ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager and the Director of Community Development with a Request to APPROVE the Funding Recommendations from the CDBG Public Services Advisory Commission for the COVID-19 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PUBLIC SERVICES FUNDING, in the Amount of $200,000.00.
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BACKGROUND: City Council approved a COVID-19 CDBG outline on April 28th, which included up to $300,000 dedicated to public services intended to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 26th, City Council approved the public services priorities and application recommended by the CDBG Public Services Advisory Commission. Nine eligible applications were received, requesting over $365,000. Applications were received in the following priority funding areas:
• Employment Training
• Food Banks
• Health Services
• Legal Services
• Services for Abused and Neglected Children
• Services for Victims of Domestic Violence
• Youth Services
Members of the CDBG Public Services Advisory Commission reviewed and evaluated all eligible applications received. They had the opportunity to ask follow-up questions via email, and all commissioners received these questions as well as the agencies’ responses.
City staff compiled the scores from each evaluation and dropped the highest and lowest scores for each application. An average score was then created from the remaining scores, taking into account any Commissioners who did not score an applicant due to a declared conflict of interest.
At the July 17th Commission meeting, the average scores were presented to the Commission along with some funding options as a starting point for discussion. After a detailed discussion, the Commission decided to fund all nine applications. To comply with HUD underwriting standards, grant amounts were awarded based on an average score tied to a percentage of grant funds requested. This amount was then multiplied by 73.258393% in order to achieve a total of $200,000. The funding recommendations, the evaluation that was completed by Commissioners, and the draft minutes from the Commission meeting are included as attachments.
The Commission discussed reserving some of the $300,000.00 allocated towards these programs so it could be used for other worthy CDBG-eligible expenses, such as additional funding for the COVID-19 Household Assistance Program. With the proposed funding plan, an additional $100,000.00 would be available for Household Assistance.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: $200,000.00 of CDBG funding will be distributed to public services programs.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Public hearing and public comment periods are held per HUD grant requirements each year. In addition, the CDBG Public Services Advisory Commission meetings are open to the public, even when held virtually. The public services programs help address other neighborhood concerns by providing needed services to low-income residents of the City of Peoria.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: CDBG funding will be awarded to public services programs that prevent, prepare for, or respond to COVID-19, per recommended grant amounts.
IMPACT IF DENIED: CDBG funding will not be awarded to these public services programs, and an alternative will need to be identified.
ALTERNATIVES: None at this time.
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: All grantees will have an active EEO certification number prior to receiving funds.
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Safe Peoria
2. Financially Sound City
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Reinvest in neighborhoods.
2. Support sustainability.
DEPARTMENT: Community Development