DEPARTMENT: Department of Planning & Community Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: John M. Dugan, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
POSTING LANGUAGE:
An Ordinance approving the allocation of $250,000.00 in previously budgeted Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds to Merced Housing Texas for a Minor Home Repair Program.
SUBJECT:
Minor Home Repair Program Funding Recommendation
SUMMARY:
This item will present to the City Council a recommendation for the allocation of $250,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds set aside for the Minor Home Repair Program to Merced Housing Texas. This award will be utilized to assist low to moderate income homeowners with a one-time grant not to exceed $4,999.00 for minor home repairs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On May 29, 2014, the City Council approved the appropriation of $250,000.00 in FY 2015 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the Minor Home Repair Program.
The Department of Planning and Community Development issued a solicitation on October 7, 2014, seeking applications from eligible respondents to administer the Minor Home Repair Program. On December 3, 2014, a four member panel comprised of senior managers evaluated and scored two applications. The applications were evaluated utilizing the following criteria; direct experience with administering minor repair activities, development team experience, managerial capacity, technical capacity, financial capacity, administrative plan and marketing plan.
ISSUE:
This ordinance approves the allocation of $250,000.00 in previously budgeted Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds to Merced Housing Texas for a Minor Home Repair Program.
A four member panel comprised of City executives and senior managers evaluated and scored the applications submitted for the Minor Home Repair Program on December 3, 2014. The panel also conducted an interview with both applicants on December 9, 2014. This panel evaluated the applications based on experience, background, qualifications, managerial capacity, technical capacity, financial capacity, their administrative plan and their marketing plan.
The evaluation panel selected Merced Housing Texas for a full funding award of $250,000.00. Merced Housing Texas will assist 38 low and moderate income families with a one-time grant not to exceed $4,999.00 for minor home repairs. Their estimated administration costs for this program are $36,000.00.
ALTERNATIVES:
An alternative to allocating CDBG funding set aside for the Minor Home Repair Program to the recommended respondent at the proposed funding level would be to reject the recommendation and issue a new Request for Applications for this activity; however, this recommendation meets the action plan goals approved by council. In addition, any other alternative to this allocation would delay the timely commitment and expenditure of these federally sourced funds.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This Ordinance authorizes City Council to allocate $250,000.00 in FY 2015 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for the Minor Home Repair Program to Merced Housing Texas.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval to award $250,000.00 in FY 2015 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to Merced Housing Texas for the Minor Home Repair Program.