housekeeping issues and policy issues from the 2006 Analysis. Harris briefly described some of those changes. Accessory Residential Units (ARUs) ARUs currently require a conditional use permit in the single-family zones and a site review in the multi-family zones. The proposed amendment discussed by the Planning Commission is to make ARUs a permitted use in all zones and removing the conditional use permit requirement. This still requires a planning action with noticing to the neighbors. This change does not take away the neighbors ability to make comments. Manufactured Homes on Individual Lots - There were four recommended changes. Three were revised for consistency with the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) regarding placement of manufactured homes on individual lots. Those amendments included the deletion of the requirement that a home be 20 feet in width, a change in wording for exterior building materials and the maximum height above grade. The ORS does allow jurisdictions to require a garage to be constructed with manufactured homes on individual lots. The Planning Commission concurred with the Housing Commission regarding this requirement suggesting using the same requirements as single-family homes which in Ashland are to provide the required number of off-street parking spaces, but not requiring a garage or carport. 2 Affordable Housing Density Bonus – The current ordinance allows for an equivalent density bonus for every percent of units that are affordable. The 2006 Land Use Ordinance Review recommends doubling the density bonus for affordable housing to provide a greater incentive for affordability. Cottage Housing or Pocket Neighborhoods – This description is typically used to describe a type of development involving relatively small homes (750 to 1250) clustered around a common open space. The Planning Commission directed staff to pursue revisions to the code to promote the development of pocket neighborhoods. Harris will email Reid the list of Cities with cottage Housing or Pocket neighborhoods. . Harris went on to say that after the first draft has been completed the next piece is the evaluation of some green codes incentives and evaluation of procedures based on two of the Council goals. Will be doing a series of public meetings in late spring. These meetings will be focus group format where we try to cluster proposed amendments in areas where people might be interested. Harris would like to have a final draft and formal adoption process in late summer or early fall. VACATION RENTAL DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION Reid explained that Staff is looking for some feedback from the Housing Commission mainly regarding how changing the rules around the vacation rentals could impact the housing availability. The Planning Commission reviewed this last night and it will be going to the City Council soon. Ainsworth commented that by allowing houses to be used for short term rental they are then no longer available for long term rental for families nor are available for sale to those who work in Ashland and wish to live here. This doesn’t necessarily support the mission of what the Housing Commission has for providing a long term housing solution for all residences. While I applaud the enforcement and its increasing need I don’t necessarily think the solution is to relax the rules in order to receive more tax revenue, stated Ainsworth. It was commented that the Bed & Breakfast owners believe that the City could in fact receive an increase in tax revenue by not allowing those illegal rentals which would increase the occupancy of the legal units providing more revenue. Voisin inquired, since the City no longer has a compliance officer how are they going to monitor this and enforce it. Reid explained that the planners have taken on the code compliance responsibility and duties along with police and fire. This particular issue will stay within the Community Development Department. This issue came before the City Council due to a compliance letter that was sent out to property owners regarding the illegal units. One of the recipients of the letter appeared before the Council inquiring about the opportunity to make illegal units legal. Reid said staff is working on compiling a list and making an effort to gain compliance though this is quite time intensive. This effort has been put on hold because Council directed staff to look at options. The end result could be a citation and court. Generally speaking with code compliance it is the neighbors who monitor the situation. Gutman felt that by allowing people to apply for vacation rentals some applicants will not do so due to the cost involved. If it becomes a regulated process it will take a lot of people out of it. Due to the price. Some considerations the Council is looking at are: Make No changes Expanding the Conditional Use Permit to include the entire multi-family district Allowing them within 200 feet of any arterial street Barasa agrees that by allowing more homes to be used for short term rental use it takes them out of the housing pool. She does understand why because if you own an investment property you could perhaps see more revenue by doing the short term rental. If housing stock becomes less and less for students to access which could raise the price. Ayars believes it will negatively impact long term and affordability. The recent City survey showed that the top concern was the reason for not livable was the lack of affordable housing followed by unemployment. 3 Ainsworth/Lasley m/s that the commission recommends that we not modify the current policies regarding short term rentals. Voice Vote: all ayas. LIAISON REPORTS Council – Voisin said the recent citizen survey mentioned affordable housing as a concern with a number of citizens acknowledging they would be willing to assist financially to help meet the goal of affordable housing. Voisin announced that the Cottonwood at 380 Clay Street is no longer being considered for removal. The tree will remain and be part of the future development of the property. The Council goal setting is Saturday February 2, 2013 between 9:00 am and 4:00 p.m. The Council will be taken through a process by the City Administrator of setting a goal and establishing a strategy. This is a public meeting and everyone is welcome. Staff – Reid clarified that the Cottonwood tree at 380 Clay Street will not be part of the current partition that the City is in the process of doing. The tree removal is not going to be processed as part of the partition at this time. The City is seeking an arborist report on the tree. The tree consumes a large amount of the land area. Reid announced the City has issued the RFP for the Community Development Block Grant Funds. Reid remarked that the City has not received any final notification on the fund allocation at this point. Staff has moved forward with the assumption the City will receive the same amount upon direction from our HUD CDBG representative that they expect the amount to stay the same. Reid said at this point they have not received any applications. The Point in Time Homeless count will be happening next week, said Reid. The County receives funding from HUD to do homeless services and homeless shelters and activities. Many of those services we receive here in Jackson County are funded out of that. The Point in Time Homeless Count is required by HUD. Each community goes out the last week in January and does a count. Two types of counts; one is an overnight night shelter count, the other a street count for places like Ashland who do not have a shelter, volunteer count people on the street or where people are congregating such as at community meals. 2012 GOAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL The Commissioners discussed which goals individual commissioners were most interested in then the goals were assigned. Commissioners won’t address these goals until after the CDBG awards are completed. Establishment of Rental Registry – Gutman Preservation of vulnerable properties – Ayars Housing Trust fund-identify three options – Ainsworth Develop a Landlord Tenant Brochure – Barasa Support the implementation of specific potential strategies identified in the Housing Needs Analysis – pending Council approval Explore and potentially implement a Student Fair Housing Plan – Lasley and Ensslin TH FEBRUARY 27 2013 MEETING AGENDA ITEMS Student Fair Housing Survey CDBG presentations UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS Next Housing Commission Regular Meeting WHERE 4:00-6:00 PM; February 27, 2013 ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 5:45.m. Respectfully submitted by Carolyn Schwendener 4 Staff Evaluation To: Ashland Housing Commission Title:Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 2013 RFP Date: February 20, 2013 Submitted By: Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist The City of Ashland has received five applications for 2013 Community Development Block Grant funds that are competitively available. The total City of Ashland allocation of CDBG funds for the 2013 program year is expected to be approximately $164,556. The funds that have been offered competitively are estimated from the previous year’s allocation and have had the administrative portion of 20% removed (or approximately $32,911 for administration of the CDBG program). Of the available 2013 funds a set aside of 15% or approximately $24,000 is available for Public Service projects. In total there is approximately $131,645 available for award. The City will reserve the right to award more or less than this estimate dependant on the final entitlement amount authorized by Congress and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. th The City of Ashland Housing Commission will hold a public hearing on February 28 to review the grant requests and make a recommendation to forward to the City Council. Staff’s recommendation regarding the allocation of the 2013 CDBG funds is provided on the following pages. Proposals Received Organization Proposed Project CDBG Goal Consolidated FundsPlan Goal # and RequestedRank* St. Vincent De Assist low income and at risk $24,000Provide 100 low Goals 6.1 PaulHouseholds with emergency income individuals Need Rank A funding to prevent with emergency Goals 6.2 homelessness. servicesNeed Rank B Goals 8.2 Need Rank B Maslow Project Encourage stability, self-$10,000Provide access to Goal 6.1 sufficiency and school basic needs, Need Rank A achievement for homeless information and youth.referral. Provide case management to improve stability to approximately 100 identified homeless youth. LivingRenovations to the exterior $24,000Renovations to Goal 8.2 Opportunitiesof the Ashland Community building that serves Need Rank B Employment Services 21 special needs Goal 14.1 Building to support clients with Need Rank B employment and leisure employment and life activities for special needs skills assistance populations AshlandThe acquisition of the $87,000The acquisition of Goal 6.1 Emergency Food building located at 560 the building which Need Rank A BankClover Lane, which they they now occupy at Goal 8.2 now lease from Peoples 560 Clover Lane. To Need Rank B Bank of Commercecontinue serving 3,750 individuals with need food items City of Ashland This project promotes energy $25,000Energy Efficiency Goals 3.1 and 3.2 Energy Efficiency conservation through and weatherization Need Rank B and Conservation weatherization and energy upgrades to 7-10 Programefficiency measures on homes occupied by homes occupied by qualified moderate to low- moderate and low-income income homeowners. homeowners. Funding Requested/Available A total of $131,645 in CDBG funds is expected to be available to distribute to eligible recipients for projects meeting the CDBG national objectives, and which are consistent with the City of Ashland 2010- 2014 Consolidated Plan. The maximum allocation allowable to be used to support public services is limited to approximately $24,000. The 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan sets a policy of limiting the award of funds to mot more than two projects in a program year. These funds will be available upon approval of the 2013 Action Plan, and upon the completion of any regulatory requirements including but not limited to environmental review clearance. Upon completion of the Action Plan a public hearing for review and approval will be held before the Housing Commission to insure consistency with the awards designated by the City Council. The US department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must review the annual Action Plan submitted by the City to ensure the activities funded are consistent with federal requirements, and with the local Consolidated Plan. Assessment Criterion Staff has assessed the proposals to determine whether they meet the Federal CDBG regulations and address the priorities identified within the City of Ashland 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Three areas are evaluated for each proposal regarding compliance with federal regulations. Projects must meet the National Objective of the Community Development Block Grant Program. All CDBG funded projects must be an “eligible” use under the Community Development Block Grant Program. If a project meets all federal requirements and is selected for award, then federal regulations must be met throughout the course of the project. Some examples of federal regulations which pertain to Community Development Block Grant funded projects are; all projects funded in whole or in part, with CDBG dollars require an environmental review in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Certain construction projects must use federal Davis-Bacon wage rates. Housing involving structures built prior to 1978 must be tested for the presence of Lead Based Paint and if found steps to mitigate Lead Based Paint must be taken. Any project involving the displacement of residents or businesses as a result of the federally funded project are entitled to assistance under the Uniform Relocation Act. Most importantly the beneficiaries from the application of CDBG funds must qualify as eligible populations under the Federal requirements. Areas of concern are described for each proposal received. The Housing Commission and the City Council can only award CDBG funds to projects that can meet all federal requirements and meets an objective as outlined in the City’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Priorities within the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan are given a priority ranking by letter. The rankings of A, B and C are intended to assist in directing CDBG funds to the greatest needs. In cases where there are competing projects for limited funds, the projects(s) that are ranked the highest will be funded. A-The City of Ashland plans to use the CDBG funds for projects that meet these needs. B-The City of Ashland may use CDBG for projects that meet these needs. C-The City of Ashland does not plan to use CDBG funds for projects meeting these needs but will consider certifications of consistency for other entities which are applying for federal assistance to meet these needs. Additionally such needs may also be addressed by the City through the allocation of Economic Development and or Social Service Grants from the City General Fund. Public Service Proposal Evaluation Maslow Project-School Based Services for Ashland Homeless Youth Staff has reviewed the Maslow Project, School Based Services for Ashland Homeless Youth Proposal to determine whether it meets the Federal CDBG regulations, and if the proposal addresses the priorities within the City of Ashland 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Maslow Project requested $10,000 in Public Service Grant funds to continue to support a case manager in the elementary, middle and high schools, providing outreach to high risk homeless youth and providing them with immediate needs, case management to keep youth engaged in school and promote stability and self-sufficiency for the homeless youth and their families. This project proposal qualifies under the Low-Moderate Income (LMI) benefit national objective; homeless populations are a presumed benefit population under the CDBG program. Services to homeless and at-risk populations are an eligible use of CDBG funds. Maslow’s proposal expects to provide services to 100 identified homeless school children currently enrolled in the Ashland School District. Maslow Project has proven capacity to administer CDBG grant funds. Staff finds that Maslow Project’s proposal is consistent with goals number 6.1 and 8.2 of the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. 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 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. 6.1 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 (A) In evaluating the proposal it is evident that the classification of “A” as a priority indicates that this is the highest priority use for the CDBG funds. A-The City of Ashland plans to use CDBG funds for projects that meet these needs. Staff sees that Maslow Project’s proposal is an eligible use of the CDBG funds and is consistent with the City of Ashland Strategies as outlined in the 5 year Consolidated Plan. This activity assists in the prevention of homelessness for low-income households. Further this project meets and exceeds the 10% leverage requirement of the City of Ashland’s CDBG program providing double the requested grant funds and leveraging further funds from other sources St. Vincent De Paul-Home Visitation Program Staff has reviewed the St. Vincent de Paul program proposal to determine whether it meets the Federal CDBG regulations, and if the proposal addresses the priorities within the City of Ashland 2010-2014 Consolidated plan. St. Vincent’s has requested $24,000 to assist homeless and at-risk populations in obtaining and maintaining housing. This project proposal qualifies under the Low-Moderate Income (LMI) benefit national objective. Generally Income payments (payments to an individual or family, which are used to provide basic services such as food, shelter (including payment for rent, mortgage, and/or utilities) or clothing) are ineligible public service activities when such payments are provided has a grant. However, such expenditures are eligible if; the income payments do not exceed three consecutive months; and the payments are made directly to the provider of services on behalf of an individual or family. This project meets those criteria. St. Vincent has a proven capacity to administer CDBG grant funding. St. Vincent expects to assist approximately 100 people with the granted funds. Staff finds that St. Vincent’s proposal is consistent with goals number 6.1 and 8.2 of the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. 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 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. 6.1 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 (A) 6.3 Support activities that expand service-enriching housing for the homeless and other special needs populations, including increased shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing resources. (B) 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, parsons with alcohol or other drug dependencies and persons with HIV/AID or related illnesses. 8.2 Provide assistance to non-profit organizations that provide support services to extremely low- and low-income special needs populations. (B) In evaluating the proposal it is evident that the classification of “A” as a priority indicates that this is the highest priority use for the CDBG funds. A-The City of Ashland plans to use CDBG funds for projects that meet these needs. Staff sees that St. Vincent’s proposal is an eligible use of the CDBG funds and is consistent with the City of Ashland Strategies as outlined in the 5 year Consolidated Plan. This activity assists in the prevention of homelessness for low-income and special needs households. Further this project meets and exceeds the 10% leverage requirement of the City of Ashland’s CDBG program providing double the requested grant funds and leveraging further funds from other sources. Capital Improvement Proposals Living Opportunities-ACES (Ashland Community Employment Services) Exterior Remodel Staff has reviewed the Living Opportunities ACES Remodel Capital Improvement proposal to determine whether it meets the Federal CDBG regulations, and if the proposal addresses the priorities within the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated plan. Living Opportunities requested $24,000 in grant funds to assist them in the renovations and repairs on their ACES, employment and leisure activities building that serves peoples with disabilities. This project proposal qualifies under the Low-Moderate Income (LMI) benefit national objective; peoples with disabilities are a presumed benefit population under the CDBG program. Barrier removal and/or ADA accessibility are an eligible use of CDBG Capital Improvement funds. This proposal anticipates serving approximately 21 individuals with special needs. Staff finds that Living Opportunities’ proposal is consistent with goal number 8 and 8.2 of the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. 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. 8.2 Provide assistance to non-profit organizations that provide support services to extremely low- and low-income special needs populations. (B) In evaluating the proposal it is evident that the classification of “B” as a priority indicates that this is an activity that the City may use CDBG funds to support. B-The City of Ashland may use CDBG for projects that meet these needs. Staff sees that Living Opportunities’ proposal is an eligible use of the CDBG funds and is consistent with the City of Ashland Strategies as outlined in the 5 year Consolidated Plan. This activity supports Living Opportunities in providing employment and life skills assistance to special needs individuals. Further this project meets and exceeds the 10% leverage requirement of the City of Ashland’s CDBG program. Ashland Emergency Food Bank-Food Bank Building Acquisition Staff has reviewed the AEF Bank Capital Improvement proposal to determine whether it meets the Federal CDBG regulations, and if the proposal addresses the priorities within the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated plan. Ashland Emergency Food Bank has requested $87,000 in grant funds to assist them in acquiring the building that they currently lease from People’s Bank of Commerce. This project proposal qualifies under the Low-Moderate Income (LMI) benefit national objective; the nature of the activity, i.e. food bank, qualifies the beneficiaries of the activity as a presumed benefit population under the CDBG program. The acquisition of real property by a non-profit organization to be used to provide a service to low income and presumed benefit populations is an eligible use of CDBG Capital Improvement funds. This proposal anticipates serving approximately 3,750 individuals. Staff finds that AEFB proposal is consistent with goal number 6.1 and 8.2 of the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. 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 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. 6.1 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 (A) 8.2 Provide assistance to non-profit organizations that provide support services to extremely low- and low-income special needs populations. (B) In evaluating the proposal it is evident that the classification of “A” as a priority indicates that this is an activity that the City may use CDBG funds to support. A-The City of Ashland plans to use CDBG funds for projects that meet these needs. Staff sees that Ashland Emergency Food Bank’s proposal is an eligible use of the CDBG funds and is consistent with the City of Ashland Strategies as outlined in the 5 year Consolidated Plan. This activity will allow the Food Bank to continue to provide emergency food supplies to those most in need. Further this project meets and exceeds the 10% leverage requirement of the City of Ashland’s CDBG program. AEFB has requested $87,000 in CDBG funding, and was conditionally awarded $87,646 in the previous program year, for a total of $174,646. At time of application AEFB has secured $8,000 in grant funding, $50,000 in community contributions, and is contributing $25,250 of their own funds for a total of$83,250. The total acquisition cost of the building is $475,000. AEFB has two grant applications pending that total $85,000, and two planned grant applications totaling $110,000. Further AEFB expects another $22,104 in additional community donations. CDBG funds will be less than 40% of the total project cost. CDBG funding and secured funding are more than 50% of the total project costs at this time, if awarded funding in 2013 AEFB will need to raise an additional $218,104 in funding by st August 31to meet their goal and acquire the building. . CDBG $174,646 Secured $ 83,250 Pending grants $ 85,000 Planned grants $111,000 Donation target $ 22,104 Total $476,000 Ashland Energy Efficiency Program Staff has reviewed the Ashland Energy Efficiency Program proposal to determine whether it meets the Federal CDBG regulations, and if the proposal addresses the priorities within the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated plan. Ashland Energy Efficiency Program has requested $25,000 in grant funds to provide energy efficiency upgrades to reduce energy cost burdens for low-income homeowners and reduce overall energy usage in the City. This project proposal qualifies under the Low-Moderate Income (LMI) benefit national objective. Weatherization and energy efficiency repairs and upgrades are an eligible use of CDBG Capital Improvement funds. This proposal anticipates serving approximately 7-10 households. Staff finds that the Ashland Energy Efficiency proposal is consistent with goal number 3.1 and 3.2 of the City of Ashland’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. 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. 3.1Retain existing affordable housing, rental and ownership, by supporting rehabilitation programs, which recapture the rehabilitation costs for further use in Ashland (B). 3.2Retain existing affordable housing, rental and ownership, by supporting rehabilitation programs using a sustainable program, which retains the units as affordable in perpetuity (B). In evaluating the proposal it is evident that the classification of “B” as a priority indicates that this is an activity that the City may use CDBG funds to support. B-The City of Ashland may use CDBG for projects that meet these needs. Staff sees that Ashland Energy Efficiency proposal is an eligible use of the CDBG funds and is consistent with the City of Ashland Strategies as outlined in the 5 year Consolidated Plan. This activity will assist low-income homeowner’s lower utility bills and improve the City’s housing stock, This activity is expected to leverage private funds and public incentives that meet and exceeds the 10% leverage requirement of the City of Ashland’s CDBG program. HUD Timeliness Rule The CDBG program has a stipulation that grant administrators plan for the timely expenditure of funds. This is called timeliness, timeliness refers to how quickly the grantee is able to commit and expend CDBG funding. The program rule for timeliness it that the grantee cannot have more than 1.5 times their annual allocation sitting in their line of credit at the U.S. treasury. The analysis for timeliness is st calculated 60 day prior to the end of the grantees program year (which is July 1 for the City of Ashland.) If a grantee has more than 1.5 times their allocation in their line of credit they will be required to submit a “work out plan” to HUD to explain how the money will be utilized to avoid chronic timeliness issues. A grantee that shows chronic timeliness issues is at risk of having HUD withhold future grants until the grantee can expend existing resources. Due to the City’s small allocation, the City reaches the 1.5 timeliness threshold more quickly than most grantees. Should the City Award additional funding to AEFB the City may be at risk of hitting the timeliness threshold and being required to draft and submit a work out plan, should AEFB not make their fundraising deadline and complete the acquisition of their building as scheduled. The City will be carrying over the $87,646 in set aside funding for AEFB into Program Year 2013 when the anticipated allocation of $164,479 will be added to the City’s Line of Credit in the Treasury account. The City can have up to $246,719 in funding in the st line of credit until May 1 2014 at which time the timeliness rule will be triggered.The City will be st over the timeliness threshold on July 1 2013, assuming that the other sub-recipients expend their grant st awards in a timely manner the City may still fall under the timeliness threshold on May 1 2014. To be assured that the City does not have a timeliness issue, staff would suggests making an award to the st AEFB contingent upon expenditure of funds by the December 31 2013, should AEFB be unable to expend the CDBG funds by that time the City can look at re-allocating or re-awarding those funds. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends award of the 2013-2014 CDBG funds as follows: $17,000 to St. Vincent De Paul-Home Visitation Program to fund emergency rent assistance for qualified low-income household in an effort to prevent homelessness. $7,000 to Maslow Project for Case Management services. $87,000 to Ashland Emergency food bank to acquire a permanent location- st contingent upon expenditure of funds by the December 31 2013, should AEFB be unable to expend the CDBG funds by that time the City can look at re- allocating or re-awarding those funds. 20,646 to the Ashland Energy Efficiency Program Staff’s recommendations are based on evaluation of CDBG eligibility, the City’s five year Consolidated Plan Goals, and readiness to proceed. Public Service Projects: In examining the two applications for public service funding (SVDP & Maslow) staff found both to be needed activities within the Ashland community that would benefit CDBG eligible populations. Both the SVDP program and the Maslow Project have successful track records of administering federal grant funds, providing counseling services, resource referrals and, in the case of the SVDP Home Visitation program, direct financial assistance to the homeless and those at risk of homelessness. The Maslow project’s proposed activity would continue to benefit homeless populations as well but with an emphasis on homeless children enrolled in Ashland schools. Unfortunately the public service cap of 15% of Ashland’s annual award precludes awarding both activities the requested amount of funding. Capital Projects: The City received three Capital project proposals; Living Opportunities and Ashland Emergency Food Bank, and the City of Ashland Energy Efficiency program. All projects qualify as eligible projects. In evaluation of each proposal it was evident that of the three only the AEFB proposal has a Consolidated Plan priority ranking of A; the City of Ashland plans to use CDBG funds for projects that meet these needs. Both the Living Opportunities proposal and the City’s proposal have a priority rank of B; the City of Ashland may use CDBG for projects that meet these needs. In the prior program year the City opted to reserve the remaining balance of the unallocated funds, $87,645, for AEFB contingent upon successful fundraising. CDBG Project Proposal Rating Criteria The final step in the process of evaluating the proposals typically is for the Housing Commission to apply the following compliance criteria to determine which project(s) best meet the City's spending priorities. Projects are given a rating of High (3 points), Medium (2 points), or Low (1 point), on each of the criteria listed below. The categories proposed provide a valuable way for individual Commissioners to gauge the effectiveness of the proposal in meeting City objectives. A.The Project provides benefit to a demographic group that has a need documented in the City of Ashland CDBG Consolidated Plan B.The project assists low and moderate-income households in substantially improving their living conditions. The proposed project must have or be part of a comprehensive approach that takes clients from the beginning to the end of the process that improves their living conditions. “Safety net” services or services that meet basic needs shall only be funded if it can be demonstrated that clients receiving those benefits are part of a program that will eventually help them obtain self sufficiency. Exceptions to this requirement are projects targeted at helping people with special needs. C.The project is a proven effective strategy to improve conditions or solve an identified problem. D.If the project is related to affordable housing, the project retains the units as affordable. The longer the period of time the units remain affordable, the higher ranking the project shall be given E.If the project is related to economic development for jobs for low and moderate-income people, at least 51% of the jobs shall be held by low and moderate income people. The longer period of time the jobs are held by low and moderate-income persons, the higher the ranking the project shall be given. The larger percentage of jobs held by low and moderate-income persons the higher the ranking the project shall be given. F.The project maximizes partnerships in the community G.The project has at least 10% of the total project in matching funds. The larger the amount of matching funds the higher the ranking the project shall be given H.The project utilizes already existing resources in effective and innovative ways. The project shall not duplicate service provided by another organization I.The agency submitting the proposal has the capacity to carry out the project J.The budget and time line are well thought out and realistic K.The proposal demonstrates CDBG funds are the most appropriate funding source for the project L.The project is ready for implementation within a year of a CDBG award notification M.The organization proposing the project has the experience and capacity to undertake the proposed activity. Letter SVDP Maslow LivingAEFB City of ProjectOpportunitiesAshland A. High High Medium High High B. High High High Low Medium C. Medium High High Low Medium D. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A E. N/A N/A High N/A N/A F. High High High High Medium G. High High High High Medium H. High High Low High High I. High High High High High J. High High High High High K. High Medium Medium High Medium L. High High High High High M. High High High High High 32/33 32/33 32/36 29/33 28/33 CITY OF ASHLAND 2013 Program Year Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Application These completed Sheets shall be included as the first pages on all submittals. I. APPLICANT INFORMATION Applicant Organization Name: Ashland Home Visit Conference, Rogue Valley District Council, St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director’s Name(s): ___ Dennis Mihocko _______ Board Member Names (attach separate sheet) See attached Applicant Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1663, Medford, OR 97501 Applicant Street Address: 2424 N. Pacific Highway, Medford, OR 97501 IRS Classification: ___501 (c) (3) __________________________ Federal Tax ID#: ___ 93-0831082 ________________________ Mission Statement: (may be attached) The Rogue Valley District Council of St. Vincent de Paul is dedicated to providing compassionate support and care to the poor and needy in Jackson County, regardless of race, religion, creed, sex, sexual preference or ethnic origin. Although the Society’s name is recognized around the world, each Council is locally organized, funded and staffed. Our Council has no financial connection or obligation to any church and no effort is made to preach, convert or proselytize. St. Vincent’s was founded over 100 years ago by a group of Catholic laymen in Paris and we are often thought of as a Catholic organization. While we originated from this Catholic tradition, we are not part of the Catholic Church. We have received funding and in-kind support from several different denominations and have volunteers from many faiths. Our Council was established in 1982 and provides a 48-bed emergency family shelter, hot lunches six days a week, free groceries, social services (counseling, rent, utility and prescription drug payments, help to obtain legal IDs, clothing, home furnishings, camping equipment, etc.) We have a thrift store and warehouse, and also provide school supplies, emergency dental care, health screening, hot showers, laundry and other services.We have no paid employees and rely on 300 volunteers to provide all our services, saving potentially $1 million annually. Therefore, we can assure the City of Ashland that none of its CDBG funds will be used to pay employee salaries or benefits. All 1 funds will be used to help avoid the growth of homelessness or to assist homeless families achieve housing and self-sufficiency. St. Vincent’s Rogue Valley Council has nine Conferences or operating divisions. This proposal specifically describes the activities of the Ashland/Talent Home Visit Conference. Total Employees: _____ ZERO ______ Total Volunteers: _____ 300 _________ II. CONTACT PERSON (designate a contact person who is familiar with the project) Name:____Rich Hansen___________________________________ Title: ____Government/Foundation Liaison_____________________ Phone Number: ____ (541) 770-6062 ______________________ Fax Number: ____ (541) 770-6062_______________________ E-mail Address: ____ richhansen39@charter.net ______________ III. PROJECT INFORMATION SUMMARY Project Name or Title: ___Decreasing Homelessness in Ashland in 2013__ Expected Completion Date: Project in ongoing. Fiscal year is 10/1/13 – 9/30/14 Requested CDBG Funds: $_____24,000______________ Organizational Match: $_____65,000______________ Funds from Other Sources: $_____49,500______________ Total Project Cost: $____138,500______________ 2 IV. Project Description St. Vincent’s Ashland/Talent Home Visit Conference has been helping the needy in our area for 30 years. We call on families at times of financial crisis to address their immediate problems.In many cases, our primary objective is to help avoid the growth in homelessness by helping clients in danger of losing their homes or apartments. We also help with utility bills, prescription drug costs, food, clothing, transportation and other personal needs. CDBG funds are used to expand rental assistance for Ashland residents and help them gain self- sufficiency. HUD guidelines give us the flexibility to offer up to three months of assistance with rent and/or deposits we cannot do with our own available funds. Our team of a dozen volunteers responds to calls for help on St. Vincent’s Ashland phone line. The families we see are referred to us by area churches, other non-profit and government agencies. We go to clients’ homes, campsites or other locations and listen to their stories of financial crisis, observing their living conditions, counseling them on how we and other groups can help them, encouraging them on ways to find permanent jobs and helping them transition from welfare to work. We ask for proof of income: jobs, child support, public assistance, unemployment, workers comp., medical coverage, food stamps, Social Security, disability, etc. One hundred percent of our clients are at or below federal low- and moderate-income poverty levels, as defined by family size. We do not offer clients direct cash help, but intervene with landlords, utilities, pharmacies, etc. to discuss payments. In some cases we may fill their car with gas or give them bus tokens, but never provide direct cash. When appropriate, we will also refer clients to other agencies who might help them, including ACCESS, The Salvation Army, United Way and various government agencies. In addition, St. Vincent’s participates in Ashland’s Homeless Taskforce. In recent years our area has seen a significant growth in community outreach programs to provide meals, shelter, food, energy assistance and other services to the area’s growing needy population. When bills are larger than our budget guidelines allow, we have received help from ACCESS, United Way and a number of Ashland religious denominations, including First Baptist, First Congregational United, Methodist First United, First Presbyterian, Trinity Episcopal and Our Lady of the Mountain. We are currently collaborating with ACCESS on their Ashland Emergency Shelter program. V. Good Results In our fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2012, the Ashland/Talent Home Visit Conference spent $124,510 helping the needy. This was up ten percent from the previous year. We made 526 home visits and assisted 1,361 people – 829 adults and 532 children. In total, we helped 184 families with rent expenses and 304 families with utility bills. In addition, we provided 32 people with assistance for medical costs and 112 more with transportation, food, haircuts, and other things. 3 We operate in teams of two and respond to calls throughout Southern Jackson County. Sixty percent of our clients are Ashland residents and these CDBG funds are only spent for Ashland residents. We firmly believe the joint City of Ashland/St. Vincent’s rental assistance program has been highly effective in reducing the growth of homelessness and moving families back into homes. We spent a total of $66,957 for rental assistance this past year. Over 40 percent, or $27,938, represented the Ashland CDBG grant. With your monies, we assisted 33 Ashland families – 61 adults and 41 children. Of these, six families or seven adults and seven children were actually homeless when they came to us. By comparison, a year ago we were able to move three families out of homelessness.We are very proud of this achievement. It could nothave been accomplished without your block grant. It takes a great deal of time and hands-on assistance to reverse a family’s homelessness. The flexibility of the HUD guidelines allows us to do things we could not do with only St. Vincent funds. Generally, St. Vincent’s will only offer rental assistance to a family once a year with an average of $225 per household. HUD guidelines encourage us to help families for up to three consecutive months with deposits and rental assistance. Therefore, we may average over $800 per household in rental assistance, which truly helps a family in distress move towards self sufficiency. VI. Financial Considerations Our proposed 2013-14 budget is $138,500, up 13 percent over this past fiscal year. Half of our forecasted support, or $65,000, will come directly from our Rogue Valley Council. We are projecting nearly $50,000 through fund raising, individual donations and other grants. The $24,000 we are requesting in CDBG funds will represent 18 percent of our total budget and will provide close to a 5:1 leverage for your funds. We have been serving the poor in this area for 30 years and we hope to continue for as long as our help is needed. We would like to assist as many people as possible. Our limitations are obviously manpower and money. We currently have 12 volunteers in our local group. We continue to work with other similar organizations in the Ashland community to leverage both our numbers and financial resources. VII. National and Local Priorities One hundred percent of our clients are at or below HUD’s poverty levels. Our CDBG program’s goal is to slow or stop the growth of homelessness in Ashland. Therefore, we meet the National Objective of “Primarily benefit low and moderate income persons.” Similarly, we meet Ashland’s Homeless Goal #6 to provide “Support services for homeless prevention and transition.” HUD/CDBG 4 statute 24 CFR 570.201(e) lists “Public Service Rent Subsidies” as an “eligible” activity. Our Home Visit teams often remain in contact with a client over an extended period to help them over their financial difficulties and transition to self- sufficiency. In 2013-14, we hope to keep 160 families from becoming homeless and get them back on their feet. The Ashland CDBG funds would enable us to help an additional 30 families and move some of them out of homelessness. The Jackson County Point-in-Time Homeless Survey estimates there are over 1,000 people in our County without homes, significantly increased since 2009. A third of these individuals are children. There is evidence that the total number of homeless may actually be double these reported totals.The survey lists “lack ofmoney to pay rent” as a primary cause of homelessness. Dealing with this growing homeless population has become a key issue in Ashland. St. Vincent’s rental assistance program is designed to specifically help alleviate this problem. We have a 30-year track record of working with the needy here and hope to continue this work for many years to come. The City of Ashland has enabled St. Vincent’s to significantly increase its outreach and we hope this partnership can continue. We provide nearly 80% of the total project costs in matching funds and use an all-volunteer staff to provide our services. We believe St. Vincent’s presents the City of Ashland with an outstanding way to leverage funds to aid the needy. 5 CITY OF ASHLAND 2013 Program Year CDBG APPLICATION CHECKLIST In order to determine compliance with all applicable HUD regulations and to help to ensure that projects will be eligible for CDBG funding, the City of Ashland will need to address all HUD requirements. The purpose of this checklist is to point out areas where potential problems could arise. Obviously, this is a comprehensive list, which must evaluate a wide array of different kinds of proposals. Therefore, not every item will be applicable to every project.Please fill it out entirely indicating all items which are not applicable and include it as part of your proposal application. A. Applicant’s Background Yes No N/A 1. Is the applicant a legal non-profit organization or unit X of government? 2. Do the proposed clients or users of the project meet X HUD Income Guidelines (see page 10 for guidelines)? 3. Does applicant have the capability to maintain written X income documentation? 4. Has the applicant made a legal or financial X commitment to a proposed project? 5. Is the applicant primarily a religious organization? X 6. Has the applicant administered a CDBG project X previously? 7.Is your agency willing and able to provide all required X reports and accountability to the City as required by HUD? B. Project Location and Land Use Issues YesNo N/A 1. Has a location for the project been selected? X 2. Is the proposed project within the Ashland City X limits? 3. Does the proposed project meet local zoning and X land use laws? 4. Are any land use permits such as a Site Review, X partition, annexation or Conditional Use Permit required? 5. Have these approvals been obtained? X 6. Does the project comply with current building code X requirements? 7. Does the project meet handicapped accessibility X requirements? 6 C. Environmental Issues Yes No N/A 1. Is the project located in the 100-year floodplain? X 2. Is a wetland located on the project site? X 3. Has any environmental contamination been identified X on the project site? 4. Has asbestos been identified on the project site? X 5. If project involves an exiting structure, was it built X 1978 or earlier? If year built is known, please specify. 6. Is the proposed project located on a major arterial or X near the railroad? 7. Is the proposed project located adjacent to an above X ground flammable storage tank? 8. Does the proposed project involve a structure that is X 50 years or older? 9. Will the applicant complete a Phase I environmental X review upon receiving a CDBG award? D. Labor Requirements Yes No N/A 1. Does the project involve construction over $2,000 in X cost? 2. Will the project trigger Davis-Bacon wage X requirements? 3. Will the project trigger BOLI wage requirements? X 4. Does the project involve over $18,703 in City X awarded grants or contracts? E. Displacement and Relocation Yes No N/A 1. Will tenants be displaced by the project? X 2. Will a business be displaced by the project? X 3. Will housing units be demolished or converted? X F. Property Data Yes No N/A 1. Does the applicant own the property by fee simple X title? 2. Are taxes on the property current? X 3. Is insurance current? X 4. What is the current debt against the property? X 5. What is the current use of the property? X 6. Has an appraisal on the property been conducted? X If yes, what is the assessed value of the property? 7 Form A-2 To be completed for Social Service Proposals Social Services Proposals Activity Start Date Completion Date Provide Rental Assistance Ongoing Ongoing Apply to US Bank, Avista Jan, 2013 June, 2013 Foundations for funding Recruit new volunteers Ongoing Ongoing Social service providers should list key benchmarks in the table above for their proposed projects (IE hire of personnel, application for further funding, initiation of direct client services, etc) Form B-2 To be completed for Social Service Proposals Social Service Proposals Total Cost CDBG Request Other Source(s) Direct Client Services $137,000$24,000$113,000 Wages (of personal ZERO ZERO ZERO providing direct client services) Materials/Supplies $1,500 0 1,500 Marketing/Outreach0 0 0 Program Administration 0 CDBG Funds 0 Includes overhead and general are not staffing necessary to administer the available for program (accounting, management, grant administration) but that does program not provide direct benefits to the administration client. Total Project Cost $138,500 24,000 114,500 8 Form C SOURCE(S) OF FUNDS FOR OPERATING EXPENSES WORKSHEET Completeness of this worksheet establishes the capacity of the organization to sustain the operations of the program(s). SourcesSecured ConditionalTentativeCommitment (awarded with Date conditions) Federal Grants 24,000 May, 2013 State Grants Local Grants 10,000June, 2013 Non Governmental 1,0002,500Aug., 2013 Grants Donations/Gifts34,500Ongoing Applicant65,000 Contribution Program Income Loans Other (specify) Other (specify) 71,000 TOTAL66,000 Please provide a description the timeline of loan and grant application dates as related to the proposed project. Specifically, for any tentative funding sources please provide application dates, award dates and funding availability dates. CDBG ($24,000) Application submitted Feb., 2013 US Bank ($2,500) Application will be submitted in Feb. 2013 and usually awarded in August. Also applying to Avista Foundation but not certain we will be successful. Donations and fund raising ($34,500) based on historical averages. 9 Form D DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS To assist the City of Ashland in determining whether there may be a potential conflict of interest related to the expenditure of Community Development Block Grant funds we request the following information be provided by applicants: ORGANIZATION NAME: Ashland/Talent Home Visit Conference, Rogue Valley District Council, St. Vincent de Paul________ Organization is: 1. Corporation ( ) 2. Non-Profit 501C3 (X) 3. Partnership ( ) 4. Sole Owner ( ) 5. Association ( ) 6. Other ( ) ____________________ DISCLOSURE QUESTIONS If additional space is necessary, please attach a separate sheet. 1. State the names of each "employee" of the City of Ashland having a financial or personal interest in the above mentioned "organization" or project proposed. Name, Job Title and City Department __________________________________NONE__________________________ 2. State the name(s) of any current or prior elected or appointed "official", of the City of Ashland having a potential "financial interest" in the organization or project. Name/Title _______________________________ NONE___________________________ 3.Provide the names of each "board member" of the Organization seeking CDBG funding Name Board, Commission, or Committee (may be attached as a separate Sheet) ________ See Attached ______________________ If the applicant has provided names in question 1 or 2, please provide details regarding any known potential conflicts of interest in an attached narrative. 10 CITY OF ASHLAND 2013 Program Year Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Application These completed Sheets shall be included as the first pages on all submittals. I. APPLICANT INFORMATION Applicant Organization Name: ______Housing Program, City of Ashland______________________ Department Director’s Name(s): __Bill Molnar_____________________________________ Board Member Names (attach separate sheet) N/A Applicant Mailing Address: 20 E. Main Street Ashland, OR Applicant Street Address: Same IRS Classification: _____________________________ Federal Tax ID#: ______________________________ Mission Statement: (may be attached) Total Employees: ______________ Total Volunteers: ______________ 1 II. CONTACT PERSON (designate a contact person who is familiar with the project) Name:__Bill Molnar,_________________________ Title: ____Planning Director_________________________________ Phone Number: ___541-552-2042__________________________ Fax Number: ________________________________________ E-mail Address: ________________________________________ III. PROJECT INFORMATION SUMMARY Project Name or Title: ___Ashland Energy Efficiency Program___________________________ Expected Completion Date: ___June 30, 2014_____________________ Requested CDBG Funds: $__$25,000__________ Organizational Match: $__TBD_____________ Funds from Other Sources: $__TBD_____________ Total Project Cost: $__25,000___________ 2 Application Contents A complete proposal shall include a brief narrative summary on applicant letterhead, full project cost, all federal, state and local subsidies requested for the project, proposed ownership entity, phone number and mailing address of contact person for the designated non-profit or certified Community Housing Development Organization. Provide the information listed below numbered and in the order listed so that we can find the required information easily and award full credit for your responses. If the question does not apply to the proposed project write N/A. 1)Complete Application Form (see page 16). 2)A project summary including a brief description, project background and a list of project objectives The Ashland Affordable Housing Weatherization and Energy Efficiency project; this project was awarded Community Development Block Grant- Recovery Act (CDBG-R) funding by the City Council in June of 2009. The 2009 project was very successful ultimately assisting 20 households benefiting 30 Ashland residents and leveraging over $35,000 in matching funds from various sources. The city is asking for a set aside of CDBG funds to complete energy efficiency improvements on units occupied by qualifying low-income families. With a maximum possible grant amount of $2,500 per dwelling, the City could assist approximately 10 dwellings with energy efficiency upgrades or other necessary repairs to reduce energy costs. Currently there are 26 identified residents who are income qualified and may need energy assistance upgrades. This activity is an eligible use of CDBG funds and is ready to proceed. 3)Property and Project Information relating to acquisition, rehabilitation, site clearance, and development (section not applicable for social service applications involving direct services to qualified low- or extremely low- income persons) N/A Provide a map showing the project's location.If the project will serve a specific area, proposed project boundaries should be shown. N/A Describe details regarding any property proposed for acquisition, indicating the following: N/A a) Property location relative to jobs, schools, transportation, shopping and services 3 b) Total floor area of buildings, and size of land site c) Types of residential units, number of each type unit, and total number of bedrooms d) Number of extremely-low, low-, and moderate-income units proposed e) Number of units accessible to the disabled f) Square footage of units and description of amenities such as private balconies or storage areas g) Square footage of common areas such as community or laundry rooms h) Square footage of commercial space, if any i) Year property was built. If pre-1978, will it be occupied by children under the age of six? j) Describe condition of any existing housing proposed for acquisition and any alterations planned. Briefly discuss the total cost of the proposal relative to new construction. k) If the project involves rehabilitation attach a description of the work to be completed. l) Describe the target population. Include the suitability of the property for the target population, the tenant selection process, brief description of any residential services and the resources identified to fund the services. m) Indicate how many years the property will remain affordable and the mechanism that will be used to ensure the affordability period. 4)Briefly describe the services to be provided, if any, and describe the eligible target population receiving direct benefit from these services (low-income, homeless, special needs). Energy Efficiency measure on the homes of qualified Moderate to low-income homeowners. 5)A work program and time line including a complete list of tasks with estimated start and completion of each task (please complete attached Form A – Project Schedule). 4 6)Financial Information A budget describing total cost, cost per task, existing (secured) project funds and unfunded costs. Identify any and all source(s) of funding. This would include other Federal and State grants and loans, monetary donations, in-kind contributions, volunteer labor, donation of materials and supplies, etc. In addition to addressing the questions below please complete attached Form B – Uses of Funding & Form C – Sources of Funding. $25,000 in CDBG grant funding would be used to provide energy efficiency improvements for up to 10 homes. Provide a detailed financial description of the proposed project, including Rent Schedule, Sources/Uses of Funding and Operating Budget Income/Expense, and utility allowances N/A a) Describe the assumptions used to determine the total project cost. Indicate the sources consulted and how costs were determined. Assumes up to $2,500 in improvements per home. b) Was consideration given to remaining economic life of the property and potential cost increases such as unanticipated repair or relocation costs? Maintenance costs? Operating costs? (Not applicable for social service applications involving direct services to qualified low- or extremely low- income persons) Improvements to each home will extend its life and result in reduced energy costs for the occupants. c) Describe the financial assumptions used to develop the operating budget. Include projected rent increases, other sources of income for operation and maintenance expenses, and inflationary factors. For social service award requests please include financial assumptions relating to increases in wages, materials and overhead, or other costs associated with the proposed activity. d) Discuss non-typical expenses or those outside industry standards. e) Attach letters of funding commitment from other sources, if available. f) Will a property tax exemption be requested for the project? If so, what is the estimated dollar value of the tax exemption over the twenty-year period? Please briefly detail the calculation method used to estimate the value and the process your organization would undertake to obtain the exemptions or appraised value adjustment. 5 (Not applicable for social service applications involving direct services to qualified low- or extremely low- income persons) 7)Eligibility for Federal Funding; Will any of the following activities be part of the proposed project? Such small scale improvements will not necessitate relocation benefits. Property Acquisition New Construction (non-residential) Removal of Architectural Barriers Rehabilitation Costs Development Costs Client Services Specification Preparation (Construction/Rehab) Relocation Benefits (if required) Appraisal (for acquisitions) Federal funding has certain regulatory requirements. The following information is required to determine eligibility for federal funding. General Information a) Is the proposed project within the Ashland City limits? If not, explain. Yes b) Specify the proposed tenant or client income level; state in terms of percentage below area median for the Medford-Ashland standard metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The current income guidelines are included on page 10 above. The target population for the Energy Efficiency and Weatherization project is Moderate to low income homeowners qualified at 80% and below the Area Median income. c) Describe any financial or legal commitments made to the project. N/A Housing Development, Land Acquisition, or Rehabilitation Specific Information d) Will permanent housing units be converted or demolished? If so, how many? N/A e) Is the proposed housing site located in a 100-year flood plain? 6 Some individual units may be located in a 100 year flood plain; however a site specific environmental review will be completed on each unit to determine flood plain impact. f) Has a Level 1 environmental assessment been done for the site? If yes, attach the report. N/A g) Is the proposed housing site located adjacent to a major arterial road or near a railroad? N/A h) Is the proposed site located adjacent to an aboveground flammable storage tank? N/A i) Will the proposed project impact historic features? If yes, explain. Potential impacts upon historic structures will be reviewed for compliance with historic preservation guidelines through the site specific environmental review process. 8)Briefly describe the agency's mission and service history. The City may request copies of the agency's financial audit or review for the last two years prior to contract signing in order to determine agency's capability to successfully complete the project. 9)Will the project promote self-sufficiency for extremely low-, low- moderate- income families, or individuals with special needs? City Staff will identify potential participants from the City’s Low- Income Energy assistance program, by assisting this population it will serve two purposes; to reduce the energy cost burden on a population that has demonstrated need, thereby freeing up limited monetary resources to meet other needs; and to reduce the overall energy consumption within the city. 10)Please identify how your project benefits extremely low-, low- and moderate-income individuals or individuals with special needs. Many individuals with special needs are also low-income, 26% of the individuals served by the CDBG-R energy efficiency and weatherization program identified as having special needs. a) For proposed projects serving a low-income area (i.e. public facility improvements, community center or other neighborhood serving facility), provide the following data, including documentation of the sources of information for the following statistics: N/A 7 Number of extremely low-, low- and moderate-income individuals served in the project area on an annual basis. Total number of individuals served in project area on an annual basis. b)For proposed projects serving a target population (i.e. homeless families, battered women, people with AIDS, special needs populations, etc.) provide the following data, including document sources of information for statistics. Specify the target population to be served. Low to Moderate Income Homeowners Number of low and moderate-income individuals in target population to be served on an annual basis. (This count cannot include repeated visits or use by the same individuals.) It is expected that with the budgeted amount the City will be able to serve approximately 10 households, or 15 to 20 individuals. Total number of individuals in target population to be served on an annual basis. It is expected that with the budgeted amount the City will be able to serve approximately 10 households, or 15 to 20 individuals. Percent low and moderate income. 100% 11)Briefly describe how your proposal will ensure that moderate-income individuals do not benefit to the exclusion of extremely-low or low-income individuals. The City will target this program to those homeowners already receiving assistance through the City’s low-income energy assistance program. Consequently the homeowners are already identified as being below the moderate income level. Staff will offer this program on a first come first serve basis and therefore will not exclude any eligible homeowner. 12)Indicate if you expect the project to cause low and moderate-income housing to be demolished or converted to another use (see attachment “Relocation Strategy Guidance”). If so, explain. N/A 8 13)Project Feasibility Please describe your readiness to proceed concerning whether land use issues have been resolved and whether your organization has the administrative capacity to complete the project proposed. This project is an eligible activity that is ready to proceed. This project was awarded Community Development Block Grant- Recovery Act (CDBG-R) funding by the City Council in June of 2009. The 2009 project was very successful ultimately assisting 20 households benefiting 30 Ashland residents and leveraging over $35,000 in matching funds from various sources. The city is asking for a set aside of CDBG funds to complete energy efficiency improvements on units occupied by qualifying low-income families. With a maximum possible grant amount of $2,500 per dwelling, the City could assist approximately 10 dwellings with energy efficiency upgrades or other necessary repairs to reduce energy costs. Describe the feasibility of the project: a) Does the applicant have the experience and capacity to complete and or manage the project proposed? Briefly describe applicants capacity and experience in providing, maintaining and managing housing, particularly low-income housing similar to the proposed project. City Staff successfully administered this program in 2010 and will dedicate sufficient resources to again administer this program if awarded funds. b) Are the ongoing operating expense and maintenance reserve estimates reasonable? N/A c) Does the applicant have a purchase option on the property, letter of support from the property owner(s), or some other assurance that the property is available for acquisition? N/A d) Does the project require temporary or permanent relocation and if so have comparable units been identified and costs of relocation been accurately determined? Provide a tenant relocation strategy, cost estimate and existing tenant survey to address federal Uniform Relocation Act requirements which may impact your project. The nature of energy efficiency improvements and upgrades and the small scale of the activity will not trigger Relocation Act requirements. Possible improvements could include but are not limited to: the installation of energy efficient heating equipment, window replacement, and insulation measures. 9 e) Describe relocation strategy for the project. N/A f) Does the project require land use approvals such as Site Review, Annexation, Zone Change, Minor Land Partition, Demolition, or Conditional Use permits? N/A g) Has a pre-application been completed with the Ashland Planning Department? N/A h) What is the condition of any improvements on the property and what is the expected life of the property? Improvements will vary per project, but will be limited to those which contribute to energy efficiency and weatherization, and extending the life of the property. i) Describe commitment of project funding from other sources The City will look for other sources of leverage including but not limited to: The City of Ashland Conservation Program weatherization incentives, ACCESS weatherization program funds, City of Ashland Housing Rehabilitation Program repayments as available, Rural Development Home repair loans and grants, and homeowner contribution. 14)Indicate whether the project will have any negative impacts on historic or architecturally significant properties on the environment. All projects will be subjected to an Environmental Review Report and certain projects depending on scale, i.e. new construction, must undergo an Environmental Assessment. All projects will be subject to a site specific Environmental Review which considers the impact of repairs and upgrades to the architectural significant properties where appropriate. City staff will consult with the State Historic Preservation Office where Federal Regulations require such consultation. 15)Please attach any other statistical data, letters of support, applicable experience of the sponsor, evidence of financial support from other funding sources, or other material you believe will assist the City in its review of your proposal. 16) CDBG Application Checklist (see pages 25-26). Attach Forms A, B, & C. 10 CITY OF ASHLAND 2013 Program Year CDBG APPLICATION CHECKLIST In order to determine compliance with all applicable HUD regulations and to help to ensure that projects will be eligible for CDBG funding, the City of Ashland will need to address all HUD requirements. The purpose of this checklist is to point out areas where potential problems could arise. Obviously, this is a comprehensive list, which must evaluate a wide array of different kinds of proposals. Therefore, not every item will be applicable to every project.Please fill it out entirely indicating all items which are not applicable and include it as part of your proposal application. A. Applicant’s Background Yes No N/A 1. Is the applicant a legal non-profit organization or unit X of government? 2. Do the proposed clients or users of the project meet X HUD Income Guidelines (see page 10 for guidelines)? 3. Does applicant have the capability to maintain written X income documentation? 4. Has the applicant made a legal or financial X commitment to a proposed project? 5. Is the applicant primarily a religious organization? X 6. Has the applicant administered a CDBG project X previously? 7.Is your agency willing and able to provide all required X reports and accountability to the City as required by HUD? B. Project Location and Land Use Issues YesNo N/A 1. Has a location for the project been selected? X 2. Is the proposed project within the Ashland City X limits? 3. Does the proposed project meet local zoning and X land use laws? 4. Are any land use permits such as a Site Review, X partition, annexation or Conditional Use Permit required? 5. Have these approvals been obtained? X 6. Does the project comply with current building code X requirements? 7. Does the project meet handicapped accessibility X requirements? 11 C. Environmental Issues Yes No N/A 1. Is the project located in the 100-year floodplain? X 2. Is a wetland located on the project site? X 3. Has any environmental contamination been identified X on the project site? 4. Has asbestos been identified on the project site? X 5. If project involves an exiting structure, was it built X 1978 or earlier? If year built is known, please specify. 6. Is the proposed project located on a major arterial or X near the railroad? 7. Is the proposed project located adjacent to an above X ground flammable storage tank? 8. Does the proposed project involve a structure that is X 50 years or older? 9. Will the applicant complete a Phase I environmental X review upon receiving a CDBG award? D. Labor Requirements Yes No N/A 1. Does the project involve construction over $2,000 in X cost? 2. Will the project trigger Davis-Bacon wage X requirements? 3. Will the project trigger BOLI wage requirements? X 4. Does the project involve over $18,703 in City X awarded grants or contracts? E. Displacement and Relocation Yes No N/A 1. Will tenants be displaced by the project? X 2. Will a business be displaced by the project? X 3. Will housing units be demolished or converted? X F. Property Data Yes No N/A 1. Does the applicant own the property by fee simple X title? 2. Are taxes on the property current? X 3. Is insurance current? X 4. What is the current debt against the property? X 5. What is the current use of the property? X 6. Has an appraisal on the property been conducted? X If yes, what is the assessed value of the property? 12 Form A-1 To be completed for Development or Rehabilitation Proposals Housing Proposals Activity Start Date Completion Date Site Planning & Development Option Site Acquisition Plan Development Pre-application Land Use Approval Construction Plans Final Bids Contractor Selection Building Permits Grant applications local state federal Non-government other Loan Applications Construction loan Permanent Construction Phase Construction Certificate of Occupancy Please provide your best (realistic) date estimates regarding the project schedule 13 Form A-2 To be completed for Social Service Proposals Social Services Proposals Activity Start Date Completion Date Social service providers should list key benchmarks in the table above for their proposed projects (IE hire of personnel, application for further funding, initiation of direct client services, etc) 14 Form B-1 To be completed for Development or Rehabilitation Proposals Uses of Funding Housing Proposals Total Cost CDBG Request Other Source(s) Acquisition Costs Land Improvements Liens and other Taxes Closing costs Off-Site costs Other SUBTOTAL Development Costs Land Use Approvals Building Permits/fees (Include Engineering and Community Development Fees) System Development Charges (SDCs) Relocation Costs Environmental Report / Lead Based Paint Clearance Soils Report Survey Marketing Insurance Other Fees Architectural/Engineering Legal/Accounting Appraisals Lender fees Construction Loan Permanent Loan Tax Credit Fees Developer Fee Consultant Fee Other TOTAL 15 Form B-2 To be completed for Social Service Proposals Social Service Proposals Total Cost CDBG Request Other Source(s) Direct Client Services Wages (of personal providing direct client services) Materials/Supplies Marketing/Outreach Program Administration CDBG Funds Includes overhead and general are not staffing necessary to administer the available for program (accounting, management, grant administration) but that does program not provide direct benefits to the administration client. Total Project Cost 16 Form C SOURCE(S) OF FUNDS FOR OPERATING EXPENSES WORKSHEET Completeness of this worksheet establishes the capacity of the organization to sustain the operations of the program(s). SourcesSecured ConditionalTentativeCommitment (awarded with Date conditions) Federal Grants State Grants Local Grants Non Governmental Grants Donations/Gifts Applicant Contribution Program Income Loans Other (specify) Other (specify) TOTAL Please provide a description the timeline of loan and grant application dates as related to the proposed project. Specifically, for any tentative funding sources please provide application dates, award dates and funding availability dates. 17 Form D DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS To assist the City of Ashland in determining whether there may be a potential conflict of interest related to the expenditure of Community Development Block Grant funds we request the following information be provided by applicants: ORGANIZATION NAME: _________________________________________________ Organization is: 1. Corporation ( ) 2. Non-Profit 501C3 ( ) 3. Partnership ( ) 4. Sole Owner ( ) 5. Association ( ) 6. Other ( ) ____________________ DISCLOSURE QUESTIONS If additional space is necessary, please attach a separate sheet. 1. State the names of each "employee" of the City of Ashland having a financial or personal interest in the above mentioned "organization" or project proposed. Name, Job Title and City Department _______________________________________________________________ 2. State the name(s) of any current or prior elected or appointed "official", of the City of Ashland having a potential "financial interest" in the organization or project. Name/Title _______________________________ _______________________________ 3.Provide the names of each "board member" of the Organization seeking CDBG funding Name Board, Commission, or Committee (may be attached as a separate Sheet) 1_______________________________ 2_______________________________ 3_______________________________ 4_______________________________ 5_______________________________ 6_______________________________ 7_______________________________ 8_______________________________ 9_______________________________ 10_______________________________ 11_______________________________ 12_______________________________ additional_______________________________ If the applicant has provided names in question 1 or 2, please provide details regarding any known potential conflicts of interest in an attached narrative. 18