DATE:
June 20, 2023
TO:
Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
FROM:
Charles S. Bryant, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:
Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Authorizing The Continued Participation Of The City Of Emeryville In The Alameda County Urban County For Community Development Block Grant Funds And Authorizing The Execution Of The Cooperation Agreement Between The City And County Of Alameda Regarding Participation In The Alameda County Urban County For Community Block Grant Program Funds Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Three-Year Cooperation Agreement with Alameda County to participate in the Urban County Community Development Block Grant Program for federal fiscal years 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Background
The City of Emeryville is an “Urban County City” under the guidelines of the federal Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), both of which are administered by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Emeryville’s CDBG funds are provided through Alameda County’s Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). HCD applies to HUD in Washington, D.C. every three years to be an urban county entitlement community for the CDBG and HOME Programs. The Urban County is comprised of those cities with populations under 50,000 (Albany, Emeryville, Newark, and Piedmont), and one city with a population over 50,000 (Dublin) as well as the unincorporated areas of the County. Cities must have populations of 50,000 or more to directly receive CDBG entitlement funds.
As the entitlement jurisdiction for Urban County CDBG funds and Alameda County HOME Consortium funds, HCD will enter into three-year “Cooperation Agreements” with the Urban County cities participating in the CDBG and HOME programs. Emeryville entered into a Cooperation Agreement with the County in June 2008 for federal fiscal years 2008 through 2011; in June 2011 for federal fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014; in June 2014 for federal fiscal years 2015, 2016, and 2017; in June 2018 for federal fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020; and in June 2020 for federal fiscal years 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The Cooperation Agreement is distinct from the annual CDBG agreement because it sets forth a three-year term for Emeryville to be a member of the Urban County and to receive an annual allocation of CDBG funds, enables Emeryville to apply for HOME funds through the Urban County, and assures that Emeryville will abide by HUD’s CDBG and HOME requirements on projects utilizing these funding sources.
Discussion
The City of Emeryville is in its final year of the current three-year Cooperation Agreement that terminates on September 30, 2023 (the end of federal fiscal year 2023). Without such an agreement, the City would have to compete with other small cities throughout the state for limited funds. A resolution has been prepared for the Council’s consideration to enter into a new Cooperation Agreement for the next three federal fiscal years 2024 through 2026 (i.e., October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2026).
The Cooperation Agreement stipulates that Emeryville, as a participant in the CDBG and HOME programs and as a recipient of said funds, will abide by the regulations set forth in the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. This Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex or religion in programs and activities that receive financial assistance through CDBG. The Cooperation Agreement between the City and County, set forth in Exhibit A of the attached resolution, was prepared by the County.
Fiscal Impact
The three-year Cooperation Agreement has no impact on the General Fund. As noted above, if the City does not enter into the three-year Cooperation Agreement, it would need to compete with other communities statewide to receive CDBG and HOME funds.
Staff Communication with the Public
There was no staff communication with the public.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the execution of the Three-Year Cooperation Agreement with Alameda County.
PREPARED BY: Valerie F. Bernardo, Community and Economic Development Coordinator II REVIEWED BY: Chadrick Smalley, Deputy Director of Community Development
APPROVED AND FORWARDED TO THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE:
Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Draft Resolution, including Exhibit A, Cooperation Agreement for FY 2024-2026 CDBG Cooperation Agreement with Alameda County for Federal FY 2024-26 | June 20, 2023
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM