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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7796 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7796 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Februsa7 1. 1994 X Subject:Restructing of the Housing and Human Services Department The Inspector General's Audit of the City of Fort Worth Housing and Human Services Department (H&HS) pointed out a number of weaknesses which need to be corrected if we are to provide the highest level of service to our customers. First and foremost,it was evident that housing services have become extremely complex. We have found ourselves with a significant increase in funding, albeit, somewhat limited by program definition. Therefore, it seems imperative that the City of Fort Worth declare its emphasis on the need to provide affordable housing for its citizens, while revitalizing neighborhoods, by creating a separate Department of Housing. By defining this focus and narrowing the emphasis,we believe that we can increase not only the productivity of our own internal housing programs, but also that of our non-profit organizations which are so key to our success in this arena. This department will be responsible for this City's first-time hornebuyer program and closing cost assistance program; the residential rehabilitation program; rental rehabilitation program;and weatherization. Because these programs are funded by federal grants which change in title and scope, it is proposed that this new department be organized in such a manner so as to bring to bear a set of skills and talents which will allow staff to respond to any constrictions proscribed by any grant which we may receive. That is, we will have a myriad of skills found among City staff such that we can carry out any program the federal bureaucracy might define. In order to accomplish this goal,we are proposing to dismantle the H&HS Department as we know it today. The H&HS Department is currently composed of three divisions: Housing, Human Services and Administration. If we are in fact going to emphasize housing in the City of Fort Worth by creating a stand alone Department of Housing, the other services provided by H&HS must be carefully constructed and reorganized. The Human Services Division will be transferred to the Park and Recreation Department. This division includes the multi-purpose centers; the emergency homeless program; the emergency utilities program; the neighborhood resource development program; the gang intervention program; and "Operation I Will", the self-eufficiency program. It seems long overdue that the City of Fort Worth move toward operation of "community centers", rather than recreation centers and multi-purpose centers, the later of which are defined by the income of surrounding neighborhoods. By consolidating multi-purpose and recreation centers, the City of Fort Worth will be able to merge the overall management of nineteen centers (12 recreation centers and 7 multi-purpose centers) under one umbrella. Individually,each facility can continue to meet the needs of their surrounding neighborhoods. owl-, Service requirements (health clinics, senior citizen activities, day care needs, etc.) can be defined by community needs assessment and be provided on an as needed basis to the extent that resources are available. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS INFORMAL _7REIPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7796 CtOTVI� To February 1. 1994 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 2 of 2 SubjectAmtrue-turing of the Housing and Human Services DOP"t"I"t It makes a lot of sense for emergency housing and emergency utilities to be provided out of community centers which can serve as a primary point of communication with our citizens. In fact, with appropriate cross communication, these programs should strengthen our weatherization and first-time hornebuyer programs. The gang intervention unit is actually already operating out of both multi-purpose centers and recreation centers. We believe that by placing this unit in Park and Recreation,we can strengthen the prevention aspect of this program,enhancing our ability to address issues of youth at risk, thereby preventing gang involvement. The Park and Recreation Department in the City of Fort Worth already has strong ties to the Fort Worth Police Department in cooperative ventures such as the late night program. This consolidation will further strengthen those communications. Administrative Services is responsible for the Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) request for proposal process, as well as monitoring those grants after they are made. Additionally,this unit monitors all other H&HS funding received by the City. It seems that if we are going to make our housing program accountable for its production and expenditures, then we need to lodge responsibility for budget planning and program management with housing staff. This leaves the CDBG program to be accounted for. It is proposed that the City create a central unit responsible for CDBG and other federal and state funds which we might apply for and receive. This unit is proposed to be incorporated into the Fiscal Services Department under the Intergovernmental Affairs Office. Since most of these funds come from either the State or the Federal Government,it makes sense that the Intergovernmental Affairs Office be assigned the responsibility of oversight of these activities because this office is often our first point of contact for grant information. This oMee through our Washington, D.C. and Austin representatives also has the capacity to do grants research and educate granting entities about Fort Worth. This central unit which we would propose to merge under a proposed division of "Intergovernmental Affairs and Grants Management" would be responsible in a liaison capacity for responding to the Community Development Council and would handle the contract processes with those sub-grantees that are granted CDBG funds. In addition, this central unit is composed of the contract compliance staff,some fiscal support,and under the direction of the City's Intergovernmental Affairs Office, could potentially provide the City with a vehicle to become more proactive in the area of grants research, application, and grants administration citywide. Separating the Housing and Human Services Department into the proposed entities of a stand-alone Housing Department,a human services function under the Park and Recreation Department, and a grants management function incorporated into our Intergovernmental Affairs Office, allows the City flexibility in responding to the different priorities and needs as determined by the City Council in the City's administration of federal and state funds devoted toward housing, human services, and economic development and infrastructure investment. Bob Terrell City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS