Housing & Community Development Committee

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE January 19, 2021 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER The meeting of the Clarksville Housing and Community Development Committee was called to order by Chair Wanda Smith on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. in the Housing and Community Development Conference Room, 1 Public Square, Suite 201, Clarksville, Tennessee. This meeting was conducted via Zoom. ATTENDANCE The following members were connected to the meet: PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM: Council Members Wanda Allen and Trisha Butler, Housing and Community Development Staff members Lisa Walker and Deborah Johnson, and Chief of Staff James Halford PHYSICALLY PRESENT: Council Members Wanda Smith and Jason Knight, Housing and Community Development Staff members Dennis Newburn, Brittney Cates, Sirena Clark, Martias Kendrick, and Tammy Kilgore. APPROVAL OF ELECTRONIC MEETING Chair Smith read the notice for the approval of the electronic meeting due to current COVID-19 concerns. Chair Smith made a motion to approve meeting electronically. The motion was seconded by Councilman Jason Knight and passed unanimously. ADOPTION OF MINUTES Councilman Knight made a motion to adopt the minutes of the December 14, 2020 meeting as read. The motion was seconded by Chair Smith and passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS 1. Introduction of Members and Housing and Community Development Staff Dennis Newburn welcomed all the committee members and stated he looks forward to a very prosperous relationship with the committee as the City strives to provide affordable housing and assists the city’s low- and moderate-income citizens. Each member of the Housing and Community Development staff, Brittney Cates, Tammy Kilgore, Martias Kendrick, Lisa Walker, and Deborah Johnson, introduced themselves and gave a brief overview of their positions. Each Council committee member, Jason Knight, Wanda Allen, Trisha Butler, and Chair Wanda Smith, introduced themselves and told a little about themselves. 2. Orientation and overview of Housing and Community Development programs Dennis Newburn gave a PowerPoint presentation on the History of CDBG, Why CDBG Matters to Cities and How CDBG Works. CDBG was established in 1974. In the reauthorization of the program in 1978, the formula currently used to set grant amounts was instituted to better serve communities with different types of problems. CDBG provides federal funding to state and local governments, including counties. Some urban counties qualify, based on population, as “entitlement communities” and receive direct federal funding. To qualify as an “entitlement community” a city must have a population of at least 50,000 excluding the population of any “entitlement” cities within its jurisdiction. Counties that do not qualify for direct funding, typically rural counties, are considered “non- entitlement communities” and can receive CDBG funds through their states. Cities use CDBG funds for projects related to housing, community and economic development, water and infrastructure projects, and public services. CDBG Programs include: Entitlement Program (City of Clarksville); Small Cities (State Program THDA); Grants and technical assistance (CDBG TA); Historic Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); CARES-19; Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (NA/NHIAC); Disaster Recover; and Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program. Eligible activities using CDBG funding include acquisition of real property; relocation and demolition of property; rehabilitation of residential and non- residential structures; construction of public facilities and improvements, such as water and sewer facilities, streets, neighborhood centers and the conversion of school buildings for eligible purposes; public services, within certain limits; activities relating to energy conservation ad renewable energy resources; and provision of assistance to profit-motivated businesses to carry out economic development and job creation/retention activities. Ineligible activities include acquisition, construction or reconstruction of building for the general conduct of government; political activities; certain income payments; and construction of new housing by units of general local government. To receive annual CDBG funding, an entitlement community must develop and submit to HUD its Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan is a jurisdiction’s comprehensive planning document and application for funding under several HUD grant programs, including CDBG. In its Consolidated Plan, the jurisdiction must identify its goals for the various grant programs. The goals will serve as the criteria against which HUD will evaluate a jurisdiction’s Plan and its performance under the Plan. The Consolidated Plan must also include several required certifications, including the requirement that 70% of CDBG funds received over a period defined by the grantee will be used for activities that benefit low-and moderate-income persons. As part of the Consolidated Planning Process, CDBG grantees are required to follow a Citizen Participation Plan (CPP). The CPP addresses notifications to general public regarding program amendments, notification policies and outreach requirements. CDBG grantees are responsible for following other laws and regulations including Fair Housing; Protection of the natural environment; Air and Water Laws and Regulations; Federal and State Labor Standards and Prevailing Wage Requirements; Acquisition; Relocation; Procurement; and Accessibility. 3. CDBG-CV applications status Mr. Newburn stated that he will be bringing a series of recommendations on the CDBG-CV applications and proposals to the committee next week at a special called Housing and Community Development Committee meeting. There is documentation available for review and if any committee member has questions just let the staff know. Mr. Newburn stated he would be asking for a special called session of the City Council to approve the CDBG-CV recommendations. 4. Approval of special meeting – CDBG-CV recommendations Mr. Newburn asked for a special called Housing and Community Development Council Committee meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. for the sole purpose of discussing CDBG-CV recommendations. The first step would be a resolution from this committee. Chair Smith made a motion to approve holding the special called committee meeting on January, 26th. The motion was seconded by Wanda Allen and passed unanimously. PUBLIC COMENTS (five minutes each) In accordance with the Alternative Public Comments procedure, requests must be made no less than 48 hours prior to the meeting. There were no public comments. ADJOURNMENT The motion was made by Chair Smith to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Knight and passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.