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Home My WebLink AboutIR 7905 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7905 N�FORMI _a?-N, To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 4, 1995 AS Subject: REVIEW OF THE CITTS CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND 1873 APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND: In 1994, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a new initiative to combine all planning,application,and reporting documents for programs relating to community development. This new initiative, called the Consolidated Plan, replaces the Comprehensive HousingAffordability Strategy(CHAS)and includes housing as well as non-housing community development activities. The affected HUD programs, and our anticipated FY 95 funding, are: PROGRAM Amount CDBG Community Development Block Grant Program $ 8,212,000 HOME HOME Investment Partnership Program $ 2,411,000 ESGP Emergency Shelter Grant Program $ 284,000 HOPWA Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS $ 521,000 TOTAL $11,428,000 The application, planning, and reporting documents will be combined, as well as the program year for the above listed programs. The underlying principals of the Consolidated Plan are that the locality knows best, economic empowerment is the engine that drives community revitalization, planning must be comprehensive, and that a partnership with HUD should be developed. The goal of the Consolidated Plan process is to devise city-wide strategies and programs that: • Provide decent housing. • Promote a suitable living environment. • Expand economic opportunities. During the past several months, the City of Fort Worth, working with non-profits, the business community, neighborhood organizations, and individual citizens developed the Consolidated Plan through a series of public hearings, workshops, and community outreach meetings. Through this process the City of Fort Worth generated a unified vision for community development actions. For the five(5)year duration of the Plan, this collaborative process will build on existing local assets and resources in addressing the needs of the community. As part of the Consolidated Plan process, the City of Fort Worth developed a Citizen Participation Plan (approved by City Council, December 6, 1994), which outlines mechanisms for constructive citizen input during the plan development stage. In order to meet these requirements, the City: ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7905 C,,kPRTER,,,, April 4, 1995 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council 97 A ,0 Page 2 of 4 AAl Subject: REVIEW OF THE CITY'S GONSOIJDATED PLAN AND 1873 APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT • Formed a Citizen Steering Committee made up of non-profits, neighborhood organizations, and other interested citizens. • Held public hearings in December and January to discuss drafts of the Consolidated Plan. • Attended and scheduled various community meetings (especially during January, 1995) to inform citizens of the Plan., • Published summaries of the Consolidated Plan in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. • Received and responded to citizen comment. • Set up a Consolidated Plan Hotline (871-8009) to receive citizen comment. These activities will be replicated on a yearly basis, as updates to the Consolidated Plan are drafted. COMPONENTS OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN: The Consolidated Plan document has five (5) major sections which follow HUD's format for submission of the Consolidated Plan. In addition, there are six (6) appendices which provide background information and technical data which were used as the basis for assessing community needs. The information in the appendices also satisfies various statutory mandates not covered in the 5 major sections. I. Historical and Regional Context:A brief survey of the origins of Fort Worth is followed by an explanation of trends and statistics which outline Fort Worth's place in the region. 11. Citizen Participation Plan.- The Citizen Participation Plan describes the way in which the City will carryout planning and community development activities with the involvement of citizens, neighborhood groups and other interested parties. The Citizen Participation Plan specifically outlines activities that the City will undertake to encourage citizen participation during the Consolidated Planning Process. M. Needs Assessment-The City used various resources from recent planning and community development activities to identify the needs of the community. Past efforts include: Vision Coalition: Committee of 450,000 (1992) United Way of Tarrant County - Human Services Needs Assessment Phone Survey (1992) Comprehensive Communities Program Grant Initiative (1994) Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community Application (1994) Through these and other interactive forums, the City was able to get a clear ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7905 .�kPTEPe MIQ To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 4, 1995 M-4 Page 3 of 4 ?'per Subject: 1873 REVIEW OF THE CITY'S CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT picture of the community's perception of needs relating to housing and community development. During the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community (EZ/EQ Application Process, the comments and concerns of the citizens were aggregated into three main focal points for community development; Youth at Risk,Neighborhood and Housing Revitalization, and Economic Development and Jobs Creation. These three themes are the basis for the Consolidated Plan. IV. Five Year Strategic Plan for Housing&Community Development:This section contains 6-year goals and objectives centered around the three themes for community development needs developed in the EZ/EC process. V. One Year Action Plan: This section lists the proposed expenditures and programs to be implemented by the City of Fort Worth and private and non- profit sponsors during the first program year (June 1, 1995 - May 31, 1996). Programs to be implemented are consistent with the needs discussed in Section III., and the 5-Year Strategies in Section IV. VI. Appendices:Six appendices will be submitted as supplementary materials to the base Plan document described above. Appended materials included various types of documentation required or recommended by the U.S. Department of HUD. The appendix titles are: Evidence of Citizen Participation Analysis of Needs (a continuation of Section III.) Special HUD Requirements Required Fort Worth Housing Authority Information • Use of CDBG, HOME, ESGP, and HOPWA Funds (budget, listing of projects, project maps) • HUD Certifications BENEFITS OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN: Among the purposes of the Consolidated Plan and Application Process are incentives and encouragement for different levels of community organization to work together more efficiently and productively and to reduce unnecesary duplication of effort. Some specific benefits include: • One program year for all 4 programs: June 1, 1995 to May 31, 1996 • Incorporates private and non-profit resources and programs • Horizontal vs. Vertical Thinking • Requires the setting of specific measurable goals for community development ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7905 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 4, 1995 A�'.- Page 4 of 4 Subject: '873 REVIEW OF THE CITTS CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT • Yearly and 6-year self-monitoring to ensure that goals are met • Sets community development (primarily housing) priorities • Coordinated Request for Proposals process for all 4 programs • Yearly updates to the Action Plan are required, but overall Plan can be amended at any time to meet changing needs and priorities FUTURE ACTIONS: An M&C will be submitted for City Council approval of the Consolidated Plan at the April 11, 1995 City Council Session. The approved Consolidated Plan must then be transmitted to HUD by April 17, 1995. A 45 day HUD review period will begin on that date. The program year will begin on June 1, 1995, provided the Consolidated Plan is approved by HUD. r--,E-ob Terrell City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS .........................