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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem IVPLAN COMMISSION JANUARY 19, 2021 ITEM IV: PUBLIC HEARING: APPROVE AMENDMENT TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT 2020 ACTION PLAN AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN RELATED TO CARES ACT FUNDING BACKGROUND Staff requests approval of an amendment to the approved 2020 CDBG Annual Action Plan to increase the 2020 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation of $840,914 to include $494,757 in Round 1 CDBG-CV funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) in response to the COVID-19 health crisis. Staff is also requesting approval of amendments to the previously approved CDBG Citizen Participation Plan to add language specifically in reference to the COVID-19 funding response with a HUD waiver to provide for a 5 day review/comment period and to allow virtual hearings in the event federal, state or local authorities recommend social distancing. The Common Council approved of the Action Plan and Citizen Participation Plan in March 2020. Both Plans were submitted to HUD and subsequently approved. ANALYSIS 2020 ACTION PLAN AMENDMENT Oshkosh has received three rounds of funding under the CARES Act to prevent or prepare for the COVID-19 health crisis. Round 1 funds - $494,757 from HUD Round 2 funds - $210,269.89 from State of Wisconsin, Department of Administration Round 3 funds - $292,664 from HUD Staff solicited proposals from public service organizations to identify the needs in the community to address the pandemic health crisis. Twenty-one applications were received. Staff felt the best approach would be to have the Grant Review Committee recommend funding only utilizing Round 1 funds until the first or second quarter of 2021 in the event of a public health crisis / pandemic outbreak to ensure the City would have funds available to immediately address the situation. The Grant Review Committee includes members of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, United Way and community members. Based on this approach, the Review Committee is recommending the following organizations be funded with Round 1 CDBG-CV funds: Page 1 2 Organization Program/Activity Recommendation Oshkosh Area Community Pantry Replace broken cooler/freezer used to provide clients with perishable foods $10,000 Day by Day Warming Shelter Warming Shelter operations; homeless motel vouchers $100,000 Miravida Living Inc Nursing home aides to assist isolated residents $40,859 GO-EDC Foundation Inc Catch A Ride work program $25,000 Oshkosh Kids Foundation Homeless family motel vouchers; security deposits $50,000 Water City Care Mission Inc St Anne's Clinic operations serving homeless $70,000 Day by Day Warming Shelter COVID Emergency Shelter $42,632 Advocap Inc Monroe Street affordable housing units for those impacted by COVID $26,288 Advocap Inc Rental Assistance $100,000 Advocap Inc Homeowner mortgage assistance $29,978 Total Round 1 funding $494,757 CDBG CITIZEN PARTICIPTION PLAN Staff is requesting approval of amendments to the Citizen Participation Plan to add language in reference to the COVID-19 funding response with a HUD waiver to provide a 5 day review/ comment period versus the current 15 or 30 day comment period, and allow for virtual hearings in the event federal, state or local authorities recommend social distancing. These amendments are being recommended by HUD to expedite citizen input and approval of amendments relating to a public health crisis or emergency. Next Step The City is accepting public comments on both Plan amendments until January 26, 2021. A summary of all comments received by the City will be included with each respective Plan as an exhibit. Comments can be mailed to Darlene Brandt, Oshkosh City Hall, 215 Church Avenue, Room 201, Oshkosh, WI 54901 or email dbrandt@ci.oshkosh.wi.us. Questions can be directed to Ms. Brandt at 920.236.5029. Prior to Council consideration, these plans are reviewed by the Plan Commission for consistency with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, as amended, official maps, and other planned activities of the City. In this regard, staff has reviewed the proposed projects and activities to be carried out with Page 2 3 Round 1 CDBG-CV funds, and none have been identified as being contrary to the Comprehensive Plan, official maps, or other planned activities of the City and applicable Federal regulations. RECOMMENDATIONS/CONDITIONS Staff recommends approval of the amended 2020 Annual Action Plan to allocate $494,757 in Round 1 CDBG-CV funds from HUD, as noted above, together with a finding that listed projects/activities are not in conflict with the City of Oshkosh Comprehensive Plan, official maps or other planned activities of the City, and approval of amendments to the CDBG Citizen Participation Plan as noted above. Page 3 Citizen Participation Plan for HUD Funded Activities Page 1 February 2020 Amended Jan 2021 CITY OF OSHKOSH 2020 CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN The City of Oshkosh receives an annual entitlement of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for housing and community development activities to assist low to moderate income persons. In accordance with HUD regulation 24 CFR 91.105, the City is required to adopt a Citizen Participation Plan that sets forth the City’s policies and procedures for citizen participation in the creation of a 5-Year Consolidated Plan (Consolidated Plan) that addresses affordable housing and community development needs, submit an Annual Action Plan (Annual Plan) to outline spending and activities for the corresponding program years, a Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) to evaluate the City’s accomplishments and use of CDBG funds and an Analysis of Impediments / Assessment of Fair Housing Plan. The Citizen Participation Plan will be revised periodically as required to fulfill related Federal, State and/or local funding requirements. Objectives The Citizen Participation Plan provides for and encourages citizens to participate in the development of the Consolidated Plan, any substantial amendments to the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, the performance report (CAPER) and the Fair Housing Plan. This Plan is designed to solicit views and recommendations from the community, organizations and other interested parties, encourage participation by low and moderate income persons, and to incorporate their views and recommendations in the decision making process. Actions will be taken to encourage participation of all citizens, including minorities and non-English speaking persons, as well as persons with disabilities. The City of Oshkosh encourages collaboration with the Oshkosh/Winnebago County Housing Authority and the residents of public and assisted housing developments during the process of developing and implementing the Consolidated Plan, along with other low-income residents of targeted revitalization areas in which the developments are located. The City strives to provide information to the Oshkosh/Winnebago County Housing Authority about consolidated plan activities related to its developments and surrounding communities. Development of Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans and Analysis of Impediments / Assessment of Fair Housing Plan Before the City adopts a consolidated plan, the City will make available to citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties information that includes the amount of assistance the City expects to receive (including grant funds and program income) and the range of activities that will be undertaken, including the estimated amount that will benefit persons of low and moderate income. The city will make a concerted effort to notify residents, social service providers, non-profit organizations, community and faith based organizations, and other interested parties of the development of the Consolidated and Annual Plans, and Fair Housing Plan through electronic mail, online postings and notices in the local newspaper. During project development, it is the City's goal to minimize displacement of persons and to assist any person displaced. During redevelopment or rehabilitation projects, the City will work with citizens and property owners to present assistance available during the displacement period. Depending on the Formatted: Highlight Page 4 Citizen Participation Plan for HUD Funded Activities Page 2 February 2020 Amended Jan 2021 nature and scope of the project, this information will be made available in written and/or oral formats. City staff will be available to meet with those being displaced to continue any necessary discussion. The City of Oshkosh will publish a summary of the proposed Plans and Fair Housing Plan which describes the contents and purpose of the Plan(s) and/or Fair housing Plan and include a list of locations where they may be examined. The Plan(s) and/or Fair Housing Plan will be available for review at the Community Development Department (215 Church Avenue, Room 201), and online at www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us on the Economic Development web page. In addition, the City will provide a reasonable number of free copies of the plan to citizens and groups that request it. The notice will include information on the public hearing including location, date, and time. The notice published in the local newspaper will initiate citizen review comment periods. - Consolidated Plan or Amendments and Analysis of Impediments/Assessment of Fair Housing: a 30-day period to receive comments from citizens and interested Parties, unless otherwise specified under the pertinent Federal regulation or applicable waivers to prevent the spread of infectious disease and mitigate economic impacts caused by infectious disease or disaster. - Annual Action Plan and Performance Report: a 15 day period to receive comments from citizens and interested parties, unless otherwise allowed under a waiver by HUD. During the preparation of the Plans, the City of Oshkosh will consider any comments or views received at public hearings or by other means. A summary of these comments or views, and a summary of any comments or views not accepted and the reasons therefore, will be attached as an appendix to the Plans. Amendments to the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans and Analysis of Impediments/ Assessment of Fair Housing. The City of Oshkosh will amend the consolidated plan if, during the program year, it is decided not to carry out an activity described in the annual action plan, propose a new project, or to substantially change the purpose, scope, location, or beneficiaries of an activity. For purposes of this Plan, the criteria for substantial is defined to be an action which changes a project category by an amount equal to or in excess of twenty percent (20%) of the current entitlement grant, or if the location of a project is changed in a manner that would deprive persons originally included of specific benefits. A public hearing to amend the Plans would be held before the Common Council. Citizen comment period shall be as noted above. During the preparation of substantial amendments to the consolidated plan, the City will consider any comments or views received at public hearings or by other means. A summary of these comments or views, and a summary of any comments or views not accepted and the reasons therefore, will be attached as an appendix to the Plans. For CDBG-CV funding under PY 2019 and PY 2020 and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or CARES Act, and/or any additional funding granted in response to COVID-19 health crisis, the City may provide a 5 day notice/comment period of a substantial amendment as allowed under a HUD waiver. This includes any new activities proposed. A public hearing is not required but documentation relative to substantial amendment activity planning applies. Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Page 5 Citizen Participation Plan for HUD Funded Activities Page 3 February 2020 Amended Jan 2021 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). The CAPER is due to HUD within 90 days of the end of the program year. The City of Oshkosh’s program year ends April 30; therefore, the performance report is due to HUD by the end of July. Thus, this review period will typically be conducted during July. Page 6 Citizen Participation Plan for HUD Funded Activities Page 4 February 2020 Amended Jan 2021 A comment period of not less than 15 days will be published in the local newspaper, unless otherwise allowed under a waiver by HUD. Copies of the report will be available for review at the Community Development Department and online at www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us on the Economic Development web page. Comments or views of citizens will be accepted in both written and oral formats. A summary of these comments or views will be attached to the CAPER and submitted to HUD. Public Hearings. The City will hold a minimum of two public hearings each year to obtain citizens views regarding housing and community development needs, proposed allocation of CDBG funds, strategies and actions taken to affirmatively further fair housing and review program performance, unless otherwise allowed under a waiver by HUD. Notice will be provided a minimum of 10 days in advance of the public hearing and published in the local newspaper, unless otherwise allowed under a waiver by HUD. The hearings will address housing and community development needs, development of proposed activities, and review of program performance. Public hearings and meeting locations shall be accessible to those with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for those with disabilities or in need of interpreters upon advance request by contacting the Community Development Department. Per direction from HUD, provided to CDBG grant recipients on March 16, 2020 during their ‘National Briefing on Community Development Block grant support for infectious disease response’ – the City of Oshkosh will consider undertaking ‘virtual’ public hearings (alone or in concert with an in-person hearing) allowing questions in real time, with answers coming directly from the elected representatives to all ‘attendees’ during times of emergencies, such as the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Oshkosh will select a virtual hearing method or platform that will provide for accessibility for persons with disabilities to participate. The City of Oshkosh will document these efforts and provide descriptions to HUD in the subject documents. The Citizen Participation Plan was amended to include these new outreach procedures, recommended by HUD. Access to Information and Records. Any citizen, organization or interested party may submit written requests for information regarding the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, Fair Housing Plan and CAPER, including the City's use of funds under the CDBG program and the benefit to low and moderate income persons. These Plans will be available for public review at the Community Development Office (215 Church Avenue, Room 201), and on the City's website, www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us on the Economic Development web page. The City will, upon request, make available these documents in a form accessible to persons with disabilities. Technical Assistance. Upon request and where applicable, technical assistance will be provided to groups representative of persons of low and moderate income that request such assistance in developing proposals for funding assistance under any of the programs covered by the consolidated plan. The assistance need not include the provision of funds to the groups. Comment and Complaint Process. The City will consider any comments from citizens received in writing or orally at public hearings in preparing this Citizen Participation Plan, the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, CAPERs, Fair Housing Plan and/or substantial amendments to these Plans. A summary of all comments will be attached and submitted to HUD. Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Formatted: Highlight Page 7 Citizen Participation Plan for HUD Funded Activities Page 5 February 2020 Amended Jan 2021 The City will respond to written complaints received relating to the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Fair Housing Plan, CAPERs and/or substantial amendments. Written complaints must describe the objection and provide contact information of the complainant. The City will respond to complaints within 15 working days of receiving the written complaint, acknowledging the letter and identifying a plan of action, if necessary. Approved by the Oshkosh Common Council: March 24, 2020 Page 8