ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Director of Community Development with a Request to APPROVE the Award of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Community Development Block Grant COVID-19 (CDBG-CV) Funds to PHOENIX COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, in the Total Amount of $680,000.00. (Council District 1)
Body
BACKGROUND: In early 2021 Phoenix Community Development Services acquired 234 NE Madison, located at the corner of Madison and Fayette, with the intention of creating the Phoenix Employment First Center. This location was selected due to its proximity to Madison and New Hope Apartments, two facilities run by PCDS.
At least one floor of the building will be dedicated to staff and meeting space for one-on-one employment-based service provision in order to facilitate consistent, frequent and early contact with clients being served by the center.
Another floor will provide multimedia training space, computer lab and office/meeting space for community partners in order to coordinate related services in the workforce ecosystem. The ground floor will be designed to house a social enterprise coffee shop/caf? that PCDS will operate and utilize in coordination with employment programs.
CDBG and CDBG-CV funds will be utilized to repair the roof and rehab and modernize the interior of the building for the shop/caf? and the areas being utilized by clients. Areas for just staff offices will not be rehabilitated with this funding.
CDBG-CV funds must be utilized for eligible CDBG activities that prevent, prepare for or respond to coronavirus. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has stated that workforce development is eligible in order to provide job training for communities that experienced job losses during COVID-19.
The project and funds were identified as part of the 2022/2023 budget process.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: $680,000 in CDBG funds will be allocated to Phoenix Community ...
Click here for full text