To: Sonoma County Board of Commissioners
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Staff Name and Phone Number: Felicity Gasser, x7507
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
2020-2025 Consolidated Plan and One-Year Action Plan for use of CDBG, HOME and ESG grant funds
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Approve the Sonoma County 2020 Five-Year Consolidated Plan and Action Plan: One Year Use of Funds Fiscal Year 2020-21 for the proposed use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funds
end
Executive Summary:
This Agenda item is seeking Board approval of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), awards for FY 2020-21, approval of the required U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan and One Year Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2020-21.
The Consolidated Plan is a document required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for jurisdictions receiving formula CDBG, HOME and ESG federal funds. The Plan spans a five-year period and lays out local rationales and priorities for the use of the subject federal grant funds to benefit lower-income residents. ESG funds are dedicated to services for people experiencing homelessness. HOME funds are dedicated to affordable housing development and preservation. CDBG funds can be used for a wide variety of purposes, but must be used to benefit low-income communities, households, and individuals; however, a maximum of 15% of CDBG funds may be used for public services. The balance, after an allowance for general administration costs, must be allocated to capital projects or economic development purposes.
Discussion:
Action Plan: One Year Use of Funds for FY 2020-21
The FY 2020-21 final formula allocations from HUD are: $1,885,469 in CDBG; $896,007 in HOME; and $163,560 in ESG. Collectively, FY 2020-21 HUD funding is up 3% relative to FY 2019-20 amounts. The Commission also included CDBG and HOME program income to supplement the HUD grant awards. HUD requires that 15% of HOME program funding is set-aside for affordable housing activities undertaken by Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO) and invested in eligible housing. No CHDOs applied for funding during the FY 2020-2021 Funding Cycle, which is why projects recommended for HOME funding only total $744,007. Unspent CHDO Set-aside funds will be made available during future funding rounds.
On November 20, 2019, the Community Development Committee adopted the FY 2020-2021 Funding Policies for the CDBG and HOME Capital Projects and Fair Housing Programs, and HOME Sonoma County approved policies for use of Federal ESG shortly thereafter. The Policies define the way in which proposals are selected, the specific objectives and criteria that are used to review proposals, the deadline dates, and the roles of the various review bodies. All of the FY 2020-21 ESG-funded programs were continued for programs funded last year, while funding proposals for Capital Projects applied between December 4, 2019 and January 24, 2020.
The Community Development Committee, comprised of one representative of each supervisorial district, two Housing Authority tenant representatives, and the Human Services Department Director’s appointee; and the Cities & Towns Advisory Committee (CTAC), comprised of a representative from each of the seven jurisdictions of Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Sonoma, and Windsor, held a concurrent public hearing on March 18, to review and discuss all proposals submitted for CDBG and HOME funding. The Committees jointly reviewed project requests totaling $4,946,202 and made recommendations listed in the attached spreadsheets for $3,387,920 in available funding for those categories.
At the March public hearing, after Committee questions were answered regarding the proposals, and public comments were heard, the Community Development Committee and the Cities & Towns Advisory Committee made recommendations on proposal selection and funding levels. The Committees’ recommendations for projects and programs to be assisted are listed in the attached FY 2020-21 Summary of Funding Recommendations.
Public notification of the full list of funding recommendations was published in the Press Democrat on April 1, 2020 and made available on the Commission’s website the same day. The Community Development Committee heard further comments on the full list of projects recommended for formula grant funding on April 15, 2020. A subsequent notice was published on May 1st containing information about where to access the full draft Consolidated Plan and Action Plan along with a notice of the May 20th public hearing. The comment period for the Consolidated Plan was from May 1 to May 31, 2020.
Five-Year Consolidated Plan
The draft Sonoma County 2020 Consolidated Plan was developed by Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) staff in consultation with a wide range of public and private entities. Most of the entities included governmental and nonprofit organizations knowledgeable about the needs of the low-income residents of the County, and private citizens interested in, or affected by, the housing and community development activities discussed in the Plan. Information from public input meetings intended to gather information on needs and fair housing issues were held in locations throughout the County prior to drafting the Plan. The CDC published the draft 2020 Consolidated Plan for a 30-day public comment period beginning May 1, 2020. The draft Plan was available on the CDC’s website, was widely distributed via email, and hard copies were available to be mailed by request.
The Community Development Committee and the Cities & Towns Advisory Committee held concurrent public hearings to consider the draft 2020 Consolidated Plan on May 20, 2020.
Summary of the objectives and outcomes identified in the Plan Needs Assessment Overview
This Consolidated Plan, like previous Plans, organizes community priorities for the use of CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds by the Urban County by following the structure provided by HUD regulations, namely, by grouping said priorities into three categories: affordable housing, homelessness, and non-housing community development.
The Urban County's Consolidated Plan contains the following broad goals:
1. Affordable Housing: Increase and preserve the housing stock that is affordable, safe, and accessible for low-, very low-, and extremely-low families and individuals, including those with special needs and those who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.
2. Homelessness: Promote effective and proven strategies for homelessness prevention and intervention countywide.
3. Non-Housing Community Development: a) Assist in creating and/or replacing infrastructure systems and public facilities that meet the needs of lower-income people, people with disabilities, and other special needs subpopulations county-wide; b) Promote the well-being and economic integration of lower-income persons through non-housing services, self-sufficiency programs, job training, and economic development assistance; and c) Promote Fair Housing by investing in services which assist low-income tenants with fair housing complaints, reasonable accommodations and eviction defense, each of which enables residents to remain in their home or extend their period of housing.
Each of these priorities has equity as its underlying foundation by ensuring that historically marginalized or disadvantaged communities have equal and fair access to the services provided through HUD funding.
Project Summary Information for 2019-2020 Action Plan
(Full version on page 142-146 of Draft Consolidated Plan)
1 |
Project Name |
Administration and Planning |
|
Funding |
CDBG: $417,094 (20%) HOME: $86,900 (10%) ESG: $11,832 |
|
Description |
Administration of the 2020 CDBG, HOME and ESG Programs for the County of Sonoma. This will include consulting and technical assistance services as well as program planning efforts and project delivery. There is no corresponding National Objective for Administration though these efforts support the successful completion of all other projects and activities. |
|
Planned Activities |
Countywide administration of CDBG, HOME and ESG programs |
2 |
Project Name |
Acquisition, Disposition and Predevelopment |
|
Funding |
CDBG: $40,000 |
|
Description |
The City will utilize CDBG funds, including entitlement funds and program income, to fund housing project activities, including housing rehabilitation work, affordable housing rehabilitation, environmental reviews, and deepening affordability in existing homeowner and rental units. |
|
Planned Activities |
Catholic Charities Caritas Center is recommended for funds to complete a NEPA Environmental Assessment. |
3. |
Project Name |
Housing |
|
Funding |
CDBG: $674,317 HOME: $278,320 |
|
Description |
The County will utilize CDBG funds, including entitlement funds and program income, to fund housing project activities, including housing rehabilitation work, affordable housing rehabilitation, predevelopment on affordable housing projects, and creating affordable homeownership opportunities for low/mod residents. HOME Funds will be used to create affordable housing opportunity through construction of new units and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance for low-income individuals. |
|
Planned Activities |
City of Rohnert Park Essential Workforce Housing Program which will buy down affordability for two single-family homes to make them affordable forever; Sonoma County Housing Rehabilitation Program; BRIDGE Housing Cotati Station predevelopment work; and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance |
4. |
Project Name |
CDBG: Public Facilities and Infrastructure Improvements |
|
Funding |
$630,920 |
|
Description |
The County will utilize CDBG funds to improve public facilities and public infrastructure to meet the demands of citizens in LMI areas or to meet the needs of LMC in specific areas. This will include ADA accessibility improvements and infrastructure updates. |
|
Planned Activities |
Water system improvements to increase water pressure and install fire hydrants in underserved areas, and ADA improvements for recreational/municipal facilities and sidewalks in low-moderate income areas. |
5. |
Project Name |
Public Services and Housing Stabilization |
|
Funding |
CDBG: $282,820 |
|
Description |
Funds will be used to support a robust Fair Housing Education program as well as legal services to provide eviction defense for residents and related housing stabilization programs. |
|
Planned Activities |
Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California Housing Education program and Legal Aid Housing Justice Program |
6. |
Project Name |
ESG-Funded Projects |
|
Funding |
ESG: $151,293 |
|
Description |
ESG funds will be used for Rapid-Rehousing and shelter services. No more than 60% of funds will go to the Catholic Charities’ Family Support Center, while the remainder will go to Rapid-Rehousing programs. |
|
Planned Activities |
Rapid Rehousing and emergency shelter |
Prior Board Actions:
5/15/2015, Item 22, Board approved Sonoma County 2015 Consolidated Plan
Fiscal Summary
Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$3,387,920 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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$3,387,920 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Requested actions are for FY 2020-21 with a projected fiscal impact of $3,387,920 and a corresponding $3,387,920 programming of expenses to be included in the FY 2020 Budget, comprised of the following funding sources: $1,885,469 for CDBG, $896,007 for HOME, $163,560 for ESG and $442,884 in prior years’ program income, reprogrammed funds, and reserves. The Commission will seek approval on future years’ anticipated allocations in the corresponding annual action plans under this Consolidated Planning period.
Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
1. Draft 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan and 1-Year Action Plan
2. 2020-21 Funding Policies Approved by Community Development Committee on November 20, 2019
3. Memo to Board and List of Projects selected for funding
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None