Agenda Item C.2
PUBLIC HEARING
Meeting Date: March 1, 2022
____________________________________________________________
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Jaime A. Valdez, Neighborhood Services Director
CONTACT: Claudia Dato, Senior Project Manager
Shanna Dawson, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Public Hearing on Needs, Goals, and Funding Priorities for the 2022-2023 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
RECOMMENDATION:
A. Conduct a public hearing to receive public input on the needs, goals , and objectives of the City’s CDBG Program and fund ing recommendations for the 2022-2023 Action Plan; and
B. Approve the recommendations of the City Council Standing Grant Funding Review Committee for 2022-2023 CDBG funding to be included in the draft Action Plan.
BACKGROUND:
Since 2004, t he City of Goleta has received an annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The primary objective of the CDBG program is the development of viable communities, decent and affordable housing, an d expanded economic development opportunities for persons of very low, low, and moderate incomes.
As a CDBG entitlement community, the City of Goleta is required to submi t an Annual Action Plan to HUD. The Annual Action Plan articulates the City’s proposed CDBG projects for the upcoming program year, sets annual goals, and indicates how the CDBG funding will be allocated.
Following the input and recommendations provided at this meeting, staff will complete the draft 2022-2023 CDBG Action Plan. This draft Action Plan will then be released for a 30- day public review period prior to returning to the City Council for final approval. The Action Plan must be submitted to HUD by May 15th annually.
At this time, the federal CDBG allocations for FY 22/23 have not been finalized and HUD has not released the FY 22/23 entitlement allocations. As a result, staff has proceeded under a status quo estimate that the total amount will be approximately the same as the current year ($233,955). Fifteen percent (15%) or approximately $35,000 of this amount can be allocated to Public Services to assist low- to moderate-income people. 1 Meeting Date: March 1, 2022
2 On December 16, 2021, the City published a Notice of Funding Availability (in English and Spanish) in the Independent inviting applications for FY 2022-2023 funding through both the Goleta City Grant program and the CDBG program. Outreach for FY 2022-2023 grant funding availability was provided via these newspaper display ads, the City’s website, social media, and by p ress release . City staff also notified current and past applicants about the funding availability. For the fourth year, the City utilized an online application process through ZoomGrants, a popular online application program used by many other jurisdictions. The deadline for submittal of grant applications was January 28, 2022.
Of the 48 applications received, 13 applicants were eligible for and were considered for CDBG funding. The funding requests of all 13 CDBG applications total $199,000 with requests ranging from $10,000 to $25,000. These 13 CDBG applications were reviewed by the City Council’s Standing Grant Funding Review Committee (Committee) on February 3, 2022. This Committee is comprised of the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore , and two citizen advisory members appointed by the Mayor. The purpose of the Committee is to investigate, consider, evaluate, and advise the Council regarding grant funding opportunities, including CDBG funding and Goleta City Grant Program funding. In addition to Mayor Perotte and Mayor Pro Tempore Kasdin, the two citizen members appointed to serve on the Committee this calendar year are Danny Fitzgibbons and Luz Reyes-Martin.
DISCUSSION:
This public hearing provides an opportunity for the public and the City Council to discuss the City’s needs, priorities, and potential projects that should receive CDBG grant funding for FY 2022-2023. Consideration for CDBG funding should be given to the goals t hat were established in the 2020-2024 Five-Year Consolidated Plan. These include providing CDBG support for services to the homeless, those with disabilities or special needs, services for low- to moderate-income youth and seniors, and general services for low- to- moderate income people. Other goals of the Consolidated Plan include promoti ng a suitable living environment through street, sidewalk, drainage, park and other infrastructure improvements in areas with high concentrations of low- to moderate- income populations, namely Old Town Goleta. A summary of the goals from the CDBG Five-Year Consolidated Plan and the annual target for the number of people to be assisted is provided below.
Goal and Description Needs Addressed Annual Goal
Public Services: Services for
seniors, youth, homeless
persons/families, persons with special
needs, and other services for low- to
moderate- income people.
Homelessness
Non-Housing
Community
Development
Affordable Housing
Public services:
• 3,000 persons assisted
Homeless persons given
shelter/housing:
• 10 persons assisted
Homelessness prevention:
• 10 persons assisted
Public Facilities & Infrastructure:
Streets, sidewalks, flood control, parks,
bike paths, drainage, open space, etc.
Non-Housing Community
Development
15,000 persons
assisted
(5-year period)
2 Meeting Date: March 1, 2022
3 The first Grant Funding Review Standing Committee meeting was held on February 3, 2022 to review the City’s use of CDBG grant funding. This included review of applications for sub-recipient grants for public services (15% of CDBG funding). The City is allowed to use up to 20% of its annual allocation for planning and administration of the CDBG program, or approximately $46,800. The remaining 65% of the City’s CDBG allocation is typically directed to one or more capital improvement projects primarily benefiting low- to moderate-income people or people with disabilities (see below discussion).
The Committee also reviewed the 13 applications requesting grant support for various public services , including programs provid ing general services to low -income people, youths, seniors , and the homeless. After deliberation, the Committee recommended CDBG awards to three of the 13 applicants (summarized in the tab le below). The Committee also selected a fourth application to fund should the amount available for public services reach $40,000. In the event the funding remains lower than that amount, the Committee will be recommending that this applicant be funded for a Goleta City Grant of $5,000. This applicant is the United Boys & Girls Club. The Committee also agreed to consider the United Boys & Girls Club and the nine remaining CDBG applicants along with the Goleta City Grant and American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funding applicants.
By the time the City Council receives this staff report, staff will have conducted another two-week NOFA cycle for the $150,000 in ARPA funding.
2022-2023 CDBG Public Service Recommendations
Recommended
CDBG
Sub-Recipient
Amount Description
Isla Vista Youth
Projects, Inc. (IVYP)
Approximately
$11,000
These funds will support IVYP’s Family
Resource Center to end the cycle of poverty,
build a healthy community and promote
parental resilience. This includes case
management, food assistance, parenting
classes, and health screenings.
New Beginnings
Counseling
Center
Approximately
$11,000
Funding would support the Safe Parking
Shelter and Rapid Re -Housing Program,
which provides safe shelter, case
management, and outreach to the vehicular
homeless population. The program also
provides rapid rehousing, and financial
assistance.
Santa Barbara
Neighborhood
Clinics
Approximately
$11,000
Funding would support the Goleta
Neighborhood Clinic ’s and Goleta Dental
Clinic’s comprehensive health and dental care
services including medical and dental care,
mental health and counseling services.
Refer to Attachment 1 to view a list of all CDBG Grant applications received.
3 Meeting Date: March 1, 2022
4 CDBG Capital Improvement Project for Program Year 2022-2023
Staff estimates the City will receive approximately $150,000 in CDBG funds for the 2022- 2023 program year that will be available for capital projects. Based on discussions with the City Manager and Public Works Department, staff again recommends that the CIP portion of the CDBG allocation be directed to improvements at the Goleta Community Center (Community Center). Improvements and repairs to the Community Center would be eligible under the category of public facilities and improvements serving eligible low- income areas and residents with a disability (for the projected ADA accessibility improvements). CDBG funding for FY 20/21 was supposed to go to the Community Center improvements but was shifted to Mathilda Park Improvements due to concerns about spending CDBG funding in a timely manner. Last year the Committee and City Council decided the FY 21/22 CIP allocation would go to the Community Center given the expected costs for ADA, seismic and other improvements needed for the facility. The ADA design and engineering for the Community Center is now underway and additional funding is needed for this project. The Committee agreed with the recommendation that the FY 22/23 CDBG funding again go towards the Community Center improvements. The City Council has placed a high priority on completing the Community Center improvements in the most expeditious manner possible. The total project cost for the seismic improvements is estimated to be $5,230,000. The cost for the ADA improvements is currently unknown since it is too early in the design process.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
The costs for staff time spent on administration of the CDBG program are funded by the CDBG awa rd received by the City. For the current fiscal year (20 21-2022), the City received up to $45,000 for administrative costs, which will be sufficient to cover the City’s costs of preparing the 2022-2023 Action Plan and required outreach and advertising.
CDBG funding for staff time is transferred to the City’s General Fund via account number 402-60-6300-59000 to cover program-related costs.
As described above, HUD has not yet published the entitlement funding allocation formula for FY 2022-2023, and, thus, the City is using a status quo estimate of $233,955 for FY 2022-2023. In the event the U.S. Congress significantly modifies funding for the CDBG program when the federal budget is approved , staff will inform Council and adjustments can be made prior to adoption of the Final Action Plan for 2022-2023.
ALTERNATIVES:
Council may elect to modify any or all of the Committee’s recommendations, in which case staff would incorporate the revised allocations into the Draft 2022-2023 Action Plan.
If Council opts to take no action, it would be difficult to make HUD’s deadline for submittal of the Action Plan, which could in turn put the City’s CDBG funding allocation in jeopardy.
4 Meeting Date: March 1, 2022
5 Reviewed By: Legal Review By: Approved By:
___________________ ___________________ _________________ Kristine Schmidt Megan Garibaldi Michelle Greene
Assistant City Manager City Attorney City Manager
ATTACHMENT:
1. List of Applicants for 2022-2023 CDBG Program
5 ATTACHMENT 1
Applicants for 2022-2023 CDBG Funding
6 Name of Organization Project/Program
Number of
People to
be Assisted
FY 22-23
Grant
Request
FY 22-23 CDBG/
City Grant
Recommendation
1 Center for Successful Aging CSA Hot Meals Program 19 $24,000 *Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
2 Children and Family Resource
Services
Supporting Healthy Children
and Families in Goleta 705 $15,000
*Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
3 Community Action Commission
dba CommUnify
Family Self-Sufficiency
Program for Low-Income 18 $10,000
*Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
4 Fr. Virgil Cordano Center Fr. Virgil Cordano Center 150 $10,000 *Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
5 Isla Vista Youth Projects IVYP Family Resource Center 600 $20,000 Approximately
$11,000
6 NBCC dba New Beginnings
Safe Parking Shelter and
Rapid Rehousing Program 50 $20,000
Approximately
$11,000
7 People's Self-Help Housing
Corporation Supportive Housing Program 716 $15,000
*Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
8 Santa Barbara Neighborhood
Clinics
Goleta Medical, Dental,
Behavioral Health Services 2000 $15,000
Approximately
$11,000
9 St. Vincent's Institution
St. Vincent's Family
Strengthening Program 10 $10,000
*Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
10 Transition House
Transition House Family
Emergency Shelter 50 $10,000
*Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
11 United Boys and Girls Clubs of
Santa Barbara County Power Hour at Goleta Club 550 $25,000 *Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
12 United Way of Santa Barbara Fun in the Sun 80 $15,000 *Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
13 Unity Shoppe
Essential Service Work in 3
Parts 1,530 $10,000
*Goleta City Grant/
ARPA Grant
* Move to consideration with Goleta City Grant and ARPA Funding Grants Applicants for 2022-2023 CDBG Program
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