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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCMR- 479-02C ty a ager s ep rt TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DATE: SUBJECT: DECEMBER 16, 2002 CMR:479:02 APPROVAL OF AMENDED "CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF PALO ALTO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM" RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Council amend the "Citizen Participation Plan for the City of Palo Alto Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Progam" (Attachment A) in order to modify the City's CDBG application funding cycle from a one-year to a two- year cycle consistent with the City's Human Services Resource Allocation Plan (HSRAP) process. BACKGROUND On May 13, 2002, the City Counci! approved the annual application for CDBG funds to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), together with the CDBG Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) recommendation to change the CDBG application cycle to a two-year cycle. The change to a two-year CDBG cycle for applying for funds was proposed because of several benefits: to reduce the burden on the non-profit agencies submitting somewhat repetitive paperwork each year, to enable agencies to better plan their budgets, to save the time of staff and CAC members processing funding requests and to synchronize with the Human Services Resources Allocation Process (HSRAP). DISCUSSION HUD requires CDBG recipient agencies to maintain a Citizen Participation Plan that describes the provision of adequate opportunity for citizens to participate in an advisory role in the planning, implementation and assessment of the CDBG progam, The format and specific contents of the Citizen Participation Plan may be developed by each agency in accordance with general guidelines. CMR:479:02 1 of 3 Two years ago, the Human Services Division began a two-year cycle for the HSRAP to allocate City General Funds for human services. Staff and recipient agencies report that the revised HSRAP process is efficient and effective. Coordination with the CDBG process should augment those efficiencies since some of the same agencies apply for CDBG and Human Services funds. The only proposed amendment to the existing Citizen Participation Plan is to change the CDBG application process from one to two years. As proposed, the application process ¯ would remain similar with the present process, particularly during the first year of the two-year cycle. In the first yea" of each cycte, the only change for applicants having to request identical funding for the second year and applicants for capital funding having to indicate whether the request was for the first or second year of the cycle. In the second year of the cycle, the CAC would meet at least once to review the proposed second-year prodam and determine if any amendments were needed because of changes in either the progam or an individual project or due to any agency's performance or capacity. If any amendments were needed, the amendments would require review by the Finance Committee and approval by City Council. The CDBG CAC reviewed the proposed Amended Citizen Participation Plan at a meeting on September 17, 2002 and those attending recommended forwarding the plan to the Human Relations Commission (HRC) and City Council for adoption. The HRC reviewed the proposed Amended Citizen Participation Plan at its meeting of October 10, 2002 and recommended forwarding the proposed Amended Citizen Participation Plan to the Council for adoption. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The proposed funding cycle change is consistent with existing policy that encourages processing streamlining and reduction of processing inefficiencies. FISCAL IMPACT The change will result in savings of time of staff in the Departments of Planning and Community Environment, Administrative Services, City Attorney, C!ty Clerk and Purchasing. ATTACHMENT Draft Amended Citizen Participation Plan PREPARED B Contract CDBG Coordinator CMR:479:02 2 of 3 DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: Director of Planning arid Community Environment EMILY HARRISON Assistant City Manager cc: CDBG Citizens Advisory Committee CMR:479:02 3 of 3 CITY OF PALO ALTO DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) C1TIZEN PARTICH'ATION PLAN Adopted by City Council on Introduction A primary aspect of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987 is the provision of adequate opportunity for citizens to participate in an advisory role in the planning, implementation and assessment of the community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. In order to encourage public examination and appraisal of the process, as well as to enhance program accountability, grantees are required to certify that they are following a detailed citizen participation plan. As required under 24 CFR 570.303, 104(1)(3), and 106, the citizen participation plan must: Provide for and encourage citizen participation in the development, implementation and assessment of the CDBG program with particular emphasis on participation by persons of low and moderate income; Provide citizens with reasonable and timely access to local meetings, information, and records relating to the grantee's proposed and actual use of funds; Provide for technical assistance to groups representative of persons of low and moderate income that request such assistance in developing funding proposals; Provide for public hearings to obtain citizen views and to respond to proposals and questions at all stages of the community development program with reasonable notice, accommodation for individuals with disabilities, and at time and location s convenient to potential or actual beneficiaries; 5.Provide for timely written responses to written complaints and ~ievances within 15 working days where practicable; and lof6 C:\~Documents and Settin~s~Planner\Mv Documents\l~alo alto\ZkmendedCPPlan02 Identify how the needs on non-English speaking residents will be met in the case of public hearings where a significant number of non-English speaking residents can be reasonably expected to participate. Obiectives of the Plan It is the intent of the City of Palo Alto to provide for and encourage meaningful citizen involvement in the CDBG Program by forming a citizen participation structure, which includes the following objectives: 1.To adhere to and comply with the provisions of the Community Development Acts of 1987, as amended, and all other federal regulations, To encourage the participation of citizens in the planning, implementation and assessment of the CDBG program, especially those of low- and very low income, members of minority groups, residents of areas where funds will be expended, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and other neighborhood or civic groups. To make information about the CDBG program and process available to the public through reasonable and timely access to information including publications in local newspapers, postings on websites, public hearings, public meetings, and the provision oftechnica! assistance. Cgmponents of the Plan CI)BG Advisory Committee (CAC) - The establishment of a CDBG Advisory Committee (CAC) provides a vehicle for active citizen involvement in all phases of the Community Development Block Grant process. Function: The CDBG Advisory Committee is advisory to staff on the expenditure of CDBG funds and the CDBG process. The CAC will assist in the identification of community development needs and the assessment of projects presented for funding consideration. The CAC will have an advisory role in the implementation of the pro~am by acting as a conduit to further define citizen needs and recommending project criteria. The CAC will assess projects and activities to determine if the objectives of the Community Development Consolidated Plan and the Annual Action Plans are being met. All recommendations, comments, assessments and proposals from the CAC will be forwarded intact to the City Council for their review. The CAC will aid in the dissemination of information about the Community Development Block Grant program, and will aid in soliciting comments and views from the general public. 2of6 C:kDocuments and Settinzs\PlanneflM¥ Documents\!3alo alto\AmendedCPPlan02 Membership; Committee members will be appointed by the Mayor to serve a two- year term. Members may not serve more than two consecutive full terms. The Committee will have nine voting members, one of whom is a member of the City's Human Relations Commission. The other eight members will be comprised of persons who live or work in Palo Alto, and who are, or advocate for, persons of low and moderate income, or other groups oriented toward the goals of the CDBG Plan; for example, members of minority groups, the elderly, persons with disabilities, etc. In order to avoid a perceived conflict of interest, no person who is a member of the board of directors of, or is employed by, an agency that applies for or received CDBG funding, will be eligible to serve on the Committee during any year in which such agency receives or applies for CDBG funding. 2. City Council a.The City Council sets policy, priorities, and approved the overall Community Development Block Grant. No The City Council will hold a minimum of two public hearings per year for the purpose of obtaining citizens' views and formulating or responding to proposals and questions. The public hearings wil! be held at different stages of the program year so that together they address community development and housing needs, development of proposed activities and program.performance. Actions of the City Council will direct the implementation of CDBG funded projects. 3. General Public ao The general public is encouraged to participate in the various stages of the CDBG program by attending the noticed public hearings or the CAC meetings. They are encouraged to express their views and comments directly to the CDBG Coordinator in the Planning Division~ or receive program information from the Planning Staff, on the 5tu floor of City Hall, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301. At any time citizens may submit view concerning Palo Alto's performance in the CDBG program to the HUD Area Office at 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102-3448. City Staff a.The Department of Planning and Community Environment has the primary responsibility for the administration and coordination of the CDBG program. bo Beginning in 2002, the planning process for the CDBG program year will be conducted on a two-year cycle, coordinated with the City' s Human Services Resource Allocation Process, effective FY 2003/04. At the beginning of each 3of6 C:kDocuments and Settinas\PlannerkMv Documen~s\!aalo alto\AmendedCPPlan02 two-year cycle, staffwill provide the CAC and the general public with the following information: 1)The amount of grant funds and program income expected to be made .available during the next two fiscal/program years for proposed community development and housing activities; The range of activities that may be undertaken, including the estimated amount proposed to be used for activities that will benefit persons of low and moderate income; The proposed CDBG activities wbAch will likely result in relocation, and the City's intent to minimize the necessity for relocation of persons as a result of assisted activities; 4)The types and levels of assistance the City will make available (or require others to make available) to persons who are eligible for relocation assistance as a result of CDBG assisted activities. At the beginning of the second year in the tw-o-year planning cycle, staffwill facilitate a meeting of the CAC, prior to the Cit3~ Council's public hearing, to review the second year funds available for allocation and any revisions that may be necessary to the second year of the two-year CDBG program that had been adopted by the City Council. Planning staff will publish a summary of the proposed consolidated plan in the Palo Alto Weekly or other newspaper of local circulation. The summary will describe the contents and purpose of the consolidated plan and include a list of the locations where copies of the entire proposed consolidated plan may be examined. Planning staff will provide a reasonable number of free copies of the plan to citizens and groups that request it. Citizens may submit comments on the consolidated plan during a public period of not less than 30 days. Upon completion of draft performance reports, Planning staffwill publish a notice announcing the availability of the draft performance report, the locations where it may be viewed, and a 15 day period for submitting public comments prior to the City's submission of the performance report to HUS. Any comments or views of citizens received in writing or at public meetings in preparing the performance report shall be summarized and attached to the performance report. Planning staff will maintain the Citizen Participation Plan, Annual Action Plan updates, the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), the CDBG Consolidated Plan, and all other program records, documents, information and reports required by federal regulations. These documents are available for review in the Planning Division, 5tu floor, Civic Center, 250 4 of 6 C:kDocuments and Settinas\Planner\Mv Documents\oalo alto\AmendedCPPlan02 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, during normal working hours (weekdays 8:00 am to 12:00 pm; 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm). Technical assistance on the CDBG reg-ulations and the CDBG program process will be provided by the staff of the Planning division to non-profit agencies serving low income persons, citizens groups and groups of low and moderate income, and neighborhood groups requesting such assistance. Assistance may be in the form of general information, relevant demographic or socio-economic data, interpretation of HUD rules and regulations, e.~lanation of City policies and procedures affecting the CDBG program, or advice regarding alternative funding sources for projects which are ineligible under the CDBG program. Planning staff will arrange for information to be presented in a bilingual fashion at public hearings whenever a significant number of non-English speaking residents can be reasonably expected to participate, or when a request is made for such service. Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City facilities, services or programs, or who would like information on the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact Fred Herman, ADA Director, City of Palo Alto, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301;650/329-2550 (Voice) or 650/329-1199 (TDD). Public Hearings wdll be held in the Council Chambers or other accessible locations. Sign language interpreters will be provided upon request with 72 hours advance notice. Planning staff will provide a written response to all written complaints and grievances regarding the CDBG program within 15 working days of receipt of such complaint or grievance. Planning staff will schedule and notice all required public hearings as well as the public meetings of the CAC. Notice of the date, time, place and agenda of the public hearings will be advertised at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing in the Palo Alto Weekly, or another newspaper of local circulation. 5. Consolidated Plan Amendment Procedures Amendments to the CDBG program which require a HUD notification or approval will be submitted to the CAC for review and recommendation prior to submittal of the amended application to the City Council for approval. Public hearings before the City Council will be held on amendments which are substantial in nature, or when required by HLrD. The public hearing provides an opportunity for the public to submit comments orally; the related public hearing notice will provide information about the 30 day public comment period to submit comments on a proposed substantial amendment before the amendment is implemented. 5of6 C:XDocuments and Settin~s\Planner~My Documents\halo alto'~AmendedCPPlan02 Substantial amendments are defined as: 1)the implementation of an activity not previously identified in sufficient detail to provide affected citizens an opportunity to submit comments, or 2)a change in an activity's program budget which exceeds ten percent of the City's latest entitlement grant. 6 of 6 C:~Doeuments and Settin~s'~Planner~Mv Documents\l~a!o alto'~nendedCPPlan02