AGENDA #5

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Preliminary Proposal for the 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant Program for Public Housing Renovations and Resident Services

 

DATE:             March 29, 2000

 

 

The purpose of this memorandum is to present a preliminary proposal for use of funds we expect to receive from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant Program.

 

SUMMARY

 

·        We have not yet received notification from HUD of the amount of the 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant.   Therefore, we have developed a preliminary plan based on the 1999-2000 grant amount of $460,000.

 

·        We expect to receive notification of the 2000-2001 grant by July 31, 2000.

 

·        The preliminary plan includes renovations in all nine apartments at the Lindsay Street neighborhood.

 

·        The deadline for submitting the plan for the 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant Program to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is June 1, 2000.  However, the 2000-2001 grant year begins on October 1, 2000.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocates modernization funds to localities that manage at least 250 public housing apartments for renovation and support of resident services.  Funds are allocated under a formula basis rather than through a competitive application process.

 

Federal regulations require that the Town give priority to completing renovation work related to statutory or other requirements such as lead-based paint testing and abatement, asbestos testing and abatement, and renovation work necessary to meet the needs of disabled persons.

 

The preliminary proposal for the 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant Program includes renovation in the Lindsay Street neighborhood because lead-based paint is present in these apartments. 

DISCUSSION

 

We have not yet received notification from HUD of the amount of the 2000-2001 grant.  However, we have developed a preliminary plan for 2000-2001 in the amount of $460,000, the amount of the 1999-2000 grant.  Also, the plan includes $120,000 that we expect to be allocated for public housing renovations under the 2000-2001 Community Development Program.  The total amount of the funds expected to be available for public housing renovations and resident services in 2000-2001 is  $580,000.

 

PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL FOR 2000-2001

 

Proposed Sources of Funds

 

Comprehensive Grant Program                         $460,000

Community Development Program                                $120,000

 

                     TOTAL                                                  $580,000

 

Proposed Use of Funds

 

Lindsay Street Renovations                                           $448,000

Resident Activities                                                        $  62,000

Other Costs                                                                  $  70,000

 

                     TOTAL                                                  $580,000

 

The Preliminary proposal for the 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant Program include the following activities:

 

1.      Renovations at Lindsay Street                                                   $448,000

 

Renovate the 9 apartments at the Lindsay Street neighborhood.   We estimated that the amount of funds we expect to receive in 2000-2001 under the Comprehensive Grant and Community Development Programs would complete renovation work in these apartments.

 

Proposed renovation work would include the abatement of lead-based paint and asbestos, replacement of windows and screens, replacement of interior and exterior doors, replacement of furnaces, replacement of floor tiles, replacement of bathtub liners and surrounds, bathroom fixtures, plumbing and electrical upgrades, and interior and exterior painting.

 

2.      Resident Activities                                                                                $62,000

 

We propose to reserve $52,000 for resident activities.  Proposed use of funds could include, but would not be limited to, support of the staffing and operational needs of the Residents’ Council.  The Residents’ Council staff would include a Community Organizer, a part-time Program Coordinator, a part-time Center Director and two part-time van drivers.

We also propose to reserve $10,000 for the ACHIEVE! Family Self-Sufficiency Program.  The funds would provide workshops, training, and educational opportunities for the 21 program participants.

 

3.      Other Costs                                                                                          $70,000

 

Includes the cost of general administration of the Comprehensive Grant Program, the cost of personnel to do day-to-day monitoring of the renovation work as required by HUD, maintenance training, and the cost of relocating public housing residents affected by the renovations.

 

Review by Housing and Community Development Advisory Board

 

The Housing and Community Development Advisory Board will review the Preliminary Proposal for the 2000-2001, Comprehensive Grant Plan on March 28, 2000. 

 

CONCLUSION

 

Next Steps

 

Comments received tonight will be taken into consideration in preparing a recommended plan for using the 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant funds.  We will present a recommended 2000-2001 Comprehensive Grant Program Annual Statement for the Council’s consideration on April 24, 2000, along with the Town’s other budget items.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.      Preliminary Annual Statement for 2000-2001 (p.4).

(The Annual Statement provides a summary of proposed Comprehensive Grant activities and cost estimates.)

 

 

2.      Summary of Five-Year Plan For Public Housing Renovations And Resident Services (p.5). (This attachment provides a summary of the proposed expenditures that is expected to be available for public housing renovations and resident services over the next five years.)