HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-IURANI-2013-10-11
Draft Minutes
IURA Neighborhood Investment Committee
October 11, 2013
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Tracy Farrell at 8:30 a.m. with members Karl Graham
and Theresa Halpert present. Fernando de Aragón joined the meeting at 8:35 a.m. Visiting the
meeting were Shannon MacCarrick and Dean Shea from Habitat for Humanity and Renee Spear and
Josh Clark from Catholic Charities. Staff members Sue Kittel and Nels Bohn also attended.
II. Public comment
None.
III. Review of Minutes –September 13, 2013
On a motion by Halpert and second by Graham the minutes of September 13, 2013 were approved
unanimously.
IV. New Business
a) Catholic Charities Programs—Presentation
Executive Director Renee Spear and Samaritan Center Coordinator Josh Clark briefed the committee
on the services Catholic Charities provides. Beyond the security deposit and Immigrant Servcies
programs that are funded by the IURA, Catholic Charities has local programs which include the
clothing closet (serving 2,000 households per year), the personal care products program (serving
1,800 people county wide in 2012), and utility assistance program (150 shut‐off prevention cases so
far this year, served 168 in total in 2012). The food stamps (SNAP0 facilitated enrollment coordinator
has helped 150 people to access food stamps so far this year. The Family Empowerment program,
which includes community connections, parent partnership, and the fatherhood initiative, is focused
on stabilizing partnering families. Finally, there is the Justice and Peace Ministry, which concentrates
on social justice work.
The Tioga County portion of Catholic Charities has a food pantry and youth programs in addition to
offerings similar to those in Ithaca.
Renee mentioned a new program this year which provides bus passes to students less than 21 years
old who need assistance to get to school, such as TC3, or other training programs. In addition, there
are some resources to help people purchase basic school supplies.
The Immigrant Services program has expanded via an Office for New Americans grant which has
allowed them to set up a computer lab at Catholic Charities, in addition to supplying computers to
partnering agencies Tompkins Learning Partners and the BOCES English as a Second Language adult
program. These computers are being used to help immigrants acquire basic computer skills, as well as
complete job searches and prepare resumes or fill out on‐line job applications. The Immigrant
Services program also hosts a lawyer from Buffalo once a month to advise on issues surrounding
citizenship and the like.
Renee Spear also discussed a new grant she has received to begin a nutrition education program
which will cover both Tompkins and Tioga counties. Possible partners for this grant include
Cooperative Extension but nothing is firmly established yet. In addition, Ms. Spear noted that Catholic
Charities is partnering with Alternatives Federal Credit Union to offer AFCU’s Moneywise program on
site.
While Catholic Charities is just beginning preparation of a strategic plan with the assistance of
students from Ithaca College, she did note that they hope to add a new position who would serve as a
service/program navigator. Her vision included some data collection so that current programs can be
ass4ssed for impact. After answering questions from committee members, Ms. Spear and Mr. Clark
thanked the committee for the chance to provide this update.
b) Habitat for Humanity—Presentation
Incoming Board President Dean Shea and Executive Director Shannon MacCarrick discussed the
programming of Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins/Cortland Counties. They have been in existence
for 26 years and have had professional staff locally for just two and a half years. Habitat currently has
4 houses being constructed. One house in Groton is nearly complete and a second one being started.
In addition, they are in the middle of construction on two houses in Trumansburg. They have one
more house planned for construction in 2014 in Cortland.
The visitors informed the committee members that partner families must be low‐income (earning
between 30% and 60% of area median family income) and be willing to contribute 500 hours of
volunteer labor. A small portion of this time must be used for homebuyer education classes. Families
also often take advantage of credit counseling and credit repair programs offered at local agencies.
The affordability period for a Habitat house is 49 years.
Ms. MacCarrick also described two rehab‐type programs Habitat offers. They had a program this
summer called ‘A Brush With Kindness’ wherein Habitat coordinated exterior repairs for low‐income
homeowners. All of the labor is donated while the families paid for materials. Habitat also offers a
more traditionally defined rehab program which can include corrections made within the house. This
program has not been run locally but is a possibility.
Committee members asked many questions about the local organization and future plans of Habitat
for Humanity. Habitat was encouraged to consider applying for a rehab‐type project in the City as a
way to build a stronger presence in the City.
c) Housing Fund, Funding Round #7 – Authorize Disbursement of $75,000 Pursuant
to an Executed MOU – resolution
Nels Bohn reviewed the projects proposed for funding by the local Housing Fund (a partnership
between the City, County and Cornell). A project for pre‐development work on Spencer Road by
Tompkins Community Action has been nominated for City funding.
The committee had many questions and concerns about the need for programmatic pre‐
development work. Bohn said that he believed that an analysis of the need and feasibility of the
project proposed was being undertaken with matching funds. The Committee also questioned the
wisdom of concentrating a group of homeless teens together and wondered about the requirements
(was this a housing first program or would work or school attendance be required, for example).
After further discussion, the resolution was forwarded to the IURA with no action or
recommendation.
Housing Fund, Funding Round #7 – Authorize Disbursement of $75,000 Pursuant to an Executed
MOU
Whereas, pursuant to an executed MOU, the Program Oversight Committee for the
Cornell/City/County Housing Fund recommends that the City of Ithaca approve funding assistance for
the following affordable housing project:
$75,000 Amici House project, predevelopment loan to conduct feasibility analysis
for a 12‐15 unit supportive rental housing project for homeless young
persons including an on‐site child care center/Early Head Start classroom at
661‐665 Spencer Rd., Tompkins Community Action, and
Whereas, the Housing Fund Program Oversight Committee (POC) met on June 19, 2013, to review
recommendations from the Application Review Committee of round #7 funding applications for new
affordable housing projects, and
Whereas, the City of Ithaca is represented on the POC by Alderperson J.R. Clairborne, Alderperson
Chris Proulx, Doug Dylla, past member of the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) and alternate
member Eric Rosario, IURA member, and
Whereas, the Housing Fund was established in 2009 by Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) as a six‐
year program between and among the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County and Cornell University to raise
and award funds to increase the supply of permanently affordable housing in the County, and
Whereas, the Common Council determined that City contributions to the Housing Fund should be
used to assist projects located within the City of Ithaca, and
Whereas, City funds committed to the Housing Fund are derived from Gateway Loan proceeds that
originated from sale of City‐owned land for the Eddygate project, and are held by the IURA, and
Whereas, a total of up to $500,000 from the Housing Fund is available to award in round #7 as
follows:
Funding Sources ($1,000s)
Cornell Tompkins City of
Funding Awards University County Ithaca Total
Annual Funds Pledged 200 100 100 400
Round #1 (2009) 145 100 30 275
Round #2 (2010) 75 70 70 215
Round #3 (2011) 100 100 0 200
Round #4 (2011) 0 0 30 30
Round #5 (2012) 0 0 0 0
Round #6 (2012) 420 130 230 780
Totals Awards to Date 740 400 360 1,500
Funds Available for Round #7 (2013) 260 100 140 500
and,
Whereas, the POC recommends round #7 funding of $375,000 for three affordable housing projects,
and
Round #7, Housing Fund ‐ Recommended Funding Awards
Funding ($1,000s) Applicant Project # Afford.
Units Location Cornell County City Total
Ithaca
Neighborhood
Housing Services
Scattered Site
New
Construction
7 owner‐
occupied
(C)Ithaca
‐402 S. Cayuga
‐214 Second St.
‐203 Third St.
210 0 0 210
Tomkins County
Action Amici House 12‐15
rental
(C)Ithaca
‐661 & 665
Spencer Rd
0 0 75 75
Peterson/ Seven
Circles LLC
White Hawk
Ecovillage
3 owner‐
occupied
(T)Danby
‐Rt. 96B/
Gunderman Rd
0 90 0 90
Totals 22‐25 210 90 75 375
Whereas, providing funding to conduct feasibility analysis for a proposed housing project is a type II
action under SEQR/CEQRO provided the funding does not commit the agency to commence, engage
in or approve the housing project, therefore no environmental review is required for this action, and
Resolved, that subject to Common Council approval, the IURA hereby authorizes an expenditure of
up to $75,000 for the Amici House project to conduct feasibility analysis, and be if further
Resolved, that such funds shall be derived from Gateway Loan Proceeds, and be it further,
Resolved, that the IURA Chairperson, subject to advice of IURA legal counsel, is authorized to execute
a Fiscal Agency Agreement pursuant to the Housing Fund MOU with Tompkins County to implement
this resolution.
d) Disposition of 213‐215 Spencer Street—authorize Chairperson to accept purchase
offer—resolution EXECUTIVE SESSION
On a motion by Farrell and second by Graham, the committee entered executive session at 10:25 am
to discuss the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property. The committee returned from
executive session at 10:32 a.m. Farrell reported that an action regarding the sale of real property was
taken.
e) Other
None
V. Old Business
a) Neighborhood Housing Initiative Program—discussion
Kittel updated the committee on the Neighborhood Housing Initiative. Staff discussions have led to
the possibility that the Housing Initiative funds could be treated as CDBG/HOME‐like and be
administered via the annual grant round. The changes proposed are:
1. The funds are allocated in support of affordable housing. In this case, affordable is defined as
affordable to a family earning 100% of area media family income.
2. The current requirement that a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) be eliminated in lieu of
the program being advertised publicly when the CDBG and HOME funds are advertised.
3. That a budget of NHI funds be allocated to a project based on materials supplied in an
application form, just as CDBG and HOME funds are allocated to housing projects.
4. That all other CDBG/HOME requirements apply.
The committee liked this simplified approach and directed staff to explore this option with the bond
counsel.
b) Project Updates
Kittel reported that nearly 2013 projects are under contract. The house at 701 Cliff Street is ready for
demolition. The bid package for this work will be let as soon as the federal government reopens and
prevailing wage rates can be obtained. No other projects appear to be running into difficulties at this
time.
VI. Motion to Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 11:17 a.m. by consensus.