ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and the Director of Community Development with a Recommendation to Enter into an AGREEMENT, which Supersedes all Previous Agreements, with East Bluff Neighborhood HOUSING Services (EBNHS), Regarding the Use of Special Service Area (SSA) Funds for FY2016.
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BACKGROUND:
The City has been a major supporter and sponsor of EBNHS activities throughout the years and has demonstrated a strong commitment to the agency by providing public funds, building capacity, and leveraging EBNHS neighborhood programs.
On December 13, 2011, City Council approved Ordinance No. 16,781 levying the EBNHS SSA for FY2012. In addition to the levy, Council agreed to place EBNHS funds in escrow in order for the EBNHS to demonstrate their ability to implement specific, measurable programs and activities that directly benefit the households in the SSA.
On May 8, 2012, City Council received and filed a detailed status report by Council Member Timothy Riggenbach regarding the EBNHS efforts to achieve specific and measurable benchmarks identified by the City Council for the EBNHS FY2012 program year. On July 24, 2012, the City Council approved a request to forward a letter of commitment to the EBNHS to allocate $15,000 of FY2012 SSA funds for the FY2012 EBNHS Health and Safety Loan Program, provided the City entered into an agreement with EBNHS for FY2012.
City Council and Staff worked with the EBNHS Board of Directors during 2012 to develop a new agreement, which superseded all previous agreements. Council entered into the agreement on December 11, 2012 for FY2012 and FY2013 and approved Ordinance No. 16,916 to levy SSA funds for FY2013.
On November 26, 2013, City Council entered into an agreement for FY2014 and approved Ordinance No. 17,042. As part of the 2014 agreement, $15,000 was designated to the Health and Safety Loan Program. The Health and Safety Loan program was proposed to provide 0% interest housing loans up to $5,000 to eligible low income households that reside in the EBNHS SSA in need of emergency housing repairs.
Per the 2012-2013 agreement and the 2014 agreement, the Health and Safety Loan program was required to meet State and local requirements. In the fourth quarter of 2012, EBNHS submitted a draft of the Health and Safety Loan Program to the State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for review, to determine whether or not EBNHS was exempt from the requirements of the Residential Mortgage Licensing Act of 1987. They engaged in dialogue with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and made multiple revisions to the program, as requested by the State.
On September 12, 2014, an interpretation (Attachment B) was provided by the State that based on the revised program (Exhibit 1), EBNHS is exempt from licensing requirements through the State of Illinois in operating the Health and Safety Loan Program. Once the revised Health and Safety Loan Program is approved by Council, as part of the attached agreement, EBNHS can proceed with issuing Health and Safety Loans. For 2012 through 2014, a total of 45,000 (15,000 per year) was placed in a City account for use by EBNHS upon State approval of the program. This is required to be matched by $45,000 by EBNHS. As a result $90,000 was made available for the issuance of Health and Safety Loans by EBNHS in 2014, continued quarterly disbursements in 2015.
On December 9, 2014, City Council entered into an agreement in which $15,000 was devoted to the Health and Safety Loan Program and the remainder was devoted to operations. On June 23, 2015, the agreement was modified to devote $40,000 to operations, with the remainder devoted to the Health and Safety Loan Program.
2015 was very active year for EBNHS, with many accomplishments. Some of the notable accomplishments for 2015 include:
1. Community Core Initiative
a. Became a model for implementation in other communities throughout LISC service areas United States-wide
2. A full time contractor hired for work in the Community Core area, purchased a home to renovate and reside in on Wisconsin Ave.
3. Issuance of 4 Health & Safety Loans
4. Developed partnership with Navicore to assist residents in credit restoration
5. Property Management Agreement executed with Access Peoria
6. AmeriCorps Neighborhood Assessment Specialist completed Phase I
7. Community garden expansion
8. EBNHS rebranding
a. Complete website redesign (www.ebnhs.com <http://www.ebnhs.com>)
b. Facebook page expansion/Like page developed
9. Mural painted on Kim’s Beauty Supply through a LISC Creative Placemaking grant; which was leveraged to implement other façade improvements through the City’s Façade Improvement Program.
10. Established relationships with hard to reach residents (158)
11. Established new Neighborhood Association (Wisconsin East)
12. Assisted residents with contractors to ensure code compliance outside of core boundaries
13. Community Engagement strengthened
14. Community Library developed at EBNHS
15. Strengthened Relationships with Code Enforcement
16. Employment opportunities for East Bluff Residents within the Core (25)
17. Providing hours for community service workers throughout the neighborhood
18. Established relationship with Habitat for Humanity
19. Assisted Inasmuch during application process through construction
20. Partnered with Children’s PlayHouse in disbursement of vouchers
21. Assisted in application process for the EB Community Center food pantry
22. Implemented boot camp for area delinquents in partnership with resident Officer Hightower
23. Placement of the EBBIU sculpture
24. Expanded capacity with full time volunteer, Lueshand Nunn and Community Organizer, Schuyler Brock
25. Assisted in Eagle Scout Proclamation project completion
26. Partnered with AAA and Ameren for Illinois Home Efficiency Program application process/completion
27. Partnership with Public Health Department for lead abatement application/completion
28. Recruited volunteers for home improvement projects for residents outside of Community Core (3)
29. Lead Agency for End of School Bash donations/grants
30. Established in-kind relationship with local minority business (lawn care of EBNHS properties as well as pocket park on Illinois and other community properties)
31. Sponsor/volunteer team for East Bluff Sunrise Run
32. Secured funding for full time LISC AmeriCorps to continue Neighborhood Assessment phase II in 2016
The same agreement adopted for 2015 is proposed for 2016 (Attachment A), with the following changes:
v The EBNHS will receive EBNHS Special Service Area funds for revenue received by the City from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016, for the use of personnel and operating expenses. No SSA funds for 2016 will be devoted to specific programs for 2016, as EBNHS has received program funds from other sources. This is proposed only for 2016 and will be revisited in future years as part the annual agreement.
v Funds designated for the Health and Safety Loan Program from 2012 through 2015, must continue to be used toward the issuance of Health and Safety Loans, per the Health and Safety Loan Program guidelines approved by the City Council; however, no additional SSA funds will be devoted to the Health and Safety Loan Program in 2016.
The Dashboard report developed in 2011, serves as the EBNHS work plan (Exhibit 2). For the 2016 work plan, the following changes were made to the dashboard:
v The number of goals were reduced from 10 to 4, as many of the goals have been accomplished and continue to be met. The remaining goals and associated benchmarks include the following:
o Goal #1: EBNHS will implement specific measurable activities that provide a direct benefit to individual households within the SSD area. Proposed activities include, but are not limited to, The Health and Safety Loan Program.
§ Benchmark #1A.: EBNHS will continue to issue H&S Loans from 2012 - 2015 SSA funds, and will issue 5 H & S loans in 2016.
o Goal #2: EBNHS will work toward the funding of programs from sources other than the SSD funds.
§ Benchmark #2A: EBNHS will submit at least 2 grant applications quarterly and prepare a report quarterly on all activity, Which meet the following criteria:
i. Grant applications submitted should be for ongoing EBNHS programs (not one-time events); and
ii. Grant applications included on the City report should be from diverse sources, with limited duplication in grant sources for all grants submitted in 2016.
o Goal #3: EBNHS will develop Property Management Program.
§ Benchmark #3A: In 2016 EBNHS will continue to manage their current portfolio of 11 properties, which will includes (8) IFF properties associated with the AG grant (16 units).
o Goal #4: In 2016 EBNHS will continue to manage their current portfolio of 11 properties, which will includes (8) IFF properties associated with the AG grant (16 units).
§ Benchmark #4A: For 2016 EBNHS maintain a full time employee to assist Executive Director and an AmeriCorps member.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: FY2016 SSA funds will be dispersed quarterly per the agreement terms.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: No public meetings were held regarding the 2016 proposed agreement.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The EBNHS will receive EBNHS Special Service Area funds for revenue received by the City from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016, for the use of personnel expenses, operating expenses, and $5,000 designated annually for pocket park development.
IMPACT IF DENIED: An agreement between the EBNHS and the City of Peoria would not be approved and no SSA funds would be dispersed for 2016.
ALTERNATIVES: N/A
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: 00725-151231
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2014 - 2029 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Attractive Neighborhoods with Character: Safe and Livable
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Reinvest in neighborhoods.
DEPARTMENT: Community Development