Attached is a draft copy of the Program Year (PY) 2014-15 Consolidated Plan Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the City of Sparks.  Each year, the City of Sparks must prepare and submit a CAPER to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  Submission of the CAPER is a condition of receiving federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME program funding (Sparks receives the latter as a member of the Washoe County HOME Consortium [WCHC] where the City of Reno is the lead agency).  The City of Sparks must conduct a 15-day public comment period, hold at least one public hearing and submit this report to HUD by September 30, 2015.

The CAPER provides an overview of how the City of Sparks expended CDBG funding, as well as how the WCHC spent HOME funds, and reviews the jurisdictions’ community development and affordable housing accomplishments during Program Year 2014-15.  More specifically, the document is intended to provide a brief description of Sparks’ and WCHC’s HUD funded programs, including a listing of the projects undertaken during the previous year, the amount of funding expended, a review of the accomplishments achieved using grant and other funds, and serve generally as an assessment of progress made toward the jurisdictions’ goals as specified in the Consolidated Plan.   The CAPER is a programmatic review and done in addition to the City’s annual financial audit.

The City of Sparks committed the maximum of 15%, or up to $94,755.75 of its PY 2014-15 CDBG allocation to provide funding support for the Community Assistance Center (CAC), a homeless shelter located in the City of Reno.  The CAC includes shelters for men, women and families as well as a resource center.  Total annual funding for the CAC provided by Reno, Sparks and Washoe County is approximately $1.5 million.

In PY 2014-15, the City allocated up to $157,500 of CDBG funding for its Single Familiy, Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Home Loan and Emergency Grant Programs.  A total of $117,000 was expended during PY 2014-2015 for Planning and Administrative activities.  An additional $55,968 was used for Housing Rehabilitation Administration activities that included program administration of the housing rehabilitation programs to provide loans and grants to a total of thirteen (13) households assisted through these programs:  six (6) with Single Family Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation loans and seven (7) with Emergency Grants.

The maximum grant allowable under the Emergency Repair Grant program is $2,500 per household.  The applicant must meet the income guideline requirement of 60% or less of area median income.  These grants may only be obtained when conditions in the home affect the health and safety of the homeowner and occupants.

The City of Sparks allocated CDBG funds in the amount of $206,981 for FY 2014-15 plus an additional $397,697 of reprogram funds toward infrastructure and pedestrian improvements for a total community investment of $604,678.  The project undertaken during PY 2014-15 had specific boundaries of 6^th Street between Victorian Avenue and Prater Way.  Also included in the Pedestrian Improvements was Marian Way which is bordered by Prater Way to the north and immediately adjacent to Dilworth Middle School to the west.  The work performed under this activity primarily consisted of removing and replacing concrete curb, gutter and sidewalks, installing accessibility ramps, driveway approaches, and street repairs as necessary.

CDBG planning and administration funds in the amount of $94,755.75 were allocated in support of the Reno Area Alliance for the Homeless (RAAH) work for the homeless Continuum of Care planning and funding process.  Also, $15,000 from the City of Sparks and $10,000 from the City of Reno were provided for administrative funding to Silver State Fair Housing Council to further Fair Housing efforts throughout the community.  The total community investment of $25,000, is a HUD minimum requirement.

The City of Sparks, Washoe County and Reno collectively comprise the Washoe County HOME Consortium (WCHC), which uses HOME funds from HUD as well as other affordable housing funding sources to foster the development of affordable rental and for-sale housing.  Highlights of the Consortium’s activities during PY 2014-15 include the following:

The WCHC invested HOME and other leveraged funds for the new 45 unit senior affordable housing Lincoln Way Apartments at the intersection of 4^th Street and Lincoln Way in Sparks.

CDBG regulations require a minimum 15 day public comment period for the CAPER, and the City’s HUD-approved Citizen Participation Plan requires a public hearing.  A notice announcing the availability of the CAPER was published on September 10^th in the Reno Gazette-Journal.  The public comment period began on September 10 and will close on September 28; any public comment received at this hearing and during that time frame will be documented and incorporated into the final CAPER.

The City Council may provide direction on changes to the CAPER.  The CAPER must be submitted by September 30, 2015, however, as it is a condition of receiving CDBG funding allocation.

I move to approve submittal of the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report for Program Year 2014-15 for the City of Sparks to HUD.