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Home My WebLink AboutHCDC Packet - May 2022If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this program or event, please contact Brianna Thul at brianna- thul@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5230. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Upcoming Housing & Community Development Commission Meetings Regular: June 23 (4th Thursday) & July 21 HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (HCDC) May 19, 2022 Regular Meeting – 6:30 PM The Center Assembly Room 28 S Linn Street AGENDA: 1.Call to Order 2.Welcome New Members HCDC will welcome two new members, Karol Krotz and Elizabeth Marilla-Kapp. This item provides an opportunity for new and existing Commissioners to introduce themselves. The Chair will provide general housekeeping guidance during this item. 3.Consideration of Meeting Minutes: March 24, 2022 4.Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 5 minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items. 5.Unsuccessful and Delayed Projects Updates The City’s Unsuccessful and Delayed Projects Policy requires CDBG recipients to expend a minimum of 50% of the funds awarded by March 15. HCDC will hear updates on two projects that missed the checkpoint: 1) Neighborhood Center of Johnson County – FY22 Public Facility Improvements ($37,242 CDBG) and 2) Shelter House – FY22 Public Facility Improvements ($225,000 CDBG). 6.Project Monitoring Updates This month, HCDC will hear project updates from agencies that received FY22 CDBG funds for public services through the Aid to Agencies program: Shelter House, Domestic Violence Intervention Program, and Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County. 7.Review and Consider Recommendation to City Council on Approval of FY23 Annual Action Plan The FY23 Annual Action Plan summarizes actions and resources to help address the needs and goals in City Steps 2025 for the upcoming fiscal year. The plan includes the budget for CDBG and HOME funds, a description of the projects to be funded, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-required information. At the March 24, 2022 meeting, HCDC approved the FY23 budget recommendations for CDBG/HOME housing and public facilities projects. The FY23 Annual Action Plan incorporates these recommendations. Staff will provide a brief overview of the draft, followed by discussion, proposed changes, and consideration of recommending the plan to Council. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this program or event, please contact Brianna Thul at brianna- thul@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5230. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Upcoming Housing & Community Development Commission Meetings Regular: June 23 (4th Thursday) & July 21 A 30-day public comment period for the plan will begin on May 20, 2022 and will run through June 21, 2022. A public meeting is scheduled for June 21, 2022 where Council will consider formal approval. Following Council approval, the plan is submitted to HUD for review. 8.Review and Consider Recommendation to City Council on Approval of Substantial Amendment to City Steps 2025, the City’s Consolidated Plan City Steps 2025 identifies goals and priorities for Iowa City that were developed through feedback from the public and community stakeholders. The City received a request from a local agency to be considered for Legacy Agency status and the request was brought to the HCDC in November of 2021. HCDC requested that staff open an application for eligible agencies to apply for Legacy Status. The Commission determined that eligibility for Legacy Agency status would be limited to previous recipients of Emerging Aid to Agency funds. Five applications for Legacy Agency Status were received and reviewed by HCDC in January of 2022. The Commission determined that three would be recommended to City Council for inclusion in City Steps 2025: Center for Worker Justice, Dream City, and Houses into Homes. Inclusion in City Step 2025 is not a guarantee of funding, but would allow the new agencies to apply for funds. A 30-day public comment period for the plan will begin May 20, 2022 and will run through June 21, 2022. A public meeting is scheduled for June 21, 2022 where Council will consider formal approval. Following Council approval, the amendment is submitted to HUD for review. 9.Iowa City Council Meeting Updates Commissioners volunteer each month to monitor Council meetings. This agenda item provides an opportunity for brief updates on City Council activity relevant to HCDC business. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one another concerning said items. 10. Staff Updates 11.Adjournment Housing and Community Development Commission May 19, 2022 Meeting Packet Contents Agenda Item #2 •AORTA Meeting Facilitation – Making Meetings Awesome for Everyone Agenda Item #3 •March 24, 2022 Draft HCDC Meeting Minutes Agenda Item #5 •May 10, 2022 Staff Memo •Evaluation and Monitoring Guide for CDBG & HOME Projects •Unsuccessful and Delayed Project Policy Agenda Item #7 •FY23 Annual Action Plan Draft (subject to change pending final grant allocations from HUD) Agenda Item #8 •Proposed Substantial Amendment to City Steps 2025 Agenda Item #10 •April 6, 2022 HUD Correspondence - Timeliness •Housing and Community Development Quick Guide ANTI-OPPRESSION RESOURCE AND TRAINING ALLIANCE www.aortacollective.org ANTI-OPPRESSIVE FACILITATION MAKING MEETINGS AWESOME FOR EVERYONE Inefficient and ineffective meetings can leave people feeling drained, exhausted or discouraged, rather than inspired and energized. Good meetings help build strong, effective organizations and successful projects. Even organizations with great meeting process inadvertently perpetuate barriers to full member participation and access to democratic process. This happens through group dynamics of power, privilege and oppression that often marginalize women, people of color, queer, trans and gender non-conforming folks, people with disabilities and those with limited access to the cultural cues and financial resources that come with class privilege. Whether or not you tend to act as facilitator at meetings you attend, building your facilitation skills will help you make your meetings better, more inclusive, and more fully democratic! Here are some foundational tips and suggestions that can have big impacts on your meetings! WHAT IS FACILITATION, ANYWAY? Facilitation ensures that the group is empowered as a whole. •Be sure that everyone gets to participate and share ideas in a meeting, not just those who feel most comfortable speaking up and making cases for their ideas or proposals. •Work to prevent or interrupt any (conscious or unconscious) attempts by individuals or groups to overpower the group as a whole. •Keep an eye out for social power dynamics and work to interrupt these. Point out an address discrepancies in who is talking, whose voices are being heard. •Help the group come to the decisions that are best for the organization/whole group. Help people keep an eye on what’s best for the group, rather than their personal preference. •Ensure the group follows its own agreed upon process and meeting agreements. Facilitation keeps an eye on time, and juggles it with the (ever present) need for more time. •Offer periodic time check-ins. •Help keep the group conversation on topic and relevant. Prevent ramblings and tangents. •Make process suggestions to help the group along. •Summarize discussion and note key areas of agreement, to help move the group forward. CONTAINERS FOR YOUR MEETINGS Things like community agreements, an agenda, an available chart of your group’s decision making process, a place to store important topics for future conversations, next steps, etc. are important foundations for a meeting—we call them “containers.” They act as visual tools that participants and facilitators can come back to throughout the meeting to help keep the group focused, on track, on the same page. They also offer direction for moments when things get sticky or tense. Community Agreements Community agreements help define your role as facilitator and clarify the group’s expectations of you. One of your big responsibilities to the group is to make sure these agreements are upheld. This isn’t about creating rules—it’s about creating and clarifying agreements and expectations that allow everyone in the group to participate. In order for these to be meaningful, they need to come from the group itself. Once a group creates its agreements, they can be used over and over. As a facilitator, you get to contribute to this list, too. Agenda Item #2 ANTI-OPPRESSION RESOURCE AND TRAINING ALLIANCE www.aortacollective.org Here are some community agreements that can be helpful in meetings, to get you thinking: ONE DIVA, ONE MIC Please, one person speak at a time. (It can also be useful to ask people to leave space in between speakers, for those who need more time to process words, or are less comfortable fighting for airtime in a conversation.) NO ONE KNOWS EVERYTHING; TOGETHER WE KNOW A LOT This means we all get to practice being humble, because we have something to learn from everyone in the room. It also means we all have a responsibility to share what we know, as well as our questions, so that others may learn from us. MOVE UP, MOVE UP If you’re someone who tends to not speak a lot, please move up into a role of speaking more. If you tend to speak a lot, please move up into a role of listening more. This is a twist on the on the more commonly heard “step up, step back.” The “up/up” confirms that in both experiences, growth is happening. (You don’t go “back” by learning to be a better listener.) Saying “move” instead of “step” recognizes that not everyone can step. WE CAN’T BE ARTICULATE ALL THE TIME As much as we’d like, we just can’t. Often people feel hesitant to participate in a workshop or meeting for fear of “messing up” or stumbling over their words. We want everyone to feel comfortable participating, even if you can’t be as articulate as you’d like. BE AWARE OF TIME This is helpful for your facilitator, and helps to respect everyone’s time and commitment. Please come back on time from breaks, and refrain from speaking in long monologues... BE CURIOUS We make better decisions when we approach our problems and challenges with questions (“What if we…?”) and curiosity. Allow space for play, curiosity, and creative thinking. NOTE: There’s a few community agreements that participants often bring up that we don’t tend to use or bring with us. Two of the most common ones are “assume best intentions” and “default to trust.” The reason we don’t use these is because when someone is unable to do this (say they’re feeling untrusting of someone, or unsafe), having a community agreement telling to do so isn’t going to change anything. Put short, these agreements aren’t always possible, especially when we take into consideration that when people have been harmed by sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, they/we build up necessary tools to take care of and protect themselves/ourselves. Agreements we offer instead that capture the spirit of these are “we can’t be articulate all the time,” “be generous with each other,” or “this is a space for learning.” The Magic of an Agenda There are many different ways to build an agenda to match the style, culture, and needs of each group or meeting. However you do it, a clear and well-constructed agenda that all participants can agree to is a crucial step for an efficient, inclusive, and awesome meeting. The facilitator’s job (generally) is to keep the participants on track by following the agenda as well as paying attention to when the agenda isn’t working and changes need to happen. Here are some best practices regarding agendas: ANTI-OPPRESSION RESOURCE AND TRAINING ALLIANCE www.aortacollective.org •Set the agenda before the meeting starts. You can build it over email, through a list that is kept in an office, or at the end of the previous meeting. This helps everyone come well researched and mentally and emotionally prepared. •Some groups like a more emergent and organic style for building an agenda. If this is your group, participants can spend the beginning of a meeting writing each agenda item they’d like to discuss on an index card, and then the group can use different visual tools to select the card(s) people are most moved to talk about. The down side: you don’t know what you’re talking about in advance, so you can’t prepare or share your thoughts if you’re not able to attend. •Review the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. Share your reasoning before asking for amendments or changes. It is important that the whole group be on board with the agenda. •Announcements and report-backs at the beginning of the meeting can save a lot of time. •Give it variety: mix up the length and type of agenda items. •Put agenda items that will be easy successes early in the meeting. This sets a positive tone and builds momentum! •Follow with the “big stuff.” •Break after big discussions. •Schedule breaks for any meeting more than 90 minutes. After this length of time, groups fall into the trap of “decision fatigue,” making big decisions rashly or getting stuck talking in circles on smaller decisions. •Finish on something short and easy—end with a good tone. •Display the agenda so that all can see it (either on flipchart, blackboard, projector, or printed out). •Label items with their expected actions: decision, discussion, play, evaluate, brainstorm, review, update, silence, feedback, appreciations and concerns. Garden/ Bike Rack/ Topics for Future Meetings Whatever your group chooses to call it, have a sheet or ongoing list to write down ideas, questions, and topics for future meetings that come up. Often in the course of talking about one topic, really important things surface that need to be addressed, but are not on the current meeting’s agenda. Unless they are urgent/time sensitive, it can really help keep the group on topic to have a space to note them so that they can be incorporated into future meetings (and not forgotten about!) Next Steps/ Who, What, When, Priority It can be very helpful to keep a sheet where you’re taking running notes on any next steps or tasks that are coming out of the meeting. We sometimes do this in three (or four) columns: one for who is doing the next step or task (this could be an individual or a group), what it is they’re going to do, by when they will have done it, and what priority level the task is (1-3, 1-5). You can end the meeting by reviewing this sheet and filling in missing details. You can also start your meetings by checking in with the sheet from the previous meeting. TIPS, TOOLS, TECHNIQUES Tools You Can Use Some simple tools that can drastically shift the energy of a meeting, might help you hear new voices, and invite the perspectives of quiet, introverted, or more silenced participants: •Start the meeting off with quick check-ins (even something as simple as “three adjectives to describe how you’re feeling,” or “one thing that went well and one challenge from the ANTI-OPPRESSION RESOURCE AND TRAINING ALLIANCE www.aortacollective.org week”) on how folks are doing, so you know where folks are at when they walk in the room. •Build in a couple minutes for quiet journaling/thinking before launching into group discussion. •Start an item off with conversations in pairs or small groups before coming back to the whole group. Often you’ll get deeper this want and end up with better, more creative ideas. •Do a round robin/go-around to hear from everyone. (People can always pass if they’d like). •Hosting part of a meeting with everyone standing in a circle (if they’re able) can help wake people up, decrease tensions, and support more concise statements. •Asking participants to switch seats after a break or agenda item also helps to energize and mix things up. This can be really helpful when they group is feeling stuck. •Taking a straw poll can help you get a quick read of how close the group is to a decision, whether or not there is unity, and which topics are key to focus discussion on. You can check in with folks whose opinions diverge most from the majority to see what’s going on for them. Straw polls can look a lot of ways: ◦Vote yes/no/maybe ◦Vote for your one favorite of multiple options ◦Vote for all the options you support (more than one is ok) ◦Rate how you feel about the proposal/idea on a “fist of five,” one finger meaning “I really do not support this,” five fingers meaning “I love this.” •Incorporate ways of gauging people’s opinions that involve their bodies, such as asking folks to move (if able) to one side of the room if they are for the proposal, the other side if they’re against it, and to stand in the middle if they’re unsure. Then, hear from a few people from each position. Let folks move as their opinions change. Common Mistakes (Will happen. Keep an eye out!) •Not having a co-facilitator when you need one. •Rushing the group. (Sometimes going slower takes less time in the long run). •Not setting clear boundaries for yourself in your role as facilitator, getting pushed around by the group. •Not taking a break when YOU need one. (When the facilitator needs a break, it’s to everyone’s advantage to have a break!) •Spiraling down into group process about group process. (You know, when you spend 10 minutes deciding as a group by consensus whether you want to allot 10 more minutes of discussion to an item). •Not leaving time and space for people’s feelings. •Becoming inflexible or unwilling to adapt the agenda/plan to meet the group’s evolving needs. •Forgetting to get additional support—a note taker, logistics coordinator, someone to set up the meeting space, etc. •Meeting for too long a time period without food, water, and/or breaks. Red Flags and Dynamics to Watch Out For •Unhealthy, unchallenged, or unnamed power dynamics. •People interrupting each other or the facilitator. •People repeating or re-stating what others have said. ANTI-OPPRESSION RESOURCE AND TRAINING ALLIANCE www.aortacollective.org •Tone and body language: Do people look upset? Checked out? Bored? Angry? If you see this, check in with the group as a whole, or quietly with individuals. •Individuals monopolizing conversation. •Individuals or small groups bringing a fully-formed idea to the meeting, without any group conversation, brainstorming, or feedback, and wanting it passed that very day. •Back-and-forths between individuals. What to Do When You Get Stuck •Use the agenda and expected actions. Have you switched into “decide” mode when the desired action was “feedback?” •Take a break: Have small groups work out a proposal based on what they've heard about the needs of the group. (What's needed for a decision?) •Ask questions to initiate discussion, as opposed to jumping directly into concerns. Questions assume the proposal writer(s) thought about the concern, and allow them to respond with their reasoning. •When people are voicing concerns, ask them what can be done to meet their concern. •Do people need a refresher of the decision making process your group uses? •Listen for agreement and note it, no matter how small. This both builds morale and helps clarify where the group is at. •Reflect back what you're hearing. Practice synthesizing and summarizing. •Break big decisions into smaller pieces. •Don't allow back-and-forths between two participants to dominate a discussion or agenda item: ask for input from others. RESOURCES •Collective Visioning by Linda Stout •Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making by Sam Kaner •Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers by Dave Gray •Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening, and Creating New Realities by Adam Kahane and Peter M. Senge •Visual Meetings: How Graphics, Sticky Notes & Idea Mapping Can Transform Group Productivity by David Sibbet MINUTES PRELIMINARY HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MARCH 24, 2022 – 6:30 PM FORMAL MEETING THE CENTER ASSEMBLY ROOM MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Kaleb Beining, Maryann Dennis, Matt Drabek, Nasr Mohammed, Peter Nkumu, Becci Reedus, Kyle Vogel Erika Kubly, Brianna Thul Lucy Barker (Houses into Homes), Tashundra Gathright (The Housing Fellowship), Michelle Heinz (Inside Out Reentry), Ashlee Hopkins (DVIP), Jaimie Nguyen (Healthy Kids School Clinic), Thuy Nguyen (Optic Origin), Marguerite Oetting (Healthy Kids School Clinic), Barbara Vinograde (Free Medical Clinic) via Zoom. RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL: By a vote of 6-0 (Drabek recused) the Commission recommends the following EA2A allocations to Council with the understanding that staff will verify that the funds awarded are appropriate to the percentage of Iowa City residents served. By a vote of 7-0 the Commission recommends the following CDBG/HOME funding allocations: Agenda Item #3 Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 2 of 12 2 CALL MEETING TO ORDER: Drabek called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. CONSIDERATION OF MEETING MINUTES: FEBRUARY 17, 2022: Reedus moved to approve the minutes of February 17, 2022, Dennis seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the minutes were approved 7-0. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TOPICS NOT ON THE AGENDA: None. QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION FOR FY23 EMERGING AID TO AGENCIES (EA2A) APPLICANTS: Drabek recused himself from the discussion due to conflict of interest. Beining opened the discussion for commissioners to ask questions of the applicants. Reedus has questions for NAMI but there was no one from the organization present. Kubly stated the Commission would need to make their decision based on the information that they have available. Reedus noted Houses into Home is asking for $8,625 and is that to contract for a position or is it part of a part time/full time position. Lucy Barker (Houses Into Homes) stated the funding is to increase hours for one of their part time staff. This person is one of the operations associates who does the pickups and actually volunteered throughout the pandemic doing pickups and would be taking over the logistics and this would be an efficient use of staff as she's already trained and knows the whole area. Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 3 of 12 3 Reedus stated she appreciated that on the application they showed the cost to families to purchase items at a consignment or resale but the concern she has is she didn't see funding from any other entities or the communities, only from Iowa City yet 68% of the clientele is from Iowa City so the other 32% is in other communities in Johnson County and there's no matching funds to take care of it other 32%. Barker stated their budget is almost $200,000 of recurring and ongoing donations and corporate sponsors. Reedus stated she wanted to see in the application that the total project costs $12,000, 68% of the total clients served are from Iowa City so then no more than 68% of this project funding should come from Iowa City. Reedus suggested adjusting the application and budget to reflect total project costs total contributions because on this application they are showing 100% of the project costs are going to be paid for by Iowa City, yet a third of the program is going to be serving people outside of Iowa City. Thul stated the Commission could recommend a partial funding Dennis stated they are voting on funding tonight so there is not time for the organization to resubmit a different budget. Reedus stated she had the same issue with NAMI so in the future, she would encourage all agencies to seek funding from other entities when a project is going to be serving people outside of Iowa City and the application needs to show that additional funding in that budget breakdown. Barker noted some of the funds they've had are from North Liberty, they haven't had the opportunity to apply with Coralville but they're supporting the volunteer coordinators which is another part of the staff that Iowa City has not supported yet. Reedus asked about why they hadn’t had an opportunity to apply to Coralville. Barker confirmed they haven’t because it’s on the two-year joint funding application, and during the pandemic they move their funds toward only the Community Foundation funding so the social services funding round hasn't come up with them. Dennis suggested they go to the Coralville Council and apply for funding outside of the cycle, it might worth it try. Nkumu asked staff if it is a requirement for the organization to be located in Iowa City to be funded. Kubly stated they determined this this agency is eligible for this funding based on who they're serving and it’s okay that their headquarters is in Coralville. Nkumu recalled last year they had one organization submit a letter to correct their address, because they wrote on the application that they are located in Coralville. Kubly stated they used past information they had from this agency to confirm that they work in Iowa City. Houses into Homes has been funded before. Dennis stated because these funds are operational funds it's hard to actually break it all down to which city or entity is paying which portion of the salary for a person and therefore that person can only work with Iowa City families, because it is operational funding. Reedus agrees and reiterated that is why is important to show on the budget how much they are requesting from Iowa City, and how much of the operations budget is from another entity, like Coralville or North Liberty. Vogel asked how much money is available for this round of Aid to Emerging Agencies. Thul stated the estimate was $33,600. Dennis asked if they chose to fully fund the maximum 5% to the Emerging Agencies does it take away funding from the legacy agencies. Kubly replied it is the same pot of money so it can affect the amount left for legacy agencies. Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 4 of 12 4 Vogel asked what the planned hourly rate for the intake manager is at Houses into Homes. Barker replied it is $15 an hour plus the employer labor costs. Vogel noted a part-time employee at $15 per hour, with taxes and all the labor costs, the total labor payroll costs will be somewhere in the $10,000 range so in theory they are asking for only a portion of their true labor costs to be covered by Iowa City. Vogel added there has been previous discussions regarding this because even with legacy agencies, it is hard to always quantify who they are serving, the Shelter House takes people in from all over and they are not asked to break down how many of their residents are from Iowa City. It is difficult to predetermine ahead of time who are the people that any of these funds are going to help or where they are from. The goal would be just to establish who are the legitimate qualified agencies asking for aid. It's almost impossible for any of these agencies to go down and pinpoint that the money from certain areas is only used for people from that area. Reedus agrees but noted that agencies that have been applying for years already know how to do this and most organizations provide that information. Also, when those organizations report to the City, they sign a contract stating if they get some CDBG funds they have target numbers that they have to hit in terms of services provided. The reason why she brought this up to Houses Into HOME, and will bring it up to NAMI, is to help the organization and make sure when they are applying for funding, they give all the information on where the other funds are coming from if they are serving multiple municipalities, it helps in the decision making. Reedus also stated she does believe that Iowa City money should benefit Iowa City residents so that's something she is going to be watching for sitting on this Commission. Dennis agreed and noted there are reporting requirements the organization has to break down and the City monitors that. Beining moved onto the next applicant, NAMI. Reedus stated her issue is the same with NAMI in that when they filled out the budget breakdown that's in the packet, in the narrative, the resources and feasibility, the funds toward the project, that last line of $1,500 actually should go into other funds because they're asking for $10,000 but they put funds for the project in the wrong line, so they have City funds at $11,500 down there. Reedus pointed out however, even then, they are at 75% Iowa City residents so technically that $1,500 is not sufficient matching funds for this project. Beining moved onto the final applicant, Healthy Kids School Based Clinics. Reedus first made a statement on observation of this expansion into providing the services for this minority population is part of their whole budget and their whole budget is what was attached so the expenditures for FY22 would be $169,000. Marguerite Oetting (Medical Director, Healthy Kids School Clinic) replied the budget submitted was their whole operating budget and what they have to spend for the whole year. They serve Johnson County, Iowa City, Coralville. She then tried to specifically focus on just Iowa City and to provide as much information on how many patient families they serve in Iowa City, which is about 70%, so it would take up a lot of their operating budget. Reedus acknowledged they did have a number of other funding sources listed so that percentage thing isn't an issue, what she is asking is are they looking for money for their operations budget and the project of providing all of these medical, dental and mental health services which are all part of the total $169,000 budget. Oetting confirmed that is correct. They currently see immigrants and refugees but their numbers are increasing rapidly and they need to be able to expand services. Reedus noted they show that already they’ve exceeded the revenue projection, the budget expenses listed are $169,000 but total revenue is $176,000 so they have already met budget projections. Are they projecting that they’re going to have additional expenses above and beyond. Oetting confirmed they are Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 5 of 12 5 and added they had one issue this year, they lost a clinic coordinator early in the fiscal year and were not able to replace that person otherwise there would be much bigger expenses for the year. Next year expenses will go up because they will be hiring the replacement person in April or May and then paying the salary for three coordinators instead of two. This year’s budget was artificially low because they were down one salary for most of the year. Reedus asked if they receive revenue from the Iowa City School District or the Iowa City School Foundation. Oetting replied that Healthy Kids is a collaboration, it lives within the school district and is a program within the school district, but they raise all of their own funding, they get no cash for the operating budget from the school district. The school district does provide all of the space and they've done the renovation on all of our clinics, and they allow the employees to be school district employees so that they can get better benefits than a small nonprofit could provide. The University of Iowa Hospitals provides all the provider time, so the three physicians that work in the clinic are all paid by the University of Iowa, so that's their contribution, and all of the funds that they have are raised within the community. Reedus noted their budget is cash accounting and it doesn't show in kind services, so they aren’t really recording the physicians from the University of Iowa time. Oetting noted she is a University of Iowa employee and so is the family medicine doctor, so their salaries are paid by The University of Iowa and part of their assignment for the University of Iowa is to cover the Healthy Kids clinic. The second pediatrician is a volunteer, she is a colleague from the University, but she volunteers so that would be in kind. Additionally, part of Oetting’s time as medical director is also donated so she works at the school clinic more hours than she is paid for by the University. Reedus suggested they show that in-kind contribution in their budget because it shows a true value of an organization's worth. Oetting agreed they can do that in the future. Reedus’ other question was if they have relationships with Guide Link or any other partnership with a mental health service because mental health care was something they noted in terms of services. Oetting replied their mental health services are provided in two ways. One is that there is a child psychiatrist from the University of Iowa who comes to the schools once a week, her services are slightly different as she's under their umbrella but she actually bills the child's insurance if they are insured and for the uninsured children the school district gets billed because they have some grants that will cover mental health care for the uninsured. Two, counseling Services are done in collaboration for the most part with the counseling services that are available within the school district, all the Iowa City Schools have mental health services in the school so they refer their kids to those services, unless the family prefers something else. Some of families prefer to have counseling in their native language and if that's available, which it is for Spanish, they use a couple of counselors within the community, and then they pay cash for their services. That was all the questions the Commissioners had for the applicants so they moved onto the next agenda item of the recommendations to City Council. DISCUSS FY23 EMERGING AID TO AGENCIES (EA2A) FUNDING REQUESTS AND CONSIDER BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL: Drabek recused himself from the discussion due to conflict of interest. Kubly first wanted to clarify the question earlier regarding the full amount available to allocate, it is $36,600 which is 5% of the Aid to Agency budget for the year. So the Commission could fully fund the three Emerging Agency applications, or they could do less and put more money back into the pot for the legacy agencies. Vogel moved to recommend fully funding all three projects as requested. Dennis seconded the motion. Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 6 of 12 6 Reedus noted she does support that motion; except she would want some sort of reconciliation on the budget to show that both Houses Into Homes and NAMI need to provide adequate other funds to justify the percentage of Iowa City residents that they serve. Kubly confirmed Reedus is asking that staff just justify that the amount of funding that Iowa City is giving them is appropriate for the number of residents they are serving. Reedus agreed, if the organization is adjusting their program a little bit she trusts staff to be able to handle all that. Reedus moved to amend the motion to recommend the following EA2A allocations to Council with the understanding that staff will verify that the funds awarded are appropriate to the percentage of Iowa City residents served. Motion amendment seconded by Dennis. A vote was taken and the amendment passed 5-1 (Drabek recused and Vogel dissenting). Regarding the motion to recommend fully funding all three projects as requested, with the amendment A vote was taken and the motion passed 6-0 (Drabek recused himself). DISCUSS FY23 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) AND HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (HOME) FUNDING REQUESTS AND CONSIDER BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL: Drabek rejoined the meeting. Drabek noted there was quite a bit of information in the agenda packet, there is the staff recommendation, a tabulation of the average scores as well as the range and the median and there is a breakdown of the range for each question. He stated when he is looking through these, he begins by looking for outliers, and compare that to the amount of funding that they have. He will also see if there's any application that has an outstanding average score or has a score that's low enough that they really want to raise questions about whether to fund it at all. Drabek acknowledged he can definitively say that he found neither of those things and what he saw were four applications with an amazingly similar average score, in fact, only separated the largest from the smallest by 25. The range of scores of individual applications is bigger than the difference in average between applications. While he didn't find any outliers, he did find some differences in individual questions but thinks perhaps those were errors as there is a scoring range of 30 on Roman numeral two, question four, but there are only 20 points for the question that can't possibly be. Thul agreed with that observation and noted staff can look at the instructions again for next time to make sure the instructions are clear for commissioners. Reedus noted with the HOME funds they will have some unspent money even if they fully fund the two projects that are eligible. Kubly confirmed that was correct and noted the unspent balance will go into a fund and once they get a certain amount in unallocated HOME funds, they will hold a mid-year funding round. Otherwise, if it's less than that, they would just push that to the next funding round. Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 7 of 12 7 Drabek noted they do have some restrictions in terms of which pot of money they can use for which application. They cannot use HOME funds for DVIP or the Free Medical Clinic. The other two applicants can receive funds from either pot of funds. When he went through the applications and did his scoring he noted that his recommendations aligned with the staff recommendations. It struck him that the biggest question is DVIP has the top score so do they want to try to make the entire $500,000 award to them or do they want to give $75,000 to the Free Medical Clinic and he was in favor of giving the $75,000 to the Free Medical Clinic. Reedus agreed she would want to give the $75,000 to the Free Medical Clinic, DVIP wasn’t her top score, it was the Free Medical Clinic. DVIP asked for $700,000 and the City can't fund that much, and they understand that they're not going to get full funding. So she would propose $425,000 for DVIP and $75,000 for the Free Medical Clinic. Dennis agreed with that recommendation noting over the past few years when agencies come in for CDBG money to do renovations to their office or their clinic and when the Commission doesn't fund them fully, invariably, they come back the next year. Sometimes it takes multiple years to do exactly what they want and she thinks the Free Medical Clinic, just the fact that it's going to be accessible to do that downstairs and get it all better organized is very valuable. Reedus also noted $425,000 to a capital project is a big award and over the past 10 years a lot of nonprofits have not been able to squeak above $200,000. Also she feels like the Free Medical Clinic is doing a lot on a little and they serve a lot of people so she wants to give them full funding. Drabek agrees with that division of funding allocation for CDBG. He next moved onto discussion of the HOME funding applications, he feels is a straightforward decision to give full awards to both applicants. Dennis agrees with that but does think that Inside Out Reentry is getting into a new territory for them, which typically she would say for them to partner with another agency that does the rental part, however, with this particular agency because of who they serve it does makes sense for them to venture into acquiring a rental property. Reedus agrees and does have some concerns about the age of the organization, she doesn’t have any issues with how it's managed and all of that but does worry that it's a pretty good chunk that they're taking on, it’s a new/added service so she is a little worried about what that does to operations costs, but she also acknowledged they have done a good job over the past years, she has looked at their 990s and they've done a good job managing their finances and got money put aside. Overall, it's a well ran organization. Dennis acknowledged there was a community group that's been working on this issue for many years before they even really incorporated. Vogel had a question on the other $320,000 in the application for The Housing Fellowship the description of funds is a 0% 15 year amortization, are they paying back $160,000 of that over 15 years. It says $160,000 applied for requests to CDBG/HOME funds, 0% 15-year amortization is requested from CDBG/ HOME funds and $160,000 forgivable after affordability period applied for. Is that $160,000 part of the $320,000 a loan that they repay over 15 years. Thul explained that a lot of the HOME funds are issued in the form of a loan and that's what comes back to the City as program income so when they do the annual budget they roll that into recoup money. Vogel stated he is perfectly happy with staff recommendations. Dennis motioned to recommend the following CDBG/HOME funding allocations to Council. Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 8 of 12 8 Seconded by Reedus. A vote was taken and the motion passed 7-0. DISCUSS NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEEK: Kubly stated National Community Development Week is April 11 - 15th, it is done annually as an opportunity to recognize the CDBG and HOME grants that Iowa City receives as a community and are encouraged to reach out to the federal representatives and let them know how the money is used and why it's important for Iowa City to keep receiving the CDBG and HOME money. One thing they typically do every year is a Council proclamation, so at the April 4 Council meeting they plan to do a Housing and Community Development Week proclamation. Typically, a member of HCDC, usually the chair but could be someone else, accept that proclamation and speak to how the funds are used. Kubly also noted if there are any other ideas about how to participate in community development week, they're open to that. Last year, they did the proclamation and then some social media posts about projects that they've done. Reedus noted in the past they used to have some sort of event at one of the funded entities and those I were really nice because it helped people understand how that money was being put to work in the community. That might not be possible now with COVID and the fear of the next variant, but maybe again sometime in the future. Dennis noted those bigger events in her experience usually happened when there's a national primary and the representatives from federally elected officials show up and HUD shows up. Kubly stated another thing that they've done in the past, a few years ago, was did a tour of new projects, so that is something they could do again in future years, they would get a little bus from the City and drive around and see some of the new projects funded from CDBG and HOME. Reedus thinks that would be a great thing to do in future years. She noted at the beginning of the pandemic, in 2020, the mayor had created some videos of various agencies throughout the City and maybe they could do something like that with some of the funded projects in the community. Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 9 of 12 9 Kubly said they can reach out to the communications department and see if they can help put some videos together highlighting the Shelter House, The Housing Fellowship and others. Reedus noted the Shelter House is significant because with their 501 project they will have significantly if not closed that gap between the type of individual that needs that service and the service. There probably aren’t many communities in the United States can boast something like that, it's an outstanding accomplishment. The Housing Fellowship is also a great one to showcase as people can relate to some of the topics and issues about getting families into homes permanently. Dennis asked if they would have to have this presentation done by the Council meeting on April 5. Reedus feels if they could try to get it done by mid-April that would be fine. Kubly stated it will depend on the workload of the staff, but she will reach out them tomorrow or next week. Kubly did add there is already a Shelter House video that was released this week that's really good that she will share it with the Commission, maybe they use that footage and staff can just focus on The Housing Fellowship. Vogel noted it would also be nice to give some highlights of some of the emerging agencies who've done massive amount of works with much smaller awards, so it would be nice to shine a spotlight on some of them as well. Dennis agreed noting she was very impressed with the collaboration of Healthy Kids and the University, a volunteer pediatrician, and the school district providing them with renovated space. It was nice to learn about that. Vogel also noted with Houses Into Homes, they have teams of 10-15-20 different high school kids every week that are showing up unloading trucks, loading trucks, delivering to the houses. It is very impressive to see high schoolers putting in the time for organizations. So it would be good to highlight these organizations. Kubly will reach out to the communications department to put together a video together for social media. Drabek will be at the April 5 Council meeting to do the proclamation. IOWA CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS UPDATES: Two Commissioners are assigned each month to monitor Council meetings and this agenda item provides an opportunity for brief updates on City Council activity relevant to the HCDC business. Commissioners will not engage in discussion with one another concerning said items. Reedus watched both the work session and Council meeting online, first they did pass the changes to the Section VIII, second at the meeting this week they discussed the Forest View redevelopment. The City reached a unique and interesting type of proposal mix a few years ago with the owners and the residents to redevelop that housing area. However, because of a number of factors it never happened, and it's not going to happen, so they're looking at relocating some of these families. Reedus does wonder whether or not any of this will come to the Housing Commission. The other thing of importance is Council still has not voted on the two open position on the Commission. Vogel asked is the delay that they don't have people who've applied or is the delay that they just haven't gotten around to doing it. Reedus’s understanding was that they've had some people apply, there has been lack of qualified applicants. Kubly stated regarding the Forest View situation, Council has not requested the Commission be involved in anything, the discussion was at the work session, and they had a thoughtful discussion that ended up with some questions for staff. So staff is looking at different considerations, different kinds of options and Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 10 of 12 10 different ways to make sure that the relocation assistance meets the ARPA funding requirements and things like that, and how to how to do it fairly. Reedus noted they talked about the relocation assistance being somewhere around $15,000 and also talked about an income guideline for families like $41,000 or something like that, which also may be under consideration because as Councilor Harmsen pointed out $40,000 as income per family is not a lot so it'd be interesting to see if they raise those limits a little bit to help with some of the residents. The other issue was where's the money going to come from, whether or not some of the funding can come from some of the available ARPA funds or someplace else from the City budget. Kubly stated the intention is that this will be paid with for from ARPA money, so staff is looking into how to make it work within those guidelines. Reedus will volunteer to watch the next meetings as well. Drabek will be present at the April 5 meeting. DISCUSS PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES: Drabek noted Council had a discussion around public comments at the March 1 meeting and they made a decision not to impose a municipal infraction or fine for repeated violations of comment guidelines. He noted there have been a variety of discussions of public comments with different public agencies, but the Council did address it at the March 1 meeting. Drabek noted it's rare for this Commission to get requests for public comments but there was a request at the last meeting, and they’ve never really had a chance as a Commission to talk about what they want public comment sessions to look like or any sort of guidelines. Basically, the only thing they have on paper right now is agenda item number three, which is on every agenda. So there are some guidelines for public comments of items not on the agenda but they don't have any guidelines or any way of handling public comments for items that are on the agenda. Drabek asked staff for guidance and the answer which came from the City Attorney was that public comments for items that are on the agenda are at the chair’s discretion. However, he feels this Commission usually has a goal to have a collaborative commission where they can operate on consensus. They don't always reach consensus, but at least make some attempt to do it. Therefore, having the chair bang the gavel and run the public comment session is sort of at odds with that. The other reason it's at odds is the chairs don't stick around forever and they shouldn’t want to reinvent the wheel every time there is a new chair. So what Drabek wanted to do with this agenda item is take input and discussion over what public comment sessions should look like, should there be a time limit should we, should they be germane and on topic, are there any other sorts of things that the chair should be thinking about as the chair for public comment. Vogel feels it has to be germane and on topic because it would be on that agenda item so if someone just went off on a random rant the chair would have to put a stop to it. Vogel also asked if there a differentiation between public comment from one of the organizations requesting aid versus a member of the public. They often had people come up and give presentations and those can last five to seven minutes long, but would they want to sit through a five to seven minute rant from the public. So, that's the tough question on time limits is, if they set a time limit, they got to give it to everybody. Reedus does think it's different, during City Council meetings they do have presentations that last longer than public comment. She notes in some years agencies have been asked to limit presentations to two or three minutes but if it were a complex issue, they might ask an organization to make a presentation and then have some interaction so that's entirely different. She also noted at some Council meetings some of the public commenters just get up and waste time. So is the chair willing to say, excuse me, but you've talked long enough or is it easier to have a policy that asks public commenters to limit their comments to three minutes or five minutes. They could then also make some allowances for those individuals who Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 11 of 12 11 need some assistance in interpretation, whether it's sign language or an interpreter. She thinks it would be easier to have a set time rule because to have the chair cut someone off is a lot more confrontational. Dennis stated she has often heard at Council meetings, especially during planning and zoning items, that the mayor will say if there's somebody who would like to say something different or new that they haven't heard before. She thinks that's reasonable also, because a lot of times, especially with planning and zoning if the neighbors are against a project, they all just say the same thing over and over again. She does agree however to have public comment on the agenda items, but to invite them up and ask them to keep their comments to three or five minutes. Drabek agrees with Dennis, to have a public comment session but to announce the time limit before it starts. Also, just from a perspective of improving and getting high quality comments and helping people make their arguments, if they have an argument they can't make in five minutes they should have thought about it more beforehand and narrowed it down a little bit. Anything that's worth saying can be said in five minutes. Drabek noted moving forward for each agenda item they should routinely asked for public comment. Reedus asked if external people watching this can be patch in to make comments as City Council does, it’s an accommodation type thing. Thul stated they have been doing it upon request but noted they do not have IT support at night like Council does so it's hard to guarantee that everything will work perfectly. Vogel noted this isn't something needs a vote, it's something to help the chair, to create the policy, but when the next year comes around, if that chairs not comfortable with the policy, that chair can always bring it back to this commission. Drabek also note from his point of view, he is willing to let people say almost whatever they want, whenever they want. If it seemed like a session was going to go for four hours, he would ask if someone had anything new to say, or a different argument or a different perspective. STAFF UPDATES: Thul noted the next meeting will be April 21 and at that meeting staff will bring the draft of the action plan with the funding recommendations in it, the public comment for that is going to start around April 1, and that will end May 3 when it goes to City Council for final approval. Thul noted a few things from the agenda packet. The fair housing training is going to be offered in April. April is Fair Housing Month. The City is accepting applications for the climate action grants. There's a flyer for the community police review board community forum on April 20. ADJOURNMENT: Reedus moved to adjourn, Dennis seconded the motion, a vote was taken and the motion passed 7-0. Housing and Community Development Commission March 24, 2022 Page 12 of 12 12 Housing and Community Development Commission Attendance Record 2021-2022 •Resigned from Commission Key: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused --- = Vacant Name Terms Exp. 8/19 9/16 10/21 11/18 1/20 2/17 3/24 Vacancy 6/30/24 Beining, Kaleb 6/30/24 X X X X X X X Drabek, Matt 6/30/22 X X X X X X X Dennis, Maryann 6/30/22 -- -- X X X X X X Vacancy 6/30/23 Mohammed, Nsar 6/30/23 X X X O/E X X X Nkumu, Peter 6/30/22 X X X X O/E O/E X Reedus, Becci 6/30/24 X X X X X X X Vogel, Kyle 6/30/23 X O/E X X X O/E X Vacancy Date: May 10, 2022 To: Housing and Community Development Commission From: Brianna Thul, Community Development Planner Erika Kubly, Neighborhood Services Coordinator Re: Development of the Evaluation and Monitoring Guide for CDBG & HOME Projects and Staff Recommendations for Unsuccessful and Delayed Projects Policy Checkpoint Monitoring Guide The Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) plays an important role in ensuring that agencies receiving federal funds have the capacity to perform as expected. People join HCDC with varying levels of experience and the federal programs can be complex. The immense work of the Commission is completed on a volunteer basis, and staff continuously look for new ways to support Commissioners with their duties. Recently, staff developed a new tool intended to help guide questioning and considerations during important phases of the funding process such as the application process and project monitoring. The new tool is titled Evaluation and Monitoring Guide for CDBG & HOME Projects. The purpose of the guide is to provide a consistent baseline of information that will complement each Commissioner’s unique perspective. Staff will also continue to provide recommendations that are specific to each case/application brought to the Commission to help facilitate informed decision making. May Checkpoint As a part of the Unsuccessful and Delayed Projects Policy checkpoint that occurs annually in March, HCDC will hear updates from two agencies on the projects that did not meet the 50 percent expenditure deadline in March of 2022: •FY22 CDBG Shelter House Public Facility Improvements •FY22 CDBG Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County Public Facility Improvements Staff have discussed both projects with the agencies and considered the individual circumstances of each case. When developing a recommendation, numerous factors are considered such as the agency’s history of compliance, agency capacity, reason for delay, revised completion schedule, current project status, etc. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommend allowing both projects to proceed without recapture. Both agencies have made progress towards completion, have a long history of compliance with federal regulations, and are actively engaged in pursuing next steps. Staff also advise that recapturing and reallocating CDBG funds in the current circumstances would cause additional spending delays and put the City further away from its timeliness goals for the next fiscal year. Agenda Item #5 Evaluation and Monitoring Guide for CDBG & HOME Projects Housing and Community Development Commission Routine duties of Commissioners involve reviewing grant applications, questioning applicants about their submissions, developing funding recommendations, and receiving updates from grantees for ongoing projects (also referred to as “project monitoring”). Occasionally, HCDC is also asked to make recommendations on projects experiencing compliance issues or other challenges. HCDC plays an important role in ensuring that agencies who receive funds from the City have the capacity to perform as expected. Two key opportunities for HCDC to evaluate an agency’s capacity occur during the question and answer (Q&A) sessions with applicants and project monitoring with grantees who have already been awarded funding. People join HCDC with a variety of experience and this tool is intended to help Commissioners guide their questioning and considerations during these important phases in the funding process. What should I consider during a Q&A session with applicants? Q&A sessions are often scheduled with applicants during an HCDC meeting before the commission makes a funding recommendation. This is an opportunity for commissioners to request additional information and ask clarifying questions of the applicants. It is expected that commissioners review the applications ahead of these sessions and prepare questions that will help formulate project scores and funding recommendations. Commissioners should strongly consider the applicable scoring rubric while developing questions to ask applicants. Staff will help HCDC with the technical side of the process by drafting questions that Commissioners are encouraged to ask applicants. Commissioners should also consider the following: •Community need: What problem, issue, or opportunity does this project seek to address? •Goals: What is the purpose of the project? Will the activities meet a priority need and goals outlined in the City’s consolidated plan, City Steps 2025? •Capacity: Does the applicant have the expertise and proven track record to complete the project? Is the current staff the same staff that has historically worked on the project, and if not, why did staff turnover? Does the team managing the project have the background necessary to provide the proposed services or undertake the proposed project or development? Are there enough team members to provide all services described in the contract? Does the agency have stable leadership that provides the necessary oversight and guidance to the project team? Who makes up the Board of Directors? Is the team knowledgeable about program rules and program tracking and reporting requirements? Do accounting and contracting staff understand federal rules that apply to the programs? Does the agency team work well with other agencies and the City to meet community goals? Agenda Item #5 •Resources: What resources (e.g., funding, personnel, facilities) are dedicated to the project? What funds will be leveraged? •Activities: What will be done to accomplish the goals? •Outputs: How many of each activity will take place and how many people will be served? •Outcomes: What changes in knowledge, condition, or status are expected during or after the project? •Indicators: What measurable indicators do the partners agree indicate success? •How many vacant units does your agency currently have for all projects? How many vacant units are federally funded projects? What should I consider during project monitoring? There are typically two ways projects are brought to HCDC: 1) projects that are behind schedule and/or out of compliance, and 2) routine project monitoring. Projects that are behind schedule and/or out of compliance. CDBG projects are intended to be completed within the program fiscal year to meet HUD timeliness requirements. When projects are not completed on time, Iowa City could get penalized with a reduced grant allocation in the future. The City’s Unsuccessful and Delayed Projects Policy provides regular checkpoints for federally funded activities. To summarize: •Grantees must enter a formal agreement with the City by September 30 each year. Staff typically inform HCDC of projects that do not meet this checkpoint in October and recipients will be invited to the next HCDC meeting to answer questions from the commission. •CDBG grantees must expend a minimum of 50% of their award by March 15 each year. Staff typically inform HCDC of projects that do not meet this checkpoint in April and recipients will be invited to the next HCDC meeting to answer questions from the commission. HOME projects often include affordable housing which can take more time to execute. HUD allows two years to identify a specific project and four years to complete the project. However, it is expected that HOME projects are underway well within these time frames. Staff will inform HCDC of cases that are in danger of not meeting the regulations. Examples of questions that Commissioners may consider asking recipients experiencing project delays include: •Given the checkpoints established each year for federal projects, why do you feel the project was unable to meet these deadlines? •Do you feel that extenuating circumstances exist? •How will this delay change the project timeline if allowed to proceed? Will funds be spent before the annual timeliness deadline around May 2? •What staff members are in charge of project management? •How will this project be prioritized moving forward? •Has the delay changed the project budget? How will the agency fund any cost increases? •Is there any additional assistance you need from staff to move the project forward? Routine project monitoring Recipients of federal funds are also invited to present their progress at various meetings throughout the year. This is an opportunity for HCDC to learn more about the agencies and hear progress reports for projects underway. Examples of questions that Commissioners may consider asking recipients presenting project monitoring updates include: •What is the current project timeline? •Is the project on schedule based on the timeline proposed in the application and terms outlined in the program agreement? •When will the project be fully completed? •What community need is your agency fulfilling with this project? What are the current trends for that need? •Is your project on track to meet the required goals? •How many vacant units does your agency currently have for all projects? How many vacant units are federally funded projects? •Have any challenges occurred while undertaking the project? Do you anticipate any upcoming challenges? •Is there any additional assistance you need from staff to move the project forward? •What are the next steps for the project? •Please discuss any ongoing and future agency needs. What happens when applicants do not successfully complete their federally funded project? Staff works to prevent compliance issues with federally funded projects through applicant workshops, grantee meetings, project agreements, technical assistance, project monitoring, and more. Unfortunately, there are times when agencies are not able complete their project in a timely manner or compliance issues are identified through monitoring after funds have been expended. Here are some examples and potential outcomes that demonstrate why it is important for the commission to exercise scrutiny when making funding decisions: Example Scenario HCDC Decision A & Potential Outcome HCDC Decision B & Potential Outcome #1 A CDBG project is behind schedule and is brought to HCDC for consideration HCDC allows the agency more time to complete the project. If the project stalls again and is ultimately unable to proceed, Iowa City may not meet the HUD timeliness requirement which puts the city at risk of a reduced funding allocation in the future. HCDC determines that the project is not ready to move forward and recaptures funds. Funds are then reallocated to a different project that can be completed in a timely manner. The agency with the initial project can reapply in a subsequent funding round. #2 A newly established agency requests HOME funding to acquire rental units. Staff recommends against funding the project due to concerns about the agency’s capacity and the complexity of administering federal HOME funds. HCDC recommends funding and the project is awarded HOME funds. The project is successfully completed. However, during project monitoring the agency is unable to meet HUD requirements due to lack of capacity. A significant amount of staff time is diverted from current projects to deal with noncompliance. If the agency is unable to demonstrate capacity funds will need to be repaid to HUD and will no longer benefit the Iowa City community. HCDC does not recommend funding this project. If the new agency continues to build capacity and gain experience with similar projects and other grants, they would be able to apply for future funding rounds with a greater chance of success. #3 An application is received from a qualified agency to create additional affordable units. Staff voices concern about high vacancy rates within the agency’s current units. The project is funded with HOME and proceeds, but the agency is unable to fill the units with qualified tenants in a timely manner. The project becomes at-risk of repaying federal funds. If the agency is unable to find tenants, that funding would be repaid to HUD rather than invested in the community. The project is not funded due to the agency’s high vacancy rate. The agency is able to focus efforts on filling current vacancies to meet compliance with previously funded projects. Once current units are occupied, the agency can apply for additional units. Understandably, it’s not possible to predict every scenario that may occur, but staff and HCDC can use the resources available to make sound decisions that will benefit the low to moderate income populations of Iowa City and keep federal funds in the community. Additional Comments from Staff: •Overlooking red flags to fund a high-risk project may seem helpful to an agency in the moment, but it will cause long-term, public complications. Funding an agency before they have capacity puts them at high risk of noncompliance which will have negative outcomes for the agency, those receiving services/housing from the agency, and the City. If an agency or project is not a good fit for federal funds, there may be other opportunities or resources available that pose a lower risk to the City and the applicant. •If a surplus of funding is available, that does not necessarily mean that all projects should be funded. All projects must meet the federal requirements and funding a weak application may put the project in jeopardy down the line. Consider each submission on its individual merits. •If an agency is not ready to undertake federally funded activities, staff can offer resources for the agency to reference as they build their capacity. •Commissioners aren’t expected to know every detail of the CDBG and HOME program. Staff will provide recommendations and technical perspectives for your considerations. Commissioners are encouraged to reach out to staff ahead of the meeting with any questions about the grants, applications, and funding process. We are here to help! CDBG and HOME Consolidated Policies II. Unsuccessful and Delayed Projects HCDC recognizes that from time to time, there may be CDBG and/or HOME projects that do not meet the anticipated schedule for implementation as presented to HCDC. These circumstances may be due to unforeseen events (e.g. unfunded applications for other financing). The following process helps ensure subrecipients use their funds in a timely manner. 1.All CDBG projects carried out by subrecipients will have entered into a formal agreement with the City of Iowa City for the utilization of funds by September 30 each year. Should a subrecipient fail to meet this schedule, the project will be reviewed by HCDC to evaluate if extenuating circumstances exist. If extenuating circumstances exist and it is anticipated the project will proceed, a new timeline will be established for the project. If circumstances do not warrant an extension of time, HCDC may recommend the recapture and re-use of the funds to the City Council. 2.All CDBG projects (except applicants for Low Income Housing Tax Credits) carried out by subrecipients will have expended a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the assistance provided for the proposed project by March 15 each year. This provides the subrecipient with approximately 255 days following the start of the fiscal year to reach this threshold for CDBG projects. Should a recipient fail to meet this threshold, the project will be reviewed by HCDC to evaluate the timeliness of the project and its ability to proceed. If extenuating circumstances exist, a new timeline for expenditure will be established. If circumstances do not warrant an extension of time, HCDC may recommend the recapture and reuse of the funds to City Council. 3.All HOME projects carried out by subrecipients will have entered into a formal agreement with the City of Iowa City within two years of award (24 months). All HOME funds must be spent within five years. Should a subrecipient fail to show adequate progress towards meeting the schedule as identified in its application or the statutory requirements of the HOME program, the project will be reviewed by HCDC. If a HOME recipient is unsuccessful in obtaining funds identified in the application, HCDC will review the project and determine its viability without the proposed funds. HCDC may recommend the recapture and reuse of the funds to City Council. Agenda Item #5 DRAFT DOCUMENT Agenda Item #7 Purpose Iowa City is an entitlement community that receives federal Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership Program funds. The Annual Action Plan provides a concise summary of the actions, activities, and the specific federal and non-federal resources that will be used each year to address the priority needs and specific goals identified in the City’s consolidate plan, City Steps 2025. The Annual Action Plan is due to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at least 45 days before the beginning of the City’s program year which begins annually July 1. Inquiries or comments about this report can be directed to Neighborhood Services at 319-356-5230 or neighborhoods@iowa-city.org. Table of Contents I. Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1 1. AP-05 Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………...1 2. PR-05 Lead & Responsible Agencies…………………………………………………………..………………………….10 3. AP-10 Consultation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11 4. AP-12 Participation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….24 II. Expected Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27 5. AP-15 Expected Resources……………………………………………………………………………………………………..27 6. AP-20 Annual Goals and Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………...30 7. AP-35 Projects…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………35 8. AP-50 Geographic Distribution………………………………………………………………………………………………45 III. Affordable Housing………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………46 9. AP-55 Affordable Housing………………………………………………………………………………..…………….……..46 10. AP-60 Public Housing……………………….………………………….………………………………………………….……47 11. AP-65 Homeless and Other Special Needs Activities……………………………………………………….….48 12. AP-75 Barriers to Affordable Housing..………………………………..………………………………………………51 13. AP-85 Other Actions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..52 IV. Program Specific Requirements……………………………………………………………………………………………55 14. AP-90 Program Specific Requirements…………..……………………………………………………………………55 Appendix A – Citizen Participation Appendix B – FY22 Planned Activities Appendix C – Current Income, Rent, and Sales Price Limits List of Tables IDIS Table 1 - Responsible Entities ................................................................................................................................... 10 IDIS Table 2 – Agencies, Groups, Organizations Who Participated .................................................................21 IDIS Table 3 - Other Local/Regional/Federal Planning Effort ............................................................................. 23 IDIS Table 4 – Citizen Participation Outreach ......................................................................................................... 26 IDIS Table 5 – Expected Resources ........................................................................................................................... 28 IDIS Table 6 – Goals Summary ................................................................................................................................... 32 IDIS Table 7 – Goal Description .................................................................................................................................. 34 IDIS Table 8 - Project Information ............................................................................................................................ 35 IDIS Table 8.1 – Public Services Description ........................................................................................................... 37 IDIS Table 8.2 – Relocation and Real Property Acquisition ................................................................................. 38 IDIS Table 8.3 – Neighborhood and Area Benefits Description ....................................................................... 39 IDIS Table 8.4 – Housing Rehabilitation Description ........................................................................................... 40 IDIS Table 8.5 – Other Housing Activities Description ........................................................................................ 41 IDIS Table 8.6 – CHDO Reserve Activities Description ........................................................................................ 42 IDIS Table 8.7 – Economic Development Description ......................................................................................... 43 IDIS Table 8.8 – Planning and Administration Description .................................................................................. 44 IDIS Table 9 – Geographic Distribution……………………………………………………………………………………………………45 IDIS Table 10 – One Year Goals for the Number of Households to be Supported ................................... 46 IDIS Table 11 – One Year Goals for Affordable Housing by Support Type .................................................... 46 IDIS Table 12 – CDBG Reprogrammed Program Income ................................................................................... 55 City Table A – Activities Completed in City Fiscal Year 2021 (FFY20) (Non CDBG-CV) ................................ 6 City Table B – CDBG-CV Activities Completed in City Fiscal Year 2021 (FFY20) ........................................... 7 City Table C – City Steps 2025 Progress through City Fiscal Year 2021 (FFY20) ............................................. 8 Note: IDIS Tables are generated in the format required by the federal database, whereas City Tables are created to supplement and clarify the data. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 1 I.Executive Summary 1.AP-05 Executive Summary - 24 CFR 91.200(c), 91.220(b) Introduction. Each year, Iowa City receives funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for housing and community development activities to address priority needs locally identified by the City. To receive these federal funds, the City must submit a consolidated plan every five years that identifies local needs and how these needs will be addressed. For City Fiscal Years 2021 through 2025, this plan is called City Steps 2025. The Annual Action Plan (AAP) articulates funding decisions for the next year of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds according to the long-term goals and priorities established in City Steps 2025. Objectives and Outcomes. The AAP articulates funding decisions for the next year of CDBG and HOME funds according to the long-term goals established in City Steps 2025. The Consolidated Plan was guided by three overarching goals that are applied according to community needs: •To provide decent housing by preserving the affordable housing stock, increasing the availability of affordable housing, reducing discriminatorybarriers, increasing the supply of supportive housing for those with special needs, and transitioning persons and families experiencing homelessness intohousing. •To provide a suitable living environment through safer, more livable andaccessible neighborhoods, greater integration of low to moderate income (LMI) residents throughout the City, increased housing opportunities, andreinvestment in aging neighborhoods. •To expand economic opportunities through job creation, homeownershipopportunities, façade improvement, development activities that promote long- term community viability and the empowerment of LMI persons to achieveself-sufficiency. Focus of the Plan. As required by HUD, the needs and corresponding strategies identified in City Steps 2025, must focus primarily on LMI individuals and households. The plan also addresses the needs of persons with special needs such as the elderly, people with disabilities, large families, single parents, individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and public housing residents. Priorities. Iowa City is committed to allocating funds that serve the needs of LMI residents. Very low-income households making less than 50% of the area median income (AMI), especially those with extremely low incomes (less than 30% of AMI), are particular priorities. The City has also identified special needs individuals as among those who face the FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 2 greatest challenges and who should receive a higher priority in the expenditure of federal funds, including at-risk children and youth, low-income families, persons/families experiencing homeless, persons/families threatened with homelessness, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. To achieve the greatest impact possible from the limited federal funds available, the City intends to allocate its non-housing community development resources primarily to projects that will have a focused neighborhood impact, as opposed to infrastructure projects of more dispersed expected benefit. The priorities identified in City Steps 2025 were developed by: •Weighing the severity of the need among all groups and sub-groups; •Analyzing current social, housing, and economic conditions; •Analyzing the needs of LMI families; •Assessing the resources likely to be available over the next five years; and •Evaluating input from focus group sessions, interviews, service providersurveys, City staff, and public hearings. Iowa City will invest CDBG and HOME funds in areas primarily impacted by non- student LMI persons. Several of the City’s LMI census areas are located in the downtown area and include the University of Iowa and a significant rental housing stock that is predominantly occupied by students. While resources other than CDBG and HOME funds may be used in these areas to improve, maintain, and preserve housing, infrastructure, and public services - the City’s CDBG and HOME funds will be focused in areas that are home to families, elderly, people with disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness. The City will adopt specific set-asides to structure the spending of CDBG and HOME funds and ensure that the limited amount of funds available have the greatest possible impact in addressing the needs identified in this plan. For each of the next five years, these set-asides include: •Up to the maximum of 15% of CDBG funds to public service activities (exceptin the case of activities designed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic as approved by HUD) •A minimum of $75,000 in CDBG funds to public infrastructure needs and sustainability improvements in LMI neighborhoods •A minimum of $235,000 in CDBG and $90,000 in HOME for the City’s housing rehabilitation program •A minimum of 15% of HOME funds to Community Housing Development Organization Activities •A minimum of $50,000 in CDBG funds to support economic development initiatives, including loans and technical assistance activities FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 3 • Up to the maximum of 20% of CDBG funds and 10% of HOME funds for planning and administration to ensure programs are successful and meet federal requirements Any remaining CDBG funding is available to any eligible category, including public facilities. Any remaining HOME funding is available to any eligible housing projects The City will focus its grant efforts on fewer projects that make a greater impact addressing City priority needs. The minimum CDBG public facility award is $25,000. In addition to CDBG public service funds, applicants may apply for non-CDBG Aid to Agencies funding. The minimum award for Aid to Agency funds is $15,000. If funds for a particular set-aside are not allocated or expended within a certain time frame, remaining funds will be made available for any eligible category. This includes CDBG owner-occupied housing rehabilitation funds that are not expended within the project year and CDBG economic development funds that are not allocated within two years. Remaining funds will be reallocated according to the City’s uncommitted funds policy. More generally, the City’s highest priorities for the next five years are: • Creation and preservation of affordable housing in both the rental and sales markets; • Housing and services for persons experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless; • Public services for non-homeless LMI persons; • Public facility and infrastructure improvements; and • Economic and workforce development. Summary of objectives and outcomes identified in the plan. Based on guidance provided by HUD, the City utilizes the following performance measurement system to gather information in an organized process to determine how well programs and activities are meeting established needs and goals. This information provides a common format to summarize program outcomes locally as well as at nationally. For each activity funded, the City determines the goal of the activity based on local intent, identifies one objective and outcome, enters the data into HUD’s electronic database, the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS). The City reports on applicable indicators in IDIS and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). Each activity must have an outcome statement, which in its most basic form, is the activity’s objective plus outcome. Three specific objectives are relative to each activity funded: 1. Creating (or Enhancing) Suitable Living Environments. Applicable to activities that are designed to benefit communities, families, or individuals by addressing issues in their living environment. This objective relates to activities intended to address a wide range of issues faced by LMI persons, from FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 4 physical problems with their environment to social issues such as crime prevention, literacy, or elderly health services. 2. Providing Decent Housing. Applicable to housing programs where the purpose is to meet individual family or community needs, and not programs where housing is an element of a larger effort (such as would otherwise apply under the “Suitable Living Environment” Objective). 3. Creating Economic Development Opportunities. Applicable to activities related to economic development, commercial revitalization, or job creation. Three specific outcomes are relative to stated objectives: 1. Availability/Accessibility. Applicable to activities that make services, infrastructure, public services, public facilities, housing or shelter available or accessible to LMI people, including people with disabilities. In this category, accessibility does not refer only to physical barriers, but also to making the affordable basics of daily living available and accessible to LMI people. 2. Affordability. Applicable to activities that provide affordability in a variety of ways to LMI people. It can include the creation or maintenance or affordable housing, basic infrastructure hook-ups, or services such as transportation or day care. Affordability is an appropriate objective whenever an activity is lowering the cost, improving the quality, or increasing the affordability of a product or service to benefit a low-income household. 3. Sustainability. Applicable to activities or services that are aimed at improving communities or neighborhoods, helping to make them livable or viable by providing benefit to LMI persons or by removing or eliminating slums or blighted areas. Evaluation of past performance. The City’s past performance in the administration and implementation of the CDBG and HOME programs has fulfilled the spirit and intent of the federal legislation creating these programs. The City has facilitated affordability for decent housing, availability and accessibility of suitable living environments, sustainability of suitable living environments, and the accessibility of economic opportunities. Each year, the City is required to submit a Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) to HUD, reporting on the activities that were funded with CDBG and HOME dollars, the amount spent, and the beneficiaries assisted. Electronic versions of the City's past CAPER reports, as well as the most recent FY21 report, can be found on the City's website at icgov.org/actionplan. FY21 marked the first year of the consolidated plan cycle for City Steps 2025. During the fiscal year, the City continued to complete activities from the previous consolidated plan City Steps 2016 – 2020, while also working on new activities originating in FY21. Activities completed in FY21 are available in Table A. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 5 In addition to regular programming, the City worked with community partners to address the COVID-19 pandemic with two installments of CDBG-CV funds directly from HUD, and an additional round of funding from Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) for a total of over $1.5 million additional dollars. Pandemic related activities completed in FY21 are available in Table B. Progress toward goals identified in City Steps 2025 are identified in Table C, however, it is important to note that the table does not reflect activities linked to the prior plan. The City continues to make progress on activities associated with the previous consolidated plan for circumstances such as pandemic response. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 6 City Table A – Activities Completed in City Fiscal Year 2021 (FFY20) (Non CDBG-CV) FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 7 City Table B – CDBG-CV Activities Completed in City Fiscal Year 2021 (FFY20) FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 8 City Table C – City Steps 2025 Progress through City Fiscal Year 2021 (FFY20) FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 9 Summary of citizen participation process and consultation process. Throughout the year, the Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) holds public meetings to review policies and programs of the Neighborhood Services Division and the Iowa City Housing Authority, to monitor CDBG and HOME projects, and to obtain public input into these and other programs. Meeting of all City boards and commissions are recorded and made available online. Staff also attend events, such as neighborhood meetings, to solicit additional input where applicable. The City’s Citizen Participation Plan, included in City Steps 2025, establishes the process by which residents, public agencies, and other interested parties can actively participate in the development and revision of the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, and Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports. The plan provides for and encourages public participation and consultation, emphasizing involvement by residents and the organizations and agencies that serve LMI persons through HUD-funded programs. Plans are available on the City’s website at www.icgov.org/actionplan. HCDC and City Council holds multiple meetings for the preparation of the Annual Action Plan and other HUD-related documents each year. The public is invited to participate in all meetings, and efforts were made to encourage and increase citizen participation. A chronology of the events, meetings, public hearings, and other outreach actions taken in relation to the Fiscal Year 2023 (FFY22) Annual Action Plan are listed in Table 4. Summary of public comments. A 30-day public comment period regarding the draft Fiscal Year 2023 (FFY22) Annual Action Plan will be provided as required in the City's adopted Citizen Participation Plan. The draft will be discussed in multiple public meetings, as well as made available online. Comments received and staff responses will be included in the final submission to HUD. Summary of comments or views not accepted and the reasons for not accepting them. All comments or views received will be reviewed by staff. A summary of public input provided will be compiled and included in Appendix A. Summary. In summary, City Steps 2025 and the Fiscal Year 2023 (FFY22) Annual Action Plan reflect the decisions developed based on the needs identified through the public input process. The City will continue to fulfill the intent of the CDBG and HOME programs by facilitating the affordability of safe, decent housing; the availability, accessibility, and sustainability of suitable living environments; and the accessibility of economic opportunities. The City continues to explore new ways to involve the public in the planning process. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 10 2.PR-05 Lead & Responsible Agencies – 91.200(b) The following are the agencies/entities responsible for preparing and implementing City Steps 2025, and for administering each grant program and funding source. Agency Role Name Department/Agency CDBG Administrator IOWA CITY Neighborhood and Development Services Department HOME Administrator IOWA CITY Neighborhood and Development Services Department Narrative. The lead agency for the Consolidated Plan, City Steps 2025, is the City of Iowa City’s Neighborhood and Development Services Department. The Department implements a range of affordable housing and community development activities, including administration of the CDBG and HOME programs; preparation of City Steps 2025, Annual Action Plans, and the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Reports; technical assistance for and collaboration with non-profit and for-profit housing developers and social service agencies; and rehabilitation and other affordable housing projects. Public contact information. Contact information for the plans and programs addressed in this plan is available below: City of Iowa City Neighborhood and Development Services Department 410 E Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Website: http://www.icgov.org/ Erika Kubly Neighborhood Services Coordinator Phone: (319) 356-5121 Email: erika-kubly@iowa-city.org Brianna Thul Community Development Planner Phone: (319) 356-5240 Email: brianna-thul@iowa-city.org IDIS Table 1 – Responsible Entities FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 11 3.AP-10 Consultation – 91.100, 91.200(b), 91.215(l) Introduction. The City of Iowa City consults with a variety of public and private entities during the development and adoption of the consolidated plan and subsequent AAPs. This includes regular contact throughout each year with current and past recipients of CDBG and HOME funding who carry out housing, public facilities, and public service activities. In addition, citizen participation remains integral to the ongoing management and oversight of housing and community development funds. City Council appoints nine residents to HCDC to assess Iowa City's community development needs for housing, jobs, and services for LMI residents and to promote public and private efforts to meet such needs. HCDC provides a regular opportunity for public participation in the planning and management of CDBG and HOME funds. HCDC's bylaws also require representation, when possible, from persons with expertise in construction and finance and one member that receives rental assistance. Through these open lines of communication and participation and leadership in local and regional partnerships, the City maintains an active understanding of changing conditions, including new programs and services, changes to existing services and the economy, and current housing needs. Provide a concise summary of the jurisdiction’s activities to enhance coordination between public and assisted housing providers and private and governmental health, mental health and service agencies (91.215(l). Meaningful collaboration as it relates to the development and implementation of housing and community development programs and services has become increasingly important as resources available to these programs decline among federal and state programs while competition for private funding increases. Collaboration with housing and service providers helps the City to capture the maximum benefit for each dollar it invests and ensures that investments strategically address both short-term needs and advance long-term goals. Both public and private agencies are proactively recruited to participate in the development of the five-year consolidated and annual planning processes. The City participates in numerous coalitions intended to enhance coordination. One example is the Child Care Coalition, which is a cross section of representatives from local government, economic development, for-profit childcare businesses, nonprofit childcare organizations, private businesses, school districts, Iowa House of Representatives, colleges, and more. The City supported childcare needs in Iowa City with CDBG-CV funds through activities undertaken by community partners, such as 4Cs and Dream City, that provided virtual learning support in response to the disruptions of the pandemic. Additionally, CDBG funds were used to provide technical assistance to home based child care businesses owned by LMI individuals. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 12 The City plans to continue coordination of affordable housing initiatives. Due to the substantial completion of the 2016 Affordable Housing Action Plan, the City created the Affordable Housing Steering Committee to facilitate the development of a new plan through 2021 and 2022. The new plan will outline how to spend City financial resources to foster affordable housing throughout the City. The plan will be available in 2022. The committee is comprised of twelve individuals that represent the following industries and organizations: • Residential construction • Iowa City Homebuilders Association • Iowa City Human Rights Commission • The Housing Fellowship (Community Housing Development Organization) • Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition • Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity • Shelter House • Local Homeless Coordinating Board • Horizon’s Financial Wellness Center • Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County • Financial Institutions • Nonprofits • Realty • Property management • Property development Describe coordination with the Continuum of Care and efforts to address the needs of homeless persons (particularly chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans, and unaccompanied youth) and persons at risk of homelessness. As a participant in the Johnson County Local Homeless Coordinating Board (LHCB), the City has partnered in its plan to address homelessness and the priority needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This includes coordinating with groups such as Shelter House, Iowa City’s primary homeless services provider, the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, which provides shelter to victims of domestic violence, the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, a provider of transitional housing; and others involved in addressing homelessness such as representatives from the Veterans Administration, local school district, and Johnson County. These organizations are consulted as part of the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care (BoS CoC) application process facilitated by the Iowa Council on Homelessness. LHCB members apply to the Bos Coc for funding. The City will continue to support the LHCB’s strategies to meet the needs of those experiencing and/or at risk of homelessness. Recent collaborations have included creation of eviction prevention clinics and increased support for coordinated entry to manage increased community need due to the pandemic. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 13 Describe consultation with the Continuum(s) of Care that serves the jurisdiction's area in determining how to allocate ESG funds, develop performance standards and evaluate outcomes, and develop funding, policies and procedures for the administration of HMIS. The City does not receive ESG funding. Describe Agencies, groups, organizations and others who participated in the process and describe the jurisdictions consultations with housing, social service agencies and other entities. See Table 2. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 14 1 Agency/Group/Organization Elder Services/Horizons - A Family Service Alliance Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Elderly Persons What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 2 Agency/Group/Organization Housing & Community Development Commission (HCDC) Agency/Group/Organization Type Other government – local What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Needs Assessment Non-Homeless Special Needs Economic Development How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions during its public meeting. 3 How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? Shelter House Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-homeless What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Homelessness Strategy Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless Homeless Needs - Families with children Homeless Needs – Veterans Homeless Needs – Single Males and Females Homeless Needs – Households without Children How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and an agency survey. 4 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa City Housing Authority Agency/Group/Organization Type PHA What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Public Housing Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and through telephone calls, as needed. 5 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa City Area Development Agency/Group/Organization Type Business Leaders What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Economic Development FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 15 How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 6 Agency/Group/Organization The Housing Fellowship Agency/Group/Organization Type Housing What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 7 Agency/Group/Organization Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County Agency/Group/Organization Type Housing Services - Housing What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment Market Analysis How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 8 Agency/Group/Organization Successful Living Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Persons with Disabilities What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 9 Agency/Group/Organization Center for Worker Justice Agency/Group/Organization Type Services - Other What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Economic Development Anti-poverty Strategy How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 10 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – Persons with disabilities What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless special needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 11 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity Agency/Group/Organization Type Housing FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 16 What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Needs Assessment Market Analysis How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 12 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa Workforce Development Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Employment State Government What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Economic Development How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 13 Agency/Group/Organization University of Iowa – Equal Opportunity and Diversity Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – Education State Government What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Needs Assessment How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 14 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa City Economic Development Division Agency/Group/Organization Type Other government - Local What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Economic Development How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 15 Agency/Group/Organization Johnson County Social Services Agency/Group/Organization Type Other government - County What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment Homeless Needs - Families with children Homeless Needs - Unaccompanied youth Non-Homeless Special Needs Housing Needs Assessment How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 16 Agency/Group/Organization Johnson County Local Homeless Coordinating Board Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-homeless FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 17 What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment Public Housing Needs Homelessness Strategy Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless Homeless Needs - Families with children Homeless Needs - Veterans Homeless Needs - Unaccompanied youth How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 17 Agency/Group/Organization Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP) Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Children Services-homeless Services – nutrition What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Homelessness Strategy Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless Homeless Needs - Families with children Homeless Needs - Veterans Homeless Needs - Unaccompanied youth How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 18 Agency/Group/Organization Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Victims of Domestic Violence What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Homelessness Strategy Homeless Needs - Families with children How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and an agency survey. 19 Agency/Group/Organization Resurrection Assembly of God Agency/Group/Organization Type Other What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment Homelessness Strategy How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 20 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department Agency/Group/Organization Type Other government - Local FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 18 What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Economic Development Public Facilities and Infrastructure Improvements? How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 21 Agency/Group/Organization Inside Out Reentry Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – helping those involved with the criminal justice system What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Need Assessment Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 22 Agency/Group/Organization Houses into Homes Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – Victims of Domestic Violence Services - Homeless What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 23 Agency/Group/Organization Unlimited Abilities Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – Persons with Disabilities What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 24 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa City Free Medical & Dental Clinic Agency/Group/Organization Type Services - Health What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and an agency survey. 25 Agency/Group/Organization SVO Agency/Group/Organization Type Other What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Other How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 26 Agency/Group/Organization Johnson County Public Health Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Health FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 19 What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Housing Needs Assessment Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless Homeless Needs - Families with children Homeless Needs - Veterans Homeless Needs - Unaccompanied youth Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 27 Agency/Group/Organization Mark Twain Elementary – Iowa City Community School District Agency/Group/Organization Type Local School District What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Homelessness Strategy Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless Homeless Needs - Families with children Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 28 Agency/Group/Organization C-Wise Design Agency/Group/Organization Type Other What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Other How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 29 Agency/Group/Organization 4Cs Community Coordinated Child Care Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Children Child Welfare Agency What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Homeless Needs - Families with children Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and an agency survey. 30 Agency/Group/Organization CommUnity Crisis Services & Food Bank Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Health Services – Victims Services – Food Bank What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 20 How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and an agency survey. 31 Agency/Group/Organization University of Iowa College of Nursing Agency/Group/Organization Type State Government Services - Education What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 32 Agency/Group/Organization United Action for Youth Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Children Services-Health Services-Education Services – Mental Health Homeless Needs - Unaccompanied youth What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 33 Agency/Group/Organization Rape Victim Advocacy Program Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – Victims of Domestic Violence Service - Victims What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-homeless special needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 34 Agency/Group/Organization Mayor’s Youth Empowerment Program (MYEP) Agency/Group/Organization Type Services-Persons with Disabilities What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions. 35 Agency/Group/Organization Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County (NCJC) Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – children Services - Education What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Other FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 21 How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and an agency survey. 36 Agency/Group/Organization Prelude Behavioral Services Agency/Group/Organization Type Services – substance abuse What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Non-Homeless Special Needs How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? This organization was consulted through stakeholder sessions and an agency survey. 37 Agency/Group/Organization Johnson County Emergency Management Agency/Group/Organization Type Other Government – County What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Other – Emergency Management How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? Phone interview 38 Agency/Group/Organization Iowa City Telecommunications Commission Agency/Group/Organization Type Other What section of the plan was addressed by Consultation? Other: Entity researching broadband access; Other government - local How was the Agency/Group/Organization consulted and what are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation for improved coordination Email discussion. See narrative below. IDIS Table 2 – Agencies, Groups, Organizations Who Participated FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 22 Identify any Agency Types not consulted and provide rationale for not consulting. There were no agencies purposefully not consulted; all stakeholder sessions, public meetings and public survey were advertised and open to the public and all interested parties. The City developed partnerships to provide free, high speed Wi-Fi in two local parks with the long-term goal of expanding Wi-Fi to all City parks and City owned public spaces. The Iowa City Telecommunications Commission (ICTC) conducted research in 2020 to analyze broadband accessibility in Iowa City. Research findings noted that all areas of Iowa City have access to 25/3Mbps. The City explored pursuing a municipally owned service, but ultimately determined it was not necessary when additional competitors entered the market. According to the U.S. Census data (pre-pandemic), 94.6% of Iowa City households have a computer and 86.8% have a broadband internet connection. Although this has likely increased due to the pandemic, the data indicates that access to computers and broadband is higher than state and national averages. Following the pandemic, broadband access has become a priority statewide. In 2021, the state allocated $100 million to broadband infrastructure. Public access to free Wi-Fi is available in several areas of the City including parks and public buildings. Beyond City partnerships, Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa which provides free Wi-Fi opportunities to guests on the campus located downtown. Wi-Fi is also available in the outdoor PedMall. The City remains committed to exploring new opportunities to ensure affordable internet access for households throughout Iowa City. Other local/regional/state/federal planning efforts considered when preparing the Plan. Other planning efforts considered in the development of the FY22 Action Plan are listed in Table 4. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 23 Name of Plan Lead Organization How do the goals of your Strategic Plan overlap with the goals of each plan? Continuum of Care Johnson County Local Homeless Coordinating Board Strategic Plan incorporates needs and strategies identified by these groups. Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) Iowa City Neighborhood and Development Services Department The fair housing goals of the AI and findings of the AI are incorporated into the Consolidated Plan. Iowa City Strategic Plan City of Iowa City The Iowa City Strategic Plan outlines primary areas of focus of City policy, projects, programs, and initiatives over a two-year period. The Strategic Plan intends to foster a more inclusive, just and sustainable Iowa City by prioritizing the physical, mental and economic well-being of all residents. City of Iowa City Comprehensive Plan Iowa City Neighborhood and Development Services Department The Comprehensive Plan’s strategies for affordable housing location and types are in alignment with the Consolidated Plan. City of Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Iowa City Neighborhood and Development Services Department Elements of the Climate Action Plan are carried out through policies and projects undertaken as part of the Consolidated Plan. Comprehensive Regional Development Strategy 2040 (CRDS 2040) East Central Iowa Council of Governments (Economic Development District) This document, which acts as the region’s CEDS, has goals for economic, workforce, and community development that align with the Consolidated Plan Affordable Housing Action Plan City of Iowa City The report identifies priorities and goals for affordable housing which complement and expand upon priorities in the Consolidated Plan. Resolution 20-159 City of Iowa City Resolution 20-159 was passed in 2020 and includes 17 actions the City will take to address systemic racism in Iowa City. IDIS Table 3 – Other Local/Regional/Federal Planning Effort FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 24 Narrative. Numerous other planning efforts are considered during the action planning process each year. For example, all applicants for CDBG/HOME funds are required to explain how their project will address the City’s Climate Action Plan. Additionally, applicants must explain how their organization promotes racial equity and inclusivity for marginalized populations. The need for affordable housing continues to be a focus across several plans and remains a priority for the City. The need for affordable housing has a natural intersection with CDBG/HOME funds and as a result, the City continues to dedicate federal funds to expand housing through activities such as acquisition of rental housing for LMI households. 4.AP -12 Participation – 91.105, 91.200(c) Summary of citizen participation process/Efforts made to broaden citizen participation Summarize citizen participation process and how it impacted goal-setting. A summary of efforts is outlined in Table 4. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 25 Sort Mode of Outreach Target of Outreach Summary of Response/Attendance Summary of Comments Received Summary of Comments not Accepted and Reasons URL 1 Internet Outreach Minorities Non-English Speaking - Specify other language: Translation available for all Persons with disabilities Non-targeted/broad community Residents of Public and Assisted Housing Non-profit agencies/service providers Outreach to solicit public input on the draft AAP. Advertised online and through direct email messages. TBD NA Action Plan 2 Newspaper Ad Non-targeted, broad outreach Notice to solicit public input on AAP. TBD NA NA 3 Public Meeting Minorities Persons with disabilities Non-targeted/broad community Residents of Public and Assisted Housing Non-profit agencies/service providers FY23 applications were discussed with applicants. Approximately 18 attendees, including representatives of nonprofit agencies and service providers, and 5 members of HCDC attended the February 17, 2022 meeting. See minutes. NA HCDC Documents 4 Public Meeting Minorities Persons with disabilities Non-targeted/broad community Residents of Public and Assisted Housing Non-profit agencies/service providers Funding recommendations for FY23 projects were made at the March 24, 2022 HCDC meeting. Approximately 7 members of Housing and Community Development Commission and 7 attendees were present, including representatives of nonprofit agencies and service providers. See minutes. NA HCDC Documents 5 Public Meeting Minorities Persons with disabilities Non-targeted/broad community Residents of Public and Assisted Housing Non-profit agencies/service providers The draft FY23 Annual Action Plan will be presented to HCDC at the May 19, 2022 meeting. HCDC will consider a recommendation to Council to approve the plan. TBD NA HCDC Documents FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 26 6 Public Hearing Minorities Persons with disabilities Non-targeted/broad community Non-profit agencies/service providers The FY23 Annual Action Plan will be presented to Council at the June 21, 2022 meeting following a 30-day public comment period. TBD Accepted. Council Documents IDIS Table 4 – Citizen Participation Outreach FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 27 II. Expected Resources 5.AP-15 Expected Resources – 91.220(c)(1,2) Introduction. Currently, Iowa City receives CDBG and HOME funds for housing construction, rehabilitation initiatives, and other eligible activities. These funding sources are expected to be available over the next five years. In addition, other local funding sources and program income are anticipated to be available. Anticipated resources. Table 5 illustrates the anticipated resources available for the third year of the consolidated planning period, as well as the remaining estimated funds for years four and five. Appendix B also provides an overview of planned activities and associated funding. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 28 Program Source of Funds Uses of Funds Expected Amount Available Year 3 Expected Amount Available Remainder of ConPlan Narrative Description Annual Allocatio n: Progra m Income: Prior Year Resources : Total: CDBG Federal Acquisition, Admin and Planning, Economic Development, Housing, Public Improvements, Public Services $731,974 $73,817 $338,209 $1,144,000 $1,338,000 The expected amount in the remainder of the consolidated plan is three times the average annual amount from the past five years, rounded to the nearest $1,000. After FY23, two years remain in the five- year plan. HOME Federal Acquisition, homebuyer assistance, rehab, construction, rehab, TBRA $494,351 $82,600 $88,049 $665,000 $998,000 The expected amount in the remainder of the Consolidated Plan is two times the average annual allocation from the past five years, rounded to the nearest $1,000. After FY23, two years remain in the five- year plan. This does not reflect new funds anticipated from the American Rescue Plan Act. IDIS Table 5 – Expected Resources FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 29 Explain how federal funds will leverage those additional resources (private, state and local funds), including a description of how matching requirements will be satisfied. The City has identified and recognized the growing demand across City departments and local service providers as there is an increase in the number of requests, maintenance and services that are needed. The City will leverage general fund dollars for Aid to Agencies ($613,107), GRIP ($200,000) and the Affordable Housing Fund ($1,000,000). The City also actively encourages applicants and subrecipients to obtain other public and private resources. For activities allocated funds in FY21 (FFY20), the City of Iowa City and its subrecipients leveraged CDBG & HOME funds at a rate of about $1.35 in non-formula funds for every $1 of formula funds, excluding private funds leveraged for staff due to public service, CHDO operations, and CDBG-CV activities and other resources from the City. Most CDBG-CV funds were given as grants for nonprofits and businesses, however, subrecipients still managed to leverage funds at a rate of about $0.42 in non-formula funds for every $1 of formula funds (including IEDA funded CDBG-CV activities), excluding other local resources provided from the City for activities such as housing assistance payments. The City will remain active in encouraging applicants and subrecipients to obtain other public and private resources. No matching funds are required by applicants as the City utilizes forgone property taxes as a match. This policy has been in place and has historically been more than adequate. However, the City does encourage projects that provide a more efficient use of funds by offering a higher score during the funding allocation process for applicants that leverage a larger percentage of project funds. In the case of housing assistance payments for those impacted by COVID-19, the City and its partners continue to direct applicants to state sources first before utilizing CDBG-CV funds. This allows the City to maximize local and CDBG-CV dollars to create a greater impact with the limited resources available. If appropriate, describe publicly owned land or property located within the jurisdiction that may be used to address the needs identified in the plan. In 2021, the City received a fee-in-lieu payment for over $1.8 million dollars from the Tailwind Development Group as a part of a downtown construction project. The fee-in-lieu funds go to the City’s Affordable Housing Fund. The City used about $1.5 million dollars to acquire 8 duplexes properties in the South District for a total of 16 units. The City hopes to remodel the units and sell them as affordable homeownership through the South District Program. The City will serve as a landlord until the units naturally become vacant. Units will be remodeled with local funds once both sides of a duplex become vacant. The City anticipates use of HOME funds to provide down payment assistance to eligible applicants. The City currently owns Lot 10 in the Lindemann Subdivision Part 8 as part of its land banking initiative. This parcel will be used to address the needs identified in the Consolidated Plan, specifically by providing affordable housing. In addition, the City has land banking funds FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 30 for use across the City, fee-in-lieu funding for use in the Riverfront Crossings District and downtown, and other local resources that will be used to either acquire land and or assist with the new construction of affordable housing units and/or other public facilities. Furthermore, the City owns 2229 Muscatine Ave and 724 Ronalds Street which are likely to be redeveloped at some point in support of projects that benefit LMI households, and several City-owned parks and rights-of-way may be improved in LMI areas as part of the City’s neighborhood improvements set-aside. If the City acquires additional land, it will also likely be used in support of the goals of the Consolidated Plan. Discussion. The City regularly uses local resources to meet housing and community development needs beyond what is provided through federal funds. Local funds support public services, owner-occupied rehab, the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County, and LIHTC match, in addition to numerous other neighborhood-led projects, sustainability, and social justice/racial equity efforts. However, most of these efforts are not detailed in this plan as they occur largely independent of federal funds. 6.AP-20 Annual Goals and Objectives Goals summary information. Table 6 provides a summary of goals for FY23. Table 7 supplements this information by providing a description of each goal. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 31 Sort Order Goal Name Start Year End Year Category Geographic Area Needs Addressed Funding Goal Outcome Indicator 1 Increase the number of affordable rental housing units including through new construction and acquisition 2023 2024 Affordable Housing AHLM Eligible Areas Citywide Affordable rental and owner housing $0 CDBG $494,000 HOME 7 Other (Rental Units) 2 Rehabilitate and improve owner- occupied housing units 2023 2024 Affordable Housing Citywide Housing Rehab Targeted Areas Preservation of existing affordable rental and owner housing $235,000 CDBG $90,000 HOME 22 Owner Units Rehabbed 3 Rehabilitate and improve renter- occupied housing units 2023 2024 Affordable Housing Citywide Housing Rehab Targeted Areas Preservation of existing affordable rental and owner housing $0 CDBG $24,000 HOME 1 Other (CHDO Operations) 4 Provide public services 2023 2024 Non-Housing Community Development Citywide Public Services $124,000 CDBG $0 HOME 2,800 People Assisted FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 32 5 Improve public facilities 2023 2024 Non-Housing Community Development LMI Areas Citywide Public facility Improvements $500,000 CDBG $0 HOME 1,900 People Assisted (2 Public Facilities) 6 Improve public infrastructure & address climate action needs 2023 2024 Non-Housing Community Development LMI Areas Citywide Public Infrastructure improvements $75,000 CDBG $0 HOME 300 People Assisted (1 Public Facility/Infrastructure) 7 Support economic and workforce development 2023 2024 Non-Housing Community Development LMI Areas Citywide Economic Development $50,000 CDBG $0 HOME 2 Businesses Assisted 8 Effectively administer and plan for the CDBG, HOME, and related programs 2023 2024 Other Citywide Administration and Planning $160,000 CDBG $57,000 HOME 2 Other IDIS Table 6 – Goals Summary FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 33 1 Goal Name Increase the number of affordable rental housing units through new construction and acquisition Goal Description Support the development of additional affordable and accessible units for renters 2 Goal Name Support homebuyer activities such as down payment and/or closing cost assistance Goal Description Homebuying activities such as down payment and closing cost assistance for owners. 3 Goal Name Rehabilitate and improve owner-occupied housing units Goal Description Housing rehabilitation program for owner-occupied units, including mobile homes. This may also include accessibility modifications to existing units and energy efficiency improvements. 4 Goal Name Rehabilitate and improve renter-occupied housing units Goal Description Housing rehabilitation and/or acquisition for rental units, including mobile homes. This may also include accessibility modifications to existing units and energy efficiency improvements 5 Goal Name Provide public services Goal Description Provide a range of public services including but not limited to childcare, transportation, health and mental health services, youth activities and programming, elderly activities and programming, assistance for persons with disabilities, food pantries, services for victims of domestic violence, services for immigrants and refugees, utility assistance, and financial literacy and credit repair programs. 6 Goal Name Improve public facilities FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 34 Goal Description The improvement of public facilities includes but is not limited to the construction or rehabilitation of parks, playgrounds, community centers, youth centers, elderly centers, libraries, trails, and walkways and other public facilities for use directly by the public or for service providers that serve vulnerable populations within the community. Improve public infrastructure including but not limited to street and sidewalk improvements, water and sewer line improvements, and lighting and neighborhood improvements. 7 Goal Name Improve public infrastructure Goal Description Improve public infrastructure including but not limited to street and sidewalk improvements, water and sewer line improvements, and lighting and neighborhood improvements. Enhance neighborhood sustainability through tree plantings in right-of-way areas and other measures that would reduce greenhouse emissions. This also includes adding amenities such as bike racks. 8 Goal Name Support economic and workforce development Goal Description Digital literacy and language classes and education for hard skills. Conduct employment-readiness programs, including jobs and for soft skills training (i.e. how to be an employee). Entrepreneurship assistance and training. 9 Goal Name Effective administration and planning of the CDBG and HOME programs Goal Description Effective administration and planning are essential to maximize impact of federal dollars. Estimate the number of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income families to whom the jurisdiction will provide affordable housing as defined by HOME 91.215(b). Assuming the same level of HOME funding as historical amounts for each of the five years in City Steps 2025, it is estimated that 125-150 households total will be assisted with HOME funds. For this specific year, Tables 8.1 through 8.8 and Appendix B provide specific project and anticipated beneficiary information for FY23 projects. IDIS Table 7 – Goal Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 35 7.AP-35 Projects – 91.220(d) Introduction. The following project information for FY23 (FFY22) provides a comprehensive overview on the broad range of CDBG and HOME activities. The project funding identified in this document was recommended and approved by HCDC. # Project Name 1 Public Services 2 Public Facilities Improvements 3 Neighborhood and Area Benefits 4 Housing Rehabilitation Program 5 Other Housing Activities 6 CHDO Reserve Activities 7 Economic Development 8 Administration and Planning Describe the reasons for allocation priorities and any obstacles to addressing underserved needs. Iowa City is committed to allocating funds that serve the needs of LMI residents. Households with incomes less than 50% AMI, particularly those with extremely low incomes (less than 30% AMI), are higher priorities. The City has also identified special needs individuals as among those who face the greatest challenges and who should receive high priority in the expenditure of federal funds, including at-risk children and youth, low-income families, persons experiencing homelessness and persons threatened with homelessness, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. The City is committed to utilizing general funds in support of affordable housing and services as discussed in AP-15. The primary obstacle to addressing the needs of vulnerable populations remains limited resources, both financial and human. Although the City has a robust coalition of service providers and a strong institutional delivery system, many of these service providers are currently executing regular programming along with one or more COVID-19 related projects. While additional funding sources have become available thanks to local funds, the CARES Act, and the American Rescue Plan Act, increasing community need and capacity constraints remain an obstacle. IDIS Table 8 – Project Information FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 36 Along with strains on developer capacity, the supply chain constraints continue to worsen. Year three of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions to the global market have led to project delays, lack of materials available, and high prices due to inflation. Estimates for construction and rehab projects are high and often volatile. Additionally, the low mortgage rates available in the last several years are beginning to increase. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 37 1 Project Name Public Services Target Area Citywide Goals Supported Provide public services Provide facilities and services in support of the pandemic response Needs Addressed Provision of public services Housing and services to the homeless and those at-risk of homelessness Provide facilities and services in support of the pandemic response Funding $124,000 CDBG Description Funding for a variety of public service activities serving low- and moderate-income (LMI) clientele including: advocacy, case management, referrals, service coordination, education, counseling, and legal assistance and funding for staff to implement these activities. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public services are expected to serve on approximately 2,800 beneficiaries this year. Location Description Public service activities are available citywide to LMI individuals. Planned Activities Funding for a variety of public service activities serving LMI clientele has been proposed for this year, including: • Homeless and Transitional Housing: Provides shelter and transitional housing for homeless adults and families. Services include advocacy, case management, referrals, service coordination, meal sites, and funding for the staff to implement these activities. • Domestic Violence Services: Advocacy shelter aids and houses survivors of domestic violence. Shelter staff provides crisis line, advocacy, and assistance to survivors in obtaining safe shelter, food, clothing, medical attention, and basic needs. Program provides counseling, referrals, and legal assistance. Also provides community and prevention education programs to individuals age 3 to 18. • Neighborhood Center Services: Provides resources to LMI residents at neighborhood centers including computer access, daycare, hang-out, and English Language classes. IDIS Table 8.1 – Public Services Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 38 2 Project Name Public Facility Improvements Target Area Citywide Goals Supported Improve public facilities Needs Addressed Public facility improvements Funding $500,000 CDBG Description Funding for a variety of public facility improvements addressing slum and blight or serving LMI clientele or addressing including: childcare, food banks, healthcare, special needs, as well as other public facilities serving income eligible residents. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public facility improvements are expected to serve 1,900 LMI beneficiaries this year. Location Description Public facility activities are available citywide to facilities serving predominantly LMI individuals, in addition to limited use for prevention of slum and blight. Planned Activities Funding for a variety of public facilities activities serving LMI clientele have been proposed for this year, including: •Free Medical Services: Funding for improvements at Free MedicalCenter (FMC), a clinic serving predominantly low- and moderate- income people. •Emergency Shelter. Funding for the development of a newemergency shelter serving survivors/victims of domestic violence,dating violence, stalking, and human trafficking. IDIS Table 8.2 – Public Facilities Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 39 3 Project Name Neighborhood and Area Benefits Target Area LMI Areas Goals Supported Improve public infrastructure Needs Addressed Public infrastructure and neighborhood-based climate action Funding $75,000 CDBG Description Improvements to the built environment that enhance the quality-of-life for residents living in LMI neighborhoods. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Beneficiaries are dependent on the area to be served, so beneficiaries cannot be estimated until the areas to be assisted have been identified. For a placeholder in this plan, 300 persons per year has been used. It is important to note, however, that this is only an estimate and actual number assisted may vary widely. In any given year, the ability to complete neighborhood improvement projects is dependent on funds available, eligible projects coming forward, and availability of public works staff and contractors to carry out the projects. These projects may not be completed every year. In this plan, a placeholder of $75,000 is being used to ensure that funds are available in the event an appropriate project comes forward. Location Description Funding is available in LMI areas. However, funds are typically concentrated in older areas of the City due to the age of facilities. Planned Activities The following activities are proposed: green infrastructure improvements in LMI areas including (but is not limited to) installing street trees, landscaping, and other neighborhood amenities that provide ecosystem services and other related benefits. Activities depend on submitted proposals by City departments. IDIS Table 8.3 – Neighborhood and Area Benefits Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 40 4 Project Name Housing Rehabilitation Program Target Area Citywide, Housing Rehab Targeted Areas Goals Supported Rehabilitate and improve owner-occupied housing units Rehabilitate and improve renter-occupied housing units Needs Addressed Preservation of existing affordable rental and owner housing Funding $235,000 CDBG, $90,000 HOME Description In accordance with CDBG and HOME rules and regulations, assistance will be provided by the City directly to homeowners or landlords to rehabilitate properties, correct substandard conditions, make general repairs, improve energy efficiency, reduce lead paint hazards, and make emergency or accessibility repairs. Housing units assisted will be single family per CDBG and HOME regulations. Beneficiaries of housing activities will be LMI households. Other funding available includes program income generated by the repayment of loan funds. Funding will also be utilized for project delivery costs and administration of housing programs, per CDBG and HOME regulations. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Homeowner housing units planned for rehabilitation: 22 Location Description Funding is available citywide. Exact addresses of housing projects are unknown until applications have been received, processed, and approved. Residents of Targeted Areas are especially encouraged to apply, and may have a portion of their loan forgiven. Planned Activities The City will provide direct assistance to LMI homeowners or landlords renting to LMI tenants in single family units to rehabilitate properties, correct substandard conditions, make general repairs, improve energy efficiency, reduce lead paint hazards, and make emergency or accessibility repairs. IDIS Table 8.4 – Housing Rehabilitation Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 41 5 Project Name Other Housing Activities Target Area Affordable Housing Location Model Eligible Areas, Citywide Goals Supported Increase the number of affordable rental housing units through new construction and acquisition; Support homebuyer activities such as down payment and/or closing cost assistance; Rehabilitate and improve renter-occupied housing units Needs Addressed Expansion of affordable rental & owner housing options; Preservation of existing affordable rental/owner housing Funding $0, CDBG $444,000 HOME Description In accordance with CDBG and HOME rules and regulations, assistance will be used by the City and provided directly to homeowners, nonprofits, and for-profits to acquire and/or rehabilitate properties, correct substandard conditions, make general repairs, improve energy efficiency, reduce lead paint hazards, and make emergency or accessibility improvements. May include: acquisition/rehab/resale, refinance/rehab, demolition/site preparation, new construction, down payment/closing cost assistance and housing counseling. Housing units assisted will be single or multi-unit affordable housing to be sold, rented, or lease/purchased, as allowed by CDBG and HOME regulations. Beneficiaries of housing activities will be low- and moderate-income households. Other funding available includes program income generated by the repayment of loan funds. Funding will also be utilized for project delivery costs and administration of housing programs, as allowed by CDBG and HOME regulations. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities The following are expected to benefit from the proposed activities: •Rental acquisition or construction of 6 units to benefit 6 low incomerenter households •Those receiving services from the CHDO (1 other) Location Description Funding is available citywide. Addresses of activities are unknown. Planned Activities The following activities are proposed: acquisition or construction activities to create 6 rental units for low income households, operating assistance ta local CHDO. IDIS Table 8.5 – Other Housing Activities Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 42 6 Project Name CHDO Reserve Activities Target Area Affordable Housing Location Model Eligible Areas Goals Supported Rehabilitate and improve renter-occupied housing units Needs Addressed Preservation of existing affordable rental and owner housing Funding $77,000 HOME Description In accordance with CDBG and HOME rules and regulations, assistance will be used by the City and provided directly to CHDOs to acquire and/or rehabilitate properties, correct substandard conditions, make general repairs, improve energy efficiency, reduce lead paint hazards, and make emergency or accessibility improvements. May include: acquisition/rehab/resale, refinance/rehab, demolition/site preparation, new construction, down payment/closing cost assistance, housing counseling, and CHDO operational funding. Housing units assisted will be single or multi-unit affordable housing to be sold, rented, or lease/purchased, as allowed by CDBG and HOME regulations. Beneficiaries of housing activities will be low- and moderate-income households. Funding will also be utilized for project delivery costs and administration of housing programs, as allowed by CDBG and HOME regulations. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities The following are expected to benefit from the proposed activities: • Acquisition and/or rehab of one rental unit. Activity will benefit two low income renter households. Location Description Funding is available citywide. Addresses of activities are unknown. Planned Activities Planned activities at this time include: The City will provide funds to a certified CHDO to assist in acquisition and/or rehabilitation of one rental unit for a low-income household. IDIS Table 8.6 – CHDO Reserve Activities Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 43 7 Project Name Economic Development Target Area Citywide Goals Supported Support economic and workforce development Needs Addressed Economic development Funding $50,000 CDBG Description Funding to facilitate the creation and expansion of businesses and create new employment opportunities for LMI people. May include providing economic development assistance including loans, loan guarantees, grants, and technical assistance to businesses starting in, locating to, or expanding in Iowa City. At least 51% of the jobs created by the assisted businesses must be made available to LMI people or assisted business must be an eligible, low-income microenterprise. Economic assistance may also be provided to alleviate slum or blighted conditions in designated slum/blight areas or on individual slum/blight properties. Small business loan program will address the impact of credit access and reduction of capital for business startups or expansion. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities An estimated two businesses will be assisted, with at least one new job created or retained per $20,000 in assistance through Economic Development CDBG Funds Location Description Funding is available citywide. The exact addresses of projects will not be known until applications have been received, processed and funds awarded. Planned Activities Planned activities at this time include: •Technical assistance to microenterprises primarily owned by low-incomeentrepreneurs with an emphasis on increasing the childcare capacitywithin Iowa City. IDIS Table 8.7 – Economic Development Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 44 8 Project Name Planning and Administration Target Area Citywide Goals Supported Effectively administer and plan for the CDBG, HOME, and related programs Needs Addressed Administration and planning Funding $160,000 CDBG, $57,000 HOME Description Coordinates, administers, and monitors the City's CDBG and HOME programs; prepares reports and plans required by HUD, prepares environmental and historic preservation studies per HUD regulations. Target Date 6/30/2023 Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities HUD does not require the reporting of beneficiary data for planning and administration activities. It should be noted, however, that the housing, public facility, economic development, and public service activities that are undertaken with CDBG and HOME serve many individuals in the community. Without the planning and administration funds available to carry out required planning, environmental, monitoring and oversight activities, none of these activities would be able to receive CDBG and HOME funds and none of the beneficiaries would be able to be served. Location Description Planning and Administration activities will be undertaken by City staff at Iowa City Hall. Planned Activities Funds will be used to coordinate, administer, and monitor the CDBG and HOME programs, projects, and activities; prepare reports and plans as allowable by CDBG and HOME, and to prepare Section 106 and environmental reviews and historic preservation studies. IDIS Table 8.8 – Planning and Administration Description FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 45 8.AP-50 Geographic Distribution – 91.220(f) Description of the geographic areas of the entitlement (including areas of low-income and minority concentration) where assistance will be directed. Iowa City will invest its CDBG and HOME funds in areas primarily impacted by non-student LMI persons and households. Several of the City’s LMI census areas are near downtown and include the University of Iowa and a significant rental housing stock that is predominantly occupied by students. While resources other than CDBG and HOME funds may be used in these areas to maintain and preserve housing, infrastructure, and public services, the City will focus CDBG and HOME funds in areas that are home to non-students, families, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and persons experiencing homelessness. Spending must occur within Iowa City limits. Table 11 describes how funds are allocated by target area. Target Area Percentage of Funds LMI Areas 5% Affordable Housing Location Model 45% Housing Rehab Targeted Areas 15% Citywide 35% Rationale for the priorities for allocating investments geographically. Not all the housing and community development needs identified in this Plan can be addressed over the next five years with the limited federal resources available. An open-ended question in the public survey asked residents to state the three highest priority needs in Iowa City; and survey respondents prioritized affordable housing, infrastructure/road improvements, and mental health/homeless services more often. Based on data and community/stakeholder input, the following general priorities were identified: •Creation and preservation of affordable housing in both the rental and owner- occupied markets •Housing and services for persons experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless •Public services for non-homeless LMI persons •Public facility and infrastructure improvements •Economic and workforce development initiatives. Within each identified priority, there is nuance and a range of activities that can be undertaken. For example, weatherization improvements can fall into either the affordable housing or the public facility priority depending on the structure to be weatherized. IDIS Table 9 – Geographic Distribution FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 46 III. Affordable Housing 9.AP-55 Affordable Housing Introduction. Affordable housing has been identified as one of the top priority needsin Iowa City. The City is committed to using federal dollars to create and preserve affordable housing and to ensure that LMI households have access to safe, decent affordable housing. The City uses HOME and CDBG funds to create new affordable housing opportunities and to rehabilitate existing housing units. Both adding to and preserving affordable housing are high priorities for the City. The City targets much of its rental programs to persons with special needs, such as persons with disabilities, seniors, or chronically homeless populations. Appendix C includes current HUD issued rent and income limits for affordable housing activities. Through the creation of the Affordable Housing Fund and Affordable Housing Requirements, the City also supports the creation of general affordable rental housing through larger projects. People experiencing homelessness are also served through assistance grants to local service providers. The following goals are the number of households expected to be supported based on projects originating in this upcoming fiscal year. These will not necessarily be the numbers reflected in the FY23 CAPER due to projects from prior years being completed during the fiscal year. Note that these numbers may also change if projects expand or contract due to unanticipated factors. Homeless 0 Non-Homeless 29 Special-Needs 0 Total 29 Discussion. The information in Table 11 reflects the HOME funded housing activities to be undertaken in FY23 including rental acquisition and rental rehab. As housing prices continue to rise, a trend of fewer projects with larger amounts of assistance may be emerging. Along with the federally assisted projects, the City plans to continue local investment in affordable housing activities. Rental Assistance 0 The Production of New Units 0 Rehab of Existing Units 22 Acquisition of Existing Units 7 Total 29 IDIS Table 10 – One Year Goals for the Number of Households to be Supported IDIS Table 11 – One Year Goals for Affordable Housing by Support Type FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 47 Although not allocated HOME funds in FY23, the City continues to work on the previous phases of the South District Program to provide affordable homeownership opportunities in the South District to eligible applicants. As previously mentioned, the City also offers the General Rehab Improvement Program (GRIP) to provide low-interest loans to income-eligible homeowners to rehabilitate their homes. The goal of the program is neighborhood stabilization rather than affordable housing. Approximately $200,000 in general obligation funds are allocated annually for this program. Recently the City partnered with a committee of affordable housing stakeholders to develop the 2022 Affordable Housing Action Plan. The process included an analysis of affordable housing data, review of existing programs and policies, and solicitation of public input including the local homebuilder and realtor associations concerning development regulations impacting affordable housing. The committee proposed revisions to existing policies and programs and development regulations to make them more effective and to increase the diversity and supply of housing throughout the city. The committee prioritized investing affordable housing funds to those at the lowest income level but also made recommendations for households up to 100% AMI. The Affordable Housing Action Plan will be reviewed by City Council in Spring of 2022 and implementation of policy recommendations will begin after that. 10. AP-60 Public Housing Introduction. Iowa City Housing Authority (ICHA) is part of the Neighborhood and Development Services Department and was established in 1969 to administer housing assistance programs throughout Johnson County, Iowa County and Washington County North of HWY 92. Actions planned during the next year to address the needs to public housing. The Capital Improvement funds are earmarked for general maintenance and repair of the Public Housing units. As necessary, these funds will also be used to upgrade structures, interiors, HVAC systems, and appliances. Actions to encourage public housing residents to become more involved in management and participate in homeownership. ICHA encourages residents to participate in the Family Self Sufficiency Program and homeownership programs. Through its Self- Sufficiency program, ICHA helps low income families bridge the economic gap by building assets, improving employment opportunities, connecting participants with resources, and assisting in the transition of residents from renters of units to owners of homes. ICHA is also a partner in the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA), one-stop career center service delivery system. WIOA reinforces the partnerships and strategies necessary to provide job seekers and workers with the high-quality career services, education FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 48 and training, supportive services needed to get good jobs and stay employed, and to help businesses find skilled workers and access other supports, including education and training for their current workforce. ICHA encourages residents to utilize the services of WIOA. If the PHA is designated as troubled, describe the manner in which financial assistance will be provided or other assistance. HUD has continually ranked ICHA as a "High Performance" housing authority and has not designated ICHA as a troubled agency under 24 CFR part 902. Moreover, due to its excellent track record as a housing authority, ICHA continually networks and shares its knowledge and experience with other housing authorities through the National Association of Housing and Rehabilitation Officials. 11. AP-65 Homeless and Other Special Needs Activities Introduction. The City participates in the Johnson/Washington Counties CoordinatedService Region of the Iowa Balance of State CoC and plans to address homelessness and the priority needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, including homeless subpopulations. City staff also attend the Local Homeless Coordinating Board (LCHB) meetings each month. These opportunities for coordination in the community proved extremely valuable during the new challenges of the last several years. Describe the jurisdictions one-year goals and actions for reducing and ending homelessness including: Reaching out to homeless persons (especially unsheltered persons) and assessing their individual needs. During the next year, the City’s federal funds will continue to support programs and activities designed to provide decent and safe living environments for those experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless. Activities planned for FY23 include the development of a new shelter for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, intimate partner violence, stalking, and human trafficking. Additionally, the City plans to use funds available for public service activities to support services in Iowa City for those experiencing homelessness. A second public facilities project planned to expand services at the Free Medical Clinic is also likely to assist these populations by increasing access to free health care services. The City’s strategies as they specifically relate to reaching out to homeless persons and understanding their individual needs include: •Support the LHCB in their efforts including coordinated entry. •Regular engagement with stakeholders who, as part of their organizations andagencies, have the infrastructure to contact persons experiencing homelessness and assess their individual needs. •Advocate for human services coordination to continually improve the efficiency and effectiveness of supporting those experiencing homelessness and those atrisk of becoming homeless. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 49 Several agencies on the LHCB participate in the Point in Time Count each year. Participants reported back to LCHB in 2022 that they were able to meet unsheltered individuals and families and connect them with services. Participants visit locations where unsheltered individuals are known to stay and new locations. Although pandemic induced challenges remain, the City has exhausted nearly all CDBG-CV funds allocated by HUD and state entities. Community partners, such as Shelter House, continue a tenacious pursuit of new opportunities to address homelessness in Iowa City. In February of 2022, it was announced that Iowa Finance Authority will dedicate more than $21 million dollars to a Rapid Rehousing Project to assist at least 700 people. Persistent work from Iowa Legal Aid and other participating agencies to prevent evictions in Iowa City is ongoing and has been largely successful. Addressing the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless persons. Due to limited funding, not all the area’s homeless needs can be addressed using federal CDBG and HOME funds. The City does not receive Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) or HOPWA entitlement funds to assist with homelessness, and it relies on a variety of community agencies to provide basic needs assistance and other support for the local population affected by homelessness. Some of these agencies do receive ESG funding from other entities. During FY23, the City plans to support emergency shelter by providing public services funding for operational support along with funds for the construction of a new shelter for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, intimate partner violence, stalking, and human trafficking. Helping homeless persons (especially chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth) make the transition to permanent housing and independent living, including shortening the period of time that individuals and families experience homelessness, facilitating access for homeless individuals and families to affordable housing units, and preventing individuals and families who were recently homeless from becoming homeless again. The City is committed to helping individuals establish permanent housing, primarily by partnering with local agencies and organizations to fund a cross-section of projects within the Continuum of Care. Affordable housing for those most in need, including homeless, near-homeless, and non- homeless persons, will remain a focus of the City and local human service organizations over the remaining years of the City’s consolidated plan. The City will support the LHCB to address housing and supportive services needs that help those experiencing homelessness transition to permanent housing and independent living, including through emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and supported employment programs. Members of the LHCB, through Coordinated Entry and the VI- SPDAT, will continue to assess persons FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 50 experiencing homelessness and prioritize them for the most appropriate housing interventions given availability, with the goal of shortening the period of time that persons experience homelessness. LHCB members will also continue providing case management and other supportive services to promote the transition to permanent housing and independent living. In addition, the City will continue to meet the needs of specific populations experiencing and at risk of homelessness by collaborating with relevant agencies. The goal of these agencies is to help their specific populations find and keep safe, decent, and affordable housing. Populations served include veterans (HACAP, ICHA, VAHCS, and Shelter House), unaccompanied youth (UAY), and victims of domestic violence (DVIP). The City has historically also supported numerous agencies that provide supportive housing for persons with disabilities. Because income and housing affordability are such barriers to stable housing, the City will consistently work with community partners to provide affordable housing and promote economic self-sufficiency. It will also assist organizations carrying out poverty relief efforts through programs currently in place and the establishment of new programs. Helping low-income individuals and families avoid becoming homeless, especially extremely low-income individuals and families and those who are: being discharged from publicly funded institutions and systems of care (such as health care facilities, mental health facilities, foster care and other youth facilities, and corrections programs and institutions); or, receiving assistance from public or private agencies that address housing, health, social services, employment, education, or youth needs. The City has funded and will continue to fund public services organizations and agencies that serve persons experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk of homelessness. The City allocated limited CDBG public services funds and General Funds for the funding of core agencies through the Aid to Agencies program. The current budget for the Aid to Agencies program is over $600,000 which provides support to a range of services such as homeless prevention and support, health care, youth services, food assistance, child care, and more. The full list of agencies eligible for Legacy Aid to Agencies funding is available on page 150 of City Steps 2025. The City plans to allocate HOME funds to Inside Out Reentry in FY23 for the acquisition of a single-family home to be rented as SRO units for individuals leaving incarceration and reentering society. Beneficiaries are anticipated to be below 30% AMI. Inside Out Reentry plans to provide support to tenants through weekly meetings, peer support groups, employment assistance, referrals for mental health services and substance use treatments, and transportation assistance. The agency anticipates this structure will built long term success for the participants. ICHA also locally administers efforts that assist in homelessness prevention, including the Housing Choice Voucher program (including Mainstream, VASH, and project-based FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 51 vouchers) and administration of 86 units of public housing for residents who are low-income, very low-income, and extremely low-income. The City’s strategy to serve the needs of persons threatened with homelessness includes efforts to allow households to remain housed in their existing units, including residents at risk of being displaced from manufactured housing communities. The City’s support of the Forest View Tenants Association is also a continued effort to ensure low income households avoid homelessness. The City also aids with rent and utility deposits for eligible households through a partnership with CommUnity. Iowa City is also home to Guidelink, a community collaboration designed to help those experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis outside of an institutional setting. The City has also provided funding to Housing First projects undertaken by Shelter House. Projects like Cross Park Place and the 501 Project are designed to assist people that struggle with chronic homelessness (those that continuously cycle through emergency interventions such as the legal system or medical facilities). Domestic violence cases continue to rise in Iowa as state funding opportunities dwindle. The City plans to support interventions in the Iowa City community by allocating funds to DVIP to construct a new facility that will allow for services to be expanded. 12. AP-75 Barriers to Affordable Housing Introduction. HUD’s 2021 Interim Final Rule (IFR), Restoring Affirmatively Furthering FairHousing Definitions and Certifications requires program participants to submit certifications that they will affirmatively further fair housing in connection with their consolidated plans, annual action plans, and PHA plans. The City of Iowa City finalized the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice in 2019. The City remains committed taking meaningful action to further fair housing by addressing the barriers identified. Actions it planned to remove or ameliorate the negative effects of public policies that serve as barriers to affordable housing such as land use controls, tax policies affecting land, zoning ordinances, building codes, fees and charges, growth limitations, and policies affecting the return on residential investment. The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice provides strategies to overcome the barriers identified. The City will use the findings and strategies as an implementation tool to remove barriers to affordable housing. Specific details can be found in the report, which is available at: www.icgov.org/actionplan. The City reports on actions taken in the CAPER each year. Additionally, the City formed a steering committee to aid in the development of a new affordable housing plan. The steering committee contained a cross sector of representation including: nonprofit housing organizations; property management; real estate development; residential construction; housing trust fund; Iowa City commissions. The City will continue to make affordable housing a priority and reduce barriers to affordable housing through the implementation of this plan and exploration of new opportunities. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 52 13. AP-85 Other Actions Introduction. The City will also continue to meet underserved needs, reduce lead- based paint hazards, foster and maintain affordable housing, reduce the number of families in poverty, and improve coordination and the delivery structure of public services. Actions planned to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs. Iowa City has a long history of successfully implementing HUD-funded programs. Serving the needs of the City’s various special needs population drives the city’s consolidated planning efforts. According to City Steps 2025, “The City has also identified special needs individuals as among those who face the greatest challenges and who should receive high priority in the expenditure of federal funds, including at-risk children and youth, low-income families, persons experiencing homelessness and persons threatened with homelessness, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.” The City plans to use FY23 funds to continue funding high priority projects that benefit underserved populations. For example, construction of a new shelter will benefit individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Federal and local funds allocated to various public services in Iowa City will also help provide necessary services to those who face the greatest challenges in the community. As previously mentioned, the City continues to implement strategies identified in the 2019 Fair Housing Study to address the impediments identified. This plan is available for review online at icgov.org/actionplan and progress is reported each year in the CAPER. Actions planned to foster and maintain affordable housing. The City will continue to support its goals of maintaining and expanding affordable housing by utilizing its CDBG and HOME allocations to create new opportunities for affordable rental and homeownership and rehabilitate existing affordable units. In addition to activities funded with FY23 funds, the City anticipates completion of activities funded in prior years during FY23. The City plans to continue using local resources to prioritize affordable housing efforts as well. The Affordable Housing Fund will also be funded with $1,000,000 for FY23 which will assist the Housing Trust Fund, LIHTC applicants, and low-income renters. The GRIP program will continue providing $200,000 annually for homeowners to rehabilitate their properties. Planning staff continue to explore ways to bolster affordable housing in the community and incorporate “missing middle” housing through form-based zoning codes and other incentives. Actions planned to reduce lead-based paint hazards. The City will continue to ensure compliance with the HUD lead-based paint regulations that implement Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, which covers the CDBG and HOME programs, among others. The State of Iowa passed legislation in 2009 to certify renovators who work in housing and child-occupied facilities and to require all children entering kindergarten to be tested for lead poisoning. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 53 The City’s Housing Rehabilitation Office will continue to implement all aspects of the lead-based paint regulations. In its efforts to evaluate and reduce lead-based paint hazards in all its CDBG and HOME funded rehabilitation projects, they provide information and outreach on the dangers of lead-based paint, as well as guidance in the identification and reduction of lead-based paint hazards to all program participants. Blood level tests may be paid through the Housing Rehabilitation program for targeted populations such as children under 6 when needed. Actions planned to reduce the number of poverty-level families. The City, ICHA, and the LHCB work together to address homelessness and poverty-related issues. In addition to the activities outlined earlier in this plan, the ICHA provides supportive services and coordination with the agencies making up the LHCB to support families and individuals achieve their highest level of self-sufficiency. With respect to economic development, the City has long partnered with the Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD) and the Iowa City Area Business Partnership. ICAD is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to position the region as a quality place to work. ICAD works as a confidential advocate for expanding businesses and new industries, helps businesses pursue state and local financial assistance and serves as a liaison between the City, Iowa Economic Development Authority, the University of Iowa, and other entities. The Iowa City Area Business Partnership works to enhance the business climate in Johnson County and provides educational programs on customer service, human resources, and other issues relevant to small businesses. The City also utilizes the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to provide technical assistance for early stage entrepreneurs and has begun exploring partnerships with Kirkwood Community College and Iowa Workforce Development. In addition to these relationships, the City has engaged in extensive outreach within the community to solicit input on what is needed for workforce development. During the outreach process for this Consolidated Plan, stakeholders identified the need for English language training programs to help overcome the language barrier among immigrant and refugee populations as well as digital literacy and soft skills education. Another important issue raised by stakeholders is wage theft, particularly within the immigrant community. Preventing wage theft is one way to reduce the number of poverty-level families. Lastly, stakeholders reported the significant need for affordable childcare and effective transportation to allow parents and caregivers to work or attend classes, both of which would likely increase wages and reduce the number of poverty-level families. The City continues to use CDBG funds to provide technical assistance. 4Cs Community Coordinated Childcare is a nonprofit organization that has utilized CDBG to assist new and existing in-home daycare microenterprises serving LMI residents. The businesses are also owned by LMI operators. Childcare is an ongoing challenge in the community and this partnership allows to organization to facilitate affordable childcare in Iowa City and assist LMI residents with establishing a revenue stream. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 54 The City and 4Cs also participate in a childcare coalition that is working to address the following: •Developing programs to assist new immigrants and refugees in the communityfind work in childcare programs. •Developing programs at the high school level to offer childcare training forstudents to find employment in childcare after high school. •Strategizing on how to increase wages and benefits for childcare providers. •Reengaging local businesses on employer provided childcare. •Pursuing wraparound care and universal preschool for all children.Actions planned to develop institutional structure. The City undertakes extensive consultation as part of its consolidated planning effort, particularly in association with the Johnson County LHCB Continuum of Care’s planning process. The LHCB represents over 25 agencies in Iowa City providing services to low-income people and those experiencing homelessness in Johnson County. The City works closely with the LHCB to increase coordination between housing providers, health, and service agencies in addressing the needs of persons that are chronically homeless. The City facilitates coordination among its partner agencies that results in a broadly shared understanding of community needs, collaborative and complementary approaches to addressing needs, and responsiveness to changes in conditions. Additionally, resources such as Aid to Agencies and City General Funds available for economic development indicate a real commitment to leveraging all possible resources to meet needs. The City participates in new opportunities such as the Childcare Coalition when they arise. Similarly, the City leverages these partnership and opportunities for consultation to undertake planning for new opportunities such as HOME-ARP. Actions planned to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies. The City created a citizen advisory group, the Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC), in 1995, to assess Iowa City’s community development needs for housing, jobs and services for low- and moderate-income residents, and to promote public and private efforts to meet such needs. HCDC leads the CDBG/HOME allocation process to determine what projects will be awarded funds based on priorities established in the Consolidated Plan. Each year the City and HCDC review applications on a competitive basis. Fragmentation and duplication of services in Iowa City is a minor obstacle due to the communication and coordination of existing service providers. Service providers are members of the Johnson County LHCB and participate in the local Continuum of Care planning. Additionally, many organizations are part of the Agency Impact Coalition (AIC). In 2020, the AIC worked to request the coordination of various community funding applications across municipal jurisdictions to reduce administrative burden. The AIC succeeded in their request, and the application requirements were suspended in at least two cities for FY22 and FY23. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 55 IV. Program Specific Requirements 14. AP-90 Program Specific Requirements – 91.220(l)(1,2,4) Introduction. Projects planned with all CDBG funds expected to be available during the year are identified in Tables 10.1 through 10.8. Table 14 identifies program income that is available for use that is included in projects to be carried out. Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) Reference 24 CFR 91.220(l)(1) Projects planned with all CDBG funds expected to be available during the year are identified in Tables 8.1 through 8.8. Table 12 identifies program income that is available for use that is included in projects to be carried out. 1. The total amount of program income that will have been received before the start of the next program year and that has not yet been reprogrammed $0 2. The amount of proceeds from section 108 loan guarantees that will be used during the year to address the priority needs and specific objectives identified in the grantee's strategic plan $0 3. The amount of surplus funds from urban renewal settlements $0 4. The amount of any grant funds returned to the line of credit for which the planned use has not been included in a prior statement or plan $0 5. The amount of income from float-funded activities $0 Total Program Income $0 Other CDBG Requirements. 1. The amount of urgent need activities is $0. 2. The estimated percentage of CDBG funds that will be used for activities that benefit person of low and moderate income is 99.00%. HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) Reference 24 CFR 91.220(l)(2) A description of other forms of investment being used beyond those identified in Section 92.205. The City offers the GRIP program to provide low interest loans to income eligible homeowners to rehabilitate their homes. Approximately $200,000 in general obligation funds are allocated annually for this program. The City also invests local funds in the purchase and rehabilitation of units in the South District for affordable homeownership. A description of the guidelines that will be used for resale or recapture of HOME funds when used for homebuyer activities as required in 92.254. Iowa City has elected to adopt the following recapture or resale provisions when HOME funds are used to create IDIS Table 12 – CDBG Reprogrammed Program Income FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 56 affordable housing. Recapture guidelines are used for any homebuyer activity where the client receives direct financial assistance (including any assistance that reduces the purchase price from the fair market value to an affordable price) and resale is used when the homeowner does not receive direct financial assistance. Recapture Provision. A recapture provision of the HOME regulations pursuant to CFR Part 24 92.254 (a)(5)(ii) will be used when HOME funded assistance is provided to reduce the selling price of a home from appraised value to one of affordability (affordability subsidy) for people at income levels of 80% or less of Iowa City’s median income. This will include an affordability period based on the amount of HOME funds used for that purpose as indicated in the following table. If down payment assistance will be provided, that amount will be added to the total amount to determine the affordability period. •$15,000: 5 years •$15,000-$40,000:10 years •> $40,000: 15 years Upon the sale of the home, the net proceeds (sale price, minus superior loan repayment and closing costs) shall be distributed proportionately between the City, up to the Principal Amount, and the buyer (Shared Net Proceeds). The City and/or HUD are not responsible for covering negative net proceeds. The Principal Amount shall be forgiven after the affordability period identified in the Recapture Agreement ends if the homeowner remains in compliance with their written agreement. A description of the guidelines for resale or recapture that ensures the affordability of units acquired with HOME funds? See 24 CFR 92.254(a)(4). Iowa City has elected to adopt the following recapture or resale provisions when HOME funds are used to create affordable housing. Recapture guidelines are used for any homebuyer activity where the client receives direct financial assistance (including any assistance that reduces the purchase price from the fair market value to an affordable price) and resale is used when the homeowner does not receive direct financial assistance. Resale Provision. A resale provision deed restriction will be used with an affordability period based on the amount of HOME funds provided per the following table when HOME funds are used for a construction subsidy. •< $15,000 5 years •$15,000-$40,000 10 years •$40,000 15 yearsThe affordability period shall begin with the original HOME assisted owner’s closing date. If the home does not continue to be the principal residence of the buyer during the duration of the period of affordability, then the housing will be sold only to a buyer whose family’s income does not exceed 80% of Iowa City’s area median income as determined annually by HUD. The City will target homeowners between 60 to 80% of Iowa City’s area median income. The buyer shall use the home as their principal residence. FY23 AAP City of Iowa City 57 The purchase price may not exceed 95% of the median area purchase price for single family housing in the Iowa City MSA as determined annually by HUD for new or existing housing. The original HOME-assisted owner is entitled to a fair return on investment (homebuyer’s down payment plus capital improvements made to the house). The City will determine the original homebuyer’s return on investment by using the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (Consolidated Plan) over the period of ownership. The value of capital improvements will be based on the actual costs of the improvements as documented by the homeowner’s receipts. The City will determine whether the sale price meets said requirements and must approve the price before buyers accept a purchase offer. There may be a declining housing market where home values are depreciating. If the home is sold for less or the same price as the original price, the original homebuyer may not receive a fair return or any return on their investment. The City and/or HUD are not responsible for covering a loss on the original homebuyer’s investment. HOME regulations allow revocation of HOME’s affordability restrictions if an ownership interest is terminated prematurely by foreclosure, transfer in lieu of foreclosure, or assignment of an FHA-insured mortgage to HUD. Under the HOME program, certain requirements must be placed on properties by means of deed restrictions or a recorded note and mortgage. Plans for using HOME funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily housing that is rehabilitated with HOME funds along with a description of the refinancing guidelines required that will be used under 24 CFR 92.206(b). Not Applicable – The City of Iowa City does not use HOME funds for this purpose. APPENDIX A Citizen Participation (Note: To be inserted following public comment) APPENDIX B FY22 Planned Activities Project Planned activities CDBG Award HOME Award Persons / Households / Facilities Assisted Aid to Agencies - Shelter House 15,000$ NA 700 Aid to Agencies - DVIP 52,000$ NA 600 Aid to Agencies - NCJC 57,000$ NA 1,500 DVIP - Shelter New Construction 425,000$ NA 700 Free Medical Clinic - Facility Improvements 75,000$ NA 1,200 Neighborhood and Area Benefits Neighborhood Improvement Program 75,000$ NA 300 Homeowner/Rental Housing Rehabilitation Comprehensive Rehabilitation 235,000$ 90,000$ 22 The Housing Fellowship CHDO Operations -$ 24,000$ NA Inside Out Reentry - Rental Acquisition -$ 100,000$ 4 The Housing Fellowship - Rental Acquisition -$ 320,000$ 2 CHDO Reserve Activities CHDO Reserve Activities NA 74,000$ 1 Economic Development Economic Development Program 50,000$ NA 2 CDBG Administration 160,000$ NA NA HOME Administration NA 57,000$ NA Total 1,144,000$ 665,000$ 5,031 Funds may be subject to change pending HUD's final allocations Administration & Planning Appendix B FY23 Public Service Activities Public Facility Activities Other Housing Activities APPENDIX C Current Income, Rent, and Sales Price Limits Effective SRO Efficiency 1 BDR 2 BDR 3 BDR 4 BDR 5 BDR 6 BDR Low HOME Rent 6/1/2021 $551 $735 $803 $1,036 $1,315 $1,467 $1,619 $1,771 High HOME Rent 6/1/2021 $551 $735 $803 $1,036 $1,483 $1,794 $2,024 $2,197 Fair Market Rent 6/1/2021 $551 $735 $803 $1,036 $1,483 $1,794 $2,063 $2,332 $44,900 $63,800 $55,850 $53,880 $47,880 $41,880 50% Median Income 80% Median Income Extremely Low Income Very Low Income Low Income Review your agreement to determine applicable rent limits. All HOME and many CDBG agreements limit rent to the applicable rent limit minus the tenant- paid utility allowance as provided by ICHA or HUD. Example: Tenant pays for electricity only and the utility allowance for electricity is $80. Rent for a one- bedroom HOME-assisted unit cannot exceed $723 ($803-80) if the HOME agreement restricts rent to the Low HOME rent.If a HOME-funded project assists five or more units, 20% of units must be leased at or below the low HOME rent. The Fair Market Rents (FMR) for units larger than six bedrooms are calculated by adding 15 percent to the four bedroom FMR, for each extra bedroom. FMRs for single-room occupancy units are .75 times the zero bedroom (efficiency) FMR. NOTE: The payment standard for Section 8 tenants may be higher than the rent limits shown here. Regardless of the payment standard, rent cannot exceed the rent limit identified in your agreement minus the tenant paid utliity allowance if included. $39,900 $34,900 $39,500 $37,100 $34,700 $32,300 $29,900 $26,950 $23,950 $65,850 $61,850 $57,850 $53,850 $49,850 $105,300 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) 60% Median Income Rent Limits Income Limits $98,900 $92,550 $86,150 $79,750 $79,020 $74,220 $69,420 $64,620 $59,820 $71,800 30% Median Income Table of Income and Rent Limits $20,950 Household Size (effective 6/1/2021) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Updated 5/4/21 Table of Sales Price Limits HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) HOME Purchase Price Limit (effective June 1, 2021) 4-Unit3-Unit2-Unit1-Unit Existing Homes Purchase Price Limit The initial purchase price or after-rehabilitation value of homeownership units assisted with HOME funds cannot exceed 95 percent of the area median purchase price for single family housing, as determined by HUD. These amounts are different for newly constructed homes and existing homes Newly Constructed Housing. The new HOME homeownership value limits for newly constructed HOME units is 95 percent of the median purchase price for the area based on Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single family mortgage program data for newly constructed housing. Nationwide, HUD established a minimum limit, or floor, based on 95 percent of the U.S. median purchase price for new construction for nonmetropolitan areas. This figure is determined by the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD has used the greater of these two figures as their HOME homeownership value limits for newly constructed housing in each area. Existing Housing. The new HOME homeownership value limits for existing HOME units is 95 percent of the median purchase price for the area based on Federal FHA single family mortgage program data for existing housing and other appropriate data that are available nationwide for sale of existing housing in standard condition. Nationwide, HUD has established a minimum limit, or floor, based on 95 percent of the state-wide nonmetropolitan area median purchase price using this data. HUD has used the greater of these two figures as their HOME homeownership value limits for existing housing in each area. In lieu of the limits provided by HUD, a PJ may determine 95 percent of the median area purchase price for single family housing in the jurisdiction annually in accordance with federally established procedures and may submit these limits as part of its Consolidated Plan/Annual Action Plan. Iowa City does not determine its own Sales Price Limits. New Homes Purchase Price Limit $474,000 $474,000 $383,000 $383,000 $316,000 $316,000 $247,000 $247,000 Updated 5/4/21 EXHIBIT A City Steps 2025 Substantial Amendment May 10, 2022 The City offers funding for agencies providing public services to low-income residents of Iowa City through the Aid to Agencies program. Applications for Legacy Agency funding are accepted on a two-year cycle through the United Way Community Impact Funding Process. The majority of the funding is local, while around 20 percent comes from federal CDBG dollars. Agencies eligible to apply for Legacy Agencies funds are listed in the City’s consolidated plan, City Steps 2025. The City limits the pool of eligible agencies in order to ensure funding stability for a core group of service providers in Iowa City. The City received a request from a local agency to be considered for Legacy Agency status and the request was brought to the Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) in November of 2021. In the interest of fairness, HCDC requested that staff open an application window for eligible agencies to apply for Legacy Status. The Commission determined that eligibility for Legacy Agency status would be limited to previous recipients of Emerging Aid to Agency funds (funds set aside for newer agencies or those not listed as Legacy Agencies). Five applications for Legacy Agency Status were received and reviewed by HCDC in January of 2022 and three were recommended to City Council for inclusion in City Steps 2025 – Center for Worker Justice, Dream City, and Houses into Homes. Inclusion in City Step 2025 is not a guarantee of funding, but would allow the new agencies to apply for funds. The City Council will consider this recommendation on June 21, 2022 following a 30-day public comment period and an amendment will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development subject to City Council approval. Jurisdiction: City of Iowa City, Iowa Contact Person Jurisdiction Web Address: http:/www.icgov.org/actionplan Erika Kubly 410 E Washington Street Iowa City Iowa 52240 319-356-5230 ekubly@iowa-city.org Agenda Item #8 Proposed Amendment In 2019, the City modified its Aid to Agencies (A2A) process in July 2019 with the approval of the Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC). Based on feedback received during that process, the City sought to return the program to its original intent of providing a stable funding source for human service agencies serving LMI residents based on the funding priorities set in the Consolidated Plan for public service agencies. To ensure stability of funding, this plan will identify and limit A2A applicants to a core group of service providers as follows: -4Cs: Community Coordinated Child Care-Arc of Southeast Iowa-Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County-Center for Worker Justice-CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank -Domestic Violence Intervention Program -Dream City/The Dream Center -Free Lunch Program -Hawkeye Area Community Action Program -Horizons, A Family Service Alliance -Houses into Homes -Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County - Inside Out Reentry Community -Iowa City Free Medical Clinic/Dick Parrott Free Dental Clinic -Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity -Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County -Pathways Adult Day Health Center/Aging Services, Inc.-Prelude Behavioral Services-Rape Victim Advocacy Program-Shelter House-Table to Table-United Action for Youth Currently, these “Legacy” agencies are funded through City FY21. Beginning with City FY22, the agencies identified above will be the only agencies allowed to competitively apply for Legacy Aid to Agencies funds, comprised of both local and federal sources. Applications will be for a two-year cycle, and funding amounts will be based on identified priorities, history of funding, outcomes, and capacity. This process provides for stable funding for agencies with demonstrated capacity to effectively utilize A2A dollars. The priorities and agencies allowed to apply will be reevaluated with each new Consolidated Plan to address changing priorities or gaps of service as identified in the plan. Public Comments Received with Staff Responses A 30-day public comment period for the substantial amendment will be held from May 20, 2022 to June 21, 2022. The City Council will hold a public meeting on June 21, 2022. Comments Received: TBD Staff Response: TBD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Omaha Field Office Edward Zorinsky Federal Building 1616 Capitol Avenue, Suite 329 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-4908 April 6, 2022 Mr. Geoff Fruin City Manager City of Iowa City 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Mr. Fruin: Subject: Timeliness in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program City of Iowa City, Iowa The purpose of this letter is to advise you that the City of Iowa City is in danger of becoming noncompliant with the requirements for carrying out the CDBG Program in a timely manner. The standard for timely expenditure of CDBG funds can be found within the CDBG regulations at 24 CFR 570.902. A grantee is considered to be in compliance if 60 days prior to the end of its program year, the amount of its CDBG program income on hand, together with the amount of funds remaining in its CDBG line of credit, does not exceed 1.5 times its current grant award. As of April 6, 2022, according to the attached PR56 report, the City has 1.73 times the current grant award in its line of credit. To be in compliance the City will need to draw $168,198 in CDBG funds by May 2, 2022. My staff and I remain available to assist you in any way possible in your goal to reach the 1.5 standard. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (402) 492-3145 or you may also contact Ms. Stewart Guderian, CPD Program Representative, at (402) 492-3114 or by email at stewart.k.guderian@hud.gov. Sincerely, Tim Severin Director Community Planning and Development Division Enclosure Francis T Severin 2022.04.06 15: 14:01 -05'00' Agenda Item #10 Housing and Community Development Commission Quick Guide Acronyms AAP Annual Action Plan AIC Agency Impact Coalition AMI Area Median Income ARPA American Rescue Plan Act A2A Aid to Agencies CAPER Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report CDBG Community Development Block Grant CDBG-CV Community Development Block Grant – COVID-19 CHDO Community Housing Development Organization EA2A Emerging Aid to Agencies FMR Fair Market Rent HOME HOME Investment Partnership Program HOME-ARP HOME Investment Partnership Program – American Rescue Plan HTFJC Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County HUD United States Department of Housing and Urban Development LIHTC Low Income Housing Tax Credit LMI Low to Moderate Income (Less than 80% of Area Median Income) NHTF National Housing Trust Fund Commonly Discussed Plans Plan Summary Frequency Reviewed by HCDC City Steps 2025 Consolidated plan identifying goals and priorities that were developed through feedback from the public and community stakeholders. Every five years Annual Action Plan Outlines the ways the City will work towards goals and priorities in the consolidated plan, City Steps 2025. Contains activities for the fiscal year. Annually CAPER Reports accomplishments from the fiscal year. Annually Funding Sources Name Source Competitive Funding Cycle HOME Federal CDBG/HOME competitive funding cycle occurs each year. CDBG Federal HOME-ARP Federal One-time funds in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CDBG-CV Federal Aid to Agencies Majority is Local – small portion from CDBG Emerging A2A: Competitive funding cycle occurs each year. Agencies not listed in City Steps 2025 are eligible. Legacy A2A: Limited to agencies listed in City Steps 2025. Applications accepted on a two-year cycle through United Way. Awards prorated in year two based on budget availability. Agenda Item #10 CDBG and HOME Activity Eligibility Funds Generally Eligible Activities Generally Ineligible Activities CDBG Acquiring and/or clearing real property (residential and nonresidential); rehabilitating, preserving, or improving residential and nonresidential structures; constructing new public facilities; and relocation assistance for displaced people or businesses. Public services over 15% of the City’s annual allocation; new construction of housing (in most cases); direct subsistence payments (in most cases); political, religious, and lobbying activities. HOME Eligible HOME activities include acquiring, rehabilitating, and constructing affordable rental or owner housing, direct rental or homebuyer assistance. HOME also allows limited operational funds for certified Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). Public services (unless CHDO operating assistance); public facility improvements; economic development; direct subsistence payments (not including DPA); political, religious, and lobbying activities. Funding Rules Source Category Rule CDBG Public Services The total amount of CDBG funds for public services activities cannot exceed 15% of the annual grant allocation. HOME CHDO Reserve The City must set aside 15% of the annual HOME grant allocation for CHDO activities. HOME CHDO Operating Up to 5% of the annual HOME grant allocation may be used to assist CHDOs with operating expenses. Key Dates City Fiscal Year July 1 – June 30 Federal Fiscal Year October 1 – September 30 CDBG Deadline for Subrecipients to Enter a Formal Agreement with the City September 30 CAPER Due to HUD September 30 CDBG Deadline for Subrecipients to Expend a Minimum of 50% of assistance provided March 15 CDBG Timeliness Test May 2 Annual Action Plan Due to HUD May 15 Consolidated Plan Due to HUD May 15 (Every 5 Years)