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CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM |
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Department: |
City Manager’s Office |
Commission Meeting Date: 03/05/2019 |
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Staff Contact: |
Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Danielle Buschkoetter, Budget and Strategic Initiatives Manager Danelle Walters, Community Development Manager |
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Recommendations/Options/Action Requested: |
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Adopt Ordinance No. 9648 on first reading, dissolving the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) as of 06/30/2019, and repealing an outdated version of the Citizen Participation Plan. |
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Executive Summary: |
On June 20, 2017, the Governing Body adopted a Strategic Plan and one of the priority initiatives of the adopted Strategic Plan is to “Inventory and evaluate the role of existing advisory boards and commissions, identify opportunities to consolidate or sunset as appropriate, and adopt consistent operating guidelines.”
At the November 20, 2018 City Commission meeting, the City Commission had discussion about certain staff recommendations regarding the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) and the Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB). The Commission also briefly spoke about the Social Services Funding Advisory Board. The City Commission directed staff to place an agenda item on a February agenda for additional discussion about these boards.
The discussion at the November 20 meeting specifically related to this staff recommendation: Return formal consideration of merging the Community Development Advisory Committee into the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. Staff had previously suggested the merger of the Communication Development Advisory Committee into the Social Services Funding Board. Upon further review by staff, we suggest alignment of the Community Development Advisory Committee function, which is the review and recommendation of CDBG and HOME funds, into the responsibilities of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. We believe that there is a strong connection between the HOME funds and affordable housing, but also a strong connection between CDBG funds and affordable housing priorities, such as rehab, weatherization, direct capital improvements in low/moderate neighborhoods, etc. In our research of other communities, many are utilizing their CDBG and HOME funds to align with other funding sources to address the affordable housing issues. This enables a coordinated approach for these limited funds. If that approach were desired, the Social Service Funding Advisory Board would continue to operate as it has been with no changes. Commission direction is sought on this topic.
Discussion was held on the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) and staff had indicated that they would bring back a plan for consolidation of the CDAC duties in regard to existing City platforms. Since that meeting, staff met several times and looked at existing boards and existing department budget procedures to determine a recommendation for the best fit of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) allocation processes. After reviewing options, Staff determined that there were alternatives to the CDAC already in place for the recommendation of CDBG and HOME grant funding. These recommendations would take place following the 2019 Program Year, which is currently in the process of recommending allocations. The recommendations were as follows:
For the 2020 Program Year (8/1/20 – 7/31/21) and beyond, staff recommended, at the February 19, 2019 City Commission meeting, that HOME funding be added to the charge of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB). HOME is an affordable housing grant and falls in line with the duties of the AHAB. At the February 19, 2019 meeting, an agenda item containing two ordinances came before the City Commission for consideration. Ordinance No. 9650 was adopted on first reading adding responsibilities to the Affordable Housing Advisory Board regarding recommendations of HOME Investment Partnership fund allocations, formerly a responsibility of the Community Development Advisory Committee.
For the 2020 Program Year (8/1/20 – 7/31/21) and beyond, staff is recommending that the CDBG funding fall within the Planning and Development Services Department’s portion of the City Manager’s proposed budget, which receives a public hearing and final decision by the City Commission. The process for recommending agency funding will be determined prior to the 2020 city budget process. Staff will amend the Citizen Participation Plan to outline the new process, which will outline the citizen input requirements. The Citizen Participation Plan will be submitted to the City Commission for formal adoption in the summer/fall of 2019. At the February 19, 2019 City Commission meeting, Ordinance 9648 was deferred due to correspondence the City Commission received at the meeting. The correspondence is addressed in the attachments below.
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Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor |
Safe, Healthy, and Welcoming Neighborhoods |
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Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source): |
There is no fiscal impact to the City. |
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Attachments: |
Correspondence received and distributed by Commissioner Soden |
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(for CMO use only) |
☐TM ☒DS ☐CT ☐BM |