2014 2:00:00 PM

Monday, January 27, 2014 2:00 PM
Council Chambers, Legislative Bldg, 745 4th St., Sparks, NV

General Business: 6.6

Title: Consideration and possible affirmation of the City of Sparks’ intent to participate as a member of the home consortium with the City of Reno and Washoe County as the Washoe County Home Consortium (WCHC).

Petitioner/Presenter: City of Sparks/Jim Rundle, Senior Planner

Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Council confirm the intent to participate as a member of the Washoe County Home Consortium.

Financial Impact: The funds received by the WCHC consist of federal grants, program income, and State of Nevada HOME and Low-Income Housing Trust Funds. The use of these funds does not impact the general fund budget; however projects receiving HOME funds are authorized a property tax exemption by Nevada law.

Business Impact (Per NRS 237):
A Business Impact Statement is not required because this is not a rule.

Agenda Item Brief: The City of Reno currently acts as the lead entity for the Washoe County HOME Consortium (WCHC), the regional mechanism for providing state and federal funding to affordable housing projects and programs, through an Inter-Governmental Agreement. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that participating jurisdictions renew their Inter-Governmental Agreement every three years. The City of Sparks City Council approved a resolution for an automatic renewal resolution in 2011. This year (2014) the automatic renewal is set to renew, and HUD is requesting that all three jurisdictions affirm their participation. Staff recommends that the Council affirm their intent to participate in the Washoe County HOME Consortium.

Background: The original Inter-Governmental Agreement of the WCHC was adopted in 1994 to address regional and affordable housing issues and to allocate funds received in the region for affordable housing development. Creating the WCHC enabled the region to receive increased funding over what would be received by the City of Sparks independently. As required by HUD, the Agreement identified the City of Reno as the lead entity. HUD requires that the participating jurisdictions renew their Inter-Governmental Agreement every three years; however, HUD allows consortia to include an automatic renewal in the agreement. This mechanism establishes in successive three-year periods the agreement will be renewed as long as all of the participating jurisdictions continue to provide the Notice of Intent to the lead agency when the Agreement is up for renewal. The City of Sparks approved, by resolution, the automatic renewal in 2011, and must now confirm Sparks’ “Notice of Intent” to participate in the consortium with the lead agency (Reno) as the agreement is up for renewal. The Inter-Governmental Agreement outlines the structure of the WCHC as well as how the WCHC will maintain compliance with certain HUD regulations. As the lead agency for the WCHC, the City of Reno administers the funds allocated to the WCHC and ensures compliance with federal and/or state regulations. Renewing the Agreement will continue the WCHC for another three years, and automatic successive three-year qualification periods. The WCHC Inter-Governmental Agreement is currently up for renewal. Renewing the agreement will ensure that the WCHC remains eligible to receive federal and/or state funding for affordable housing development.

Analysis: See background

Alternatives: THe City Council may vote to remove the City of Sparks from the Home Consortium.

Recommended Motion: I move to affirm the City of Sparks’ intent to participate as a member of the home consortium with the City of Reno and Washoe County as the Washoe County Home Consortium (WCHC).

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