REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 23, 2015
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director
Development and Resource Management Department
BY: JOSE TRUJILLO, Housing Manager
Development and Resource Management Department
CRYSTAL SMITH, Business Manager
Development and Resource Management Department
SUBJECT:
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Actions pertaining to the City of Fresno 2015-2019 Program Year Consolidated Plan:
1. CONTINUED HEARING to obtain public comments on the Draft 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan (The public portion of this hearing was closed on June 11, 2015)
2. RESOLUTION - Adopting the 2015-2019 Program Year Consolidated Plan; authorizing submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for application of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA) Programs and authorizing the City Manager to sign all implementing documents required by HUD as approved to form by the City Attorney
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RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended the City Council obtain public comments on the draft 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan; adopt the 2015-2019 Program Year Consolidated Plan as the five-year strategy implementing HUD entitlement funding; authorize submission of the 2015-2019 Program Year Consolidated Plan to HUD; and authorize the City Manager to sign all reasonably required and implicated documents, instruments, and funding agreements, to carry out the Consolidated Plan strategies, subject to prior approval by the City Attorney's Office.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno is an entitlement jurisdiction receiving annual federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Programs. Receiving the entitlement funds is predicated upon the City having an adopted five-year strategic plan, named the Consolidated Plan (ConPlan). The ConPlan identifies the actions to be undertaken by the local jurisdiction to meet the housing and community development needs of its low to moderate income persons.
BACKGROUND
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires jurisdictions receiving federal entitlement funds through its Community Planning and Development Department to have a five-year consolidated plan detailing the housing and community development needs of its low to moderate income persons. Staff has undertaken, through its Consolidated Plan consultant, a robust public participation process and a comprehensive needs assessment with the general public, housing agencies, social service agencies servicing the target group, and government entities. Additionally, information was gathered from City departments, the City's General Plan, the Housing Element, and the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care (FMCOC) to develop strategies for the ConPlan.
The information gathered through this process was prioritized and a strategy was developed to address the needs of the City's low to moderate income persons. These prioritized strategies will serve as the guide for expending CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA program funds. The ConPlan is not a document to expend federal funds but dictates how the funds will be used to address the needs of low to moderate-income persons and areas in the ensuing five years. The Annual Action Plan, which will be brought under separate cover, is the document that details the projects and activities that will be funded.
Citizen Participation and Public Comments
The Draft 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan underwent a 30-day public review and comment period that concluded on May 12, 2015. During the comment period three letters were received and seven (7) individuals made verbal comments on the record at two separate Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) public hearings. The written comments and a summary of the verbal comments can be found in Attachment 3.
HCDC considered recommendation of the Draft 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan at a public hearing on May 13, 2015 which was continued to May 27, 2015 to accept additional comment. The vote was continued to a Special Meeting held on June 2, 2015, at which time HCDC made a unanimous recommendation to approve staff's amended recommendations which can be found in Attachment 4 and to recommend that HCDC and the City Council receive a quarterly report on the implementation progress of the Consolidated Plan.
Adoption of the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan is required by HUD as a prerequisite to receiving the aforementioned entitlement grants. Staff will submit the adopted document to HUD along with the Annual Action Plan. Both documents are required by HUD as a condition of receiving entitlement funding.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a project for purposes of CEQA pursuant to CEQA guidelines Section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable because of the use of federal funding.
FISCAL IMPACT
This agenda item does not request the use of funds. However, the Consolidated Plan is required to be adopted prior to allocating future CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA funds.
Attachments: Resolution
Public Draft Version City of Fresno 2015-19 Program Year Consolidated Plan
Summary and Response to Public Comment
Public Comments
Redline Version City of Fresno 2015-2019 Program Year Consolidated Plan
Program Management Reporting Tool (Dashboard)