AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Receive a Staff presentation and hold a Public Hearing to receive comments for or against the use of $712,899 in new Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for housing, social services, public facilities, and infrastructure, and the selection of projects for the 2023-2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Action Plan; and provide direction to Staff.
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Meeting date: June 6, 2023
Department: Planning and Development Services
Amount & Source of Funding
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Funds Available: Click or tap here to enter text.
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Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: On May 19, 2020, the City Council approved Resolution 2020-105R approving a consolidated plan for fiscal years 2020-2024 that provides guidance for annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocations.
City Council Strategic Initiative: [Please select from the dropdown menu below]
Quality of Life & Sense of Place
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Comprehensive Plan Element (s): [Please select the Plan element(s) and Goal # from dropdown menu below]
☐ Economic Development - Choose an item.
☐ Environment & Resource Protection - Choose an item.
☐ Land Use - Choose an item.
☒ Neighborhoods & Housing - Well maintained, stable neighborhoods protected from encroachment of incompatible land uses
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☐ Core Services
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Master Plan: [Please select the corresponding Master Plan from the dropdown menu below (if applicable)]
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Background Information:
For the 2023-2024 fiscal year the City will receive $712,899 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Funds. In order to receive this funding, the City must submit to HUD an Action Plan by August 16 that includes allocation of the funding to specific programs. Annually, the City holds an application process for agencies and City departments to submit requests for funding. Applications were due May 8 and were evaluated by a staff committee. The resulting recommendations for funding allocation are listed below.
This evening a public hearing will be held to begin to gather citizen comments on the proposed programs and projects. The draft Action Plan, with the list of applications received and funding recommendations, will be posted for public comment from June 9 through July 10.
Council direction is requested on the funding recommendations that will be listed for public comment. Final Council decision will be requested August 1.
All applications have been posted on the City’s website: <https://sanmarcostx.gov/3065/CDBG-Action-Plans>. The draft Action Plan will be posted to the same page.
Following is a brief description of each application. No more than $142,500 can be allocated to Administration, and no more than $106,900 can be allocated to Public Services.
ADMINISTRATION
City - Administration - $142,500
Staff cost for managing the grant projects and programs. Staff hours are tracked.
PROJECTS
Habitat for Humanity - Housing Counseling $21,500
Workshops on personal finance, homeownership and the Habitat homebuying program; along with one-on-one counseling on credit, debt, budgeting and saving, and home purchase.
City - Activity Delivery - Housing Rehab $58,550
Remove pressure from the City’s General Fund by paying for a portion of Community Initiatives Division staff cost for the implementation of the City’s Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program and the City’s Rental Housing Rehabilitation Program.
City - Homebuyers Assistance and Activity Delivery $100,800
Up to $12,000 per applicant and to pay all of the allowed closing costs and up to 50% of the required down payment. This application included $4,800 for staff activity delivery costs and funding for 8 houses ($96,000).
Hays County - Cape’s Pond Park $30,000
Addition of amenities to a future park near Cape’s Pond, including a soft trail, several outdoor fitness stations, and educational signage about Native American tribal history.
City - Haynes Street Pocket Park $166,720
Remove and replace existing fence, install 6 exercise stations to replace the basketball goal, add sidewalk connections, add two solar lights, replace benches and table
City - Swift Memorial Park $176,593
Install turf to replace mulch, install shade structure, resurface basketball court, add ADA access entries, add bottle filler fountain
City - Victory Gardens Park $253,362
Install turf to replace mulch, install 3 shade structures, resurface basketball court, add ADA access entry, add bottle filler fountain
PUBLIC SERVICES
Court Appointed Special Advocates $60,000
Partial funding for staff and utilities for CASA, which trains volunteers who are voices in the courts, in schools, and in the child welfare system to ensure representation of the children and youth's best interests in terms of their medical, educational, mental health, housing, and long-term needs for permanency.
Hays-Caldwell Womens Center - Family Violence Shelter Program $48,161
$23,161 to pay a portion (20%) of the salary for two of HCWC's shelter staff providing services to victims of family violence. $25,000 to provide two months rent for approximately 13 families moving into their own home/apartment in San Marcos after leaving HCWC's family violence shelter.
Salvation Army - Emergency Services $50,000
Financial assistance with utilities, shelter, prescription medicines, food, clothing, and transportation. Assistance with financial planning and budgeting.
Society of St Vincent de Paul - Emergency Services $20,000
Emergency assistance with utility bills, medical costs, prescriptions, gasoline, bus tickets, emergency food, emergency shelter, rent.
Greater San Marcos Youth Council - Family and Youth Success Program $20,000
Reduce the wait list and expand services to San Marcos families with children ages 6-17; increase the numbers served through the National Family Support Network program with the purchase of supplies, space rental, and a portion of the funding for the lead Family Support Specialist responsible for the program.
The staff committee consisted of:
Planning and Development Services
Carol Griffith, Housing and Community Development Manager
Irma Duran, Community Initiatives Program Administrator
Zindi Castillo, Grant Accounting Specialist
Neighborhood Enhancement
Tiffany Harris, Community Vitality Coordinator
City Manager’s Office
Hayden Migl, Administrative Services Manager
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
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Alternatives:
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Recommendation:
Comments from the staff review committee included the following:
• The Habitat Housing Counseling program has struggled to draw attendance. The counseling that is required for the Homebuyer’s Assistance Program can be fulfilled through a free seminar offered by the TDHCA.
• The committee was in favor of having more funding available for projects instead of funding Staff Activity Delivery.
• Interest in the Homebuyers Assistance program has picked up recently, and the program is being marketed to attract a broader base of interest.
• Cape’s Pond Park requires a relatively small amount of funding for additional park amenities.
• Of the three City park projects, the Victory Gardens Park was expressed as the top priority in the applicant presentation. The staff committee desired to fully fund the improvements for that park, and then allocated the remainder to Swift Memorial Park in hopes that additional funding can be found or that it can receive CDBG funding next year.
• The staff committee desired to fund all public services applications due to the level of need for each program in the City of San Marcos. CASA, Hays-Caldwell Womens Center, and the Greater San Marcos Youth Council were considered high priority since they work to change the trajectory of peoples’ lives through intensive assistance over time. On the other hand, emergency services are also in great demand.