City allocates $2M in federal funds
Council approves Annual Action Plan for CDBG, HOME funding
The Yuma City Council put its stamp of approval on a plan that outlines how nearly $2 million in funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be used.
The council approved the 2018 Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership funds during the June 20 meeting.
The plan was developed in compliance with the Citizen Participation Plan, which provides opportunities for citizens to offer comments on the draft document. Opportunities consisted of public hearings and meetings, consultation with the Citizen Advisory Committee and public notices in the Yuma Sun and Bajo el Sol.
A 30-day public comment period began May 15 and ended on June 15. The draft plan was available on the city website and various locations during the comment period. No comments were received.
The CDBG Citizen Advisory Committee participated in developing the plan. The committee reviewed applications, listened to presentations from each of the agencies/organizations requesting funds and offered recommendations for funding.
The Yuma County HOME Consortium also participated in developing the AAP. The consortium members include the local jurisdictions throughout the county. The consortium reviewed proposals and made funding decisions, with $1.08 million in HOME funds to be used for affordable housing activities throughout Yuma County.
Yuma is the lead entity and administers the HOME Program on behalf of the consortium. HUD awarded the city $859,052 for CDBG projects, an 11 percent increase over the previous year, and $1.08 million, an increase of 45 percent, for HOME Investment Partnerships Program projects.
The CDBG program benefits low- to moderateincome residents and is designed to prevent or eliminate slums or blight. The
city has chosen to focus on the Mesa Heights Neighborhood Revitalization Area.
HOME, the largest federal block grant to state and local governments, is designed to create or preserve affordable housing for lowincome households. The HOME allocation can be used across Yuma County.
The city received $989,505 in funding requests for CDBG funds and awarded $868,652 in funds, slightly higher than the allocation because of carryover funds from the previous year.
The bulk of this year’s money will go to Mesa Heights revitalization projects; $606,592 will be used for housing rehabilitation, code enforcement and rental inspection.
Under the category of Public Services, with a total of $55,750, the plan awards $6,750 to Arizona Classical Ballet for the Dancers Initiative; $9,000 to Catholic Community Services for home-delivered meals; and $40,000 to Crossroads Mission for its homeless nutrition program.
Under the category of Housing and Public Facilities, with a total of $50,500, the plan awards $27,500 to Achieve Human Services for Orange Avenue apartment window replacement and $23,000 to Adult Literacy Plus for roof replacement.
For administering the programs, which has a 20 percent cap, CDBG Planning and Administration will receive $155,810, and WACOG and Yuma Fair Housing will get $16,000.
Requests for HOME funds totaled $1.4 million. The consortium made funding recommendations totaling $1.08 million.
Housing projects will get $812,446, with $300,000 going to the Arizona Housing Development Corp. for development of rentals for the seriously mentally ill; $116,202 to Catholic Community Services for tenant based rental assistance; $200,000 to Yuma Housing Rehab; and $196,244 to Yuma County Housing Department for housing rehabilitation.
The city is required to spend 15 percent of the allocation on a Community Housing Development Organization, a private nonprofit, community-based organization that has staff with the capacity to develop affordable housing for the community it serves.
Only one group in Yuma County qualifies as a CHDO; Housing America will receive $162,489, for affordable housing development.
Funds for HOME Planning and Administration, which has a 10 percent cap, total $108,326.