2012 2:00:00 PM

Monday, May 14, 2012 2:00 PM
Sparks Council Chambers, 745 4th Street, Sparks, NV

Public Hearing and Action Items Unrelated to Planning and Zoning: 7.3

Title: Public hearing and consideration and possible approval of the FY 2012/13 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Consortium Annual Action Plan

Petitioner/Presenter: Community Services/Armando Ornelas

Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council approve for submittal to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) the 2012/13 Annual Action Plan and proposed project funding allocations

Financial Impact: $623,242 ($574,145 in new CDBG entitlement funding plus $49,097 in unspent funds from a previous year that will be reprogrammed)

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

Agenda Item Brief: This agenda item asks the City Council to approve for submittal to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development the City’s Program Year 2012/13 Annual Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Consortium activities.

Background: The City of Sparks is an Entitlement Community under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. As an Entitlement Community, the City receives a direct allocation of CDBG funding each program year. In addition to the CDBG program, the City of Sparks partners with the City of Reno and Washoe County in the Washoe County HOME Consortium (WCHC). Via the WCHC, the three jurisdictions also receive an annual allocation of HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding. The guidelines for these formula grant programs outline three basic goals of decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities. As part of the annual application process for CDBG funds, an Action Plan is prepared by the City of Sparks, with information provided by the City of Reno for the WCHC, describing the proposed activities to be funded with CDBG and HOME dollars. The Annual Action Plan also identifies the process through which the jurisdictions, along with Washoe County, allocate and distribute funding, along with information regarding other funding resources available for those programs. HUD has informed the City of Sparks that for federal fiscal year 2012/13 the City has been allocated $574,145 in new CDBG funding. This new award amount is approximately 1.3% ($7,653) more than the previous award of $566,492. In addition, this Action Plan provides for reprogramming approximately $49,097 in unspent funds from the current program year and carries over previously allocated but unspent funds for the City’s housing rehabilitation programs and for improvements to the Community Assistance Center (homeless shelters) in Reno. Attached is a draft copy of the 2012/13Annual Action Plan. The public comment period began on April 13th and concludes on May 14th, at which time all comments will be reviewed and incorporated where appropriate. The Annual Action Plan will be submitted to HUD for review and approval on May 15, 2011. Additional copies of this Annual Action Plan may be obtained from, and public comments are to be submitted to, the City Planner, Armando Ornelas, at 431 Prater Way, Sparks, NV 89434 or via email to aornelas@cityofsparks.us.

Analysis: The Action Plan serves as the application for CDBG Entitlement Communities such as the City of Sparks. The 2012/13 Annual Action Plan outlines the activities the City of Sparks plans to undertake in Year 3 of the City’s Consolidated Plan for the 2010-2014 period, leveraging Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to address housing needs, public services and homelessness prevention under the objectives of a suitable living environment and decent housing. The 2012/13 Action Plan allocates a total of $623,242. This includes $574,145 in new CDBG entitlement funding plus $49,097 in unspent funds from a previous year that will be reprogrammed, as follows: • $114,829 for Planning and Administrative activities including Fair Housing and Continuum of Care. • $99,000 for the City administered Single Family, Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Loan and Emergency Grant programs. (In addition, the City is carrying over approximately $172,293 from the previous year for this activity and is anticipating approximately $12,000 in program income that would be used for this program.) • $343,292 ($299,195 from FY 2012 funds and $44,097 in reprogrammed funds) for Pedestrian Improvements in a project area whose boundaries are Pyramid Way on the west, Prater Way to the north, 4th Street to the east and Victorian Avenue on the south. In the upcoming program year City staff anticipate focusing first on 6th Street (and cross streets) and, if funding permits, 5th Street. • $86,121 for operation of the Community Assistance Center (homeless shelters) The City is also carrying forward $188,000 from a previous year to complete facility improvements to enhance security at the Community Assistance Center in Reno and, as noted above, $172,293 for its housing rehabilitation program. The Washoe County HOME Consortium’s (WCHC) proposed projects include a new multi-family apartment development – Aspen Village – proposed for a site at the corner of Merchant and Sullivans streets in Sparks. This project is intended to serve households with incomes at or below 40 percent of the area median income. Each project presented within the Action Plan meets the community’s needs as presented in the five year Consolidated Plan. To date, city staff has not received any public comment on the Consolidated Plan or Annual Action Plan.

Alternatives: Alternatives to all or part of the staff recommendation include: 1. Reducing or increasing the allocations for one or more of the projects or programs. 2. Eliminating one or more projects. 3. Eliminating one or more projects.

Recommended Motion: I move to approve the proposed project funding allocations and to submit the 2012/13 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Attached Files:

Sparks DRAFT 3rd year action plan.pdf

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