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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item No 20CITY OF LADE LSII`IO E DREAM EXTREME. :1:4:10] Z4 tOZa k mgrgelI I k, [ @I 1I TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: THOMAS P. EVANS INTERIM CITY MANAGER DATE: OCTOBER 23, 2012 SUBJECT: 2013 -2014 CDBG ALLOCATION Recommendations Adopt the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program for Fiscal Year 2013 -2014. 2. Approve submittal of the City's program to the County of Riverside. Background Each year the City of Lake Elsinore receives an allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds through the Economic Development Agency of Riverside County (EDA). These allocations are based on population and are designed for assistance to low and moderate income residents and areas. To qualify for funding, eligible projects must largely benefit low and moderate income persons, eliminate slums or blight, or meet a need having a particular urgency. EDA has stated that in order to ensure "effective, efficient, and appropriate allocation and use of CDBG funds "; the County may reject any proposed CDBG activity in an amount less than $10,000. Exceptions to the $10,000 minimum grant can be requested if pre - approved by EDA prior to application submittal. On July 12, 2011 the City Council entered into a Joint - Recipient Cooperation Agreement (Metropolitan Cities Agreement) with the County of Riverside. Participation in the Joint - Recipient Cooperation Agreement allows the City of Lake Elsinore to receive the portion of funds allocated by HUD, minus a twelve percent (12 %) administration fee by the County of Riverside. In other words, the EDA will conduct the same tasks as when Lake Elsinore was a Cooperating City, except now we have AGENDA ITEM NO. 20 Page 1 of 4 2013 -2014 CDBG Allocation October 23, 2012 Page 2of5 Entitlement Status and receive our full allocation to be spent in the City of Lake Elsinore. On September 5, 2012, staff held a "mandatory" public meeting at the Cultural Center for prospective organizations requesting CDBG funds. Notice of the public meeting was e- mailed to previously funded organizations and other interested persons, and was published in the Press - Enterprise. It should be noted that only organizations represented by persons attending the public meeting were H.O.P.E, the Assistance League of Temecula Valley, Cops for Kids, the Lake Elsinore Historical Society /Studio 395, Temescal Canyon High School Band Boosters, Christian House of Bread, The Grove /First Christian Church, The Princess (Boat) and the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. Discussion For the Fiscal Year 2013 -2014 funding program, the City hopes to receive approximately $360,000 as identified by HUD by their 2013 -2014 Entitlement Status estimate. Based on the allocation of $360,000 and CDBG requirements, the City would be able to earmark a maximum of eight percent (8 %) or $28,800 towards CDBG program administration costs and fifteen percent (15 %) or approximately $54,000 towards public service programs. This will allow a balance of $234,000 for funding of an ADA- accessible walkway from the local bus stop to the Senior Center and Code Enforcement Division's Nuisance Abatement program. However, the number provided by HUD is an estimate and could fluctuate depending on how the United States Congress approves the national budget. As of the filing deadline of September 21, 2012, the City received four (4) outside public service agency applications for a total requested allotment of $95,000. The agencies requesting funds are as follows: 1. Helping Our People in Elsinore, Inc. (H.O.P.E) ($50,000). Located in Lake Elsinore, the organization operates a food pantry that distributes a balanced menu of groceries to low income families and seniors in Lake Elsinore and the surrounding communities. 2. Assistance League of Temecula Valley ($25,000). The agency is located in Temecula and the organization's Operation School Bell provides clothing and shoes to disadvantaged children in the Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Menifee and Temecula School Districts. 3. California Family Life Center ($10,000). In collaboration with Studio 395, California Family Life Center proposes to provide arts education focused on the history of the Lake Elsinore area to children (ages 14 to 18) from low- income families at its Planet Youth facility (400 W. Graham Avenue). Page 2 of 4 2013 -2014 CDBG Allocation October 23, 2012 Page 3of5 4. Cops for Kids, Inc. ($10,000). This organization is located in Lake Elsinore and funds emergency housing (one to three days) for parents and their children, assists with emergency food and clothing and with RTA bus passes for high school students. Funding recommendations for the above requests are reflected in the "Public Service Programs" table below. City department/projects requesting funds are: 1. Senior Center Bus Stop ADA Accessible Walkway ($99,000). This project managed by the Lake, Parks & Recreation Department would construct a concrete ADA accessible sidewalk connecting Senior Center to the nearest bus stop on Lakeshore Drive. CDBG funds would be utilized to survey the area, prepare plans & specifications, perform project management, grading, contract to construct a concrete sidewalk to ADA design standards, install handrails, lighting, drainage improvements, irrigation and landscaping. 2. Nuisance Abatement ($135,000). CDBG funds will supplement costs to continue program of identifying Code Violations throughout the City and working with owners to bring their properties into compliance (Community Development Department). Furthermore, CDBG funds will also be applied toward a portion of the personnel costs associated with the program. A breakdown of CDBG funding requests and proposed allocations for all three (3) categories (public facilities, code enforcement, and public service programs) are reflected in the following tables. PUBLIC FACILITY PROJECT Facility /Type Requested 2013 -2014 Proposed Amount Allocation Senior Center Bus Stop ADA Accessible $99,000 $99,000 Walkway Subtotal $99,000 $99,000 Page 3 of 4 2013 -2014 CDBG Allocation October 23, 2012 Page 4 of 5 CODE ENFORCEMENT Program Requested Amount 2012 -2013 Proposed Allocation Nuisance Abatement $135,000 $135,000 Subtotal $135,000 $135,000 CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE ADMINISTRATION COSTS Facility /Type Requested Amount 2012 -2013 Proposed Allocation CDBG Program Administration Costs $28,800 $28,800 Subtotal $28,800 $28,800 PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS Agency Requested Amount 2012 -2013 Proposed Allocation Helping Our People in Elsinore, Inc. (H.O.P.El $50,000 $30,000 Assistance League of Temecula Valley $25,000 $14,000 California Family Life Center $10,000 $10,000 Cops for Kids, Inc. $10,000 0 Subtotal $95,000 $54,000 GRAND TOTAL: $316,800 As shown in the above Public Service Programs table, funding is not recommended for Cops for Kids, Inc. The reason for the no funding recommendation is that Riverside County EDA has indicated that they inclined to not fund Cops for Kids as they believe that this is a duplication of services that the County and other local organizations provide. It should be noted that the grand total of $316,800 does not include the required twelve - percent (or $43,200) that the County of Riverside is requiring for administrative costs as outlined in the City Council approved Joint - Recipient Cooperation Agreement. Couple the grand total of $316,800 identified above and the $43,200 County administration cost, the overall total will be the $360,000 as identified at the beginning of this report. Page 4 of 4 As I mentioned at the September City Council meeting I am unable to attend this evening's meeting as it is our anniversary and we are out of town. This does not indicate either lack of interest and certainly not lack of need of funds! Thank you for your past support of the HOPE programs, it is truly appreciated. Thank you also for considering support for the fiscal year 201.3-2014. We have read the Staff Report and are grateful for staffs recommendations. The economic downturn continues to impact the most vulnerable in our community and our four food programs are assisting around 1,400 families (5,000 individuals) a month. Kids under 18 years of age account for 45% of those we help each month. In the last fiscal year we distributed almost 900,000 meals in the community. For the past three years we have been successful in obtaining Emergency Food and Shelter Program funding from FEMA. In addition to funding food purchases this also enables us to help families with short term motel stays, rental and mortgage assistance. Our Back Packs for Kids program is now helping up to 200 kids each weekend in an attempt to ensure they do not go hungry when not at school. In time we hope to be able to track grade improvement. In addition we distribute food at satellite sites in the area every Friday and Saturday, ensuring that families are able to obtain food over the weekend. For the first time in 20 years we were temporarily unable to distribute food for just over two weeks in September. We are striving to avoid this happening again in the coming year. This year we will not use HOPE funding to distribute Thanksgiving Boxes but are asking the community to help us maintain this program. We are grateful to those community members who have already offered to help in this area. Thank you again - I will follow the meeting on line this evening. 29885 2nd Street Units R & S Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 o Office: (951) 245 7510 ext. 6 Cell: (951) 285 1354 Hope In Elsinore@aol.com www.HelpingOurPeopleinElsinore.com