ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Director of Community Development with a Request to APPROVE the Funding Recommendations from the Advisory Commission on Human Resources for the 2020 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PUBLIC SERVICE FUNDING, in the Amount of $260,000.00
Body
BACKGROUND: As approved by City Council on June 26th (Item # 18-202), the Advisory Commission on Human Resources (HRC) reviewed the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public service applications. For the 2019 funding year, twenty-one eligible applications were received, requesting over $550,000. Applications were received in all priority funding areas adopted by Council:
• Child Care Services (under 13)
• Youth Services (ages 13 -19)
• Services for Victims of Domestic Violence
• Employment Training
• Substance Abuse Services
• Mental Health Services
• Health Services
• Services for Abused and Neglected Children
Each Commissioner reviewed all eligible applications received. Applicants presented a short overview for the Commission, and the Commission had the opportunity to ask the applicants questions at a special meeting on November 1. Following the meeting, Commissioners independently submitted evaluation forms for each application. City staff compiled these scores and dropped the highest and lowest score for each application. Then, an average score was 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 November 15th 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 19 of the 21 applications. There was a large gap in scoring from the last program funded to the next application. To comply with HUD underwriting standards, grant amounts were awarded based on an average score tied to a percentage of grant funds requested. A decreasing scale was used and some adjustments were made for rounding and to allocate all the funds. Some adjustments to award amounts were made in order to comply with the minimum grant award of $7,000. The draft minutes from the Commission meeting are included as an attachment.
The funding recommendations by program are attached. These proposed amounts are tentative and will be dependent on the City’s 2020 CDBG allocation. The 2020 HUD allocations cannot be announced until the US Congress passes a full year budget for HUD. The Commission recommends that final amounts be adjusted by staff based on the percentage increase or decrease of the City’s CDBG allocation.
A history of public service funding by organization from the last five years is also attached. This chart does not include proposed grant awards for 2020.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: At this time, HUD has not announced the 2020 grant allocations. City staff anticipate $260,000 to be available in CDBG Public Service funds. The Commission recommends that staff adjust grant awards once the final allocation is announced
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Public hearing and public comment periods are held per HUD grant requirements each year. In addition, the HRC meetings are open to the public. The public service programs help address other neighborhood concerns by providing needed services for Peoria low income residents.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: CDBG funds will be awards to the programs per recommended grant amounts dependent upon the City’s 2020 CDBG allocation.
IMPACT IF DENIED: Funding will not be awarded for these activities and an alternative will need to be identified.
ALTERNATIVES: None at this time.
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: Please see attachment. 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. Financially Sound City
2. Beautiful Peoria
3. Choose an item.
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Reinvest in neighborhoods.
2. Support sustainability.
3. Have an efficient government.
DEPARTMENT: Community Development