CC PACKET 06102008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

30 Kim Moore -Sykes From: Jim.Ford@co.hennepin.mn.us Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 11:49 AM To: cityhall@mapleplain.com; schulte@ci.champlin.mn.us; cdawson@ci.shorewood.mn.us; chad.adams@ci.medina.mn.us; danay@cityofdeephaven.org; kwalsh@ci.minnetrista.mn.us; thoff@townofhassan.com; greenwood@visi.com; hanovercityhall@comcast.net; jandre@ci.golden-valley.mn.us; jsandin@cityoftonkabay.net; jloftus@cityoftonkabay.net; bjohnson@ci.greenfield.mn.us; Kim Moore -Sykes, kluger@ci.excelsior. mn.us; loren@wayzata.org; alo@wayzata.org; lorettocityclerk@hotmaii.com, mglick@ci.robbinsdale.mn.us; mgrimes@ci.golden-valley.mn.us; Mike Mornson; nancy@cityofrockford.org; me@myhouse.com; sfriesen@mchsi.com; shelley@cityofwoodland mn.org; sstahmer@ci.long -lake.mn.us; stboni@visi.com, melhard@cityofdayton.com; SaratlSmith@cityofmound.com; thirsch@ci.independence. mn.us; LVee@ci.orono.mn.us; sgriffin@ci.minnetonka-beach.mn.us, rpearson@ci.robbinsdale.mn.us; GWithers@ci.osseo.mn.us, jdahl@ci.osseo.mn.us; lbrown@shorewoodpw.com Subject: Joint Cooperation Agreement -- Q & A A number of you --many first: -timers to this process --have contacted me with questions about the Joint Cooperation Agreement (JCA) in anticipation of questions from your council. members. 1 will try to provide answers to the most commonly asked questions. As always, please feel free to contact me if you have further questions. What is a Joint Cooperation Agreement? The JCA is a contract between Hennepin County and each city participating i.n a HUD defined Urban County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) enti.tl.ement. program. This urban county status allows access to annual CDBG allocations, currently $2.4 m:i.l,'I_ion. Not signing a JCA means your city is not: eligible for any CDBG funding for the agreement period, e.g., 2009-2011. We have been informed by HUD staff that any city that can participate in an urban county program but: decides not to cannot apply for HUD funds through the State CDBG program. The State has their own CDBG allocation which is reserved for cities and counties outside the metropolitan area. Are we currently operating under a JCA? Yes. 'there is an agreement in place for the period 2006-2008. How long have we had these? This has been a HUD requirement since the beginning of the CD13G program back in the mid -19'10s. What is the Consolidated Pool.? HUD allocates CDBG funding to states, cities and urban counties based upon a formula which considers an applicants' population, poverty and overcrowded housing, with poverty being double weighted. At HUD's "urging", Hennepin County formed a Consolidated Pool. (ConPool) for cities which received aggregate formula percentages of: three and one half percent (3.5%) or less of the urban county total. These funds are allocated on a competitive request for proposal basis. The amount of CDBG funding available to ConPool cities was $495,509 in program year 2008. What does this do for the City and/or its residents? Cities in the ConPool have access to 850 of the funding total (approximately $420,000 in 2008) for "brick and mortar" projects consistent with the CDBG eligibility requirements. Given the competitive nature of: the application process, successful. applicants are generally proposing housing projects that serve low-income households. Among these are residential rehabilitation through the County operated Rehabilitation of Private Property program. In 2008, $200,000 was allocated to this program. Any resident of the ConPool area can apply directly to this office for rehab assistance through this program. (Contact Jim Graham: 61.2-348-2235) The county is also operating a rental. rehab program. This is currently a pilot program only, but recent success suggests it may be continued. ConPool cities are the only organizations that can apply for these funds, although cities frequently work .in cooperation with a nonprofit developer, e.g., Habitat for Humanity, West Hennepin Affordable Housing Land Trust, etc. The remaining 15% of the funds can be used to fund public service programs. Public