HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-IURANI-2018-06-08
108 East Green Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
(607) 274-6565
MINUTES
IURA Neighborhood Investment Committee (NIC)
8:30 am, Friday, June 8, 2018
Third Floor Conference Room, Third Floor
City Hall, 108 E. Green St., Ithaca, NY 14850
In attendance: Karl Graham, Chair; Tracy Farrell, Vice Chair; Teresa Halpert; Paulette
Manos; Fernando de Aragón
Excused: None
Staff: Anisa Mendizabal
Guests: Scott Smith, Ithaca High School Student
I. Call to Order
Chair Graham called the meeting to order at 8:34 am, and acknowledged the guest, Ithaca
High School student Scott Smith.
II. Changes/Additions to Agenda
None.
III. Public Comment
None.
IV. Review of Minutes – Minutes for May 11, 2018
Farrell moved. Graham seconded. Carried 5‐0.
V. New Business
1. Action Item: Resolution – Recommend INHS as Sponsor for Urban Renewal Project at 402
S. Cayuga and disposition and development agreement to sell land for $29, 000.
The Committee spotted an incongruence between the sale price listed on the Agenda’s Action
Item ($29,000) and sale price listed on the Resolution itself ($30,000).
A motion was made to approve the Resolution with the proviso the sale price be corrected.
[Update: The IURA‐ approved sale price is $30,000].
Farrell moved. Halpert seconded. Carried 5‐0.
Ithaca
Urban
Renewal
Agency
2. Discuss & Recommend – Allocation(s) of additional HUD Entitlement Funding, 2018 Action
Plan
Mendizabal confirmed that the City of Ithaca’s 2018 HUD Entitlement Allocations were higher
than anticipated:
Source Anticipated Actual $ Above
Anticipated
Available
(subtract Admin)
CDBG $634,000 $686,071 $52,071 $43,738.80
HOME $261,000 $368,803 $107,803 $97,021.70
The Common Council’s resolution adopting the 2018 Action Plan specified that should above‐
anticipated amounts be awarded, they would be directed to the Economic Development Loan
Fund (CDBG) and the Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) Fund (HOME).
Above‐allocated amounts may stay temporarily or permanently in these funds.
The Committee had preliminary discussion about ways to utilize the above‐anticipated
amount, or portions thereof. Some projects receiving 2018 Action Plan funding were scaled
back. Scalings occurred for a variety of reasons, including the number of projects funded vs.
funds available. The Committee can now examine whether to recommend additional
allocations. The Committee agreed there was time to proceed, given that HUD generally does
not release each Program Year’s funding until after the August 1 start date of the Program
Year (September or October is likely). The Committee voiced the desire for more information
about status of scaled projects and directed Mendizabal to gather information.
The Committee also indicated interested in hearing about other funding sources/ resources in
the community, with specific questions about funding from the hotel occupancy tax. The
Committee asked Mendizabal to invite the new director of Tompkins County’s Tourism
Planning to a future meeting.
VI. Other Business
1. IURA Grant Summary
Mendizabal reported that HUD’s spend‐down requirement for CDBG had been reached.
Contracts Monitor Charles Pyott was vigilant in ensuring voucher flow‐through would
allow the Agency to meet the spend‐down requirement, and worked closely with
Accountant Kimberly Cook. Good work.
2. Staff Report
a. Action Items from May 11 Meeting
Tabled due to time constraints.
b. 2018 Action Planning Process Updates
Mendizabal reported Common Council approved the resolution to adopt the 2018
Action Plan on June 6, 2018.
Mendizabal reported that Lynn Truame, Senior Real Estate Developer at INHS, sent a
request to change the name of the INHS project titled “Scattered Site Phase 2: New
Construction” to simply “150 N. Albany Street” due to the need to create a stand‐alone
tax credit project there, rather than combining it with the Elm Street rehabilitations as
originally anticipated.
Graham departed at 9:20 am.
c. Program Updates
Mendizabal noted that the Committee members may be interested in a workshop to
be offered by the Tompkins County Continuum of Care (Human Services Coalition) on
July 31, 2018, to focus on use of tenant‐based subsidies available for rental housing.
IURA is providing support in planning.
3. Next Meeting: Friday, July 13, 2018
VII. Motion to Adjourn
Moved by Manos, seconded by Halpert. Carried 4‐0. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 am.