CITY OF RIALTO
CDBG AD HOC COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
CDBG HOC COMMITTEE MEETING March 7, 2023
March 7, 2023
Mayor Robertson and Council Member Trujillo
City of Rialto
214 N. Palm Ave
Rialto, CA 92376
Mayor Robertson and Council Member Trujillo:
Request The CDBG Ad-Hoc Committee To 1) File Status Update On CDBG-CV Activities; And 2) Provide Direction On Possible Reprogramming Of Funds
BACKGROUND
CDBG-CV: The City received $1,339,584 in Supplemental Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funding to help prepare, prevent, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City amended their 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan to allocate funds to programs and activities throughout the City to help struggling residents in the community. The City allocated funds as follows:
On June 14, 2022, the City Council approved Amendment No. 5 to the 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan for CDBG-CV Activities, increasing the eligible Rental/Mortgage/Utility assistance to $6,000 per household and relocating funds as follows:
ANALYSIS
Staff continues to work on verifying eligibility documentation for funds expended for the Rental/Mortgage/Utility Assistance program and SWAG.
Staff has reached out to over 150 residents who received assistance from July 2020 to December 2021 via mail, phone, and email to collect missing documents. To date, we have had 15 applicants respond to our request.
The tables on the following page provide a summary of applications thus far:
Rental, Mortgage, & Utility Assistance CV
*Rental, Mortgage, & Utility applications were denied due to applicants already receiving assistance from another program (e.g., Housing is Key, Section 8, or were unable to provide proper documentation of low-income status or COVID-19 impact.
Small Business Assistance CV
**Small Business applications were denied unable to provide adequate documentation of COVID-19 economic impact or were not able to provide a national objective were denied.
Food Insecurity Program
The City of Rialto put out a requested for bid (#23-014) which was opened up on September 21, 2022, at 12:30pm and closed on October 21, 2022, at 4:00pm. There were no bids that were submitted. The Parks, Recreation & Community Services department has recently reached out to Feeding America to see if they can provide the service. The department has requested a quote to see how much it costs to do the food give away one time per month or two times per month based on the funds allocated by City Council. Staff is scheduled to meet sometime next week to discuss the amount of times the food distribution program will occur, location, participant requirements and discussion of the agreement. Feeding American is anticipating the program will be up and running by April 1, 2023.
DISCUSSION
To date, the City has expended $747,587 of CDBG-CV funds. The City has a remaining balance of $591,996. The table below provides the funds expended thus far:
The City’s HUD representative has confirmed that the City has until February 2024 to expend 80% of their CDBG-CV funds. If the City wishes to reprogram the funds, the City will need to amend its Annual Action Plan. This will require a 15-day public noticing requirement and a public hearing. Below are some possible uses of CDBG-CV funds:
Rehabilitation of public facility or park infrastructure to include:
Broadband: wiring, fiber optic cables, permanently fixed equipment to provide broadband internet access in low-moderate income area HVAC improvements to prevent COVID spread, plumbing upgrades to improve sanitation Creation or improvement of outdoor space for social distancing Touchless water fountains, automatic doors
Outdoor Recreation Facilities
Provide additional space for outdoor activity.
Purchase and install new gates, removal of architectural barriers that restrict access for elderly or disabled persons.
Redesign of public sidewalks to encourage social distancing Funding to additional public services that carryout activities that prepare, respond, or prevent COVID.
Homeless outreach
Mental health services
Food banks
Administration Costs for CDBG-CV
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
Complies with the following Rialto General Plan Guiding Principle:
Our Government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and recommends approval of the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff Recommends That Ad-Hoc 1) Receive And File Status Update On CDBG-CV Activities; and 2) Provide Direction On Possible Reprograming Of Funds.
Mayor Robertson and Council Member Trujillo
March 7, 2023
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