Title
Amendment of the 2013 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Action Plan to Redirect Use of $25,650 for the Downtown Ambassador Program
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
General Government Committee recommends amending the 2013 CDBG Action Plan to Redirect Use of $25,650 for the Downtown Ambassador Program
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to amend the 2013 CDBG Action Plan to Redirect Use of $25,650 for the Downtown Ambassador Program
Report
Issue:
Should the City amend its PY2013 CDBG Action Plan to shift $25,650 from Isthmus Park Project to Downtown Ambassador program?
Staff Contact:
Leonard Bauer, Deputy Director, Community Planning and Development Department, 360.753.8206
Presenter(s):
Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is a program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. There are two basic sources of Community Development Block Grant funds.
Annual Entitlement Grants: The City receives CDBG funds as an entitlement grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds must be used in accordance with detailed regulations to benefit low- and moderate-income households or aid in the elimination of slum or blighted conditions. The CDBG grant in PY2013 is $357,000.
Program Income: In previous years, housing rehabilitation funding was distributed by the City in the form of loans. These are repaid to the City according to the loan terms and reused for other housing projects that benefit low- and moderate-income households. These funds are called "Program Income". During PY2013 the City anticipates receiving approximately $300,000 in program income.
Olympia's adopted CDBG Action Plan allocates approximately $1.02 million towards a variety of projects for PY2013. This $1.02 million allocation is predicated on all additional program income being utilized for the Isthmus Park project, up to $450,000.
The proposed CDBG Action Plan amendment is attached. It would divert $25,650 of the program income currently allocated to the Isthmus Park to fund one position of the Downtown Ambassador Program for the period March 1, 2014 through August 31, 2014. Downtown Ambassadors provide services on behalf of all members of the downtown community and collaborate daily with social service agencies to refer services to those in need on the street, and they provide conflict and dispute resolution services and engage in problem solving with local service agencies, City of Olympia, Olympia Police Department and other interested parties in order to address quality of life and place-making issues within the service areas. The project will serve a predominantly low- to moderate-income population within the downtown area.
A timeline chart and Downtown Ambassador/Clean Team position descriptions are included in the attachments. The City Council can consider extending CDBG funding for the position in the PY2014 CDBG Action Plan, which it will consider for adoption in late spring or early summer 2014. The City Council could also consider "re-funding" $25,650 to the Isthmus Park project in the PY2014 CDBG Action Plan.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The CDBG program is a city-wide program created to help low to moderate income residents. Downtown Olympia is within a low to moderate income census block group.
The City Council held a public hearing on February 4, 2014, as part of a 30-day public comment period January 14 - February 13, 2014. One person testified at the public hearing in support of the proposal. No written comments were received.
Options:
1. Adopt the amendment of the 2013 CDBG Action Plan to Redirect Use of $25,650 for the Downtown Ambassador Program.
2. Do not adopt the amendment of the 2013 CDBG Action Plan to Redirect Use of $25,650 for the Downtown Ambassador Program.
Financial Impact:
Re-direct use of $25,650 CDBG program income.