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Home My WebLink AboutOrdinance 13720eh~:. Ordinance No.~~~ AN ORDINANCE INCREASING THE ESTIMATED RECEIPTS AND APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GRANTS FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 00 FROM AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING THE EMERGENCY REPAIR PROGRAM, PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, MAKING THIS ORDINANCE CUMULATIVE OF PRIOR ORDINANCES AND REPEALING ALL PRIOR ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE TT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS SECTION 1 That in addition to those amounts allocated to the various City departments for the Fiscal Year 1998-99 and in the Budget of the City Manager, there shall also be increased estimated receipts and appropriations in the Grants Fund in the amount of $100,000 00 from available funds for the purpose of funding the Emergency Repair Program. SECTION 2. That should any portion, section or part of a section of this ordinance be declared invalid, inoperative or void for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision, opinion or judgment shall in no way impair the remaining portions, sections, or parts of sections of this ordinance, which said remaining provisions shall be and remain in full force and effect. SECTION 3 That this ordinance shall be cumulative of Ordinance No. 13540 and all other ordinances and appropriations amending the same except in those instances where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with such other ordinances and appropriations, in which instance said conflicting provisions of said prior ordinances and appropriations are hereby expressly repealed. SECTION 4 This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect after the date of its passage, and it is so ordained. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY fem. Assistant City A orney a/a ~/ q ~ Date 3 -- ~ ~- ~~ Adopted -~~ Effective ° :~;: ,~, EMERGENCY REPAIR INCOME PERCENTAGES FOR 1999 ...::.:..::.. ... ... ....... . .<.. .(~. ~}~ ....... .... :: ill+:...:.~.: ...:..: r::::; ....... :: ::::::::::: ...... ...::..:::: .......... ....» ::.:: :...: ..: ....::::..:.i:~. ~ ..::...: <:: .. .: . ::6~:.~.:: .. 1 $11,600 00 $13,550 00 $38,700 00 2 $13,250 00 $15,500 00 $44,250 00 3 $14,950 00 $17,450 00 $49,800 00 4 $16,600 00 $19,350 00 $55,300 00 5 $17,900 00 $20,900 00 $59,700 00 6 $19,250 00 $22,450 00 $64,150 00 7 $20,550 00 $24,000 00 $68,600 00 8 $21,900 00 $25,550 00 $73,000 00 r~..:l,..q,. Ordinance Amendments to the Building Code, Electrical Code, Plumbing Code and Mechanical Code for the Implementation of a Program for Third Party Plan Review and Inspection Services and Temporary. 90-Day Permit Fee 1~lfaiver for Projects That t,1ti[i~e Such Services Add to Recommendation. It is also recommended that the City Cauncii approve a waiver of permitting fees for a period of gQ days far projects that ufiili~e third party services. City of Fort Worth, Texas M,'Ayor and Council Commun~cAt~on DATE REFERENCE NUMBER LOG NAME PAGE 3/2/99 G-12491 05MODIFY 1 of 3 SUBJECT MODIFICATIONS TO THE EMERGENCY REPAIR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council• 1 Approve the following modifications to the Emergency Repair (ER) Program, and A. Increase the income limit of eligible homeowners from 30% to 35% of area median family income (AMFI); and B Require program recipients to have owned and occupied their property for at least six months prior to filing an application, and C Set a time period of one year within which ER Program recipients cannot apply to participate again for repairs in the Priority 2 category; and 2. Allocate $100,000 from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program income to the ER Program fund to begin assisting households on the waiting lists for Priority 2 and 3 repairs; and 3. Adopt the attached appropriation ordinance increasing estimated receipts and appropriations in the Grant Fund by $100,000 00 from available funds. DISCUSSION The City of Fort Worth's Emergency Repair Program provides deferred payment loans of up to $5,000, forgiven over 10 years, to qualified homeowners. The ER Program makes needed repairs to correct housing conditions that pose immediate danger to the health and safety of either the homeowner or their neighbors. It is not intended to abate code violations or bring a property up to minimum housing quality standards. The program is funded with CDBG funds from the U S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). There are three ER Priority categories, as follows: P 'ori 1 Gas leaks; major electrical problems; major plumbing problems; and no primary heat source during winter Priori 2 Defective room heaters; other electrical problems; other plumbing problems, damaged roofs; and structural problems. Priori 3 Damaged or inoperable doors/windows; dangling sheetrock; and weak flooring. City of Fort Worth, Texas M'Ayor and Council CommunicAt~on DATE REFERENCE NUM 3/2/99 G-12491 05MODIFY PAG E 2of3 SUBJECT I MODIFICATIONS TO THE EMERGENCY REPAIR PROGRAM I The following are the proposed changes: Increase the income eligibility limit from 30% to 35% of area median family income. Under existing guidelines, a qualifying homeowner must not exceed 30% of the area median family income (AMFI), adjusted for family size. This is based on the income guidelines provided by HUD Staffs proposal is to increase this limit to 35% of AMFI (see attached table) This will allow the City to assist more Priority 1 households. The majority of ER applicants and recipients are elderly (more than 60%) and have neither the financial nor physical means to correct emergency problems as they occur Intake records show that 3 out of 10 applicants for Priority 1 or Priority 2 repairs are denied assistance because their incomes exceed the limit by approximately $1,000 The incomes of these applicants generally fall within the 31 % to 33% of area median income. 2. Add two new eligibility requirements, as follows. a) Applicants must own and occupy their property for at least six months prior to filing an application for the ER program. This is to discourage the sale of substandard homes in anticipation of the City providing .major repairs through this program. b) Applicants for Priority 2 or Priority 3 repairs shall not have received assistance under the ER Program for the same property, under these two categories, for the last 12 months since the previous repairs. This will not apply to Priority 1 repairs, which are life-threatening and eligible at all times. Staff is also requesting the allocation of an additional $100,000 to the ER Program from CDBG program income. The additional funding would be used to begin working on the waiting list in categories two and three. There are approximately 100 Priority 2 requests pending and 250 for Priority 3. The original budget allocation for the current program year (June 1, 1998 -May 31, 1999) was $300,000 The budget balance as of February 1 was $159,500 The program income is derived from home improvement loan repayments and totals approximately $550,000 The ER Program is available in all Council Districts. These recommendations were approved by the Safety and Community Development Committee at its February 9, 1999 meeting City of Fort Worth, Texas A or And aunc~l ammun~cAt~an ~~ y C C DATE 3/2/99 REFERENCE NUMBER G-12491 LOG NAME 05MODIFY PAGE 3 of 3 SUBJECT MODIFICATIONS TO THE EMERGENCY REPAIR PROGRAM FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION The Finance Director certifies that upon approval of the above recommendations and adoption of the attached appropriation ordinance, funds will be available in the current operating budget, as appropriated, of the Grant Fund LW•j Submitted for City Manager's FUND ACCOUNT CENTER AMOUNT CITY SECRETARY Office by: (to) (2) GR76 539120 005206112880 $100,000.00 APPROVED Libby Watson 6183 (3) GR76 472091 005206112000 $100,000.00 C Originating Department Head: (3) GR76 539120 005206112880 $100,000.00 I TY COUNCI L 2 Jerome Walker 7537 (from) 1999 MAR (2) GR91 488385 005206066000 $100,000.00 Additional Information Contact: .. ~~a.~-~c/ Citp Secretary of the Cit f Jerome Walker 7537 y o Fort Worth, Texas Ado~te~ I~n~ i~o, 3?~~