Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC)

MEETING MINUTES City of Hot Springs Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) VIRTUAL TELECONFERENCE Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 1:00pm 1. CDAC Chair Terry Kent called the meeting to order at 1:01pm Those in attendance:  Terry Kent, CDAC Chair and Member-at-Large  Leslie Ramsey, CDAC Co-Chair and Member-at-Large  Kelly Thomason, CDAC Member-at-Large  Kelly Cowart, CDAC District 1 Member  Alice Marshall, CDAC District 2 Member  Michelle Sestili, City of Hot Springs CDBG Administrator  Alix Stafford  Kimberly Lew  Jean Lacefield, Gateway Community Association 2. December 10, 2020 Meeting Minutes were approved (5-0) 3. Old Business: Michelle Sestili provided updates  HUD 2021 CDBG allocation of $439,471.00 was announced on March 1st. An Annual Action Plan is being drafted and will be made available for public review and comment for a minimum of 30-days. It is anticipated that a public hearing regarding the proposed Plan will be held during the April 1st CDAC meeting. The 2021 Annual Action Plan submission to HUD is due no later than May 15, 2021.  Applications are currently being accepted by the City of Hot Springs for 34 open committee/commission positions including 3 positions on the Community Development Advisory Committee: A dedicated district 1 position and 2 at-large positions. Find out more and download an application at https://www.cityhs.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2742&fbclid=IwAR23me_sRjC- xcSk1x0owR8ht28e5FPdPxggc4nbMa2nd5x2dU-DcdoYbhc or pick up an application between 8am and 5pm at the City Clerk’s office upstairs in City Hall, 133 Convention Blvd.  HUD approved the City’s second CARES Act amendment to the 2020 Annual Action Plan in December, which reallocated $100,000 to rent assistance and $26,825 to utility assistance for low- to moderate- income households experiencing a COVID related hardship  The Hot Springs Board of Directors adopted the third CARES Act amendment to the 2020 Annual Action Plan on January 5, 2021 to allocate a previously unencumbered $317,926 in CARES Act funding to the acquisition/rehabilitation/construction of a quarantine shelter. HUD approval of the amendment is pending.  The annual HUD Point in Time (PIT) homeless count was held on January 28 and 29, 2021 in the Farmers’ Market / Greenway Trail / The Warehouse areas and included the homeless shower trailer, COVID testing, flu shots, hot breakfast, Additional remote counting days were made available through February 16th to include warming shelter locations. Results have not been fully reviewed and verified through the Counting Us app.  In-kind City labor and CDBG-CV funds are being used to construct a concrete pad with water, sewer and electric hook-ups for the homeless shower trailer near the Farmers’ Market/Greenway Trail. The  trailer will not be permanently located there as it requires volunteer staff while in operation, but the pad and hook-ups will make set-up easier and ensure ADA accessibility, both of which have been difficult in the temporary location along the Greenway that has been used.  CDBG-CV, CARES Act funded Rent and Utility Emergency Subsistence Payment program launched in mid-February and is being managed by subrecipient Ouachita Behavioral Health and Wellness. Eligible households must: o Reside in City of Hot Springs limits. Verified using lease and City GIS system. o Demonstrate a COVID related hardship, e.g. loss of job, furlough, reduced hours, unpaid leave to self-isolate or care for other household members self-isolating/quarantining including children sent home from school, medical expenses. Verified with employer or school or positive COVID test results. o Earn less than 80% area median income (see table below). Verified with either a 2020 IRS filing –or- most recent paystubs/income statements if the COVID hardship is recent. o Have a member of the household named on the lease for rental assistance and/or utility bills for utility assistance. Copies of lease/bills have to be provided. o Certify that all information and documentation provided is factual. Included in application. o Landlord must agree to accept payment, which may be partial and will not include late fees or other penalties. 2020 HUD Low- to Moderate-Income Eligible 1 person 2 person 3 person 4 person 5 person 6 person 7 person 8 person Income household household household household household household household household Extremely < $13,150 < $15,000 < $16,900 < 18,750 < $20,250 < $21,750 < $23,250 < $24,750 Low 30% Very Low < $21,900 < $25,000 < $28,150 < $31,250 < $33,750 < $36,250 < $38,750 < $41,250 50% Low 60% < $26,280 < $30,000 < $33,780 < $37,500 < $40,500 < $43,500 < $46,500 < $49,500 Moderate < $35,000 < $40,000 < $45,000 < $49,950 < $53,950 < $57,950 < $61,950 < $65,950 80% Benefits: o Maximum of 3 consecutive months of rent and/or utility payments including arrears to landlord or utility provider. No payments are made directly to a household. No late fees or other penalties can be reimbursed. o Rent payments are limited to HUD 2020 CDBG Fair Market Rates (FMR). 2021 rates have not been published yet, but will be implemented when announced. Efficiency 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom 4 Bedroom $554 $586 $772 $971 $1,202 o Utility payments must be reasonable. Most reasonable costs are able to be paid at 100%, but certain municipal utility reimbursements such as water and sewer do not include the percentage dedicated to future maintenance costs. Utility Payment Up To Gas 100% Fuel Oil 100% Propane (average of 3 months fill if tank is at 100% 10% or below) Electric 100%  City Sanitation (not including CAPS pick-ups) 100% City Water/Sewer 94% City Stormwater 70%  CDBG-CV Food Assistance Program is launching March 8th and being managed by subrecipient Arkansas Foodbank who will provide food vouchers to 4 area partner agencies to use to purchase food from their warehouse: Jackson House, Salvation Army, LakePointe Church and Faith Pointe Ministries. o Arkansas Foodbank requires that agency partners have an approved pantry to accept and store food purchased through their program. Partner agencies can work with other organizations serving low- to moderate-income and limited clientele to distribute food/boxes. o In addition to pantry/food box distribution, Jackson House (M-F lunch) and Salvation Army (M- Sat dinner) can use Arkansas Foodbank credits to purchase food for their prepared meal services. o Food credits will be distributed to agencies based on the number of households served per year. Fewer households served = fewer credits. o All 4 partner agencies are located in HUD designated low- to moderate-income areas. Arkansas Foodbank will provide monthly reports on the number of credits used, food purchased, number of households/individuals assisted. CDBG PROJECT STATUSES MARCH 1, 2021 -----Funded----- CV-3 Quarantine Shelter $317,926 Pending HUD approval. NOTE: Building/site not identified at this time. CV-1 Homeless Assistance $76,824 total allocation; $12,069.28 balance after purchasing the homeless shower/restroom trailer, insurance, supplies and cleaning services CV-1 Rent Emergency Subsistence Payments $100,000. Ouachita Behavioral Health & Wellness (subgrantee) launched the program in February. Applications being accepted. Referrals can be sent to Case Manager Loren Eitel-Morphew LorenE@obhaw.org or (501) 762-9038 CV-1 Utility Emergency Subsistence Payments $26,825. Ouachita Behavioral Health & Wellness (subgrantee) launched the program in February. Applications being accepted. Referrals can be sent to Case Manager Loren Eitel-Morphew LorenE@obhaw.org or (501) 762-9038 CV-1 Food/Meals Services and Supplies $50,824 Food credits at the Arkansas Foodbank to be provided to Jackson House (pantry & prepared lunches), Salvation Army (pantry & dinner services), LakePointe Church (food boxes) and FaithPointe Ministries (food boxes). 2018 Home Buyer Education Classes $3,969 balance. Planning a spring class. 2019 RA Psychle 4C Elderly & Disabled Lawn $8,619.74 balance for youth landscape certifications. Care and Youth Landscape Mentorship Program Program launched 8/14. 17 lawns serviced, 1 youth engaged in training before winter break at the end of November. Restart in spring. Malvern Avenue Gateway Improvement Project $141,241.56 Contractor should be able to start some aspects of the project in March while waiting for Entergy to  bury the power lines. 2018 & 2020 Garden Street Sidewalk & ADA $51,899.64 Survey complete. Garden, Bell & Jefferson to start soon. 2020 Bell Street Sidewalk Phase II $10,000 Garden Bell & Jefferson to start soon. 2020 Jefferson Street Sidewalks & ADA $31,510 Garden, Bell & Jefferson to start soon. 2019 Dell & Ravine Sidewalk & Drainage $5,359 balance. In progress Improve 2019 Park Avenue Sidewalk & ADA Accessibility $13,297 balance. In progress 2019 Bus Shelter at Ouachita Behavioral Health $2,709.77 balance to be reprogrammed in a 2021 amendment. Concrete pad complete. Shelter to be installed. Reallocate Bus Shelter to Indiandale Plaza on Concrete pad poured by Engineering Dept. Shelter to be Malvern installed. 2019 Crosswalk on Malvern to Silver Street $11,680 ARDOT consultation in progress. 2019 Habitat for Humanity 115 Watt Street $2,750 balance for water line relocation. Invoices pending. Habitat for Humanity Lot Acquisition $15,000 Environmental review in progress for potential lots. Off Cycle Infrastructure Improvements $35,418.52 Projects to be identified. 2020 Home Buyer Education, Credit Counseling, $25,000 Request for proposals to be prepared and released Refinance and Foreclosure Avoidance Services 2020 John Lee Webb House Brick Masonry & $55,500 balance. Weather wrapping complete. Ancillary Roofs 2020 Cedar Street Sidewalk & ADA Phase III $10,261 Funded. 2020 Whittington Avenue Drainage $44,850 Environmental Review to be completed Improvements 2020 Chelsea Street Sidewalks & ADA $40,800 Environmental Review to be completed 2020 Creek Street Sidewalks & ADA Accessibility $32,343.75 Environmental Review to be completed 2020 Park Avenue at Tom Ellsworth Sidewalk, $38,875 Environmental Review to be completed ADA & Drainage Improvements -----Completed in 2021----- 2020 Spot Blight Nuisance Abatement $25,621.02. 5 condemned structures removed: 1023 Mineral, 302 Highland, 407 Mississippi, 142 Greenwood and 248 Hobson. CV-Homeless Assistance Shower/Restroom Trailer, Delivered 10/6/2020. 34 showers at free COVID testing ULV Cold Fog Sprayer and disinfectant cleaner day 11/4/2020. 29 showers at homeless count 1/28 & 1/29/2021. Next scheduled shower day 3/9. As moderator, Michelle Sestili answered CDAC and public questions. No public comments were made regarding announcements. 4. Community Announcements  Dedication of David F. Watkins Memorial Park, 811 Park Avenue, Thursday, March 25 at 10:30am. Wearing masks and six foot distance rules will be observed. Light refreshments will be served after the ceremony.  Next CDAC meeting April 1, 2021 at 1:00pm  Gateway Community Association will host another FBI Training on hate crimes and speech at the Roy Row Auditorium, Jones School, Hobson/Linwood. Date/time to be provided by Jean Lacefield. 5. Having no further business the meeting was adjourned at 2:31pm