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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-IURACDC-1980-11-10 CAC - IURA/CDA PUBLIC HEARING November 10, 1980 7:30 P.M. SALVATION ARMY BUILDING PRESENT: Peter Klinge, Chairperson, CAC • Clarence Reed, CAC, IURA/CDA Martin Sampson, CAC Afi Binta-Lloyd, CAC • Rev. W. Pinder, CAC Mayor Ray Bordoni , Chairperson, IURA/CDA Margaret Jones, CAC Stuart Stein, IURA Kathe Evans, CD Specialist Peggy Gebhart, CD Intern H.M. Van Cort, Director, P&D Bill Kiernan, CAC Jean Angell , CAC Anne Jones, IURA John Ford, CAC Press See Sign-Up Sheet I. Introduction Klinge explained that the purpose of the meeting was to hear proposal summaries and goals. He said that proposers would present their proposed projects and should respond to the low/moderate benefit and the capacity of their organization to carry out to proposed project. He asked that presentation be limited to five minutes. • Evans gave a brief summary of Community Development Block Grants for persons present who were not familiar with the goals and process of the application and then asked that the presentations begin. I. Community Arts Sorrel Fisher said that the proposal was designed to help cultivate the creative ability of persons in the target area with the goal of revitalizing low.'income neighborhoods through the arts. The program would be offered out of the public schools, community centers and the public housing projects in the area and acti- vities would include dance, music theater, posters, etc. Details of the program have not been developed as the program will depend on input from the community and changes eill be made according to the results. The program is designed to develop and improve as it goes along. Anne Jones asked if CD funds would be sufficient to support the entire program if other sources of funds failed to come through. Fisher said that the CD funds would only be used for that portion of the program that dealt with low income persons. II. Youth Training Program Evans said that this program was the result of input from a number of sources such as meetings with the target area neighborhood and conversations with maintenance people in the city. She said that the program would provide target PUBLIC HEARING November 10, 1980 Page 2 area youths with practice and exposure to landscaping and grounds maintenance and that participants would work on green spaces in the target area under the Parks Department. The program would also tie in with career training through the Youth Bureau and other agencies. She said that the program would train four young people a year, Jane Marcham asked if the young people would be paid as they worked and Evans - said yes. Jones asked who would continue the program once CD funds were depleted and Evans said she hoped the program would serve as aimatiel for the city. The city could continue the program throughout' the city and not be restrained to the target area. X. Safe Shelter for Battered Women Pat Valls from the Task` Force for Battered Women said that the organization was asking for funds to buy a deteriorated building in the target area. The building would then be rehabilitated and used as a temporary shelter for battered women and their children. She said that the program would contribute to the rehabilitation of the community through the addition of a building in good repair and would contri- bute directly to the needs of women with severe problems in their homes. Anne Jones asked what the limit of time of residence for the women would be. Valls said it would be two weeks with exceptions, depending on need at the time. Cummings asked if a particular property was in mind and Valls said no but that they were looking for a deteriorated or dilapidated building in the target area. Stuart Stein asked what the legal status of the organization was and Valls said that they were a not-for-profit- organization with a 15 member Board of Directors. She said that they were eligible to acqurie property uhder Title .570E1 . Stein asked what would happen to the building if another organization later took over the role. Beth Prentice of INHS said that a clause would automati- cally allow for transfer of the property to another not-for-profit organization or to the IURA/CDA for that agency's administration. Jane Marcham asked the estimated costs of the proposed programs and it was noted that figures given were tentative and subject to change. Community Arts was asking for an overall $81 ,000, the Youth Training Program would require approxi- mately $33,000 and the Safe Shelter for Battered Women would be a one-time grant of $50,000. VIII. Community Gardens Diana Rutherford presented her proposal which she called 'Growing Hope' . The funds requested are for the acquisition of a 2-acre site behind the Hancock Street P&C Supermarket to be used as a community garden. In-kind contributions would provide for an ongoing self-help gardening nutrition and food preservation program. Mayor Bordoni asked why $40,000 was being asked for and Rutherford said that the land was being offered at this price because the owners were very supportive of the program. The land has been assessed at $80,000 but would be sold at half price if a clause in the deed stated that it would be used in perpetuity as a garden. ■ PUBLIC HEARING November 10, 1980 page 3 Evans asked what the extent of target area resident's participation in the gardens had been and Rutherford said that 43% of target area residents took part in the gardens. Future efforts limiting participation to target area residents would be stipulated in the Corporation By-Laws. Afi Binta Lloyd asked what provisions would be made to assist those persons unable to garden, such as the elderly or the handicapped. Rutherford said that plans were being discussed to form a team of people, possibly high school students in the community, who, in reciprocation for learning gardening skills, would share their vegetables, etc. with those people unable to garden. Prentice asked what kind of staff support was available and Rutherford said that the Tompkins Councy EOC has guaranteed continued staffing. She added however that the organization hopes to phase out staffing so that resident committees will eventually run and administer the program themselves. XI. Basic Rehabilitation Program Beth Prentice, Executive Director of the Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, presented eight proposals from her organization. Basic Rehabilitation would provide grants and low interest loans to rehabilitate housing in the target area which is occupied by lower income households. In addition, technical assistance to all property owners in the target area would be provided. She said the staff at INHS would continue to handle this program and the amount being asked for is $1 ,543,150 over a three year period. XII. Carpenter Program This program would fund a carpenter position to provide free construction labor to loans and grants clients when the client cannot afford to borrow additional funds. Both this and the preceding proposal would have 100% benefit to low and moderate persons in the target area. The funds requested are $87,250. XIII. Elderly Mini-Repair This also would be the continuation of an existing program so that staff is already available for its administration. The program provides the services of a handyman free of charge to elderly homeowners. The homeowner generally pays any materials and costs associated with the project. The program has been very popular in the target area and Susan Clarke said that the proposal from the Office of the Aging would be asking that-it be expanded into other parts of the city. The cost of the program would be approximately $84,600. XIV. House-Recycling - Duplexes Estimated budget for this program would be $225,000. The program involves the purchase and rehabilitation of vacant or Beverly deteriorated absentee owned properties with an emphasis on duplex properties. These properties would then be sold to lower income owner occupents. In the case of duplexes, the owner- occupant would rent a portion of the house to a low income renter. PUBLIC HEARING CNovember 10, 1980 page 4 Stein questioned the function of the loan repayments and noted that as funds returned it should be possible to increase the amount of recycled houses each year. Prentice said that it was the opposite. She said that purchase and re- habilitation costs were more than the final appraised value. The program is set up purposely to take these losses. Estimated loss per recycled house is between $7,000 to $10,000 but the rehabilitation systems are made to .last 20-30 years. She said that ordinarily no one would buy these properties as the costs for rehab would be too high. Stein asked how many houses would have to be bought in order to complete the program in the target area. Prentice said that-there were still about 40 properties that needed rehabilitation but that the goal of INHS would be to complete the recycling of 27. Margaret Jones asked if part of the Duplex Program was to lease to Section 8 renters and Prentice said yes. Jones asked if there were any guarantees that INHS would be getting Section 8 allocations and Prentice said she was working on this with the Ithaca Housing Authority. The program would work in any case, she added, as part of the sal.e_requi.rement would be that leasing would be to someone who would qualify under the Section 8 guidelines should allocations not be forthcoming. Stein asked why funds for only six houses were being asked for and Prentice said she did not want to create upward pressure on the housing market. More houses could be bought but there is not enough staff to do the job well. Stein asked what program, referring to duplexes vs absentee owner-rental rehabili- tation, she would choose if she could only do one project. Prentice said she would prefer doing the duplex program as owner occupied homes tend to be kept up and there is a crucial need for good rental housing. (This would be provided in the owner-occupied duplex). XV. House Recycling New Construction Vacant lots would be purchased and INHS would develop plans and specifications for a duplex on each lot, purchase construction materials and have a BOCES class build the first floor. These houses would then be sold to low income families. The requested funds for this project are $75,000. • XVL. Neighborhood Support This program, Prentice said, was developed as a response to pressing needs seen by neighborhood residents. Part of the support program would address energy conservation weatherization instruction and another part would provide technical support to various neighborhood committees and block clubs. $63,000 is being asked for this project and' Prentice guessed^that_approximately 75% of low/mod target area residents would benefit. A new staff person would be required. XVII. Neighborhood Improvements This program would seek to make necessary neighborhood improvements such as curb repairs, storm sewer improvements and street paving. Stein asked if this would be a continuation of the Neighborhood Improvement program presently PUBLIC HEARING November 10, 1980 page 5 being implemented. Evans said yes, that the design phase of the program for Year III improvements was being completed and that meetings with target area residents would be continued to discuss the prbjects_especially storm drainage. XVIII. Paralegal for Code Enforcement $29,790 is being asked for this program wherein it is proposed that the city hire a para-legal to provide case documentation and the prosecution of non-compliant property owners in the State Supreme Court. She said that the consultant would act as Ztime help to the City Attorney and would Work with Building Commissioner Tom Hoard. Stein asked if this had been discussed with Hoard and the City Attorney and Prentice said yes. Cummings asked if this assistance would be useful throughout the city if funds were available. Prentice said that they would but in this case, under CDBG grant funding, only the target area would be in question. Stein noted that the total program funds being asked for in INHS proposals was $2 million. He asked if INHS was trying to becomeomore self-sufficient in the future and Prentice said yes, that they were seeking local private funds and a state grant for administration funds. XIX. Mini-Repair Program (expansion) Susan Clarke presented this proposal from the Office for the Aging (C6FA) and addressed the fears and anxieties of elderly people regarding dealing with contractors and costs of repairs. She said that the xerox machine had burned out so that she had been unable to bring written copies of the proposal but that copies would be available at the next meeting. She said that the proposal was to expand the existing INNS Mini-Repair program to other areas of the city, particularly to South Hill , Central and Fall Creek. She proposed that INHS administer the program as they have a good reputation amdng the elderly and have experience with the technical assistance aspects of the program. • Margaret Jones questioned the advisability of housing the program in INHS and noted that the building was very small . She suggested that the Office for the Aging might have beater expertise in the administration of elderly programs. Clarke said that C0FA was not a direct services agency. Prentice said she was not sure that the INHS had the administrative capacity and suggested another agency such as the Senior Citizens Center to promote the program. Stein asked if the target area would have to be expanded in order to use CD funds in other parts of the City. Evans said that if this was done, then every CD program would have to be available to the expanded target area. This would necessitate the assessment of needs throughout the designated areas and she said that it might be difficult to complete all the projects this expansion would entail . She said that perhaps some Entitlement funds could be reprogrammed for a specific area to take care of some the elderly repairs. XX. Crime Prevention/Personal Security Program This program, also proposed by COFA, would address the problems of education and installation of smoke detectors, porch lighting, window locks, guards, etc. PUBLIC HEARING • November 10, 1980 page 6 in the homes and apartments of elderly resIden<tscto. .reduce' anxiety about crime. She said that the program would take the formaof4workshops and individual assessments of homesToi- crime deterrants and devices. Clarke suggested that this program also be administered by INHS but Prentice said she was not sure that staff would have the ability to incd ude this in their work. III. Eoninq and Land Use Study Evans said that CD staff was recommending the'hiring of a. planner to conduct a one year study of how existing zoning, housing and building codes affect lower income housing opportunities and the.l ong term viability `of the -target area Susan Cummings ,asked if this program could be completed in one year and Evans said yes, if one staff member worked on it. Van Cort said that it would depend on the definition of the task. Cummings said that it mdght be better to hire a 2 time person over a two year period but Van Cort said that a one year program would be more effective. Evans said that the study would examine target area residential zones with the aim of increasing housing by changing some of the existing zoning laws. One suggestion is to develop row-house system of residences which are impossible with the present side-yard requirements. Professor Sampson asked if it would be difficult to find a planner capable of doing this job and Van Cort assured him it would not. Stein asked why CD funds should be used for this kind of a project and said that this should be the job of the Planning Department. Van Cort said that there wasn't the staff or the time. Klinge noted that in the past, CD funds were not used for studies. Estimated cost of this proposal was $22,000. IV. Commercial/Industrial Property Improvements This program would provide matching grants and reduced interest loans to improve commercial , industrial and mixed use properties in the target area. Evans said that improvements made to tbe building and/or to the property could be made to re- duce the blighting influence of these buildings on surrounding residences. Funds requested for this program are $100,000 and would be targetted to W. State Street. Afi Binta Lloyd asked what rationale there was for making matching grants available to businesses and Evans said this would encourage local business people to match the grant and pat more money into their properties. Shirley Cooper suggested that funds not be used just for West State Street but that they be used throughout the entire target area. There are a number of small businesses such as groceries and laundromats that could benefit from this kind of loan opportunity and she mentioned the recent acquisition of Norton Electric of the Great American building. This property could benefit from such a program she said and Evans said that funds could be used throughout the target area. PUBLIC HEARING November 10, 1980 page 7 Alderman Don Slattery asked how property owners would be notified of this opportu- nity and Evans said that some ow rs- of bii griti ng properties would• be approached -directly; general notification would be made available through the media. Stein noted that it would be difficult to encourage business people to invest in their properties when plans for the future of that area are not yet clear. Van Cort said that the ACC study of West State Street would help in this area. V. Code Enforcement Evans said that $24,900 are being requested to continue a full time code enforcment officer in the target area. 50% of the salary would be assumed to be absorbed by the general fund of the city. Evans said that there is a need for this code enforcement for properties which have not previously been improved through voluntary rehabilitation efforts. 119 residential structures in the target area have t serious structural problems and are classified as deteriorated or dilapidated. IX. Sidewalk Repair Grants Evans said that the program had been very successful and funds were being requested to continue the program to provide direct grants to lower income property owners to repair their sidewalks. City laws place the burden of sidewalk maintenance on the property owner and some of the estimates were over $1000 making it impossible for many homeowners to comply. Cost of this program is estimated at $45,000. VI/VII. CC Administration CD Administration includes the receipt and disbursement of grant funds, application development, implementation of activities funded by CDBG funds and a long list of additional duties required by HUD regulations. Current staff is two full time persons and two 2 time persons. Evans said that this is not enough to administer office work well and part of the request is for an additional person. Jean Angell asked how much salary a new staff person would receive and Evans said that they would come in at a planner level of $14,000-$16,000. Angell asked what current staff salaries were and Evans said that the CD Coordinator was hired at $22,000, the CD Specialist at $19,000, the part time secretary and part time bookkeeper at $6,500 and 16000 respectively. including fringes and benefits. Van Cort said it was imp©rtant that additional funds for administration be included as contingency funds because so many unexpected expenses come up which are not covered under the original request. He said that no allowances for contingency had been put into the budget and that after three years experience they had learned how important this item was. III. Other Proposals Hearing no proposals from the floor, Peter Klinge adjourned the meeting at 10:30. Another CAC meeting would take place on Monday, November 14 to discuss and prioritize proposals heard at thisr.,meeting. The meeting would be held in the Planning Office in City Hall at 7:30 P.M. Natalie de Combray Katherine Evans .e,,,lt,...T-C„....../ 4Y1-v2-(//,&,_12 F-ilaa) MINUTES CAC Meeting NoVember 13, 1980 7:30 P.M. Planning and Development Office Peggy Gebhart, C.D. intern PRESENT: Peter Klinge, Chairperson, CAC Prof. Martin Sampson, CAC James Loveall , CAC Margaret Jones, CAC Ruth Mann, CAC Rev. William Pinder, CAC Kathe EVans, CD Specialist Jasmine Lim, CD Coordinator Sorrel Fisher, T.C. Arts Council Representatives of Task Force for Battered Women Beth Prentice, INHS CAC members were given time to study staff comments on program proposals presented at the joint IURA/CDA-CAC-Public Hearing meeting on November 10. The meeting was convened at 8:00 P.M. Lim explained that the meeting would have two parts: the first would be for review, questions and comments on project proposals; the second would be to prioritize the proposals. Lim said that CAC members that were not present at the meeting would be contacted by telephone. Evans presented new material that had been received from the Tompkins County Arts Council . She noted some changes in the figures on the original application and noted that additional letters of support were received. Jones said she felt very positive about the Community Arts proposal . She believes that the program will help people to feel better about themselves through the development of their participation in creative neighborhood projects. With regards to the Youth Training program, Jones asked if the city was not doing the same sort of thing through its summer youth employment program. Evans said that she had spoken with Ed Lynch and Bob Cutia, both whom support the proposal . Lynch said !that no school attending young people had been hired on the program in the last two years. There had been some Learning Web apprentice participants and a program to hire people just out of jail . She said that it would work well in conjunction with the city program in that trainees could be screened through the youth employment summer job program. Mann said that the project would provide needed jobs for youth. Professor Sampson asked how HUD would view the Community Garden proposal of buying land. Lim said she thought HUD would favor the concept but one snag might be that Ithaca has a vacant site for housing use and HUD might feel that the land should be used for that purpose instead of gardens. However, j she noted that the parks,that had been part of the last applications,had been approved and funded. She added that her only concern was the ownership of the land but said that if the CAC felt this was a good project staff could find viable ways to set up and administer it. CAC-Nov. 14-- _ page 2 Discussion followed on the Sidewalk Repair proposal . Jones asked if CD did the contracting and Lim said that they did but she was not sure if they would continue that policy under a new grant. She said that the amount of paper work involved to meet HUD standards made contractors raise their prices. If a contractor is hired privately or through an organization like INHS the price per sidewalk would be much less and more sidewalks could be done. Jones said that she felt the Task Force for Battered Women proposal needed more study regarding the property title. Evans said CD. staff could take care of this aspect and asked Task Force representatives if they would look into how other organiaations funded through HUD had handled similar situations. It was agreed that the first recipients of funds, should the organization go bankrupt or fold, would be the city who had 'made the initial investment. Jones asked if a building large enough could be found in the target area and Task Force reps said they had time to research this problem. Lim suggested that a site selection committee made up of CD, Task Force, INHS and community _residents be formed. Office for _the Aging proposals were discussed and Prentice said that she was not sure that INHS had the internal ability to administer the program. She will speak to the carpenter who works on the Mini-Repair program to see what his schedule looks like but added that they might have to hire another carpenter if they took on the OFA project. Regarding Crime Prevention, Prentice said that this would require additional staff and that there was no room in the building to house this project. She said however that items such as fire/smoke detectors, locks, porch lights etc could be added to their check list that includes such things as stair handrails and other safety features. She regretted that INHS would not be able to respond in the full capacity they were asked to. Comments about expanding the boundaries of the target area were Heard and Evans said that all projects would have to apply to the expanded area to make the program truly comprehensive. ' Lim asked Target Area CAC members if they could think of major paving or drainage problems in their neighborhoods. Jones said that the 100 block of North Plain Street was still in terrible shape. Evans said that this was a city project and that she would refer this to the Engineering Department. Jones said she though that the Weatherization program and the Neighborhood Support programs were not necessary. She said that the organizers hired by INHS the year before had not performed to their expectations and she said that other programs were available_ to help communities with energy conservation. Prentice said tha-t the Neighborhood Support program would not be like the organizers but would be available to help existing neighborhood organizations. She added that she felt that the existing programs on energy conservation were not following through. A program is needed to see to immediate small scale tightening of . houses such as weather stripping and caulking. Jones said she felt that it might be better to help existing organizations gain the confidence and experience they need to perform well . Lim and Evans referred to handouts distributed at the beginning of the meeting. and discussed the comments they had attached to the proposals as a result of the meeting on November 10. _CAC - Nov. 14 - page 3 Lim then handed out lists of the proposals and asked CAC members to prioritize the projects in the order they felt most appropriate, listing them from number 1 through 18 and adding their perception as to whether the project should be a 'definite yes' , a 'yes, if funds are available' , or a 'definite no' . She said that CAC recommendations would be presented to the IURA/CDA at a meeting on November 17 at 7:30 in the Salvation Army. At this time the Agency would discuss the budgetting of the various proposals chosen for includsion in the Small Cities application. All CAC members were invited to attend. She added that C.D. Administration was not included in the proposal list as the application itself would determine that administration was necessary. • Evans said that staff will know how to begin writing the application and noted. that goals had been tentatively set as 'energy conservation' , 'anti-displacement' , 'prevention of slums and blight' , and 'conservation of neighborhoods' . She added that this would possibly be the last chance for Ithaca. to receive a large grant for some time. The meeting adjourned at 10:00. Respectfully Submitted Approved, • Natalie de Combray Jasmine Lim • 1),1- rtv i S o w IURA/CDA RICEIV r MINUTES P. DEC �- . 2$ November 17, 1980 ray 7:30 P.m. - Salvation Army Building c1►A!= offteE PRESENT: Mayor Ray Bordoni , Chairperson, IURA/C --i the ova ", CD Specialist Anne Jones, IURA/CDA ampson, CAC James Dennis, IURA/CDA-CAC John Ford, CAC Clarence Reed, IURA/CDA-CAC Peggy Gebhart, CD Intern Peter Klinge, CAC Chairperson H.M. Van Cort, Director, P&D Jasmine Lim, CD Coordinator Press See Sign-Up Sheet The Mayor convened the meeting at 7:50. I. Presentation of CAC Recommendations Jasmine Lim said that CD staff would present CAC recommendations on proposals made for Small Cities funding. IURA/CDA members would then take action on these recommendations and set the budget. Lim noted that of the priorities listed by CAC members, three projects received five or more negative votes: Neighborhood Improvements, Expansion of the Mini-Repair Program, and Crime Prevention. These projects were not recommended for funding. Projects receiving five or more positive votes were : INHS Basic Rehab, INNS House Recycling, INHS Mini-Repair, INHS Carpenter, Code Enforcement, Community Arts, Youth Training, Shelter for Battered Women, Commercial/Industrial Property Improvements, and Sidewalk Repair. Lim suggested that the Agency deal with the budget of each project as it is discussed. Reed asked how many projects would have to be funded in order to use up the $1 million dollars and Lim said that it was not necessary to request the entire amount if the Agency did not feel that all projects should be funded. She added, however, that if the BOCES project was funded there would not be enough funds to include the Community Garden project. This decision would be left up to the Agency. The Mayor asked which of the two projects would serve the most people and Lim said that Community Gardens would. II. Discussion of Small Cities Projects and Programs Evans reported on the general staff comrents regarding the proposals and referred to a poster on the wall entitled "Closing out the Target Area". She said that the projects, though submitted individually, create a totality which will serve well in making out the pre-application to HUD. The three primary subjects that the pre-application will address are "Complete Housing Revitalization", " Investment Protection", "Self Help/Community Pride", and "Full Utilization of Community Resources". She said that the INNS programs such as Housing Revi- talization, Loans/Grants and the Duplex Program help low/moderate income people in a self-help manner that contributes to community pride and complements the physical revitalization of the neighborhood. Energy conservation, the community-run gardens and the Youth Employment program will also help people IURA/CDA • r (-- MINUTES 7- 4, ` November(-17, 1980` Page 2 twit %fig from the neighborhoodwo take care of what is their as well as the Technical Assistance program which provides homeowners with minor improvements and advice on how to use tools_.and keep up preperties. The community arts program will assist in deveythis feeling of community identity and the projects make full use of community resources already, established. The addition of a paralegal for code enforcement will further help to remove dilapidated buildings in the target area. Lim added that staff has begun to write the preapplication to see how strong an argument can be made for these projects. Sampson asked if HUD accepted the preapplication as a whole or if it could delete parts that weren't approved. Lim said that negotiations on specifics or the paring down of the program is the usual way which HUD deals with each preapplication but she said that she has never seen an entire program thrown out of an application unless deemed ineligible. A guarantee of 100% low/mod benefit might be one of the changes required, for instance. She said that from 50-60 applications will be reviewed by HUD and Only 5-6 will be successful . She said that staff was hopeful but that it is always possible that the appli- cation will not succeed. In the case of a tie, HUD would choose the preappli- cation which best subjectively meets HUD goals. The Mayor next asked for questions from agency members regarding the various proposals. Shelter for Battered Women Jones expressed concern over this proposal 's lack of foresight in defining future expenses and anticipated means of dealing with these expenses. Valls presented a budget worked up on the basis of the Endicott Shelter for Battered Women. This budget was used as Endicott was the closest community in size to Ithaca. She said that the NY State Social Services Department issued a memo regarding allowable per-diem expenses for the shelters and the projected per-diem expense for Ithaca is $22. Reed asked if children were included in the per-diem and Valls said yes, that $14 was allocated per adult and $6 per child. She noted that the per-diem rates vary throughout the state from $.3-$33 and that the more women that can be sheltered at one time in one location will decrease the need of funds. Jones asked what the attitude of the shelter would be toward a battered husband who was in need of shelter and Jan Beckman, Board member of the Task Force for Battered Women, said that this issue was being explored and plans were being developed to address this possible situation. Discussion followed and the Task Force said that though alternate shelter location might be used in the case of men, no person would be turned away. Funds would still be available for hotel or motel fees. No final decision could be made at this time, Beckman said, but it was understood that the Task Force would be placed under the constraints mandated by HUD if the project is funded. Reed asked what would happen in no house could be found for the sum required. Vall said that they were looking for a 3-bedroom house in a deteriorated condition for about $20,000. INHS has suggested that this price is realistic. The $30,000 remaining would gotoward rehabilitation of the building. She noted that the expenses listed on the budget sheet would be less each year. Donations of furniture and household supplies would probably continue over the years. IURA/CDA MINUTES November 17,1980 Page 3 Reed asked what the legal liability of the city would be and Van Cort said that as the Task Force would be the owner, the Task Force would have the liability. (This would be similar to the Strand Theater arrangement.) Lim said that as federal funds were involved, part of the agreement would include the necessity of fire/theft coverage. Van Cort added that there could be a "reverter" clause in the contract and a "hold harmless" clause. Dennis asked what the advantage of having a central shelter over scattered safe homes was and Valls said that the shelter would provide the support of women in similar situations who can understand each other's problems. In a . safe home, the atmosphere of a happy family is often depressing to women from a broken home. Jones asked if the facility would be open to the entire County and Valls said yes. Referring to a statement issued by HUD, all residents of a target area shelter can be considered residents of that target area. Further discussion followed during which it was stated that there is a network of shelters through- out the country that provides reciprocal shelter for anyone in' need. Often this serves to keep a battered wife out of the reach of her husband. Reed asked CD staff if this proposal would enhance the preapplication as it would be a housing rehabilitation project addressing a specific social problem. Lim said that HUD was apparently very anxious to accomodate battered women and that Secretary Embry had consistently clarified or changed eligibility regulations to accomodate funding shelters under CDBG. It was he, she said, that had made the determination that shelters can be considered 1001 benefit to low/mod target area residents. She said that she will get hold of a summary of the memos published and a statement to include in the preapplication. Reed said he was very much in favor of this proposal as it was time that Ithaca addresses this problem. Community Gardens Diana Rutherford stated that she had witnessed the need for a community garden and said that she has had first hand experience with the success of this program. Mrs. Van Nguyeon, a mother of six, Mr. Vram This Nam and Ezekiel Sanders said that the garden had been a learning experience as well as an economic help. Mr. Vram This Nam said that he enjoyed working in the garden when he came home from work and Mr. Sanders testified to the beauty of the site when the gardens are in bloom. Canning, freezing and drying of vegetables, herbs and fruits comes to about $500 of food at full harvest. Edith Kristeller, EOC representative who has helped Rutherford with the proposal , said that the gardens have been in effect for five years. The first year, 20 people participated. This last year over 250 families (721 Target Area residents) worked in the garden. Problems that were encountered during this period ran to such occurences as watering hoses sgashing some tomato plants, the shading of carrot plants by the broccoli and the theft of some vegetables on plots bordering the site. She said that one person (Diane Rutherford) had been responsible for the entire project during this time and that her responsi- bilities had included the soliciting of the land, the advertising and leasing of the lots, the administration of the gardening procedures, the teaching 1 IURA/CDA MINUTES November 17, 1980 Page 4 and assistance in gardening and processing methods, and the locating of funds to support herself. Kristeller said that the location of the site was not recommendable for housing as it had severe flooding problems. She said that before the gardens, the two acre site was a vast, rodent infested area used as a dump and that future plans for the site could include warehousing or other blighting neighborhood uses. Kristeller addressed some of the ownership problems and introduced some suggestions that the city might take to find adequate administration of the program but it was agreed that CD staff would take care of this should the agency decide to fund the project. Reed asked how firm was the landowner's offer and Kristeller said that it was firm except that they asked that a clause be added giving them the first bid on buying back' the land should the project fail . Sue Cummings, President of INHS, said her organization strongly supports the project. She said that the present zoning laws would result in it being sold to a business or commercial enterprise that would reverse and detract from INHS accomplishments in the target area and would detract from the federal funds invested in that community. She said that it was worth the risk of seeing the project fail and that the only way the city could lose would be if the city passed up the chance to give the project a chance. Community Arts Sorrel Fisher responded to the recurring question regarding the long-term effects of the Tompkins County Art Council 's proposal by saying that the skills of leadership, self-confidence and enthusiasm the program would foster would have enduring effects on the neighborhood. She said that the programs would vary between the visual and performing arts and that some projects, such as murals and sculpture, would be enduring ih the community. Reed said that he supported arts in general but was concdrned that the city was changing its policy from addressing the "bricks and mortar" issues and was brancing into the social service area of projects. He agrees with the concept and the purpose of the proposal , he said, but was not sure it should be funded with CDBG funds. Dennis agreed and said he thought that the agency was straying away from the central thrust of their policy which had been the basic rehabilitation of housing and the revitalization of target area neighborhoods. He sees the arts program as an add-on but he said that before it was taken on it must first be demonstrated that everything possible has been done in the target area to promote safe, affordable housing for low/mod income persons. Jones asked if non-target area persons would be allowed to join the Community Arts sponsored activities and Fisher said yes except in the case of projects based in the Housing Projdcts. She stressed that there would be no set classes but that artists would mingle with the community and activities would take place outside in the streets as well as indoors. Jones asked how the public would be made aware that these activities were taking place. Fisher said that many of the activities would be visible IURA/CDA MINUTES November 17, 1980 Page 5 but that the community centers (Southside and GIAC) would advertise the program. Richard Driscoll said that the program would address what exists in the target area and that these elements will be tapped to create a ripple effect which will induce other residents to participate. Sampson said that he thought the program could have positive effects if it were done well but said that it could also have no effect if it were not accepted by the neighborhood. He said he thought there-were other ways to fund the program and also suggested that it was not necessary to begin at any preconceived level . It could begin on a small scale and if there was seen to be great demand, the program could expand. If the program proves popular, he added, he said it would not be difficult to get the funds needed to continue it. He asked Fisher if she had discussed the program with the New York State Council for the Arts and Fisher said no but that the organization only funds for one year at a time and that it is difficult to get local matching funds without community support. INHS Proposals Jones asked what proportion of the INHS budget was allocated to outright education. Cummings said that all the proposals involved a home maintenance element and Van Cort said that the fact of assisting an individual to become a homeowner teaches that person a great deal . Depending on the needs of the recipient, staff is available to teach any home maintenance task. A tool kit is available and sweat-equity is encouraged. Return visits are always made to recipients of INHS programs and calls for assistance in any maintenance area are always answered. The Mayor called for a ten minute break and re-convened the meeting at 10:00. He asked if Agency members had any differences of opinion regarding the CAC proposals and discussion followed. Reed and Dennis agreed that the arts should be funded from another source. Referring to a hand-out list.of comments made earlier by telephone, it was noted that Stein also concurred with this opinion. Jones said it was too bad funds could not be used to promote services at the Southside Center and GIAC and said that those centers need staff in order to provide the level of programs expected. She noted that approximately $600,000 had been spent in those facilities and said that the quality of their programs is not good. She suggested teh arts program be funded at a lower scale than requested and that they should work mainly through the two target area facilities to assist in providing the programs needed there. After further discussion, agency members agreed and set the budget for the Community Arts program at $15,000 for the first year and $25,000 for the next two years depending on its success. Jones said that the Arts Council must be persuaded to put their program into a form with which the Agency can identify in order to assess its success. IURA/CDA MINUTES November 17, 1980 Page 6 Regarding the Land Use Survey, Lim said that after talking with experts at the County Planning Office, it had been decided that a half-time planner for 18 months would be the most effective method of implementing the program. This would enable the planner to see the decision making process through as there are so many meeting requirements, etc. Jones asked Van Cort to explain once more why the Planning Department could not produce the work. She noted that this was one of agency member's Stein's comments also. Van Cort said that the planning staff could not rearrange their priorities to fit this survey into their work load. He said that the city departments are implementation administrators rather than planners. The kind of detailed examination requested by CD staff would not be possible at the moment without dropping essential commitments made by the Planning Department. Reed MOVED that the list of priorities as suggested by CAC be approved and that the funding amounts for each program as suggested by CD staff be accepted with the exception of the Community Arts program which will be funded with $15,000 for the first year and $25,000 for the next year pending favorable evaluation by the Agency. In addition, the CD staff shall be granted a 10% leeway in each line to round off dollar amounts. Dennis SECONDED and MOTION PASSED. The Mayor reminded Agency members that there would be .a Common Council meeting on November 24th to review CAC and IURA/CDA recommendations and to approve the preapplication. The meeting adjourned at 10:45. Respectfully Submitted, , Approved, J 4tJa-,---4* (f? tuviiv Natalie de Combray Jasmine Lim