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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 10AGENDA COVER SHEET MEETING OF City Council 'DD— Redevelopment Agency a Other EPARTMENT: � � CONSENT: APPEAL BUSINESS: RESOLUTION: a ORDINANCES a PUBLIC HEARING ATTACHMENTS: Report emailed to Clerk ................................. ........... ............ ................, FOLLOW UP DIRECTION: gnomon" ....... 1\ ........ ......... \.... /.., \ /.... /Y /Y /.. Y. /........... \.. Submitted by: Date: Approved by: Department Head: Date: Finance Director: Date: City Manager: Date: CITY OF LAKE e LSII' ORE DREAM EXTREME *x REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS FROM: GRANT YATES, CITY MANAGER DATE: MARCH 26, 2013 SUBJECT: PILOT HOUSING REHABILITATION GRANT PROGRAM Recommendations That the City Council: 1) approve the Guidelines for the Pilot Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program, direct the City Attorney and staff to prepare Program documents, and allocate $50,000 to implement the Pilot Program, and 2) formally appoint a two- member City Council Affordable Housing Subcommittee to review Program documents prior to implementation and to assess Program effectiveness within the context of the City's affordable housing goals and objectives in order to guide staff in future recommended projects and programs. Background Councilman Manos suggested that the City develop a Pilot Program to provide housing rehabilitation grants to low income homeowners who may have insufficient funds to make necessary home repairs. The City has available funds in the Affordable Housing In Lieu Fee Account established to assist the City's efforts to increase, improve and preserve the community supply of affordable housing and to meet the affordable housing goals of the City and the former redevelopment agency. Discussion The proposed City of Lake Elsinore Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program will provide grants up to $5,000 for roof repair or replacement, exterior painting and other minor exterior repairs. The Program is designed to assist low income homeowners whose gross household income does not exceed the qualifying limits for Riverside County as published annually by the State Department of Housing and Community Development and who own and occupy a single family detached AGENDA ITEM NO. 10 Page 1 of 6 Pilot Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program March 26, 2013 Page 2 home in the City. Income limits for 2013 are set forth in the attached Guidelines. Program assistance may be provided as a standalone grant or in combination with the homeowner's own funds to complete minor home repairs aimed at protecting the livability, integrity and appearance of the City's residential neighborhoods. So long as participating homeowners comply with Program requirements for 5 years, including the use of the property as the homeowner's principal residence and maintenance of the property in good repair and free of any code violations, public nuisance or criminal activity, there will be no repayment obligation. However, violation of the Program terms and conditions or discovery of fraud or deceit in the application process will trigger the homeowner's obligation to immediately repay the full Grant amount. A hardship exception to the ongoing owner occupancy requirement will allow for repayment terms. Implementation of the Pilot Program will require preparation of Program documents, including a Program Application and Grant Agreement. The Pilot Program will be administered by the City Manager's office. Fiscal Impact The Pilot Program will be funded with $50,000 from the City's Affordable Housing In -Lieu Fee Fund #106. Prepared by: Barbara Leibold, City Attorney Approved by: Grant Yates, City Manager G� Attachment: Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program Guidelines Page 2 of 6 PROGRAM GUIDELINES CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE HOUSING REHABILITATION GRANT PROGRAM 1. Program Overview The City of Lake Elsinore is offering grants to qualifying low and very low income homeowners to fund exterior repairs to single family residences located in the City. The Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program is designed to preserve the City's supply of decent, safe and sanitary housing affordable to low and very low income households. To qualify for a Program grant, both the homeowner and the property must satisfy specific eligibility criteria. 2. Eligible Homeowners ■ Fee Title ° Homeowners must have fee title to eligible properties • Owner - Occupied Homeowners must currently occupy and intend to continue to occupy the property as their principal residence. • Income Eligibility Program grants are available only to homeowners whose gross household income does not exceed the qualifying limits for lower income families in Riverside County published annually by the State Department of Housing and Community Development. All persons living in the property are considered household members for purposes of determining income eligibility. For 2013, gross household income cannot exceed the following: 2013 Income Limits Household Size Maximum Gross Income 1 $37,550 2 $42,900 3 $48,250 4 $53,600 5 $57,900 6 $62,200 7 $66,500 8 $70,800 ■ Capacity Homeowners must be of legal age and must have the capacity to enter into binding contracts. 130 South Main Street. Lake Elsinore. CA 92530 ♦ (951) 674 -3124 ♦ Fax (951)_ 674 -2392 City of Lake Elsinore Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program Program Guidelines Page 2 of 4 • No Conflicts No member of the City Council and no employee, official, or consultant who exercises any policy decision - making function in connection with the Program is eligible for Program grants. 3. Eligible Properties • Location Program grants are available to properties located in the City of Lake Elsinore. • Single Family Residence The property must be a single family detached residence. • Condition The property cannot evidence Municipal Code or public nuisance code enforcement violations visible from the exterior. No interior inspection will be conducted. • Insurance The property must be insured by a current homeowner's insurance policy. • No Tax Delinquency Liens or Foreclosure Proceedings Property title must be free of mechanic's liens or tax liens. Property taxes and assessments must be paid current and no notice of default or commencement of foreclosure proceedings are recorded against the property by a secured lender. • No Criminal Activity Properties that have been the site of repeated or ongoing drug - related arrests or other criminal activity as evidenced by police records /reports will not be eligible for assistance unless and until the property owner demonstrates that such activities have been fully abated. 4. Proqram Grants • Grant Amount Program grants up to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) are available to eligible homeowners to make eligible improvements. • Number of Grants Eligible properties may not receive more than one Program grant. • Additional Costs Program grants can be offered as a standalone grant or combined with the homeowner's own funds or other grant or loan proceeds to pay for eligible improvements. ■ Repayment No repayment is required so long as the participating homeowner complies with the terms and conditions of the Grant Agreement. Repayment will be required if any of the following occur within five years of the date of the grant: 1) homeowner fails to occupy the 130 South Main Street. Lake Elsinore. CA 92530 ♦ (951) 674 -3124 ♦ Fax (kf51) bt4 -23y2 City of Lake Elsinore Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program Program Guidelines Page 3 of 4 property as his /her principal residence; 2) homeowner fails to maintain the property in good repair and free of any code violations, public nuisance or criminal activity, or 3) any other violation of the Program terms and conditions or discovery of fraud or deceit in the application process. In the event of hardship such as illness, death, loss of employment or relocation of employment, requiring that the homeowner no longer occupy the property as his or her principal residence, the repayment of the Grant may be made in installments. 5. Eligible Improvements Eligible improvements must be physically attached to the property and be permanent in nature. Eligible improvements include the following: • roof repair or replacement, • exterior siding, • exterior painting, • exterior access improvements and special safety features to aid the physically disabled and the elderly, • other exterior repairs designed to preserve and protect eligible single family structures such as work required to (i) correct health and safety hazards, (ii) repair damaged exterior surfaces, broken glass, damaged window screens, uneven pavement, damaged block walls and wood fences, or (iii) similar minor repair as deemed necessary or appropriate by the Program Administrator, or his /her designee. In order to be eligible for a Program grant, proposed improvements must be approved by the Program Administrator, or his /her designee, following a property inspection and Work Write -Up. All rehabilitation work must be completed by qualified, licensed, and insured contractors. 6. Eligible Costs Program grants may be used only for the actual reasonable costs of the materials and labor necessary to complete the rehabilitation work approved by the Program Administrator and set forth in the Work Write -Up. 7. Participation Priorities Funding is based on first -come first served basis. All applications will be date stamped and processed in that order. Incomplete applications will be suspended until all requested information is submitted. Program assistance shall be denied to any homeowner who submits false information. If discovery of false information occurs after Program assistance is funded, the participating homeowner must immediately repay the Grant. 674 -3124 ♦ Fax City of Lake Elsinore Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program Program Guidelines Page 4 of 4 8. Terms and Conditions • Program Documents Homeowners receiving Program assistance must sign a Grant Agreement which sets forth the terms and conditions of the Program Grant. Homeowners must also enter into a Rehabilitation Agreement with the contractor or contractors completing the improvements. • Maintenance Requirements Homeowners must maintain their properties in good repair and in a decent, safe, and sanitary condition consistent with community standards. Homeowners shall not permit property improvements to suffer deterioration or decline, or maintain, cause to be maintained, or permit to be maintained any public or private nuisance on or about the property. • No Criminal Activity /Nuisance Participants shall not permit public nuisance or criminal activities to occur on the Property. ■ Nondiscrimination There shall be no discrimination against or segregation of any person or group of persons, on account of race, color, creed, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, or ancestry, in the selection of contractors to complete the rehabilitation work financed with Program assistance, or in the sale, transfer, use, occupancy, tenure, or enjoyment of assisted properties. ■ Records Homeowners shall keep such records as may be required with respect to the rehabilitation work financed with Program grants, including work orders, invoices, and receipts. • Compliance With Program Guidelines Homeowners must comply with Program Guidelines and Procedures. City Hall Hours Monday — Thursday: 8:00 a.m.— 5:00 p.m. Friday: 8:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. If you have questions please call the Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program Administrator at (951) 674 -3124, ext. _ 21 WA=N 130 South Main Street. Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 ♦ (951) 674 -3124 ♦ Fax (951) 674 -2392 6 of 6