December 20, 2007, 2:30 p.m.
Community Development Committee
City Commission Chambers, City Hall
Agenda
1. Approval of November 9, 2007 minutes
2. Discuss 2008 Community Development budget
- Housing
- Downtown
- Facilities & Capital
- Public & Social Services
3. Emergency Shelter update
4. Other Business
5. Next meeting: January 17, 2008
Minutes
Present: Dan Fremling, Pat Zavoral, Steve Stoner, Tim Mahoney and Rocky Schneider
Others Present: Dan Mahli, Hali Durand, Monica Graber, Nate Bailly and Dan Mayo
Tim Mahoney called the meeting to order.
Item 1. Approval of November 9, 2007 minutes
(2:45 p.m.) Pat Zavoral moved to approve the November 9, 2007 minutes as presented. Second by Steve Stoner. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 2. Discuss 2008 Community Development budget
(2:46 p.m.) Dan Mahli reviewed community development grant applications and recommendations by funding category. He referred to a spreadsheet with a summary of the requests and recommendations. The funding categories include 1) Housing, 2) Facilities,
3) Downtown and 4) Public and Social Services. He mentioned that 77% of the total grant is required to be used towards housing, facilities and/or capital projects.
Dan Mahli stated that there will be a 30 day public comment period once the Community Development Committee makes its formal recommendation. Each applicant will be notified of the Committee’s recommendation and the budget will be published in The Forum and presented to the City Commission during a public hearing in February. Once the budget is approved by the City Commission, the social service funds can be drawn by nonprofit organizations and the CDBG and HOME fund recommendation will be sent to HUD for review and approval. The City’s HUD allocation should be available to grantees in June.
Housing
(2:51 p.m.) Mr. Mahli gave a breakdown of the housing fund recommendations. Dan Fremling asked about the Cooper Tire allocation and what the funds will be used for. Dan Mahli answered that CDBG and HOME funds would be allocated for demolition and reconstruction of permanent housing for homeless and precariously housed individuals. Steve Stoner asked how the Homelessness & Workforce Housing funds have been used the last few years. Mr. Mahli stated that the funds have been used for the new emergency shelter and the Sunrise housing development.
Downtown
(2:57 p.m.) Dan Mahli stated that there is $150,000 budgeted in CDBG funds for downtown slum and blight projects. He added that the Committee does not need to make a decision about where to allocate the slum and blight funds at this meeting. Pat Zavoral stated that as long as a site meets the HUD definition of slum and blight, the location can be anywhere. Mr. Mahli added that any new slum and blight areas (any properties that are located outside of downtown Fargo) will have to studied and determined to be a slum and blight area. Mr. Zavoral also mentioned that accommodations need to be made if properties are going to be changed from housing to a commercial use.
Facilities & Capital
(3:02 p.m.) Dan Mahli explained that five applications were received in the area of facilities and capital. Mr. Mahli has been in contact with the two applicants that are not included in the budget, the Family Healthcare Center and Churches United for the Homeless. He stated that staff will continue to work with the Family Healthcare Center on its long-range facility plan. Tim Mahoney stated that there may be a need to shift money from downtown projects to the Family Healthcare Center’s request. Mr. Zavoral asked for time to work with the Family Healthcare Center.
Public & Social Services
(3:08 p.m.) Mr. Mahli stated that the public and social service fund category received almost twice as much in requests than funds available – $742,000 in requests for an available $394,000. Commissioner Mahoney asked if this amount of requests is typical. Mr. Mahli stated that there are more public and social service requests than in previous years. He said that a number of the requests, almost half, are from organizations the serve refugee and New American communities in Fargo. He stated that he is concerned about the lack of requests for American Indian programs, especially in light of the American Indian Health Study that was conducted in Fargo in 2006. That study found a number of major health concerns among Fargo’s low-moderate income American Indian community. Mr. Mahli also stated that many of the smaller social service requests were removed from this year’s budget recommendation.
Mr. Zavoral moved to accept the recommendations as presented. Second by Mr. Fremling.
All members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 3. Emergency Shelter update
(3:15 p.m.) Mr. Mahli stated the demolition is complete at the emergency shelter, sheetrock is being installed, and the plumbing work is almost done. He stated that the detox center is ahead of schedule. The next Emergency Shelter Advisory Board meeting is being held at the shelter and area foundations and funding organizations will also tour the facility. He added that the Community Development Committee will be invited to tour the shelter and detox center when the work is complete.
Item 4. Other Business
(3:18 p.m.) There was no other business.
Item 5. Next meeting: January 17, 2008
The meeting adjourned at 3:18 p.m.
