12-A
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM: Jim DellaLonga, Director of Economic Development
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to adopt Resolution No. 25-14 – A Resolution approving a Substantial Amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan to reprogram unused
Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Relief funds (CDBG-CV) for the redesign of the public sidewalk located at TownCenter Gateway Plaza on the northeast corner of Belmont Street and Bellflower Boulevard to encourage social distancing. (Continued from April 14, 2025)
DATE: May 12, 2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At the April 14, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting, the City Council held a public hearing to consider adopting Resolution No. 25-14, which would approve a Substantial Amendment to the FY 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan to reallocate the $407,553 remaining CDBG-CV funding for the redesign of the public sidewalk and pedestrian area located at Town Center Gateway Plaza to encourage social distancing. Following the discussion, the City Council directed the Director of Economic Development (“Director”) to return with other public infrastructure and public facility project proposals that have been and could be considered, including a review of those identified by the City Council, and those previously considered. The City Council continued the public hearing to May 12, 2025, to review and consider additional project proposals that could potentially be funded with the remaining CDBG-CV funds.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Re-open the continued public hearing; take testimonial and documentary evidence; after considering the evidence, provide direction to the City Manager regarding the reallocation of CDBG-CV funds, and continue the Public Hearing to May 27, 2025; or
2) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
Specific project costs will be dependent on the project ultimately selected and additional funds beyond CDBG-CV may be required to complete a potential project. $407,553 in CDBG-CV funds are remaining to be reprogramed and expended.
1: BELLF
{‘1 O LOR’GQ
*‘ Sitafteport
Staff Report – CDBG-CV Substantial Amendment #6
May 12, 2025
BACKGROUND
In 2020, under the CARES Act, the City received at total of $1,188,480 in funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. Pursuant to the CARES Act , these funds must be fully expended by November 2026. As shown in the table below, just under $781,000 was spent on various programs, approved by HUD through substantial amendments to the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Annual Action Plan, leaving $407,553 in CDBG-CV funds to be reprogramed and expended by the deadline, or returned to HUD.
PROGRAM FUNDED
AMOUNT
EXPENDED
FUNDS REMAINING
Planning and Administration (20%
cap) $237,696 $237,696 $0
Emergency Housing Needs
Assistance $186,784 $181,143 $5,641
Food Insecurity Program $27,000 $24,564 $2,436
Homeless Shelter Meals Program $30,000 $30,000 $0
Youth/Family/Senior Services $507,000 $213,024 $293,976 Business Assistance Grants $100,000 $94,500 $5,500
New Small Business Start-up
Program $100,000 $0 $100,000
Totals: $1,188,480 $780,927 $407,553
DISCUSSION
In addition to the restrictions expenditures of CDBG funds must normally meet, projects funded using these CV funds must also be directly used to address the impact of coronavirus and must be approved by HUD as meeting those requirements . Any project proposed must also be completed by November 2026.
In considering potential projects that could be eligible for this funding source, the Director conferred with the Parks and Recreation and Public Works Departments as well as Avant Garde, the City’s HOME and CDBG consultant, to review the projects that the City has planned for but have thus far been unfunded and that may be eligible under the specific funding guidelines of this program as established by HUD. After establishing a list of potentially eligible projects, the Director reviewed the projects with the Avant Garde, and determined which projects were most likely to be approved by HUD. Some of the projects identified were determined to be ineligible, while others could be considered further.
These projects are discussed in the table below. Projects identified as ineligible have not been considered further because they do not meet HUD g uidelines and requirements.
Projects that have been identified as Eligible have been previously discussed or approved with HUD representatives and would be likely to be approved if presented. Other projects identified as potentially eligible for the City Council’s consideration have not been discussed with HUD representatives, but based on review of the guidelines and discussions with Avant Garde, could be submitted for consideration.
A
Staff Report – CDBG-CV Substantial Amendment #6
May 12, 2025
DISCUSSION – Continued
PROJECTS DETERMINED TO BE INELIGIBLE
PROJECT COMMENTS
Executive Tract Street
Lighting Not in a CDBG Low- and Moderate-Income Area
Bank of the West
building conversion to
Public Safety
Only public serving area of building conversion would be eligible, but project would not be completed by deadline
Oak Center Access Would potentially supplant existing allocated funding - other funds have been budgeted for this project
Town Center Plaza
Stage Re-Design
Difficult to justify/document a COVID tieback, project should be designed in conjunction with full plaza re-design, which will not be complete by deadline
Sidewalks
(Coke Street, or
others)
Unlikely to be approved - Cannot justify/document a COVID tieback Traffic Calming Bulb
Outs & Medians Unlikely to be approved - Cannot justify/document a COVID tieback
PROJECTS DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE
PROJECT COMMENTS
Town Center Gateway
Plaza
Sidewalk/Pedestrian
Re-design
Re-design and installation of features to create and encourage social distancing. Project has been conceptually discussed by staff, but has remained unfunded.
Additional Business
Grants Difficult for recipients to document COVID Tieback Additional Public
Services (Grants to
non-profits)
Difficult for subrecipients to document COVID Tiebacks directly to recipients of services
V
k
Staff Report – CDBG-CV Substantial Amendment #6
May 12, 2025
DISCUSSION – Continued
PROJECTS DETERMINED TO BE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE
PROJECT COMMENTS
Improvements to public
serving areas of city
facilities (i.e., City Hall
front lobbies and counters,
etc.)
Limited improvement project options that would encourage social distancing and may not maximize usage of funding Laurel Street Pedestrian
Plaza Conversion
Re-design and installation of features to create social distancing.
Project could be eligible, but timing may be problematic depending on design
New Neighborhood
Park/Rec site at
9443 Artesia Boulevard
New outdoor space must specifically encourage social
distancing. Project timing may be problematic depending on design. Project costs may exceed funding
Palm Street Park Fitness
or Amenity Zone Activation
(SWC of Clark Ave/Palm St)
Installation of fitness features and/or amenities must specifically encourage social distancing. Project costs may not exhaust funding, but project may be able to be completed more quickly than others.
While the above table is not an exhaustive list of potential projects, these projects have been determined to be the most likely to b e approved as addressing specific effects of COVID-19, meet the eligibility requirements, and to be completed within the required timeframe without supplanting existing funding allocations.
It is recommended that the City Council review the list of potentially eligible projects and provide direction to the City Manager and Director as to which project(s) or program(s) should be submitted to HUD for reallocation of these funds. Alternatively, the City Council can elect to not reallocate the funding and the funds will be returned to HUD.
ATTACHMENT
Project Site Locations
Staff Report – CDBG-CV Substantial Amendment #6
May 12, 2025
ATTACHMENT
Project Site Locations
Town Center Gateway Plaza
Laurel Street Pedestrian Plaza Conversion
Staff Report – CDBG-CV Substantial Amendment #6
May 12, 2025
Palm Street Park Fitness or Amenity Zone Activation
New Neighborhood Pocket Park – Sout of the 91 Freeway – 9443 Artesia Blvd.