REPORT TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION January 24, 2018 FROM: Jennifer Clark, Director Development and Resource Management Department THROUGH: Kelli Furtado, Assistant Director Development and Resource Management Department BY: Thomas Morgan, Housing and Community Development Manager Development and Resource Management Department SUBJECT ..Title Annual Housing and Community Development Needs Public Hearing for Development of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-2019 Annual Action Plan ..Body RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends that the Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) conduct a public hearing to receive input from interested parties on the City's use of federal entitlement program funds and anticipated housing and community development needs for FY 2018-2019. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Fresno is the annual recipient of federal entitlement program funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Community Planning Division. As a condition of receiving these funds, the City is required to prepare an Annual Action Plan detailing program expenditures and benefits to low and moderate-income persons. This public hearing begins the Annual Action Plan process by assessing community needs through community participation. BACKGROUND Federal entitlement funds are provided annually to the City through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) programs. A description of these programs is included as an exhibit. The City anticipates receiving the following estimated amounts from HUD for fiscal year 2018-2019. The following estimates are based on previous year awards: Entitlement Program Estimated Funding CDBG $ 6,422,423 HOME $2,204,672 ESG $ 569,903 HOPWA $ 441,305 Federal Entitlement Program Planning Process As an entitlement jurisdiction, designated by HUD, the City receives program funds to provide decent and affordable housing, a suitable living environment, and to expand economic opportunities for low to moderate income persons. To carry out this directive the City is required to prepare certain federal reports detailing the strategy to be undertaken to meet the needs of the low to moderate income community; to account for the specific annual activities and funding levels; and to account for the progress and performance of the funded activities. HUD requires jurisdictions to prepare the following reports: * Consolidated Plan (ConPlan) - A five-year strategic plan that identifies the housing and community development needs of low-to-moderate income households; with special emphasis on: large families, persons with disabilities, the homeless, households living in substandard housing, households with excessive rent burdens, and persons with HIV/AIDS. The strategic plan details the needs of the intended beneficiaries and provides a list of four priorities to which annual program funding will be directed. Currently the City is operating under its adopted FY 2016 - 2020 (HUD Program Years 2015-2019) Consolidated Plan. * Annual Action Plan - Each fiscal year, the Action Plan specifies the activities and funding levels to be undertaken to meet the priorities established in the Consolidated Plan. Currently, the City is operating under its FY 2017 - 2018 (HUD Program Year 2017) Action Plan, which will conclude on June 30, 2018. This public hearing starts the annual planning process for the upcoming 2018 - 2019 fiscal year. A timeline of the planning activities for developing the annual plan is included as an exhibit. * Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) - Each year an annual report detailing performance and measuring progress in undertaking and competing activities and projects funded during the preceding Action Plan is prepared. The City completed and submitted to HUD its FY 2017 CAPER, covering the period July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, on September 30, 2017. Public Hearing on FY 2018-2019 Housing and Community Development Needs On June 23, 2015 the City Council adopted the City's FY 2016 - 2020 Consolidated Plan which identified four priority need areas in which CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA programs will be directed. This hearing will provide an opportunity for the City to receive input from residents and interested persons on how federal entitlement funds should be spent to address the identified needs. Information collected from the hearing will be included in the Annual Action Plan. There will be several opportunities for the public and applicants of the grant funds to comment on the action plan process. The time line has been included; please note dates for the Housing and Community Development Commission meetings and hearings. Community Outreach Staff utilized several methods of communicating the opportunity for residents to become engaged in the annual action planning process and encourage attendance at the Public Needs Hearing scheduled for January 24, 2018. . Please see a listing of outreach efforts below: REQUIRED - Advertisement in local newspaper o Published a notice in the Fresno Bee o Published a notice in Vida en el Valle - Accessible to non-English speakers and individuals with disabilities o Offered to provide translation services o Offered to make special accommodations for persons with disabilities o Location is accessible for individuals with disabilities ADDITIONAL OUTREACH - Developed Flyers for Distribution (English, Spanish, Hmong) for Public Needs Hearing and additional information meetings in neighborhoods - City of Fresno Web Posting - Flyers Widely Distributed o Downtown Library o Community Centers and Neighborhood Centers o Available at Senior Hot Meal sites o Posting in City Clerk's Office o Distribution to all Council Members for distribution to networks o Distribution to individuals and community partners through email (500+ emails) o US Postal Mail (1 address) o Hmong Tribune o KBIF/900 AM (Broadcasts to Hmong, Laotian, Punjabi Communities) o City of Fresno One-Call Center o City of Fresno Web Site o City of Fresno Disability Commission o City of Fresno Neighborhood Revitalization Division and related Neighborhood Groups - 1/9/18 Community Workshop at Columbia Elementary School, 1025 South Trinity Street (Approximately 14 attended, excluding City staff) - 1/17/18 Community Workshop at Living Grace Fellowship Church, 3239 W. Ashlan Avenue (Approximately 15 attended, excluding City Staff) - City of Fresno FaceBook Postings - FresGo Push Notification Attachments: Exhibit A: 2018 - 2019 Annual Action Plan Time Line Exhibit B: FY 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan Priorities Exhibit C: CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA Program Descriptions and Objectives Exhibit D: Staff Presentation