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Home My WebLink About2013-09-19 Housing PACKET Joint Housing Commission and Ad Hoc Steering Committee Meeting September 19, 2013 4:00 – 5:45pm Siskiyou Room-51 Winburn Way 1. (4:00) Approval of Minutes (5 min) August 28, 2013 2. (4:05) Public Forum (5 min) 3.(4:10)Liaison Reports discussion (15 min) Liaison Reports Council(Pam Marsh) Staff(Linda Reid) SOU (Andrew Ensslin) General Announcements 4.(4:25) Winter Shelter and Dogs(10 min) Pam Marsh, Council Liaison 5.(4:35) Housing and Human Services Commission Ordinance Update (20 min) Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist 6. (4:55) CAPER Review and Approval (20 min) Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist 7.(5:15)Winter Shelter Volunteer Training (35 min) Heidi Parker rd 8.(4:50) October 23 2013 MeetingAgenda Items??? Commissioner items suggested(5 min) Quorum Check – Commissioners not available to attend upcoming regular meetings should declare their expected absence. 9.(4:55) Upcoming Events and Meetings??? 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 HOMELESS STEERING COMMITTEE DRAFT MINUTES August 28, 2013 CALL TO ORDER ChairRegina Ayars called the joint meeting between the Housing Commission and the Homelessness Steering Committee to order at 4:00 p.m. at Council Chambers located at 1175 East Main St. Ashland, OR 97520. Housing Commissioners Present: HSC Members Present: Council Liaison Regina Ayars, Chair Laura O’Bryon Pam Marsh, arrived at 4:15 Michael Gutman Graham Lewis Barb Barasa Connie Saldana SOU Liaison Gina DuQuenne Heidi Parker Andrew Ensslin Regina Ayars Staff Present: Linda Reid, Housing Specialist Carolyn Schwendener, Admin Clerk APPROVAL OF MINUTES Housing Commission: Gutman/DuQuenne m/s to approve the minutes of the July 24, 2013 regular Housing Commission/Homeless Steering Committee meeting. Voice Vote: All Ayes; minutes were approved as presented. Homeless Steering Committee: O’Bryon/Saldana m/s to approve the minutes of the July 24, 2013 regular Housing Commission/Homeless Steering Committee meeting with a correction. Voice Vote: All Ayes; minutes were approved with correction. PUBLIC FORUM No one spoke UPDATES Reid gave several updates for the Commissioners as was requested by Ayars. Housing Needs Analysis – Reid explained this is a document that cities create in order to have an idea of what their housing needs will be in the future and whether they have enough land to meet those needs as well as what types of housing will fulfill those needs. For those that have not seen this document it is posted on the City Website. This document passed first reading at the August 20, 2013 Council Meeting. Second reading is scheduled for September 17, 2013 along with the Housing and Human services ordinance. The next step for the Housing (or Housing and Human Services) Commission is to prioritize which land use strategies the group would like to adopt in their annual goal setting meeting in advance of the Council’s goal setting. Reid reviewed some of the changes that were made to the document over the last year as well as reading some of the potential strategies. Gutman conveyed that at last month’s meeting Planning Commissioner Michael Dawkins shared his concern over existing houses being demolished and new larger ones being developed on the same site. Gutman acknowledged that he supports Dawkins in that the Commission should consider limiting the size of construction to the existing house footprint in order to prevent mega mansions from being built. Marsh called attention to the fact that in prior years the City has hired an outside consultant to do this report. Knowing the amount of work involved in this document Marsh thanked Reid for her hard work completing this task. Students as a protected class –Reid spoke with Bob Loewen from the City of Corvallis. Reid recognized a lot of similarities between our communities. Both are college towns and have a high demand for rentals. The vacancy rate for the city of Corvallis is one percent creating an inflation of rent, sometimes even doubling the norm. The city emphasizes anti growth and anti density often sending planning actions to LUBA. Though their community is larger than Ashland they only have one affordable housing provider in their area. Reid stated that the City of Corvallis uses age as criteria for a protected class. Age captures students as well as seniors. Reid said that if the Commissioners wanted to add age to Ashland’s Fair Housing Ordinance they could probably do that. However it is not a protective class in the state of Oregon so it would be necessary to bring back the compliance piece. If someone in our community feels they were discriminated against because of age we would need to prosecute that in house, explained Reid. Ensslin would like to encourage the Commissioners to continue the discussion around students being a protected class in the fair housing ordinance. Invite Louise to come to the student orientation. Update on Short Term Rentals – The City Council on Monday night decided not to pursue municipal code changes that would allow these types of lodging facilities in R-2 and R-3 zones.The Council did express an interest in taking another look at the issue as it relates to R-1 (single family) zones and will likely do so in the near future. Reid spoke with the staff person who has been working on the code compliance with this issue and she confirmed that there are approximately forty-eight unapproved units throughout the city. Seventeen of those units are in multi- family zones, three in commercial zones and twenty-eight in single family zones. If a home owner made the decision to become legal the first step is to apply for a pre-application conference. ($130.00) This is followed by a planning action for a conditional use permit (a onetime fee of $998.00) Before operation begins they would need a business license ($100.00 annually). Currently no property who was cited has come forward to apply for the conditional use permit. CHANGES TO THE BUSINESS LICENSE ORDINANCE The Council did not come to a decision at their regular meeting held on July 16, consequently the item has been th moved, the first reading is now scheduled to take place on September 17 regular meeting. HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION TIMELINE The first and second reading of an Ordinance creating the Housing and Human Services Commission has been rdth rescheduled for the September 3 and September 17 regular council meetings. Upon council approval of the second reading the ordinance will be active by October 17. It was decided that both Ayars and Rohde will attend the meeting with Reid to show support and answer questions about the new commission. SEPTEMBER 25, 2013 MEETING AGENDA ITEMS Quorum check; Gutman will not be able to attend so it was determined that the Housing Commission Meeting needs to be rescheduled in order to have a quorum. Reid will notify everyone what time works best. UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS Next Housing Commission Regular Meeting 4:00-5:45 PM; September 25, 2013 – Council Chambers – joint meeting Next Homelessness Steering Committee Regular Meeting 4:00-6:00 PM; September 11, 2013-Ashland Library ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 5:20 p.m. followed by the showing of Fair Housing Documentary “Brick by Brick” Respectfully submitted by Carolyn Schwendener Housing Commission Memo Title:Summary of CAPER Report 2012 Date: September 19, 2013 Submitted By:Linda Reid, Affordable Housing Specialist The City of Ashland is an entitlement city under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) CDBG Program. The City of Ashland receives approximately $160,000 each year from HUD to apply toward housing and community development projects that benefit low- and moderate-income persons in Ashland. The Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) summarizes the individual project status (physical and financial) of those improvements funded with CDBG funds for the Program year 2012. The CAPER reports the accomplishments generated by the activities funded in Program Year 2012 and how those activities allow the City to make progress in meeting the outcomes and goals identified in the 2010-2014 Consolidated plan. This report must be completed and submitted to HUD as a part of the requirements the City must meet to continue to receive CDBG funding. "The Housing Commission is charged to hold this public hearing, recommend changes to the 2012 CAPER if needed, and approve the annual report in order to fulfill the HUD requirements for public input and review." CAPER 2012 For the Program Year 2012 The City of Ashland awarded 3 projects with CDBG funds: Maslow Project - A social service grant for $10,000 was awarded to the Maslow Project to provided education, outreach, resources, referrals and case management to Homeless and at- risk youth and families in the Ashland school district.-This activity helped the city continue to work toward reducing homelessness among youth in the Ashland School District. This activity served 311 homeless youth St. Vincent De Paul- A social service grant for $14,000 was awarded to the St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program to provide rent and security deposit assistance. This activity assisted the City in working to prevent and reduce the incidence of homelessness. This activity assisted 42 individuals attain or retain housing. Living Opportunities- A capital improvement grant of $20,000 was awarded to Living Opportunities to assist that organization in completing energy efficiency upgrades and other remodel activities to better serve peoples with disabilities and their families. This activity assisted the City in meeting the goal of assisting organizations that serve special needs populations. This activity benefited 25 individuals. The City also met and exceeded Goal DH 3.3-Sustainability of Decent Housing: Retain existing affordable housing; rental and ownership, by supporting rehabilitation programs which recapture the rehabilitation costs for further use in Ashland (rehabilitate 3 housing units occupied by low-income households). In program Year 2013 the City provided grants from the general fund to 3 qualified low-income homeowners to complete energy efficiency upgrades. Homeless, at risk, and special populations- In Program Year 2013 the City of Ashland participated in the planning and implementation of the fifth annual Project Homeless Connect Event which provided resources and outreach to the Homeless and at risk populations of Jackson County. This event served approximately 524 people allowing the City to meet the goal DH 1.1: Availability/Accessibility of Decent Housing: Providing assistance to non- profit organizations that assist the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, provide transition assistance to the homeless and help prevent homelessness (400-500 persons per year that received services to improve health, safety, provide counseling, or improve conditions and assistance to homeless populations that enable them to be self sufficient). This activity was funded in part by CDBG administrative funds. For full details on these activities and to review the goals and outcomes for all years of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan, please refer to the 2013 CAPER Report, which can be found at: www.ashland.or.us/cdbgcaper2013 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT (CAPER) Program year 2012 (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013) Date of Report August 08, 2013 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 CAPER for CDBG Funds 2012-2013 Program Year City of Ashland 2012 Program Year Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) Executive Summary The City of Ashland is an entitlement jurisdiction, receiving an annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As a recipient of CDBG funds, the City is required to prepare a five-year strategic plan that identifies housing and community needs, prioritizes these needs, identifies resources to address the needs, and establishes annual goals and objectives to meet the identified needs. This five year plan is known as the Consolidated Plan. The purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to outline a strategy for the City to follow in using CDBG funding to achieve the goals of the CDBG program, “to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities principally for low- and moderate-income persons.” This Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) Addresses the goals identified in the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan which was approved in April of 2010. Each year the City is required to provide the public and HUD with an assessment of its accomplishments toward meeting the priority goals outlined in the Five Year Consolidated Plan. This annual assessment is known as the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). This document provides a review and evaluation of the City of Ashland’s progress toward meeting the annual goals and outcomes as outlined in the Action Plan for the Fiscal Year 2012- 2013 as well as the larger five year goals of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. The CDBG fiscal stth year begins July 1 and ends on June 30, this report will summarize the City’s accomplishments for that time period. During FY 2012 the City of Ashland continued working toward meeting its homeless, at-risk and special needs priorities for supportive services through activities such as emergency rent and utility funding for low-income households at risk of homelessness by supporting the St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program as well as Maslow Project, by providing assistance to homeless school children. The City also awarded funds to Living Opportunities to remodel their ACES Employment Center for peoples with disabilities. The City also continued to work toward affirmatively furthering fair housing by partnering with the City of Medford and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon to support a full time Fair Housing staff person to provide education and outreach to Ashland residents and to Social Service organizations that provide services to low and moderate income households. And lastly, the City set aside funds to assist the food bank in purchasing a permanent home contingent upon further fundraising. The tables that follow provide a comprehensive overview of the Consolidated Plan’s 5 year goals and the City’s progress toward attaining those goals. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 2 Priority Housing Needs/Investment Plan Table (Table 2A) 5-Yr.Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Yr. 4 Yr. 5 Priority Need GoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoal Plan/ActPlan/Act Plan/ActPlan/ActPlan/ActPlan/Act Renters 1 0 - 30 of MFI 10 2/76 2/47 2/23 31 - 50% of MFI 10 2/3 2/3 2/11 51 - 80% of MFI 30 6/0 6/35 6/7 Owners 2 0 - 30 of MFI 0 0/3 0/3 0/0 3 31 - 50 of MFI 5 1/1 1/0 1/1 51 - 80% of MFI 12 3/3 3/0 3/2 Homeless* 4 100 20/20 20/20 20/20 Individuals 50 10/10 10/10 10/10 Families Non-Homeless Special Needs 5 1/0 1/0 1/1 Elderly 5 1/1 1/0 1/1 Frail Elderly 2 1/1 1/2 1/1 Severe Mental Illness 1 1/3 0/2 1/1 Physical Disability 1 0/3 1/1 1/25 Developmental Disability 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Alcohol or Drug Abuse 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 HIV/AIDS 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Victims of Domestic Violence 14 5/8 4/5 4/29 Total (Sec. 215 and other) Total Sec. 215 50 10/79 10/83 10/40 215 Renter 17 4/7 4/3 4/3 215 Owner * Homeless individuals and families assisted with transitional and permanent housing 1 Number of Renters counted were reported through the St. Vincent De Paul’s home visitation program for rental assistance to avoid homelessness. Similarly, these populations count toward the non homeless special needs populations. 2 Number of owner’s counted came from CDBG-R funds that assisted with weatherization upgrades, there was some crossover in CDBG-R recipient’s with Housing Rehab recipients, those Households were not double counted. 3 Number of owner’s counted came from the Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Program. 4 Number of Homeless individuals and families reflected in table are from the Projected Homeless Connect Event which serves a greater number of individuals than reflected in the table. Actual numbers are quantified elsewhere. Some of those served are counted from the St. Vincent De Paul Home visitation program. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 3 Priority Housing Activities/Investment Plan Table (Table 2A) 5-Yr.Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Yr. 4 Yr. 5 Priority Need GoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoal Plan/ActPlan/ActPlan/ActPlan/ActPlan/Act Plan/Act CDBG Acquisition of existing rental units 40 10/0 10/0 0/0 Production of new rental units 10 2/62 2/0 0/0 Rehabilitation of existing rental units 2 2/2 0/0 0/0 Rental assistance 0 0/79 0/83 0/42 Acquisition of existing owner units 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Production of new owner units 14 2/7 2/8 2/0 Rehabilitation of existing owner units 3 1/3 1/3 1/3 Homeownership assistance 15 0/0 5/0 5/0 Other Condo-0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Conversion/Other ARU (Accessory 0 0/2 0/2 0/0 Residential Unit) General Fund (SDC & 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Comm. Dev. fee Waiver Production of new 0 0/60 0/0 0/0 rental units HOME/LIHTC 0 0/7 0/8 0/0 Affordable Homeownership or Rental Total 52 10/60 10/0 11/0 Rental Only Total City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 4 Annual Housing Completion Goals (Table 3B) Grantee Name: City of Ashland Expected Annual Actual Annual Resources used during the period Number of Units Number of Units Program Year: 2011 To Be Completed Completed CDBG HOME ESGHOPWA BENEFICIARY GOALS (Sec. 215 Only) Homeless households 0 0 Non-homeless households 22 6 X Special needs households 0 0 22 6 Total Sec. 215 Beneficiaries* RENTAL GOALS (Sec. 215 Only) Acquisition of existing units 0 0 Production of new units 14 0 Rehabilitation of existing units 0 0 Rental Assistance 0 0 14 0 Total Sec. 215 Affordable Rental HOME OWNER GOALS (Sec. 215 Only) Acquisition of existing units 0 0 Production of new units 8 6 X Rehabilitation of existing units 0 2 X Homebuyer Assistance 0 0 8 8 X Total Sec. 215 Affordable Owner COMBINED RENTAL AND OWNER GOALS (Sec. 215 Only) Acquisition of existing units 0 0 Production of new units 22 6 X Rehabilitation of existing units 0 2 Rental Assistance 0 0 Homebuyer Assistance 0 0 Combined Total Sec. 215 Goals* 22 8 X OVERALL HOUSING GOALS (Sec. 215 + Other Affordable Housing) Annual Rental Housing Goal 14 0 Annual Owner Housing Goal 8 8 X Total Overall Housing Goal 22 8 X * The total amounts for "Combined Total Sec. 215 Goals" and "Total Sec. 215 Beneficiary Goals" should be the same number. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 5 Priority Community Development Activities (Table 2B) 5-Yr.Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 3 Yr. 4 Yr. 5 Priority Need GoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoal Plan/ActPlan/Act Plan/ActPlan/ActPlan/ActPlan/Act Acquisition of Real Property 0 Disposition 0 Clearance and Demolition 0 Clearance of Contaminated Sites 0 Code Enforcement 0 Public Facility (General) 0 Senior Centers 0 Handicapped Centers 0 Homeless Facilities 0 Youth Centers 0 Neighborhood Facilities 0 Child Care Centers 0 Health Facilities 0 Mental Health Facilities 0 Parks and/or Recreation Facilities 0 Parking Facilities 0 Tree Planting 0 Fire Stations/Equipment 0 Abused/Neglected Children Facilities 0 Asbestos Removal 0 Non-Residential Historic Preservation 0 Other Public Facility Needs 0 Infrastructure (General) 0 Water/Sewer Improvements 0 Street Improvements 10,000 2,000/0 0/0 Sidewalks 10,000 2,000/2050/0 225 3 Solid Waste Disposal Improvements 0 Flood Drainage Improvements 0 Other Infrastructure 0 Public Services (General) 0 Senior Services 10 2 0 Handicapped Services 4 0 0 Legal Services 0 Youth Services 10 0 0 Child Care Services 0 Transportation Services 0 Substance Abuse Services 0 Employment/Training Services 0 Health Services 0 Lead Hazard Screening 0 Crime Awareness 0 Fair Housing Activities 10 0 10 Tenant Landlord Counseling 0 Other Services 0 Economic Development (General) 0 C/I Land Acquisition/Disposition 0 C/I Infrastructure Development 0 C/I Building Acq/Const/Rehab 0 City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 6 Other C/I 0 ED Assistance to For-Profit ED Technical Assistance Micro-enterprise Assistance Other City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 7 OUTCOME PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS (Table 1C, 2C, 3A) Availability/Accessibility of Decent Housing (DH-1) Specific Objective Source of Year Performance Expected Actual Percent Funds Indicators Number Number Achieved CDBG/Other 5 Number of DH Provide assistance to non- / 0 CDBG2010 400100% 6 homeless, or 1.1 profit organizations that 150 714/0 General 2011 100% 7 households at risk assist the homeless and Individual844 Fund2012 100% that have received those at risk of becoming Private2013 s per services to homeless, provide 2014 year* improve health, transition assistance to the safety, provide homeless and help prevent counseling, or homelessness. (*These goals improve are established for the Medford- conditions and Ashland & Jackson County assistance to Continuum of Care region.) homeless populations that enable them to be self sufficient. MULTI-750 1858 100% YEAR GOAL Number of DH Encourage development of CDBG 2010 500 % individuals with 1.2 transitional and supportive General 2011 300% 8 special needs housing for extremely low Fund 2012 225100% that have and low-income special Private 2013 2 received services needs populations. 2014 2 designed to improve health safety, general welfare, and self reliance. MULTI-14 25 25% YEAR GOAL Number of DH Provide assistance to non-CDBG2010 000% group homes or 1.3 profit organizations that General 2011 000% other supportive provide support services Fund2012 100% housing for extremely low and low-Private2013 0 developed for income special needs 2014 0 the elderly, populations. individuals with special needs. MULTI-1 0 0% YEAR GOAL Affordability of Decent Housing (DH-2) 5 This number reflects the combined total of homeless and at-risk individuals served through the one day Project homeless connect event as well as through the CDBG funded St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program. 6 This number reflects the combined total of homeless and at-risk served through the one day Project Community Connect Event which served 629 individuals and the St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program which served 85 but still had some grant funds to expend. 7 Combined totals for the Project Community Connect Event, Maslow and St. Vincent De Paul. 8 Living Opportunities ACES remodel City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 8 9 Number of new DH Encourage the acquisition 2 / 0 CDBG2010 2100 % rental units 2.1 and construction of 20 / 0 General 2011 0% affordable to, and affordable rental housing. Fund2012 20 / 0 0% occupied by, Private2013 2 lower-income 2014 2 households MULTI- 10 2 20% YEAR GOAL DH Encourage the acquisition CDBG2010 Number of new 20 / 0 0 % 2.2 and construction of General 2011 for purchase 20 / 0 0% affordable housing by Fund2012 housing units 20 / 0 0% private developers. Private2013 created by 2 2014private 2 developers that are affordable to, and occupied by lower-income households. MULTI- 10 0 0% YEAR GOAL Sustainability of Decent Housing (DH-3) 10 DH 52 / 040 % Support the acquisition CDBG 2010 Number of 3.1 and development of General 2011 existing or new 50 / 00 % affordable rental housing Fund 2012 housing units 50 / 0 0 % units through a sustainable Private 2013 that have been 5 program, which retains the Federal 2014 secured as 5 units as affordable in affordable perpetuity, such as a land through deed trust. restrictions recorded on the property MULTI-25 2 8% YEAR GOAL 11 DH Support Acquisition and CDBG 2010 Number of 40 / 7100 % 3.2 2011 existing or new 20 / 8 100 % development of affordable 2012 housing units 50 / 0 0% ownership housing units through a sustainable 2013 that have been 2 program which retains the 2014 secured as 1 units as affordable in affordable perpetuity, such as a land through deed trust restrictions recorded on the property 9 ACLT completed the development of 2 new rental units on Bridge Street during program year 2010. 10 See footnote #1 above. 11 Groundworks completed 7 of the 15 proposed new ownership units in the Rice Park development in the 2010 program year. These units were developed to meet a City planning requirement and have no CDBG funding in them. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 9 MULTI- 14 15 100% YEAR GOAL 12 Number of DH Retain existing affordable CDBG2010 13 100 % housing units 3.3 housing, rental and General 2011 13 100 % 13 occupied by low ownership, by supporting Fund 2012 13 100 % income rehabilitation programs State 2013 0 households that which recapture the Federal 2014 0 have been rehabilitation costs for Private rehabilitated further use in Ashland. Fund MULTI-3 9 100% YEAR GOAL Number of existing DH Retain existing affordable CDBG2010 10 0/0 0% housing units that 3.4 housing, rental and General 2011 10 0/0 0% have been ownership, by supporting Fund 2012 10 0/0 0% rehabilitated and rehabilitation programs 2013 5 retained as using a sustainable 2014 5 affordable through program which retains the deed restrictions units as affordable in recorded on the perpetuity. property. MULTI-40 0 0% YEAR GOAL Availability/Accessibility of Suitable Living Environment (SL-1) 14 SL Accessibility-Availability CDBG2010 Number of 20 60100% 15 1.1 of improved public General 2011 households 20 /1171 16 infrastructure serving low-Fund2012 benefiting from 20 285 moderate income persons 2013 new or enhanced 20 2014 city sidewalks. 20 MULTI-100 1230 100 % YEAR GOAL Affordability of Suitable Living Environment (SL-2) 17 SL Construct new sidewalks 2010 Linear feet of 2,000 0/2065100% 2.1 on existing streets in 2011 sidewalk 2,000 0/00% 18 extremely low-, low- and 2012 completed in 2,000 0/25510% moderate income 2013 qualified low-2,000 neighborhoods. 2014 income Census 2,000 block groups. 12 Three homeowner rehab projects were completed in PY 2010 utilizing revolving loan fund repayments. 13 Three homeowner rehab projects were completed in PY 2012 utilizing general fund resources. 14 Residents of Snowberry brook who will benefit from the CDBG funded sidewalk improvements. 15 # of residents of census block groups 001900-1,002000-1, and 001800-1 divided by the average household size (2.14). These improvements were funded through the City’s general fund. 16 Same as above for Census block group 2000-2. 17 Linear feet of sidewalk improved or installed in low-income census block groups funded by the City’s general fund. 18 Linear feet of sidewalk improved or installed in low-income block groups funded by the City’s general fund. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 10 MULTI- 10,000 2315 21% YEAR GOAL Sustainability of Suitable Living Environment (SL-3) 19 SL Install Wheel chair ramps 2010 Number of wheel 11/23100% 3.1 in existing sidewalks. 2011 chair ramps 10/0 0% 2012 installed in 10/0 0% 2013 existing 1 2014 sidewalks. 1 MULTI-524 100 % YEAR GOAL 19 City General Funds paid for the installation or upgrade of 11- wheelchair ramps in census track 1900 blockgoup 1, 8- wheelchair ramps in tract 2100 blockgroup 2, and 5 in tract 2000 blockgroup 1 all of which qualify as low income census block groups City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 11 Availability/Accessibility of Economic Opportunity (EO-1) Actual Specific Objective Source Year Performance Expected Percent Number of Funds Indicators Number Achieved CDBG/ Other EO No goals identified 2010 1.1 2011 2012 2013 2014 MULTI- YEAR GOAL Affordability of Economic Opportunity (EO-2) EO No goals identified 2010 % 2.1 2011 % 2012 % 2013 % 2014 % MULTI- % YEAR GOAL Sustainability of Economic Opportunity (EO-3) EO No goals identified 2010 % 3.1 2011 % 2012 % 2013 % 2014 % MULTI- % YEAR GOAL Neighborhood Revitalization (NR-1) NR No goals identified 2010 % 1.1 2011 % 2012 % 2013 % 2014 % MULTI- % YEAR GOAL Other (O-1) O No goals identified 2010 % 1.1 2011 % 2012 % 2013 % 2014 % MULTI- % YEAR GOAL Other (O-2) City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 12 O No goals identified 2010 % 2.1 2011 % 2012 % 2013 % 2014 % MULTI- % YEAR GOAL City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 13 OUTCOME PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS Table 1C Summary of Specific Homeless/Special Needs Objectives # Specific Objectives Sources of Performance Expected Actual Outcome/ Funds Indicators Number Number Objective* Homeless Objectives Special Needs Objectives Other Objectives City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 14 *Outcome/Objective Codes Availability/Accessibility Affordability Sustainability Decent Housing DH-1 DH-2 DH-3 Suitable Living Environment SL-1 SL-2 SL-3 Economic Opportunity EO-1 EO-2 EO-3 City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 15 OUTCOME PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS Table 2C Summary of Specific Housing/Community Development Objectives # Specific Objectives Sources of Performance Expected Actual Outcome/ Funds Indicators Number Number Objective* Rental Housing Owner Housing Community Development Infrastructure Public Facilities Public Services Economic Development Neighborhood Revitalization/Other *Outcome/Objective Codes Availability/Accessibility Affordability Sustainability DH-1 DH-2 DH-3 Decent Housing SL-1 SL-2 SL-3 Suitable Living Environment EO-1 EO-2 EO-3 Economic Opportunity Table 3A -- Summary of Specific Annual Objectives City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 16 # Specific Annual Objectives Sources of Performance Expected Actual Outcome/ Funds Indicators Number Number Objective* Rental Housing Owner Housing Homeless Special Needs Community Development Infrastructure Public Facilities Public Services Economic Development Neighborhood Revitalization/Other City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 17 *Outcome/Objective Codes Availability/Accessibility Affordability Sustainability DH-1 DH-2 DH-3 Decent Housing SL-1 SL-2 SL-3 Suitable Living Environment EO-1 EO-2 EO-3 Economic Opportunity City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 18 I. Summary of Resources and Distribution of Funds The City of Ashland utilized Community Development Block Grant funds to assist in furthering the goals and objectives identified in the Consolidated Plan. For Fiscal Year 2012 the City received $164,479 in CDBG funding. In the 2012 program year the City of Ashland awarded $136,142 in CDBG funds to five grantees; $20,000 to Living Opportunities to remodel their ACES employment building, $14,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation Program to provide emergency rent and energy assistance to avoid homelessness, $10,000 to Maslow Project to implement outreach and case management activities for homeless youth enrolled in the Ashland School District, and lastly the City set aside the balance of the funds, $87,646, to acquire the building which they currently lease, pending further fundraising efforts. A project funded in 2010 to provide audible signals added to existing cross walks to assist the sight impaired did not get utilized in the 2010 and 2011 program years, however two signals were installed at the close of the 2012 program year utilizing the majority of the grant funds awarded to this project. In Program Year 2012, the City drew down $94,833.85, in Community Development Block Grant Funds. Table 1.1 Agency/Organization Funds Funds Expended Remaining Committedin FY 2012 Balance Public Works-ADA$27,623$20,912.25$6,710.75 Living Opportunities$20,000$20,000$0 Maslow Project $10,000$9,911.79$88.21 St. Vincent De Paul 2012$14,000$11,200.81$2,799.19 City of Ashland (Admin 2012$32,833$32,809$24* AEFB reserve$87,6460$87,646 Total$192,102$94,833.85$97,268.15 *Admin represents costs incurred-costs were not equal to 20% of allocation set aside for Admin Purposes A) Geographic Distribution of Expenditures The City of Ashland is a relatively small community both in population and incorporated area. Ashland is 4.4 miles long and 1.7 miles wide and comprises seven census tracks and 20 block groups. Of those 20 block groups 8 qualify as Low- to Moderate- Income area benefit block groups. There are no areas that fall under HUD’s definition of racial or minority concentrations within the City. The 2010 Census estimated that 90% of Ashland’s population was White alone, down from 92% in 2000. The City of Ashland does not have any designated Revitalization Neighborhoods nor does the City have any areas that qualify as being affected by slum or blight conditions. The city did not target any CDBG funds to a designated area. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 19 II. Narrative Statement A) Assessment of Three to Five Year Goals and Objectives In April of 2010, the City of Ashland adopted the Five-Year Consolidated Plan (2010-2014). Fourteen priorities (goals) are identified in the Five-Year Consolidated Plan. The priorities are not ranked in order of importance.Each project/activity, which was undertaken during Program Year 2012, is listed and discussed under the relevant priority. The assessment provided in this CAPER covers the 2012 Program year (July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013). For the 2012 Program year the City made some headway on the overarching primary objectives of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Affordable and Workforce Housing: In the five year strategic plan the City identified several numerical goals for the creation, preservation, and maintenance of new and existing housing units to be occupied by low income households. Since the adoption of the Five Year Consolidated Plan the City has added 2 rental units targeted to low-income populations and deed restricted for long term affordability. Six additional units have been completed as a result of CDBG funds granted to ACCESS in program year 2011, however as these units did not receive certificate of occupancy until program year 2013 consequently these units will be counted in that year’s CAPER report. During program year 2012 the City dedicated general fund resources toward the continuation of a program originally initiated with the additional funding the City received due to the Recovery Act. The City of Ashland Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Program which targeted low income homeowners receiving assistance through the City’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program offered City Conservation incentives coupled with CDBG grant funds to complete energy efficiency upgrades. This program was extremely popular and productive. By dedicating additional funding to continue that program the City was able to assist three additional homeowners with energy efficiency upgrades to help maintain the City’s existing housing stock, and achieve some energy savings for low income homeowners to assist with overall housing cost affordability. The City did not add any new deed restricted ownership units in program year 2013. Please see tables 2A, 1C, 2C, and 3A for details. Homeless, At-Risk and Special Needs Populations: The five year strategic identifies three specific activities to assist homeless, special needs, and senior populations. In program year 2012 the City continued to make progress on the goals for homeless, at-risk and special needs populations. In 2012 the City funded two projects that serve homeless and populations at-risk of homeless; Maslow Project which served 311 homelessness and at-risk youth with a variety of services ranging from resource referrals to ongoing case-management, St. Vincent De Paul Home program was able to prevent homelessness for 42 individuals by assisting them to obtain or maintain housing. The City also awarded funds to Living Opportunities in the 2012 program year to complete a update of their employment center for peoples with disabilities. In 2012 the employment center assisted 25 individuals with special needs with a variety of employment related skills and supports. Lastly, City staff participates in the planning and implementation of the annual Project Community Connect (PCC) event with serves as a one stop resource fair for homeless and at-risk populations throughout Jackson County. Since 2009 the PCC event has been attended by over two thousand individuals, this year the PCC event was attended by over City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 20 500 individuals. All of these activities taken together have allowed the City to not only meet their numerical goals for the year but to exceed them in all three categories. Economic and Community Development: CDBG funds were not used in direct support of this goal in program year 2012. B) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing In the 2012 Program year the City undertook several activities to affirmatively Further Fair Housing. The City continued its support to the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO), working with that organization in partnership with the City of Medford and Access to provide funding in support a full time Fair Housing presence in the Southern Oregon region. The Education and Outreach Specialist will provide local opportunities for education and outreach to identified groups and will be able to regularly staff meetings to meet needs as they arise The Fair Housing Council received notice in June of 2012 that they were awarded funding to provide a .50 FTE employee stationed in the Southern Oregon Region. ACCESS, Inc. has offered to provide office space for this person. The City’s of Medford and Ashland both pledged additional funding to support this position in order to make it a full time position. FHCO hired a full time Outreach and Education Specialist in October of 2012. Since that time the Outreach and Education Specialist has met with several different groups to determine the education needs of the community, and has held several informational sessions and a few targeted trainings. The outcomes of those trainings are yet to be determined. In the 2008 Program year, the City of Ashland Contracted with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon to undertake an update of the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI). The final draft of the AI was completed in September of 2009. In the updated City of Ashland AI the Fair Housing Council of Oregon identified several impediments to fair housing choice. Many of the recommendations were in line with activities that the city was currently undertaking, and some of the recommendations the City has begun to work toward implementing. Since completion of the AI the City has undertaken several of the identified activities toward alleviating identified impediments (see table 1.2 for details). For Program year 2012 the City took action on the following impediments; The Fair Housing Council identified 15 impediments to Fair Housing Choice in the City of Ashland’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. In Program year 2009 the City initiated action on nine of those impediments. In Program Year 2011 the City continued its work on those activities as well as ongoing education and outreach efforts through targeted trainings and public awareness activities. Though the City is far from accomplishing the goals laid out in the AI, the City is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing and continuing to work with community partners, citizens, and other jurisdictions on implementing the recommendations included in the AI. The City will report further activities and accomplishments on the goals noted above as well as the remaining unaddressed goals in successive CAPER’s. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:Discrimination in housing transactions Recommendations:Proactively conducting testing of sale and rental properties City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 21 Actions Initiated 2009-Current: No testing has been conducted since 2009 however testing is planned for the next program year (2013) and will be reported in that CAPER. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012:The City has dedicated General Fund (not CDBG funding) toward supporting a local Fair Housing Education and Outreach position, she is working on organizing testing locally. Outcomes will be reported in the appropriate CAPER year as City resources in support of CDBG goals. 2009 AI Identified Impediment: Steering by real estate agents Recommendations:Conducting intensive fair housing training for real estate agents, and considering establishing a mandatory training program for real estate professionals practicing in Ashland Actions Initiated 2009-Current:The Cities of Medford and Ashland partnered to offer a Fair Housing Training for Real-estate agents in 2009. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: In 2012 the local Fair Housing Education and Outreach Specialist has conducted one training with real estate professionals, the reporting on this activity has not yet been provided. 2009 AI Identified Impediment: Lack of Diversity among real estate professionals and property managers. Recommendations:Working with organization of real estate professionals to increase efforts to recruit minority and ethnic persons as real estate agents, leasing agents, and property managers. Actions Initiated 2009-Current: A Fair Housing Training for HOA’s and property managers was held in June of 2010. 16 real estate professionals attended. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012:No new actions were undertaken in program year 2012 toward this goal. 2009 AI Identified Impediment: lack of diversity in real-estate advertising Recommendations:Encouraging developers to adopt "affirmative marketing" programs designed to reach minority home seekers to make them aware of housing opportunities: Actions Initiated 2009-Current: No actions Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: No actions were undertaking in program year 2012 toward this goal. 2009 AI Identified Impediment: Racial and ethnic segregation. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 22 Recommendations:Gathering data on the race and ethnicity of people moving within the jurisdiction Actions Initiated 2009-Current: The City has compiled a number of reports in the last five years which gathers this type of data (AI, Consolidated Plan, and Housing Needs Analysis) and monitors any drastic changes over time. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: The City continues to monitor the needs of low- income, special needs and minority populations with respect to housing and human services needs. The City continued moving forward with the process of adoption of the updated 2012 Housing Needs Analysis. 2009 AI Identified Impediment: Steering and concentration of ethnic and racial minorities Recommendations:Demand rental reporting on race/ethnicity, familial status, and disability, or establish a licensing requirement that requires reporting on these areas. Also require reporting of real estate sales professionals Actions Initiated 2009-Current: The City has held trainings targeting real estate professionals. The City has also been researching and working toward implementation of a rental registry to get recommended information on tenants Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012:The City is taking steps toward creating a rental registry through changes in the business licensing process which should be enacted in the fall of 2013. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:Discriminatory CC and R's in homeowners associations Recommendations:Arranging periodic workshops targeting officers and management companies of homeowner associations. Actions Initiated 2009-Current:A Fair Housing Training for HOA’s and property managers was held in June of 2010. 16 real estate professionals attended. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: In 2012 the local Fair Housing Education and Outreach Specialist has conducted various trainings the reporting on these activities have not yet been provided. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:Discrimination in home lending transactions, low rate of government insured loans in Ashland Recommendations:Financial counseling/homebuyers education and outreach to minority populations Actions Initiated 2009-Current:The City partners with the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center which among other things holds several homebuyer education classes and offers IDA's City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 23 for down payment assistance. Further the City has formed a partnership with Neighborworks Umpqua who also offers first time homebuyer classes as well as the IDA home repair program. Both organizations help to connect perspective buyers with Rural Development to explore loan options. Lastly, City housing program staff refers potential homebuyers to the aforementioned organizations as deemed appropriate and to Rural Development and Oregon Housing and Community Services for home loan assistance. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: As in previous years the City maintains an affordable housing program which to date has deed restricted 178 housing units as affordable. These units are some of the only units within the City of Ashland which will qualify for government assisted loans as the majority of the other units on the market do not meet maximum property value limits for most federal home buying programs. In program year 2012 City staff has worked directly with several potential buyers of units in the City’s affordable housing program, ACCESS staff, Neighborworks Umpqua staff, and Rural Development staff to assist those potential buyers in working toward and attaining homeownership. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:Renew and expand commitment to fair housing, allocate resources, recommend public policy and public pronouncements from City leadership Recommendations:Amend the City's fair housing ordinance to clearly protect disability, allow for the filing of complaints for up to one year after discrimination, articulate alternative complaint options. Actions Initiated 2009-Current: All recommended amendments incorporated in Fair Housing Ordinance updates adopted in 2012, Fair housing proclamation read each April by the Mayor, fair housing readings by Mayor at the local branch of the library. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: This activity has been completed and requires no further action. 2009 AI Identified Impediment: Integration between planning, fair housing and affordable housing staff to better monitor and integrate these functions. Recommendations:Provide advanced fair housing training for the affordable housing staff member Actions Initiated 2009-Current:City affordable housing staff has attended at least one advanced fair housing training each year that that staff person has been employed with the City. Staff often attends two or three fair housing trainings each year. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: No new actions were taken on this activity in program year 2012. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:While affordable housing and fair housing are separate concepts, there is significant overlap between the two. It is generally true that affordable housing disproportionately benefits members of protected classes. The decline in affordable housing is an impediment to fair housing choice. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 24 Recommendations:Ashland needs to explore as many options as possible for preserving and expanding its stock of affordable housing Actions Initiated 2009-Current:Since the addition of a dedicated City staff person to work solely on issues of housing was created the City has worked hard to address issues of housing affordability and to ensure that there are housing types and availability to accommodate the needs of the populations. For details regarding some of the actions the City has undertaken and is currently working on implementing to preserve and create more affordable housing please see the City of Ashland 2009-2014 Consolidated Plan and previous and current Housing Work Plan on the City's housing page http://www.ashland.or.us/SectionIndex.asp?SectionID=497 . Some examples of actions the City has undertaken include the establishment of land use ordinances which require affordable housing, establishment of an affordable housing trust fund, and the prioritization of the City's very limited allocation of CDBG funding toward the preservation and development of affordable housing. Lastly, City staff and volunteer members of the City's Housing Commission have conducted outreach and held meetings with property owner's in which the preservation of HUD expiring contract units were discussed. Most property owners stated that they were not renewing their HUD contracts because the requirements were too onerous or there were not enough incentives to maintain the units as affordable. In these situations the City has very little leverage to offer property owners to renew their contracts for affordability. Similarly, City staff had spoken with both HUD staff and OHCS staff about possible incentives that can be offered to these property owners to maintain these units as affordable. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012:No new specific actions were taken toward this broad activity in program year 2012. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:Lack of information on where and how to report allegations of housing discrimination Recommendations:Train front line staff on referrals to fair housing resources, train City housing staff on fair housing, update the City's fair housing webpage. Actions Initiated 2009-Current:The City distributes the Fair Housing brochures provided by FHCO, and the City works with the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center staff, and the FHCO's education and outreach specialist to make sure that the brochures are stocked and available throughout the community. The City has also updated its fair housing ordinance and its fair housing webpage and added a landlord/tenant section. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: The City continues to stock fair housing brochures in its lobby, and Housing Program Staff has worked with the City of Ashland Housing Commission to update the City’s Fair Housing webpage adding more resources for users. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:There is a lack of adequate fair housing resources available to respond to fair housing complaints, and provide fair housing training and outreach. Recommendations:Allocate additional resources for training and dealing with complaints, Partner with other jurisdiction to establish a regional fair housing office that could respond to complaints and conduct trainings and provide outreach. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 25 Actions Initiated 2009-Current:Over the past four years the City and it’s housing partners have been meeting with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon around working to create a local Fair Housing presence. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012:The City has partnered with the City of Medford, the FHCO, and ACCESS to establish a regional fair housing presence locally to assist in compliance and complaint issues and to provide outreach and conduct trainings. The City dedicated resources from the general fund in support of this activity. 2009 AI Identified Impediment:Lack of accessible housing for people with disabilities Recommendations:Ensure that city staff in charge of issuing, inspecting and approving building permits and certificates of occupancy are familiar with the accessibility requirements of the Federal Fair Housing act. Withhold plan approval until accessibility issues are addressed, provide funding to help low-income peoples with disabilities pay for needed modifications to dwelling units or complexes. Actions Initiated 2009-Current:The Snowberry Brook Complex completed in 2011 included many ADA units on the ground floor and several ADA visitable units. Actions Initiated in Program Year 2012: C) Affordable Housing Progress on the Consolidated Plan goals 1.1 and 1.2, the development of affordable rental and homeownership housing; had throughout the period covered by the 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan been hampered by the high cost of land in the City of Ashland. Though this has been a considerable barrier to providers of affordable housing in the Jackson County area, the recent economic downturn had served to slow the pace of market rate development in Ashland allowing opportunities for more affordable housing development. The City met its Consolidated Plan goals for affordable ownership housing and for the development of rental housing for the previous five year period. For the current five year period beginning in program year 2010, the City has added two units and will report the addition of six more units which were completed in the following program year. The City has also met and exceeded Decent Housing goal 3.3 for ownership housing rehabilitation primarily utilizing CDBG program income, CDBG-Recovery act funds, and City of Ashland General Fund contributions in support of this goal. The City of Ashland does not directly develop or manage affordable housing. The City of Ashland has prioritized the provision of affordable housing to be the highest priority need in the Consolidated Plan. Over the years the City of Ashland has developed a number of programs, incentives, and regulations in an effort to promote the development of affordable housing. Specifically; the City provides a density bonus to developers who construct affordable rental and ownership units, the City defers the System Development Charges (SDCs) for affordable rental and single family homes so long as they remain “affordable” for a period of 30 years. The maximum rent limit set by HUD can not be exceeded, nor can the housing units be sold outside the program during this period, (a change in the SDC waiver program instituted in 2005 was to eliminate the ability to “buy-out” of the program by paying off past SDCs), lastly, the City added City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 26 language to the zone change, annexation, and condominium conversion ordinances that provides for a percentage of affordability under certain circumstances. The funding source for these activities is the City of Ashland’s General fund for administration of the City sponsored affordable housing program and foregoing collection of System Development Charges and applicable Community Development and Engineering fees. The City continues to examine and initiate new and innovated programs to promote, develop, and retain affordable housing. Worst Case Needs Low Income and At Risk Households Over the years the City of Ashland has undertaken several steps to meet the needs of low- income renters with severe cost burden, to address substandard housing and to lessen or alleviate instances of involuntary displacement. Specifically, the City has worked with the local providers of affordable housing to promote the production and retention of affordable rental and ownership housing in Ashland. In 2010 the Housing Authority of Jackson County completed sixty units of affordable housing and more recently ACCESS, the Community Action Agency for Jackson County completed six units of affordable housing. The Housing Authority currently provides approximately 100 housing choice vouchers to residents in the City of Ashland, these vouchers help to alleviate severe cost burden to some Ashland renters. In program year 2012 the City awarded funds to St. Vincent De Paul Society to assist those at risk of losing their housing or at risk of having their utilities shut off and to the Maslow Project to work with school children experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Both of these programs seeks to alleviate cost burden or in some instances prevent homelessness. Home Repairs and Energy Efficiency In an effort to reduce the number of households living in substandard housing, the City awarded homeowner rehabilitation program funds to the Housing Authority of Jackson County over three grant years, 1997, 1998, and 2000. Loan repayment proceeds from prior year’s home owner rehabilitation projects are put into a revolving loan fund to complete more homeowner rehabilitation projects. In program year 2010 loan repayments proceeds from prior year’s payoff in the amount of $46,448.99, were utilized to complete repairs on three more owner occupied units. Two of the projects leveraged funds from the City’s energy efficiency program funded with CDBG recovery act dollars. The Housing Authority has not received any new payoffs in the last couple of years, however the City dedicated General Fund resources in Program Year 2012 to complete energy efficiency repairs for low income homeowners who are receiving Ashland Low- Income Energy Assistance funding in an effort to reduce the energy cost burden on low income city residents. The City was able to assist three qualified low-income households with energy efficiency upgrades with the available funding. As was the case with the CDBG-Recovery act funds, the City continues to look for ways to leverage funds with other existing programs to complete energy efficiency upgrades and necessary home repairs. There are four programs which could be used to leverage funds with the CDBG-R funds; USDA’s Rural Development Department offers low interest loans of up to $20,000 to complete needed repairs to owner occupied homes, and up to $7,500 in grant funds to repair the homes of owner occupants who are 62 years old and older, the City of Ashland Homeowner repair program that is detailed in the paragraph above, Access, Inc.’s low-income weatherization program, which provides weatherization measures such as insulation, window replacement and roof repairs on mobile homes, manufactured homes and single family City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 27 residences,( this program has senior and disabled preference) and the City of Ashland’s Conservation program which offers a zero percent interest 60 month loan of up to $7,500 for owner occupied units repaid through utility bill or a City incentives. The City makes referrals to Rural Development or the Housing Authority for homeowner repair needs or to ACCESS, Inc. in an effort to leverage funds and assist those populations within the City with the least ability to pay for needed repairs and energy efficiency upgrades. Although the intent of the City of Ashland Energy Efficiency and Weatherization program is to promote energy efficiency measures, lower utility expenses for low income residents, and work toward community wide energy conservation allowing the City to meet the tier two energy goals of reducing the City’s overall energy use as well as, the larger goal of preserving affordable housing units and making health and safety improvements is also being met. Detailed outcomes for this program are reported in section F, Leveraged resources. Social Justice Activities The city passed a tenants rights ordinance in 2007 in an effort to protect the basic rights of tenants living in multi-family residential units who may be displaced or affected by the conversion of existing multi-family rental housing into for purchase housing. The ordinance requires property owners to notice tenants about the conversion and of the tenant’s right to relocation assistance if certain conditions are not met. The City of Ashland follows all federal regulations regarding relocation when carrying out CDBG activities. The City recognizes the continued need for affordable housing for city residents, and will continue to seek out and prioritize opportunities to develop, maintain, and preserve affordable rental and ownership housing to meet the needs of very low, low, and moderate income households. During the 2008 and 2009 Program year the City’s CDBG funding went toward assisting the Jackson County Housing Authority in completing a large scale affordable housing development, the first multifamily housing development built by the Housing Authority in Ashland ever, and the first new affordable multifamily development in the past 20 years. This 60 unit development known as Snowberry Brook was completed and leased in the spring of 2011. The new development includes three fully accessible units that meet the section 504 building code for ADA accessibility, and one hearing impaired unit. All 14 of the ground floor flats were designed and built to be ADA adaptable. And 43 of the units were designed and built to be “visitable” units for people in wheelchairs providing 36” exterior and restroom doors. Similarly, a portion of the funding awarded to the Housing Authority for public facilities improvements provided for the installation of 3,250 linear feet of new sidewalk on newly developed interior streets and on previously unimproved public right of way along a major collector roadway completing the connection between two existing sidewalks between two arterial transportation routes. Lastly, the grant funds paid for the installation of 13 new wheel chair ramps further increasing ADA accessibility. In program year 2012 a project funded with CDBG funds by the City in 2010 was partially completed which installed ADA audible signals two crosswalks in the busy downtown corridor. These signals are expected to serve the 200 + sight impaired individuals identified within the City as well as the many tourists who come to Ashland. Further the City undertook and update of the fair housing ordinance which strengthens and clarifies the protections for peoples with disabilities. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 28 D) Continuum of Care Consolidated Plan goals aimed at serving homeless and special needs populations are currently on track primarily due to the efforts of the Jackson County Homeless Task Force’s (HTF) annual Project Homeless Connect event as well activities undertaken by the Society of St. Vincent De Paul to keep people in their homes. City staff continues to be an active member of the Homeless Task Force, a subcommittee of the Continuum Care, and continues to work toward creating more resources for local and regional homeless and at-risk populations. Program year 2012 was the fifth year that the HTF organized a Project Community Connect Event. In the 2009 program year the City of Ashland in partnership with the many other individual members and organizations of the Homeless Task Force put on the first annual Project Homeless Connect Event in Jackson County. Since that time new partner organizations and private sector businesses have donated their time and services to the event. Over the past few years the coordination effort has become more efficient, organized, and inclusive. This year the st one day event took place on Friday, May 31 at the Medford Armory. The purpose of the event was to connect homeless populations and those at risk of homelessness to service providers, government agencies and community resources. The Project Community Connect event also serves as an opportunity for individual community members to welcome those experiencing homelessness or on the verge of homelessness back into the community through volunteerism and recognition. The event provided a hot meal and resources for approximately 524 people. Many of the agencies who participated reported that they have had follow ups from the event and one provider reported having housed two families that came to the event. Services ranged from free haircuts, dental, mental and medical health services, veterinary services, to hygiene kits, food baskets and hot lunch. Jackson County’s Ten Year Plan to end Homelessness was adopted by the Jackson County rd Commissioners on June 3 2009. Paul Carlson, HUD Region X, Regional Coordinator of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Robert Franco from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, and Karen Clearwater, from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) spoke at the event in support of the Ten Year Plan. The Jackson County Ten Year Plan to end homelessness is available on the Jackson County Website at: http://www.co.jackson.or.us/files/10-Year_Plan_to_End_Homelessness.pdf The City of Ashland continues to contribute to a coordinated effort to serve the Homeless populations and those at risk of homelessness by working to carry out the six strategies identified in the plan. As mentioned the City is on track to meet the Consolidated Plan Goals of assisting 150 persons annually by providing assistance to non-profit organizations that assist the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, by providing transition assistance to the homeless and helping to prevent homelessness.However, due to the Housing Program Specialist’s continued involvement in the Homeless Task Force in general and more specifically the time spent on the planning and participation in the Project Homeless Connect Events, the number of persons benefiting from this activity will be counted as contributing toward this goal during the 2012 Program Year and in subsequent years. The activities undertaken by the Housing Program Specialist to this end will be divided between CDBG administrative costs and City General Fund as part of the City’s Housing Program. The City directs over $100,000 in general fund dollars to safety net services each year. Awards to selected service providers are made on a two year cycle, with recipients receiving the full st award amount on July 1, of each year. Therefore the award indicated in table 1.3 below is an City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 29 annual allocation and the recipient ultimately receives twice the amount listed. Several homeless service providers, low income health care, and essential continuum of care services are funded each year. In the 2012 program year the “Social Service Grants awarded totaled $126,988. Given the relatively small size of the award requests, the use of the City’s General Fund grant awards enables these non-profits to direct the award to services with a minimal amount of grant administration costs. The City has not directed funds specifically toward addressing the needs of persons with special needs that may require supportive housing (such as persons with HIV/AIDs) preferring instead to target funding and staff time to serving the needs of all populations experiencing or at risk of homelessness. If an affordable housing provider applied for CDBG funds to support the development of permanent supportive or transitional housing for those experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or living with a disease that necessitated supportive housing that application would meet several of the City’s priority goals for CDBG. Currently providers of affordable housing and services that target such populations express concerns about ongoing funding for staffing and other operational costs that the City alone could not provide. City staff and members of the Jackson County Homeless Task Force continue to monitor new and existing funding sources to better serve this population. However staff and the task force have yet to identify any suitable new resources. In Program Year 2012 one new application was funded through the Continuum of Care HUD Homeless SuperNOFA. The Jackson County Continuum of Care received a bonus award of 16,189 to fund HMIS implementation for the program year. However the CoC did not renew funding to the Oregon Department of Human Services to house homeless populations with HIV/Aids which received $11,718 in funds in program year 2011. For complete CoC grant award details see table 1.2 below. Table 1.2 Continuum of Care Grant Funds FY 2012 Agency Name Program Amount ACCESS-Woodrow Pines Unit SHPR $11,317 Community Works-TLP program SHPR $118,295 HMIS for CoC-I year (new funds) SHP $16,189 RVCOG/DASIL-Home At Last Program SHPR $136,775 Society of St. Vincent De Paul-Hope House SHPR $50,956 TOTAL$333,532 City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 30 Table 1.3 City of Ashland Social Service Grants FY 2010-2011 Organization Annual Award Amount (Awards are for two years) Children’s Dental Clinic of Jackson County $4,000 H.O.P.E. Equestrian Center $1,000 St. Vincent De Paul $16,000 Family Solutions $2,500 Community Health Center $30,709 Community Works Inc. (Street Outreach) $6,000 Community Works Inc. (Dunn House) $14,760 Community Works Inc. (Sexual Assault Victim Services $2,584 Community Works Inc. (HelpLine) $8,135 Rogue Valley Manor Community Services (FGP) $1,500 Rogue Valley Manor Community Services (RSVP) $1,200 Jackson County SART $6,000 Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon $4,000 Help Now! Advocacy Center $500 Children’s Advocacy Center $4,000 ACCESS $4,600 CASA of Jackson County $3,500 The Rose Circle Mentoring Network, Inc. $500 Center for Nonprofit Legal Services, Inc. $6,000 WinterSpring Center for Transforming Grief and Loss $1,600 Ashland Supportive Housing & Community Outreach $1,800 OnTrack, Inc. $3,500 Mediation Works $2,600 Total$126,988 E) Other Actions a. Actions to Address Obstacles to meeting Underserved Needs No specific actions were taken during 2012 that are not identified elsewhere in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. The 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan does not identify specific underserved populations, however, since the loss of Interfaith Care Community of Ashland, the only local service provider for the homeless population, the City has made it a goal to explore opportunities to be more proactive in assisting the Homeless Community. In 2009 the City of Ashland City Council articulated goals relating to homelessness; “facilitate efforts to address homelessness by; replacing services previously provided by ICCA, Developing and emergency shelter for minors, better connection services available in Jackson County to Ashland’s homeless, and ensuring \[that\] Jackson County’s 10 Year Plan addresses the specific issues faced in Ashland. To that end the City Council appointed a 10 person ad hoc advisory committee to explore community oriented solutions to the homeless issue and to advise the council on what the City can do to reduce homelessness locally and regionally. Since that time the Ad Hoc Homelessness Steering Committee has helped to generate several resources for homeless and at risk populations, including adding two regular weekly shelter nights for a total of City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 31 three weekly shelter nights a week beginning in November and ending by the last week in April. The Steering Committee also helped facilitate, coordinate and find volunteer staff for the Mobile Medical/Dental Clinic. Since its creation the Ad Hoc Homelessness Steering Committee has been renewed by the City twice due to the ongoing nature of the issues that the committee is tasked with addressing. Currently the City is looking at dissolving both the Ad Hoc Homelessness Steering Committee and the Housing Commission and creating a new City Commission, the Housing and Human Services Commission, which would combine the powers and duties of both the existing groups and adding new powers and duties do a better more comprehensive job of addressing the interrelated issues of housing and human services. Lastly, in the 2012 Program year the City of Ashland awarded funds to St. Vincent De Paul’s home visitation program and the Maslow Project to support their ongoing efforts to prevent homelessness. These activities are reported elsewhere in this document. The City’s continued involvement in the Jackson County Homeless Task Force is also instrumental in assessing the needs and resources of homeless populations. Similarly, the City’s support for local providers of services to low income, at risk, disabled, homeless, and elderly populations through the Social Service grant program funded out of the City’s general fund helps to offset the lack of resources and helps to support local providers of services to those populations. See table 1.3 above for details. b. Foster and Maintain Affordable Housing As mentioned previously the City of Ashland worked with the Housing Authority of Jackson County to complete a sixty unit affordable rental housing development. The City also worked with ACCESS on a project to create six new affordable rental units targeted to low income households. 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. The City of Ashland Housing Commission continues to explore opportunities to promote the protection of the City’s HUD expiring use units, researching funding sources for the newly established City of Ashland Affordable Housing Trust Fund, as well as working toward finding new resources to serve the City’s homeless populations. c. Eliminate barriers to affordable housing Goal 4 of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan looks at examining and taking steps toward eliminating barriers to affordable housing, to that end the Housing Commission, the Planning Commission, and the City Council held a joint meeting to open a dialog between city officials, community members, and developers of affordable housing. The joint meeting took place in September 2008. Barriers to affordable housing and what steps can be taken to overcome such barriers and promote the development of affordable and multi-family housing within the City were examined and discussed. Several viable ideas came out of that joint meeting and continue to be explored by the City. The City continues to consider the potential impacts to affordable housing that changes in the Ashland Land Use Ordinance may have, as well as to look at ways that the ALUO need to be updated in order to promote affordable housing and housing types. One such issue is the ALUO’s requirements for manufactured housing in single family zones. Staff is currently working on updating the requirements to make it easier for landowners to place City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 32 manufacture housing units on single family lots by removing outdated language that does not account for the changes and energy efficiency measures that manufactured housing has undergone since the code was originally adopted. Changing this ordinance will allow low- and moderate income individual’s better access to USDA loan programs for manufactured homes. Similarly, the City is working toward the adoption of an updated Housing Needs Analysis which includes several potential strategies to incentivize and encourage the development of affordable and needed housing types. d. Overcome gaps in institutional structure and enhance coordination. City of Ashland Staff will continue to provide staff support to the City of Ashland Housing Commission including a Housing Program Specialist, which will help provide institutional structure as well as to examine and implement opportunities for intergovernmental cooperation. The City will also continue to be an active participant with the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center to maintain and promote further regional coordination and partnership in housing and community development related activities. Ashland will continue to work with the Jackson County Continuum of Care’s Homeless Task force to address the development of affordable housing and resources for homeless and at risk populations at a regional level. Staff will further outreach efforts with those entities and organizations that offer resources to Ashland residents. e. Improve Public housing and resident initiatives The Housing Authority of Jackson County operates all Public Housing Units in Jackson County. In 2006 HAJC filed for disposition of all of their public housing units, three of which were in the City of Ashland. Consequently there are no Public Housing Units within the City of Ashland. f. Evaluate and reduce lead-based Paint hazards. Outside of Staff time, the City did not use CDBG funds for this activity during PY 2012. The City will ensure that lead testing and clearance is completed on any federally funded project involving a structure built prior to 1978. g. Ensure compliance with program and comprehensive planning requirements. HUD has established specific requirements for implementation of the Consolidated Plan. The City of Ashland has made every effort to ensure that it is in compliance with these comprehensive planning requirements. Requirements include holding public hearings, allowing for adequate periods to receive public comments, and ensuring proper public notification of these and other actions. The City continues to make every effort to comply with all regulations that govern the CDBG program. h. Reduce the number of persons living below the poverty level. The Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 requires communities to include in their Consolidated Plan a description of an anti-poverty strategy. 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, and the related goals are covered in the Housing Goals section. In addition, the City supports housing, social service, and economic development programs targeted at the continuum of care needs of the homeless. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 33 In another effort to address poverty within Ashland, during 2001-2002 the City of Ashland passed a Living Wage Ordinance. This ordinance requires that employees of the City, or employers receiving financial assistance or business from the City in excess of approximately $15,000 (adjusts annually) must pay a minimum of $12.96 per hour (adjusted annually) to employees engaged in work related to the City project or service contract. The City of Ashland operates a variety of funding and other assistance programs which, together, strategically address the goals of reducing poverty and improving the self-sufficiency of low-income residents. The activities undertaken in conjunction with this anti-poverty strategy can be separated into two primary areas of effort: human services programs targeted at the continuum of care needs; and affordable housing programs. 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 year to various area agencies whose focus meets one or more of these targeted needs. The Social Service Grant program is funded entirely with general fund dollars from the City of Ashland budget. The award process is coordinated with the City of Medford and the United Way of Jackson County. Local agencies and organizations providing continuum of care activities in the Rogue Valley coordinate their applications through a Community Services Consortium. The coordination of services and related funding requests through the consortium attempts to insure that the broad range of needs is met without overlap or duplication of service. The second element of the City’s anti-poverty strategy targets the development and retention of affordable housing. The City of Ashland has made a serious effort to address the issues of housing affordability. In 2009-10 the Mayor and City Council identified the goal of creating and implementing an Economic Development Strategy that would incorporate the four objectives: o Diversifying the economic base of the community o Supporting the creation and growth of businesses that use and provide local and regional products. o Increasing the number of family wage jobs in the community o Leveraging the strengths of Ashland’s tourism and repeat visitors. In July 2011 the Council adopted the economic development strategy in an effort to provide higher wage jobs and economic stability to the Ashland area, and in 2013 the City Council adopted goals to address the quality of life within the Ashland Community that specifically identifies activities that assist homeless, at-risk, and low income populations. F) Leveraging Resources While the City itself did not use CDBG funds to leverage other public and private resources, local non-profits have reported the CDBG funds to be essential in obtaining private donations and other public and private grants. With regard to projects funded in PY 2012 the amount leveraged from other sources totals $137,500. Living Opportunities leveraged $20,000 of their own funding to complete the proposed remodel, Maslow project leveraged $16,500 in funding to support the staff person located in the Ashland School District, and lastly, the Society of St. Vincent De Pau’s Home City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 34 Visitation Program provided $60,000 in organizational matching funds and leveraged $41,000 in funding from other sources. G) Citizen Comments The availability of the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the th use of 2012 CDBG funds was advertised in the September 112013, edition of the Ashland Daily Tidings (advertisement enclosed) and was posted continuously on the City of Ashland web thth site from September 12, 2013 through September 27, 2013 for public comment. Additionally th the Housing Commission reviewed the CAPER at their September 19 Regular meeting and held a public hearing to obtain comments. No comments had been received as of 3:00 PM th September 27 2012. The 2012 CAPER document remains archived on the City website. (www.ashland.or.us/cdbgcaper2012) H) Self Evaluation a. Impact of Activities on Identified Needs The City of Ashland Five-Year Consolidated Plan for 2010-2014 includes a list of 14 “Goals” of the community. These goals demonstrate that the highest priority need is the provision of affordable housing. Homelessness and the provision of social services to low and extremely low income households were also identified as a critical need and thus the City maintains a 15% set aside for such activities. Administration of the program utilizes the remaining 20%. Outside of the CDBG Program the City allocates over $100,000 per year of general funds to address social services, $250,000-300,000 per year to support alternative transportation (goal 11), and over $100,000 annually to economic development although only a limited percentage (approximately $2,000-5,000) of this program can clearly be seen to increase economic opportunities to low income residents. Ashland is a small-city with limited resources; it is unlikely that each of the fourteen identified goals can be addressed in any single program year. Furthermore, while Ashland experiences a broad range of needs similar to larger communities, the resources and services available to assist low- to moderate-income people in the Rogue Valley is limited and comparable to rural areas. In recent years the City of Ashland has been very proactive in its approach to tackling the problem of providing affordable rental housing and home-ownership opportunities for low-income households. Through the elimination of regulatory barriers to affordable housing, the imposition of new regulations that promote affordable housing (see Goal 4), and the establishment of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The City continues to look to new and innovative ways to promote, protect and support affordable housing. The City of Ashland continues to offer System Development Charge deferrals for new units affordable to low-moderate income households thereby reducing development costs for affordable housing projects. The City of Ashland is the only city in Jackson County to offer this kind of incentive. Another priority need which the City has had difficulties addressing is assisting individuals in the transition from homelessness to permanent housing situations. Local non-profit agencies, which provide assistance and homeless prevention services, report that the population of homeless individuals in Ashland and in the Rogue Valley has been increasing since the onset of the nationwide recession. Since the loss of the City’s only organization providing direct services to homeless populations in 2007, the Ashland City Council adopted an Emergency Shelter City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 35 Resolution in an attempt to provide a resource for the City’s homeless population in extreme weather (see goal # 6). The City will assist in endeavors to develop transitional housing within the city, and would entertain using CDBG funds in supporting an organization that offered emergency and transitional housing. Currently an Ad Hoc Subcommittee appointed by the Council in 2010 is exploring innovative ways to develop more resources for homeless and at risk populations. In comparing the outcomes proposed in the 2010-2014 Consolidated plan with the actual outcomes for this program year, staff sees that some of the outcomes have been met, such as services to homeless populations, and rehabilitation projects b. Barriers to Fulfilling Strategies The most obvious barriers to addressing the Priority Needs of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan are a lack of resources and the high cost of housing in the Ashland Community. Due to the recession housing prices have declined throughout the country, but are once again on the rise. This is true of Ashland as well, though the decrease in property values in the Ashland market has been nominal by comparison. The situation has, however, allowed more opportunities for local and regional developers of affordable housing. The median home price in Ashland in February of 2013 was $325,000, which is still quite high when compared with Jackson County at $201,250. Property values in Ashland increased more rapidly than the in rest of the state and Jackson County during the housing boom (increasing on an average of over 20% over the past 5 years) and have maintained their values despite the economic downturn. Ashland’s CDBG allocation has decreased annually in recent years, (though Recovery Act funds and the Obama Administration’s commitment to fully fund the CDBG program provided a respite from this trend). The Future projections imply that further reductions are possible or even the elimination of entitlement community status. The loss of Federal support for affordable housing places an increasing burden on small communities to address the goals established in the Consolidated Plan with local regulatory controls or local commitment of funding. Although Ashland continues to promote affordable housing through direct financial support and the establishment of regulatory incentives and controls, limited resources and limitations on the extent of regulation allowable under state law reduce options for the City. c. Improvements The City of Ashland ranked the Priority Needs of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan for 2010-2014 to help address identified needs with the limited resources available for social services and Capital Improvement in the Rogue Valley. Specifically this ranking directs the majority of available CDBG funds to the highest priority need, the provision of affordable housing. I) Monitoring Each Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Year the City reviews each CDBG activity that was underway and ranks the sub-recipient’s risk factors by assigning points for each of the rating criteria on the form provided. The designated points on the rating form are established to prove a means of quantifying a Risk Factor and are useful as tools in determining the extent of monitoring for a given activity. Other factors, as deemed relevant by the City of Ashland, can be used in establishing a higher or lower risk factor than the numerical rating system. A CDBG monitoring visit may consist of an on-site monitoring or a desk monitoring. All CDBG grantees will be monitored once prior to a contract being administratively closed. The areas monitored may include: City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 36 The CDBG staff objectives for monitoring are to determine if grantees are: Carrying out their CDBG-funded activities as described in their contracts (as modified or amended); Carrying out the program or project in a timely manner in accordance with the schedule included in the CDBG contract; Charging costs to the program or project which are eligible under applicable regulations; Complying with other applicable laws, regulations and terms of the CDBG contract; Conducting the program in a manner which minimizes the opportunity for fraud, waste and mismanagement; and Have a continuing capacity to carry out the approved program or project. Overall management system, record keeping and progress in activities. When a grantee is found to be out of compliance, CDBG staff will identify a specific period of time in which compliance should be achieved. Usually the grantee will have 30 days to correct deficiencies. Copies of supporting documentation demonstrating that corrective action has been taken will be required. Additional time for corrective action may be allowed on a case by case basis. Failure by the grantee to correct deficiencies may result in funds being withheld and possible restrictions on future grants. For the 2012 Program year CDBG staff completed the risk analysis worksheet for the two sub- recipients with open activities. A summary of the monitoring and the cumulative numeric ranking based on the CDBG program risk analysis worksheet is provided for each recipient. As part of the City's annual CDBG Monitoring Program a Risk Analysis was completed in October of 2012 in which the CDBG programs exposure, effectiveness and efficiency was evaluated. None of the sub-recipients of CDBG funds were categorized as 'High Risk' through this analysis. 1.)Living Opportunities: Staff conducted a desk monitoring of this project in the 2012 Program Year. 2.)St. Vincent De Paul-Home Visitation Program: Staff conducted an on-site monitoring of this project in the 2012 Program Year. 3.)Maslow Project: Staff will conduct an on-site monitoring of this project in the 2013 Program Year. 4.)Public Works Audible Signal Project: Staff will conduct an on-site monitoring of this project in 2013 Program year. III CDBG Program Narrative The activities undertaken as described in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) were consistent with the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan and the 2013 Action Plan. The table below shows the projects awarded CDBG funds in Program Year 2012: City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 37 CDBG Funded Projects for Program Year 2012 Project ID Recipient Activity Name Location CDBG # Households or Organization Funds Persons Assisted Annually 2012-1 City of Ashland CDBGCity Wide $32,833 city wide Administration (Consolidated Plan Goal 14) Home Visitation City Wide $14,000 15 low income 2012-2 St. Vincent De Program-Homeless households (Consolidated Plan Paulprevention Goals 6.1, 6.2 & 8.2) City Wide 2012-3 Maslow Project School Based $10,000 Approx 35-99 Services for homeless youth (Consolidated Plan Homeless Youth (aggregate) Goals 6.1) 2012-4 LivingRenovations to City Wide $20,000 22 Special Needs Opportunities AshlandClients (Consolidated Plan Community goal 14.1) Employment Center (ACES) Assessment of Relationship of CDBG funds to Goals and Objectives 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. Action to meet priority and time-line rd The City issued an RFP on January 3 2012. The City received four applications in response to th this RFP. At a public hearing held on April 17, 2012, following the recommendation of the Housing Commission, the City Council directed staff to award a total of $44,000 in available grant funds to three projects: $14,000 to St. Vincent de Paul-Home Visitation Program for emergency rental and utility assistance, $10,000 to Maslow Project for outreach and case management for homeless youth enrolled in the Ashland School District, and $20,000 to Living Opportunities to remodel their ACES employment building. The Council directed staff to place the balance of the funds in reserve for the Ashland Emergency Food Bank to acquire the building which they currently lease, pending further fundraising efforts. These projects will assist the city in meeting several of the goals and outcomes identified in the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Goal 6.1; to 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. Goal 14;Promote and support activities in the community that improve or provide access to economic opportunities for extremely low- and low- income residents of Ashland. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 38 Housing Authority of Jackson County (HAJC) Established in 1969, the Housing Authority of Jackson County is the regional provider of the HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program, as well as a variety of other state and federally funded rental programs that serve low to moderate income families. Currently the Housing Authority provides housing and related services to 2,243 households in Jackson County. Their mission is: To provide, develop and preserve decent, safe and affordable housing to families and individuals while coordinating efforts toward self-sufficiency. HAJC Snowberry Brook The Housing Authority of Jackson County was awarded $345,000 in CDBG funds in Program Year 2008 and $165,367 in Program Year 2009 to complete public facilities improvements in support of an affordable housing development. The Snowberry Brook project was completed in spring of 2011. The 60 unit development is affordable to households earning 60% of the Area Median Income and below. It is the first Earth Advantage certified multi-family project completed in the City of Ashland. Snowberry Brook is also the first new large scale affordable rental housing development built in the City in over two decades is the first multi-family property built by the Housing Authority in Ashland. The Housing Authority was awarded over 11 Million in Consolidated Funding Cycle (CFC) grant funds from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to build Snowberry Brook. These funds had a direct economic impact on employment. The Housing Authority has not taken on any new projects in Ashland during program year 2011. Ashland Community Land Trust (ACLT) Ashland Community Land Trust was established in 1998 in an effort to help address Ashland’s growing affordable housing crisis.The purpose of the land trust is to create and sustain long- term affordable housing in the city limits of Ashland for low and moderate-income families. The land trust acquires and holds land, while the improvements are sold or rented to the low-income residents. ACLT consists of a six member volunteer board that works to create new affordable housing units that are deed restricted through a land trust model to insure long term affordability. In the 13 years that the land trust has been in existence they have been able to create and maintain 16 units of affordable deed restricted housing. Their housing portfolio consists of a variety of housing types, from single family ownership units to multifamily rental apartment units. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 39 ACLT Bridge Street ACLT purchased the property located at 404 and 408 Bridge Street with $328,800 in CDBG funds during the 2006 program year. The purchase of the property was completed on October 12, 2006. Originally the development of the two ownership units was planned to be a collaboration between ACLT and Rogue Valley Habitat for Humanity, however, Habitat was unable to undertake the project at that time, so ACLT decided to move forward with the project on their own. Utilizing the expertise of the all volunteer board ACLT was able to finance, design, and complete the two units without the assistance of a partner agency as all of their other projects had utilized in the past. Through the planning and financing process staff worked with ACLT to facilitate the completion of the project. ACLT hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on the completed unit in June at that time both new units had been leased. Currently all four units were being utilized as rental units due to the economic pressures of the current housing market, though ACLT would like to offer them for sale in the future. ACLT has not undertaken or completed any new projects in program year 2012. ACCESS ACCESS has served as the Community Action Agency for Jackson County since 1976. ACCESS has also served Jackson County as a Community Development Corporation (CDC) since 1998. In that time ACCESS has developed agency-owned housing and partnered with other non-profits and for-profits in the creation and management of affordable housing for families, seniors and people with disabilities. ACCESS has developed more than 200 units of affordable housing and currently manages many of these units. Including all of the properties held by the Ashland Community Land Trust. In Program Year 2011, following the recommendation of the Housing Commission, the City Council approved an award to fund ACCESS’ Hyde Park acquisition proposal in the amount of $136,142 to purchase a property located at 2272 Dollarhide Way on which to City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 40 develop 6 units of affordable housing targeting families and individuals making 60% of the AMI or below for a period of not less than 60 years. In the Spring of 2012 ACCESSapplied for and was awarded funding to build the units from the State of Oregon’s Housing & Community Services and the Consolidated Funding Cycle (CFC), which distributes limited grant and tax credit funds for affordable, multi-unit, rental housing development. ACCESS received $941,173 from the State of Oregon. The new units will include three 1-bedroom units, two 3-bedroom units, and one 2-bedroom unit to accommodate six families. Rent will range from $490 to $660 per month, depending on the unit’s size. The building concept is to build a “green” structure and to follow the Earth Advantage Certification path. The units were completed and leased in the in summer of 2013. The outcomes for this activity are expected to be reported in the 2013 CAPER. 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. The development of affordable home ownership opportunities for low- and extremely low- income households is a high priority for the City of Ashland. In 2007 the City sold surplus City owned property, the proceeds from the sale of this property was applied to the goal of addressing Ashland’s Housing needs. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of surplus City property have been applied to the purchase of a .32 acre portion of a 2 acre property owned by the Ashland Parks Department located on upper Clay street at the terminus of Chitwood Lane. In late 2007 the City of Ashland issued a Request for Qualifications for a qualified affordable housing developer to develop five affordable housing units for homeownership. Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation (RVCDC) was chosen. RVCDC worked on developing a plan for the Chitwood property until June of 2010 when that agency decided to withdraw their application citing lack of qualified homeowner’s for the project and high construction cost. The City of Ashland City Council voted to transfer the property back to the parks department to be used for park purposes in exchange for the original purchase price to be dedicated to the Affordable Housing Trust fund to further future affordable housing development. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 41 Affordable Housing Program The City of Ashland continues to offer incentives to non-profit and for-profit developers, community development corporations, and public housing authorities to encourage the development of new affordable housing options. The City also continues to look for ways to create new regulations or amend existing regulations that serve to promote, protect, and maintain the City’s affordable housing stock. These incentives and regulations are detailed below. In 2005-2006 the City passed a resolution (res 2006-13) that established Ashland’s Affordable Housing Guidelines as well as the thresholds for a waiver of Community Development fees, and Engineering Services fees for eligible affordable units that are voluntarily provided. These fees amount to 1.85% of a project’s valuation. The automatic waiver of these fees for voluntarily provided affordable units amount to a direct subsidy from the City in the average amount of approximately $1500 - $2500 per unit. This program allows the deferral of SDCs for any affordable unit targeted to ownership households earning less than 80% the Area Median Income (AMI), or rental households earning 60% AMI or less. A total of 70 households are currently participating in the program. During the 2011 program year one project received SDC deferrals. The eight units completed in phase two of RVCDC’s Rice Park project detailed above. Density Bonus Program The City of Ashland offers a density bonus for the voluntary inclusion of affordable housing within a subdivision or multifamily development. No new developments have been applied for which utilized this incentive during the 2011-2012 Program year. Condominium Conversions The City allows for the conversion of rental units to saleable units on a sliding scale, where the larger the complex the more rental units must be retained. In cases where an owner wishes to exceed this limitation to create more market rate ownership units the City then requires the provision of affordable housing. The City considers units that are required to be affordable to be added to our inventory only upon the recording of deed restrictions on the property. The Affordable Housing Program parameters under resolution 2006-13 establish that rental units required to be affordable following a condominium conversion shall be available to households earning 80% AMI for a minimum of 30 years. The land use ordinance regulating the conversion of apartments to condominiums was amended in 2007 and was primarily intended to preserve a decreasing supply of rental apartments. The time period between the initial approval for conversion of an apartment complex into condominiums, and the actual recording of a condominium survey can be lengthy. The corresponding resale restriction covenants (deed restriction) are not imposed until such time as the condominium survey is completed thus this CAPER will distinguish between those approved and those considered complete. Total Conversions In the 2012 CDBG program year no new condominium units were added to the city’s affordable housing stock through condo conversions. Currently there are no planning applications pending approval for conversion of existing apartments. Although 71 total units completed or initiated City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 42 conversion to condominiums in 2006-2007, only three units converted in 2007-2008, and only six in 2008-2009. The rate of condominium conversions has decreased considerably since 2006. This marked reduction in conversions may be attributed to the recent economic downturn in the housing market as well as City initiated ordinance changes instituted to addressing the adverse impacts of such conversions on tenants and on the City’s rental housing stock. Total Affordable Units Added to the Cities Inventory from July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012 During the 2012 CDBG program year no new affordable housing units were completed or granted Certificates of occupancy. 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. Technical Assistance The City provides technical assistance to nonprofit organizations whose mission includes providing affordable housing. This technical assistance includes; providing information on the CDBG program, City zoning regulations, educating agencies on the planning process and providing information on the City's affordable housing programs including deferred systems development charges and density bonuses. The City also aims to direct potential affordable housing developers to other resources such as Rural Development programs and Oregon Housing and Community Services. The City of Ashland has provided technical assistance through the Planning Division as requested and has supported applications consistent with the Consolidated Plan. The City provided assistance to ACCESS for CDBG funded projects during the 2012 CDBG program year. Goal 4: Encourage the development of emergency and transitional housing for homeless families with children and/or individuals. In 2007, the Ashland City Council approved a resolution setting forth policies and conditions under which the city will provide emergency housing for homeless and other individuals during severe weather conditions. In the event of the need for an emergency shelter during extreme weather, the use of Pioneer Hall or other available city-owned buildings may be used. The temporary shelters are staffed by community volunteers organized and trained by the private citizen. Ashland experiences “extreme weather” conditions primarily during the winter months where temperatures can drop below 20 degrees, and exposure to the elements can be hazardous to persons without adequate shelter. The provision of such emergency housing in City buildings is a relatively new activity for the City and was initiated because of the loss of ICC the City of Ashland’s emergency services provider. In 2009, the City turned over the responsibility of initiating, staffing, and running the emergency cold weather shelters to the local churches who previously volunteered their space and resources to that purpose. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 43 Expanding beyond previous years severe forecast parameters, the Presbyterian Church committed to hosting a shelter one night a week from December through February. One of the goals of the Ad Hoc Homelessness Steering Committee (HCS) was to expand those efforts at offering shelter to homeless populations on a weekly basis throughout the winter months. To that end the HCS convened two meetings in which the group sent out invitations to all of the faith based groups within the City as well as providers of social services. The meetings had several purposes; to gather information about resources already provided by these groups, to assist the groups in connecting and networking with one another around services and resources, to better understand the faith based community’s needs for assistance with social services and vulnerable populations, and to ascertain the willingness of the faith based community to work together to offer space or volunteers in an effort to increase the number of weekly shelter nights offered within the City throughout the winter months. Out of these meetings came a comprehensive local resource guide, and two additional shelter nights a week. The Trinity Episcopal Church offered space and volunteers for a weekly shelter to be held from mid-November through the end of April. The Unitarian Universalist Church partnered with the Temple Emek Shalom to ask the City to donate the use of a City owned building in which to hold a weekly shelter which would be staffed by volunteers from the each congregation and the public. The City granted the use of Pioneer Hall on Thursday nights and the weekly shelter began in January and ran through the last week of April. These efforts were further supported by the HSC by offering an annual volunteer training as well as setting up and maintaining an online volunteer sign up for all three weekly shelters. The City continues in its endeavor to develop transitional housing by working regionally with the Jackson County Homeless Task Force, and locally through the Housing Commission and local providers of food, meals, and services to homeless populations. The City of Ashland’s CDBG program would entertain supporting an organization that offered emergency and transitional housing in the former ICCA location or in a yet to be identified property but has not directed resources directly for its development. In 2010 the City formed an Ad Hoc Homeless Steering Committee to work to develop more resources for homeless populations in Ashland. The Committee has been instrumental in created resources such as a 24 hour restroom facility in the downtown, partnering with La Clinica Del Valle and the Methodist church to host a medical/dental van every week, and a “Listening Post” project in which homeless or at risk populations can talk to a volunteer who listens without judgment, and as mentioned above, the addition of two additional weekly winter shelter nights, a volunteer training, and a system for signing up and tracking volunteers. Currently the HSC and the City is working with two social service providers in developing a day-center. No CDBG funded actions were undertaken or completed during the 2012 program year that specifically applied CDBG funds toward the development of emergency or transitional housing. Goal 5: 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. Aside from the CDBG Planning and Administrative funding allocated to provide support for the Housing Program Specialist position in general, and specifically to time spent planning and City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 44 participating in the 2012 Project Homeless Connect Event, the City funded two CDBG projects during the 2012 program year that specifically applied CDBG funds toward the support services for homelessness prevention that focus on better maintaining self sufficiency. The City allocated $14,000 in social service funds to support the St. Vincent De Paul Home visitation program which provides emergency rent and utility assistance to low-income households in an effort to avoid homelessness. The City also allocated $10,000 in CDBG funding to assist Maslow Project in bringing a staff person to work in the Ashland School District to provide resources, referrals, and case management to homeless and at-risk youth attending Ashland schools. The City does allocate over $100,000 of general fund dollars each year in Social Service grants from the City General Fund. These Social Service grant allocations are listed under the Continuum of Care Narrative, as table 1.3. 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/AID or related illnesses. For the 2012 program year the City funded two activities in support of this goal. The City awarded $14,000 in funding to The St. Vincent De Paul Home Visitation program to assist people with emergency rent and utility assistance. Many of the households who utilize these service fall under the special needs category. The City also provided $20,000 in CDBG funds to assist Living Opportunities in remodeling their ACES employment center which provides life skills training and employment support for peoples with disabilities and their families. The City will continue to support the development of housing and supportive services for individuals with special needs. The City allocates “Social Service Grants” out of the City’s General Fund to address these needs. Through this City Grant Program an annual allocation of $126,988 was awarded to 23 programs of which the majority specifically addresses supportive services for people with special needs. This allocation was provided for FY 2012 and FY 2013 for cumulative doubling of the award amounts listed. In total the City contributes $253,976 over a two year period to the agencies listed in Table 1.3. Of these awards most notably the Community Health Center was provided $30,709 annually to provide health care services, Community Works was given a combined total annual award of $31,479 to provide services including rape crisis counseling as well as temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence. Additionally an annual grant of $3,500 was provided to OnTrack Inc. to assist in the operating expenses for their drug abuse treatment programs. Goal 7: To provide safe and convenient access to alternative transportation routes in extremely low-, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. In previous years the City had made a CDBG commitment to sidewalk improvements in moderate- and low-income neighborhoods by allocating ten percent of the total federal funding for sidewalk improvement and new construction annually in prior years. However the Ashland Consolidated Plan was revised to eliminate this 10% set-aside beginning with the 2002-2003 program year. This limitation on the allocation of CDBG was continued in the 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan and the 2010-2014 Consolidated plan further eliminating the potential to apply City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 45 CDBG funds to sidewalk improvements exclusively based on qualified low-income neighborhood status. During the 2012 program year the City installed a total of 255 linear feet of sidewalk in low-income neighborhoods. CDBG funding did not contribute to these projects. During the 2012-2013 program year the City of Ashland opted to discontinue the Transit Fare Subsidy program that had previously been in place allowing the Rogue Valley Transportation District to underwrite the cost of public transportation by providing reduced bus fares City wide; opting instead to increase funding for the bus pass program. The City of Ashland provided $33,000 in funding to purchase bus passes to be provided to qualified low income senior citizens and participants in Department of Human Services Programs, to provide passes for high school students, and to assist seniors with the Valley Lift Program The City did not utilize CDBG funds toward this goal in the 2012-2013 program year. The full $33,000 toward bus and Valley Lift passes was provided by the City’s General Fund. Goal 8: To make city facilities easier and safer to use for people with disabilities. The City committed to providing accessibility improvements to City-owned buildings through an agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to improve access to City facilities. The City has completed all improvements outlined in the Department of Justice Agreement to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and received an acknowledgement of compliance in FY 2006 from the DOJ, thereby ensuring those identified City facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. As new facilities are designed and developed, or new standards for accessibility are established, the City will ensure that the accessibility needs of Ashland’s residents are addressed In the 2010 program year the City awarded $27,623 in CDBG funding to the Public Works Department to make ADA improvements to crosswalks in the downtown area by installing audible beacons. The majority of this activity was completed in program year 2012, the number of sight impaired individuals assisted by this project is difficult to determine the audible signals are intended to benefit peoples with disabilities, a presumed benefit population, and while there is an estimate of the number of sight impaired individuals residing in the City the number of individuals actually benefiting is contingent upon many factors. However the activity is located in a qualified low-income census block group. Goal 9: To affirmatively further fair housing. Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO) In the 2011 Program year the City undertook several activities to affirmatively Further Fair Housing. The City continued its support to the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO), working with that organization in partnership with the City of Medford and the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center to provide education and outreach on a regional level. The City convened a meeting with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center, the Southern Oregon Rental Owner’s Association, and other community stakeholders where fair housing activities for the 2011 Program year were discussed and coordinated on a regional level. These activities which came out of this meeting included; bringing the Fair Housing Display to the Southern Oregon region for the entire month of April, and bringing it to communities who had not previously had the opportunity to host the display, the display was featured at the Southern Oregon spring home show which has been held since 1983 and sees upwards of 20,000 people annually. Regional providers of housing and legal services discussed City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 46 training needs and gaps in fair housing compliance and coordinated with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon around a grant opportunity to provide more Fair Housing presence and compliance in the Southern Oregon region. The Fair Housing Council received notice in June of 2012 that they were awarded funding to provide a .50 FTE employee stationed in the Southern Oregon Region. ACCESS, Inc. has offered to provide office space for this person. The FHCO is currently in the process of hiring for this position and expects them to become active locally in the 2012 Program Year. The Fair Housing Council identified 15 impediments to Fair Housing Choice in the City of Ashland’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. In Program year 2009 the City initiated action on nine of those impediments. In Program Year 2011 the City continued its work on those activities as well as ongoing education and outreach efforts through targeted trainings and public awareness activities. Though the City is far from accomplishing the goals laid out in the AI, the City is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing and continuing to work with community partners, citizens, and other jurisdictions on implementing the recommendations included in the AI. The City will report further activities and accomplishments on the goals noted above as well as the remaining unaddressed goals in successive CAPER’s. For details regarding the impediments to fair housing choice that were identified in the AI and what steps the City has initiated to remove those impediments please see pages 21 through 26, Section B, entitled Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing. In previous years the City has partnered and contracted with the Fair Housing Council of Oregon to offer trainings targeting different groups. The City continues to undertake education and outreach activities alone and in partnership. Some of the outreach activities include the availability and distribution of Fair Housing Brochures which are available in the Community Development building lobby in Ashland and are distributed through the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center regionally to area housing providers and public buildings such as public libraries and community events such as Project Community Connect and the Multi-Cultural Fair. Lastly City staff coordinates annually with the FHCO and Jefferson Public Radio to provide the opportunity to host the FHCO education and outreach coordinator on a call in radio show to provide community education and outreach. City General Funding through social service grant funds have provided $12,000 over a two year period in support of the Center for non-profit legal services. The City of Ashland Social Service grants have no reporting requirements, so organizations that receive funding from the City to carry out social service activities through this funding source do not take or maintain demographic data on the populations that they serve. Since these activities are not funded by CDBG funds City staff cannot compel grantees to track that information required by the CDBG program. The City receives a very limited allocation of CDBG funds and cannot be expected to meet every Consolidated Plan goal every program year by solely relying on its CDBG allocation. Consequently the City often relies on in-kind, and general fund contributions to meet some of the goals outlined in the Consolidated Plan on an annual and quinquennial basis. When fair housing activities such as trainings are offered through the City CDBG program, demographic data on beneficiaries is tracked and reported. City staff often coordinates with the City of Medford, a neighboring jurisdiction which receives a CDBG allocation three times greater than that of the City of Ashland to undertake fair housing trainings and activities. The City of Ashland either shares the cost of the activity with the City of Medford or partners by offering in-kind contributions such as labor and materials. These types of contributions are not quantified numerically in the City’s CAPER’s though City staff does contribute considerable time and resources to such activities. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 47 Legal Services and CASA The City of Ashland provided the Center for Non-Profit Legal Services a general fund grant in the amount of $6,000 explicitly to provide legal assistance for low income Ashland households facing housing discrimination or harassment.Low-income Ashland households facing housing discrimination were able to obtain legal services through the Center for Non-Profit Legal Services that may not otherwise be in a position to pursue legal action. During the 2012-2013 program year the City also provided CASA with a $3,500 grant to assist them in providing minority residents with an advocate and a resource for housing assistance. These activities attempt to address the enforcement side of Fair Housing in addition to the educational trainings that work preemptively to reduce discrimination before it occurs. The City’s social service grant program is a two year grant allocation. The City did not utilize CDBG funds toward the $9,500 in grants noted above. 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. Revolving Loan funds from the City’s CDBG funded Housing Rehabilitation program were not available to complete repairs on residences occupied by low- to moderate- income homeowners in the 2012 Program Year. The City did complete energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades to three homes occupied by low- to moderate- income homeowners utilizing City General Funds. None of the properties which received energy efficiency upgrades were built prior to 1979 nor were the activities of such a scope and nature to trigger lead based paint interim measures. All projects undertaken with CDBG funds are reviewed for environmental review compliance as well as the potential for lead based paint. The City will continue to ensure that when the potential of lead based paint hazards exists on any activity undertaken by the City and funded all or in part by CDBG funds that any and all effected parties will be provided with appropriate information and that proper interim measures or abatement will take place. Goal 11: To reduce the number of people living in poverty in the City of Ashland. The City did not use CDBG funds for a specific activity addressing this goal during the 2012 Program year. As mentioned previously in the document the City did award funds to the St. Vincent De Paul Home visitation program that works with homeless and those at risk of homelessness to obtain and maintain housing through rental assistance and case management. Often the volunteers in this program are able to offer such support services as obtaining SSI and SSD, or assisting with job search and employment. Though these activities are not directly captured in reporting data, the service is part of the mission of the Home Visitation program and as such can contribute to a reduction of the number of people living in poverty. Similarly, the City also funded the Maslow Project which provides resources, referrals, and case management for homeless and at-risk populations. As outlined below the ALIEAP program provides financial assistance to impoverished households and thus improves their living conditions and may function to assist individuals in moving out of poverty. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 48 Ashland Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (ALIEAP) As 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. Over the course of the CDBG program year (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013) the City of Ashland assisted 456 customers with energy assistance during the winter months providing $99,907.78 in assistance. The majority of those receiving assistance were extremely-low or low-income households at 216 household, the City also assisted 165 seniors and 75 peoples with disabilities. 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. Although no CDBG funds were directed to address this goal, the City of Ashland granted numerous Economic Development Grants during the 2012 CDBG program year. These grants are a two year allocation and therefore carry over into the 2013 program year. Twenty different organizations received awards, however the majority were granted to organizations supporting the arts (Ballet, theater, singers, etc.). Home Occupations Ashland also recognizes the increasing opportunities for low income residents to participate in home businesses, either as a proprietor of services, manufacturer of goods, or through employment at such small home occupations. Between July 1 2012 and June 30, 2013 the City issued 61 Home Occupation permits for new businesses within residences. Home Occupation Permits allow incubator businesses, home based services, and internet based businesses and other such small, residentially compatible, business opportunities for Ashland residents. Given the ability to work out of ones home, expenses typically required for securing commercial property are eliminated. No data is collected on the incomes of applicants for Home Occupation Permits so it can not be determined how effective this is at providing opportunities for low- or extremely-low income households. 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. The Housing Commission will continue to implement the actions outlined in the adopted Affordable Housing Action Plan, http://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=1350specifically; identification of funding methods to support the Trust Fund is a primary goal of the Housing Commission and that body has continued working toward that goal in the 2012 program year. In Program year 2012 the City staff has began an update of the City’s Housing Needs Analysis (HNA) which looks at the income and demographics of the City’s population in comparison with the type, cost, and availability of the City’s housing stock. The last time the City updated the HNA was in 2002, out of that effort the Affordable Housing Action Plan was developed to address the housing City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 49 inequities identified. Once adopted the HNA will serve as a technical supporting document to the Comprehensive Plan, and will act as a basis for policy discussion and implementation to address concerns of housing availability and affordability. No CDBG public service or CIP funds were expended toward reducing barriers to affordable housing in Ashland in the 2012 program year. Administrative CDBG funds have contributed to the support of activities that address the development of affordable housing units funded in whole or in part with CDBG awards. The City General Fund has provided the funding for addressing the Council goals of establishing a Housing Trust Fund. Further the Land Use modifications that assist in the removal of barriers to affordable housing and the Housing Needs Analysis update will be undertaken utilizing Staff funded through the City General Fund. Goal 14: To provide institutional structure and intergovernmental cooperation. The City of Ashland employs a Housing Program Specialist, which assists in providing institutional structure as well as examining and implementing opportunities for intergovernmental cooperation. City of Ashland Staff continues to provide staff support to the City of Ashland Housing Commission. Together the City of Ashland’s Housing Commission and the Housing Program Specialist monitor the accomplishments of the City’s housing programs, make recommendations to the City Council on housing policy and serves as an advocate for affordable housing in the City’s political process. The Commission also provides coordination and continuity to programs to meet housing and community development needs. The Ashland Housing Commission oversees specific affordable housing projects undertaken by the City in partnership with private groups. The Commission promotes cooperation between local non-profit organizations, private interests and governmental agencies for projects in Ashland to insure that the resources are used as efficiently as possible and that there is not duplication of efforts. The Housing Commission has included in their regular meetings an update on any affordable housing projects that are underway within the City. This allows affordable housing providers an opportunity to express to the commission progress on or obstacles to their developments. This communication will function to assist in educating the Commission as well as provide further opportunity for cooperation between the City and organizations working to address our housing goals. The Housing Program Specialist sits on the Board of the Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center to assist in regional coordination of that organization’s efforts, which include coordinating regional services and affirmatively furthering fair housing. Ashland continues to work with the Jackson County Continuum of Care’s Homeless Task force to address affordable housing and homeless issues on a regional level. For the 2012 Program Year the city utilized $32,809 in Federal CDBG funds for administration of the CDBG Program. Administration of the CDBG program includes staff support of programs and projects that further the goals outlined in the Consolidated Plan, provision of technical assistance, and the monitoring of the activities of sub-recipients. City of Ashland general funds are also utilized to contribute toward CDBG program administration as well as staff support of non-profit organizations and intergovernmental cooperation. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 50 Assessments of Efforts to Comply with Grantee Certifications The City provided Certifications that it will conduct its federally-funded activities in compliance with pertinent federal regulations and requirements. Ashland has followed these Certifications during the 2012 Program year reported herein, and has in good faith carried out the implementation of its Consolidated Plan, not hindering its implementation either through action or willful inaction. Further, where affirmative action by the City is called for within the certifications (e.g., furthering fair housing, compliance with a community development plan, appropriate use of funds, and compliance with lead paint procedures) this Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report has included a narrative to update the reader on actions taken. Changes in Program Objectives There were no changes in program objectives in 2012. City of Ashland CDBG CAPER 2012-2013 Page 51