Agenda Item Wording:
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Public hearing and 2023/24 CAPER approval. Public hearing and approval of the 2023/24 Program Year Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) and Resolution No. 2024-54.
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Deadline for Action: 9/16/2024
Submitting Department: Finance and Technology Services
Contact Name and Phone Number: Margie Perez, Housing Specialist, margie.perez@visalia.city <mailto:margie.perez@visalia.city>, (559) 713-4460; Melody Murch, Assistant Finance Director, melody.murch@visalia.city <mailto:melody.murch@visalia.city>, (559) 713-4379; Renee Nagel, Finance Director, renee.nagel@visalia.city <mailto:renee.nagel@visalia.city>, (559) 713-4375.
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Hold a public hearing to receive public comments on Program Year 2023/24 draft CAPER;
2. Approve and authorize the submission of the Program Year 2023/24 CAPER, and Resolution No. 2024-54.
Background Discussion:
The Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) is a report of actual expenditures and accomplishments for the Program Year (PY) 2023/24 and is presented in a format prescribed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The CAPER report must be submitted to HUD by or before September 30th each year. Annually, the City is required to prepare and approve the CAPER through the adoption of a resolution as shown in Attachment A: Resolution No. 2024-54. This report is submitted to HUD to summarize and evaluate the City’s overall progress and performance for the period covering July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. The programs being reported were approved on April 20, 2020, in the City’s current 5-year Consolidated Plan (ConPlan) for the program years 2020/21 through 2024/25, referred to as the “ConPlan”. Each year contained within the ConPlan has an Annual Action Plan. The 2023/24 Annual Action Plan was approved by Council on April 17, 2023.
The CAPER is prepared in compliance with HUD requirements for the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Funding. The funds must be used for projects and programs primarily benefiting low-and moderate-income persons, households, and/or areas. The full draft CAPER report is included herein as Attachment B: Draft 2023/24 CAPER. The 2023/24 Annual Action Plan focused on affordable housing activities, neighborhood preservation through Code Enforcement, public services, ADA compliance projects, and Covid emergency rental/mortgage assistance, and development of a low-barrier navigation center.
An overview of the 2023/24 CDBG and HOME resources and expenditures is shown above in Table 1: FY 2023/24 CDBG & HOME Resources and Expenditures. All expenditure amounts included in this item are subject to change, as final year-end administration overhead adjustments are pending through September 30th. No material changes to these amounts are projected, and the final figures will be reflected in the CAPER when submitted to HUD.
As shown below in Table 2, the HOME FY 2023/24 Expenditures and Accomplishments Include:
• HOME Administration and Planning ($65,324) - FY 2023/24 HOME administration which covers any staff time, legal advertising, office supplies, and other general administrative expenditures for the HOME Program.
• HOME-ARP Administration ($14,597) - FY 2023/24 HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP) administration which covers any staff time, legal advertising, office supplies, and other general administrative expenditures for the HOME-ARP Program.
• The Lofts Project ($634,375) - The Lofts Project is the development of an 80-unit mixed-use complex, with 11-HOME assisted floating units. This project provides 4 ground floor artist lofts with the remaining rental units as 1- and 2-bedroom apartments for qualifying individuals and families. The project has one unit devoted to an on-site manager and includes commercial space. The commercial space is utilized by the Arts Consortium and allows use for various community and resident services and events. In addition, The Lofts Project includes 3,500 square feet on the ground floor for an Art Gallery and Community Room where a wide variety of resident services will be provided. The Lofts opened in December of 2023. The City provided a total of $2,350,898 in HOME funds with prior years funds for the development of the Lofts Project.
• Homebuyer Assistance ($52,126) - One homebuyer assistance loan, also known as secondary financing, was provided to eligible buyers of the HOME-assisted NW 5th Avenue single-family homes. The 5th and final home closed escrow in FY 2023/24. The first four homes closed in FY 2022/23 and were reflected in the 2022 CAPER report. The homebuyer assistance loan was provided at 30-year deferred loan at 0% interest. The loan will be due and payable prior to the 30-year maturity date if the home is no longer owner occupied or at change of title.
As Shown below in Table 3, the CDBG FY 2023/24 Expenditures and Accomplishments Include:
• CDBG Administration and Planning ($264,036) - FY 2023/24 CDBG administration which covers any staff time, legal advertising, office supplies, and other general administrative expenditures for the CDBG Program.
• Public Services:
o Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance Continuum of Care (CoC) ($20,635) - The CoC conducted the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count of people experiencing homelessness in January 2024. The 2024 PIT count report includes a total of 587 homeless individuals in the City of Visalia. 407 individuals were adults, and 27 individuals were children under the age of 18, and 23 individuals were seniors ages 65 and older. The CoC also oversees the Coordinated Entry System (CES) and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) to ensure grant compliance to maintain current grant funding and allow for additional grant funding. The CoC oversees enrollments for all Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) projects, transitional housing, and the Visalia Navigation Center.
o Family Services of Tulare County - Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Voucher Program ($50,000) - Family Services of Tulare County provided 14 chronically homeless persons that are receiving PSH vouchers with case management, home visits, counseling referrals, life skills training, transportation, food delivery, hygiene products, and furniture assistance to maintain a life of stability.
o Kings View PATH Program - Housing Flex Funds ($49,997) - Kings View PATH Program assisted 31 homeless and at-risk of homeless individuals with vital housing flex funds, such as, security deposits, rental application fees, utility deposits, rental assistance, legal document assistance, motel vouchers, and transportation assistance. Kings View assisted 19 homeless individuals in obtaining permanent housing.
o Self-Help Enterprises COVID-19 Emergency Rental/Mortgage Assistance Program ($90,492) - Self-Help Enterprises assisted 46 unduplicated households with emergency rental assistance, with CDBG CARES Act (CDBG-CV) funds for the period of July 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. However, this program ran from January 1, 2023, though December 30, 2023. The total households assisted were 111 unduplicated households, with 95 total rental assistance and 16 mortgage assistance for the period of January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. All recipients of this assistance were low-moderate income households financially impacted by the Coronavirus Pandemic.
• Home Repairs:
o Habitat for Humanity Emergency Repair & Accessibility Program (ERAP) ($18,504) - Habitat for Humanity ERAP provides low-to-moderate-income owner-occupied households with minor home repairs, such as, ADA wheelchair installation, ADA bar rail installations, electrical repairs, energy efficiency upgrades, window repairs/replacements, weatherization installation, and floor repairs. This program’s maximum client assistance was $5,000 per household. In PY 2023/24, Habitat completed 3 minor home repairs and are currently working with 3additional minor home repairs to be completed next program year.
o Self-Help Enterprises Senior Mobile Home Repair Program (SMHRP) ($43,957) - Self-Help Enterprises SMHRP provides low-income seniors and/or disabled mobile homeowners with ADA improvements, roof, electrical, floor, and plumbing repairs, window repair/replacement, and energy efficiency upgrades. This program’s maximum client assistance was $11,500 per household. Self-Help currently has 2 mobile home rehabilitations in process and will be completed next program year.
• Code Enforcement:
o Code Enforcement ($172,423) - The 2023/24 CDBG Code Enforcement program issued 326 housing violations and corrected 249 housing code violations in CDBG target areas. CDBG Code Enforcement provides enforcement services in deteriorating or deteriorated areas to bring both public and private premises into compliance with the minimum standards set in State and local law. No funding is provided for mitigation, only staff time and equipment for staff.
• Public Infrastructure Improvements:
o ADA Audible Pedestrian Signals CP0421 ($88,634) - This Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements project includes the installation of traffic signal ADA audible pedestrian push button signals. This was in response to the Disability Advocacy Committee’s (DAC) public input request received in 2020 prior to the DAC disbandment and will assist visually impaired citizens. The project installed these improvements at 6 intersections on Santa Fe Street from Murray Avenue to E. Noble Avenue.
o ADA Transit Pathway CP0420 ($34,980) - This project includes the ADA transit pathway improvements from the Transit Center to Main Street. This project is also per the Disability Advocacy Committee’s (DAC) public input request in 2020 prior to the DAC disbandment and will assist mobility impaired citizens. This project will provide ADA compliant pedestrian improvements directed to the removal of material and architectural barriers that restrict the mobility of and accessibility to elderly and handicapped persons from the Transit Center to Main Street on Bridge and Santa Fe.
o The Visalia Navigation Center CP0419 ($2,423,811) - Development of a 100-bed low-barrier Navigation Center for people experiencing homelessness. The Visalia Navigation Center is service-enriched center to assist individuals experiencing homelessness into permanent housing and long-term housing stability. Services will include intensive case management, housing navigation services, substance abuse services, mental health services, job training, and job placement to lead to a life of self-sufficiency. The Visalia Navigation Center will also provide important rapid rehousing services such as security deposits, rental arrears assistance, rental application assistance, and landlord mitigation services to assist clients in obtaining permanent housing. The City provided a total of $3,184,480 in CDBG funds with prior year funds for the development of the Visalia Navigation Center.
Public Comment Period:
As required by HUD, a minimum 15-day public comment period must be conducted for the 2023/24 CAPER. The public comment period was from August 30, 2024, through September 16, 2024. English and Spanish public notices were posted in the Visalia Times Delta on August 30, 2024. Public notices were also published on City social media outlets, the Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance listserv, and the City website during the public comment period. The draft PY 2023/24 CAPER was available on the City website for public review during the public comment period. The draft 2023/24 CAPER was also presented at the Citizen’s Advisory Committee on September 4, 2024. All comments received during the public comment period and public hearing will be included in the final report to HUD and made available for public review on the City’s website.
Fiscal Impact:
None. The CAPER is a report of financial and program activity, and this item does not contain any requests for appropriation or budget amendments.
Prior Council Action: ● April 20, 2020: 5-year (FY 2020/21 - FY 2024/25) Consolidated Plan adoption. ● April 17, 2023: FY 2023/24 Annual Action Plan adoption.
Other: None
Alternatives: None
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to adopt Resolution No. 2024-54, approving the Program Year 2023/24 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), and authorize submission to HUD.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: ● Attachment A: Resolution No. 2024-54 ● Attachment B: Draft 2023/24 CAPER ● Attachment C: 2023/24 CAPER PowerPoint