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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 13014:AMEND CDBG BUDGETMemo To: Stephen Fitzgibbons, City Manager From: Dale Watson, Director, Planning and Graats Management Date: January 24, 2005 Re: P. R. 13014 RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the City Council adopt Proposed Resolution 13014 authorizing an amendment of the City of Port Arthur Community Development Block Grant Management and Budget Policies. BACKGROUND: Community Development Block Grants are awarded to entitlement communities to carry out a wide range of community development activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and the provision of improved community facilities and services. BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT: To amendment the existing City of Port Arthur Community Development Block Grant Management and Budget Policies. STAFFING/EMPLOYEE EFFECT: Funding will not have an effect on our staffing level. I recommend that the City Council adopt Proposed Resolution 13014, which approves an amendment of the City of Port Arthur Community Development Block Grant Management and Budget Policies. P. R. 13014 01/24/05 ME-Grants Management RESOLUTION NUMBER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET POLICIES. THE AMENDMENT DEFINES THE FUNDING PRIORITIES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ACTIVITIES WHEREAS, the Community Development Block Grants are awarded to entitlement communities to carry out a wide range of community development activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and the provision of improved community facilities and services; and, WHEREAS, entitlement communities develop their own programs and funding priorities. However, grantees must give maximum feasible priority to activities that either benefit low-and moderate-income individuals and families, or aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight. In addition, certain other activities are allowed to address situations that pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community, especially when other financial resources are not available to meet such needs; and, WHEREAS, the existing Management and Budget Policies are attached as Exihibit "B'; define the funding priorities for Community Development Block Grant activities, funding priorities are as follows: WHEREAS, changes to the existing Management and Budget Policies will The new Diskett#20.PR# 13014.wpd Priority will be given to the following non-construction activities: PRIORITY I: Activities normally conducted by a city or in support of activities normally conducted by a city, such as recreational, health services and neighborhood citizen patrol groups. PRIORITY II: Activities in support of education and training or that provide for services to the homeless and to senior citizens. PRIORITY III: Other Funding or funding levels are at the discretion of the City Council. In general. Priority I activities will be eligible for funding on a continuing basis with no limit on the number of years. Priority II activities may be limited as to the number of years they will be eligible for funding. Priority III activities will be eligible for funding for a limited period of time. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR: THAT the City Council of the City of Port Arthur hereby adopts the new City of Port Arthur Community Development Block Grant Management and Budget Policies as shown in the attached Exhibit "A"; THAT a copy of the caption of this Resolution be spread upon the minutes of the City Council. READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED this day of Di~etl~20.PR#13014.wpd A.D.. 2005 at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, Texas by the following vote: AYES: MAYOR NOES: ATTEST: CITY SECRETARY APPROVED FOR FORM: CITY ATTORNEY APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION: CITY MANAGER APPROVED FOR AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: DALE WATSON. DIRECTOR PLANNING & GRANTS MANAGEMENT MAYOR Di~kettff20.PR# 13014.w~l EXHIBIT "A" E~IT"A" CITY OF PORT ARTHUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET POLICIES The Community Development Block Grant Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and countries to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate-income persons. NATURE OF PROGRAM Community Development Block Grants are awarded to entitlement communities to carry out a wide range of community development activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and the provision of improved community facilities and services. Entitlement communities develop their own programs and funding priorities. However, grantees must give maximum feasible priority to activities that either benefit low- and moderate-income individuals and families, or aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight. In addition, certain other activities are allowed to address situations that pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community, especially when other fmancial resources are not available to meet such needs. BACKGROUND The City of Port Arthur receives an annual allocation through the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has placed restrictions upon the use of these funds: for example, they must be used primarily to assist low to moderate-income people. The City of Port Arthur has historically used those funds to improve housing conditions and public facilities, renovate streets and for public service activities. Agencies that receive CDBG funding must be able to show direct and measurable benefits. There are activities that are not eligible for funding, as those which violate the principle of separation of church and state. POLICY STATEMENT It is the policy of the City of Port Arthur that: No more than fifteen percent (15%) of the Community Development Block Grant will be allocated annually for public service activities as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations. Public Service activities are defined as those activities "including but not limited to those o (services) concerned with employment, crime prevention, child care, health, drug abuse, education, energy conservation, welfare or recreational needs". Each Public Service activity must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service.. Funds will be directed to activities that will primarily benefit low- and moderate-income residents of the city. CDBG funds will not be used to maintain an existing level of a service, as conditioned by items 4 and 5 below, or be used to substitute for other available known sources of funding. Within the fifteen-percent limit, the City Council shall designate how much will be allocated to outside agencies for eligible Public Service activities and how much will be retained for City Departments. CDBG funds can be used to reimburse eligible operating expense for the specific activity or program identified in the application, including costs for personnel, materials, supplies, tests, fees. rent utilities and equipment directly related to the delivery of the program or activity. Purchase of equipment is subject to other federal restrictions. 4. Funding of operating expenses for Year 1 will not imply commitment for subsequent year's funding. Requests for additional year's funding will be evaluated based upon Subrecipient's demonstrated provision of service to low income residents resulting from prior CDBG funding, and compliance with record keeping requirements. 5. City Council members will determine the number of public service activities or programs that will be funded through CDBG annually. Priority for funding will be to those activities showing capacity to provide quantifiable benefits to the larger number of low-income residents for each dollar requested, relative to other applications. As a condition of receiving funds, the Subrecipient will enter into a standard contract required by the City of Port Arthur. In addition to financial assistance, the City is committed to helping subrecipients: Implement reporting procedures in compliance with the Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements. Identify sources of financial support other than CDBG, and provide other technical assistance as appropriate. Applications for funding must be accompanied by audited financial reports, if available, for the previous fiscal year. EXHIBIT "A" 10. The primary purpose of the CDBG funds will be to pay operating expenses and not to build up or maintain an agency's cash reserves. 11. If the city terminates a subrecipient's funding agreement due to the agency's failure to comply with contract terms or ff a grantee chooses to terminate the contract for whatever reason, the affected agency will be barred from applying for CDBG funds for one year from the date of contract termination. The remaining balance of CDBG funds will become available for reprogramming. ] 12. Any agency that is allocated CDBG funds should have an executable contract with the City of Port Arthur no later than September ist of the funding year. If a contract has not been executed by September 1~t then, the agency will not be allowed to participate in the current's year funding process without the permission of the City Council or City Manager. If permission is not granted, the CDBG fund allocation will be reprogrammed to another eligible project. 13. Once a Subrecipient executes a CDBG contract, it must begin its program no later. than seven weeks after signing its CDBG contract. If the program is not operating in seven weeks, then the Subrecipient must submit in writing to the Grants Management Division the reasons for the delay and when the program will begin. 14. Once a Subrecipient, including City Department, has fulfilled the terms of its contract and a funding balance exists, the balance of funds will become unobligated and must be reprogrammed by the City Council. REPROGRAMMING OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS Whenever a $5,000 or more balance exists in unobligated CDBG funds, the Grants Management Division will meet with the City Council to discuss possible alternative CDBG projects. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT INTERVIEW PROCESS 1. Everyone applying for CDBG funds, including City Departments will have to attend an interview process that will be conducted by the City Council. 2. Each interview will last ten (10) minutes. 3. Each applicant will be assigned an interview time. If an applicant misses his interview time, then the City Council may approve rescheduling a new interview time. EX~IT "A" FUNDING PRIORITIES Priority will be given to the following non-construction activities: PRIORITY I: Activities normally conducted by a city or in support of activities normally conducted by a city, such as recreational, health services and neighborhood citizen patrol groups. PRIORITY II: Activities in support of education and framing or that provide for services to the homeless and to senior citizens. PRIORITY III: Other Funding or funding levels are at the discretion of the City Council. In general. Priority I activities will be eligible for funding on a continuing basis with no limit on the number of years. Priority II activities may be limited as to the number of years they will be eligible for funding. Priority III activities will be eligible for funding for a limited period of time. EXHIBIT "B" CITY OF PORT ARTHUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET POLICIES The Conununity Development Block Grant Program provides annual grants on a · formula basis to entitled cities and countries to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and k suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate-income persons. NATURE OF PROGRAM Community Development Block Grants are awarded to entitlement communities to car~ out a wide range of community development activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and the provision of improved community facilities and services. Entitlement commun/fies develop their own programs and funding priorities. However, grantees must give maximum feasible priority to activities that either benefit low and moderate-income persons, or aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and bl/ght. In addition, activities may be carried out which the community certifies are designed to meet other community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community where other financial resources are not available to meet such needs. Activities that do not meet one of these three board national objectives may not be undertaken with CDBG funds. BA CKGR 0 UND The City of Port Arthur receives an annual allocation through the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has placed restrictions upon their use; for example, the funds must primarily be used to assist low to moderate-income persons. The City of Port Arthur has historical/y used those funds to improve housing conditions, street renovations, public facilities improvements and public service activities. Agencies that receive CDBG funding must 'be able to show direct and measurable benefits. There are activities that are not eligible for funding, such as sectarian activities, as this would violate the principle of separation of church and state. POLICY STATEMENT It is the policy of the City of Port Arthur that: No more than fifteen percent (15%) of the Community Development Block Grant will be allocated annually for publ/c service activities as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations. Public Service activities are defined as those activities "including but not limited to those (services) concerned with employment, crime prevention, child care, health, drag abuse, education, energy conservation, welfare or recreational needs". Each Publ/c Service activity must be either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of a service. Funds will be directed to activities that will primarily benefit Iow and moderate-income residents of the city. CDBG funds will not be used to maintain an existing level of a service, as conditioned by items 4 and 5 below, or be used to substitute for other available known sources of funding. 2. Within the fifteen-percent limit, the CDBG Council Committee shall designate how much will be allocated to City Departments and how much will be allocated to outside agencies for eligible Public Service activities. .3. CDBG funds can be used to reimburse eligible operating expense for the specific activity or program identified in the application, including costs for personnel, materials, supplies, tests, fees, rent utilities and equipment directly related to the delivery of the program or activity. Purchase of equipment is subject to other federal restrictions. 4. The duration of CDBG funding operating expenses for any program or activity is intended not to exceed three consecutive years. Agencies should pursue other sources of funding to replace the CDBG funding after this time. Upon recommendation by the CDBG Council Committee, CDBG funds beyond three consecutive years will have to be approved by the City Council. 5. The maximum percentage of CDBG funds to total operating budget for a program will be limited to · Year I - 90% of operating budget · Year 2 - 75% of operating budget · Year 3 - 50% of operating budget Funding of operating expenses for Year 1 will not imply commi~memt for subsequent year's funding. Requests for additional year's funding will be evaluated based upon Subrecipient's demonstrated provision of service to low income residents resulting from prior CDBG funding, and compliance with record keeping requirements. 6. Committee members will determine the number of public service activities or programs that will be funded through CDBG annually. Priority for funding will be to those activities showing capacity to provide quantifiable benefits to the larger number of low-income residents for each dollar requested, relative to other applications. 8. As a condition of receiving funds, the Subrecipient will enter into a standard contract required by the City of Port Arthur. 9. In addition to financial assistance, the City is co,,,.,itted to helping subrecipients: Implement reporting procedures in compliance with the Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements~ Identify sources of financial support other than CDBG, and provide other technical assistance as appropriate. 10. Applications for funding must be accompanied by audited financial reports, if available, for the previous fiscal year. 11. The pr/mary purpose of the CDBG funds will be to pay operating expenses and not to build up or maintain an agency's cash reserves. 12. If the city terminates a subrecipients' funding agreement due to the agency failure to comply with contract terms or ff a grantee chooses to terminate the contract for whatever reason, the affected agency will be barred from applying for CDBG funds for one year from the date of contract termination. The remaining balance of CDBG funds will become available for reprogramming. 13. Any agency that is allocated CDBG funds should have an executable contract with the City of Port Arthur no later than September 1~t of the funding year. If a contract has not been executed by September 1~ then, the agency will not be allowed to participate in the current's year funding process without the permission of the City Council or City Manager. If permission is not granted, the CDBG fund allocation will be reprogrammed to another eligible project. 14. Once a Subrecipient executes a CDBG contract, it must begin its program no later than seven weeks after signing its CDBG contract. If the programis not operating in seven weeks, then the Subrecipient must submit in writing to the Grants Management Division the reasons for the delay and when the program wil/begin. 15. Once a Subrecipient, including City Department, has fulfilled the terms of its contract and a funding balance exist, the balance of funds will become tmobligated and must be reprogrammed by the CDBG committee. REPROGRAMMING OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS Whenever a $5,000 or more balance exists in unobligated CDBG funds, the Grants Management Division will meet with the Community Development Block Grant Committee to d~scuss possible alternative CDBG projects. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT INTERVIEW PROCESS 1. Everyone applying for CDBG funds, includ~g City Departments wL!l have to attend an interview process that will be conducted by the CDBG Committee. 2. Each interview will last ten (I0) minutes. 3. Each applicant will be assigned an interview time. 4. If an applicant misses his interview time, then the CDBG committee must approve rescheduling a new interview time.