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Home My WebLink About2012-101-1696 - Miami Gardens Housing Authority 1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 City of Miami Gardens Agenda Cover Memo Council Meeting Date: July 11, 2012 Item Type: (Enter X in box) Resolution Ordinance Other X Fiscal Impact: (Enter X in box) Yes No Ordinance Reading:(Enter X in box) 1 st Reading 2 nd Reading X Public Hearing:(Enter X in box) Yes No Yes No X Funding Source: N/A Advertising Requirement:(Enter X in box) Yes No X Contract/P.O. Required: (Enter X in box) Yes No RFP/RFQ/Bid #:N/A X Strategic Plan Related (Enter X in box) Yes No Strategic Plan Priority Area: Enhance Organizational Bus. & Economic Dev Public Safety Quality of Education Qual. of Life & City Image Communication Strategic Plan Obj./Strategy: (list the specific objective/strategy this item will address) X Sponsor Name Mayor Shirley Gibson Department:Mayor and Council Short Title: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO INVESTIGATE AND TAKE STEPS TOWARDS THE CREATION OF A MIAMI GARDENS HOUSING AGENCY; PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE Staff Summary: Background Since the City became an U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Entitlement in 2006, it has focused its attention on programs that benefit low ‐to ‐moderate income residents and areas of the City such as housing rehabilitation and homeownership assistance, economic development, public services, and improvements to public facilities like parks an d infrastructure. Unfortunately in the past ITEM K-6) CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTION Housing Authority 1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 two years, the City has seen a significant decline in its funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as from the State of Florida. As the City’s housing stock continues to age and funding resources become more and more limited, the need for a dedicated housing entity in Miami Gardens becomes increasingly critical. Over the past year, City staff and I have had numerous discussions about the City’s housing situation. Specifically, the issues of defaulted mortgages, increases in investor ‐owned properties, and the lack of proper management of the Section 8 Voucher program are just a few of the salient issues with which the City must contend. I have asked staff to research various approaches to addressing some of these housing concerns. Current Situation Addressing the specific housing needs in a community is a tall order. While the Department of Community Development has been funcitioning in the capacity of the City’s lead agency to provide residents with housing, economic development and public services programs, its reach is limited to the amount of funding the City receives through what has already been concluded are declining revenue streams. To combat this circumstance, the proposed resolution seeks Council approval in the creation of a dedicated Miami Gardens Housing Agency. Currently, the City of Miami Gardens does not have a dedicated housing agency ‐style organization. Similar organizations exist in other communities. Some examples are Miami Beach Community Development Corporation, Little Haiti Housing Association, Opa Locka Community Development Corporation, and Miami ‐Dade Housing Agency. Review of the core mission of these organizations reveals that while similar in purpose, their focus is primarily limited to a particular community. Nevertheless, the challenges and experiences endured in the City’s first 8 years of incorporation confirms the need for a dedicated focus of helping Miami Gardens residents in housing related needs. Data from the City’s HUD 5 ‐Year Consolidated Plan (2011 ‐2016) and the 2010 US Census clearly demonstrates the need for housing related assistance for Miami Gardens residents, especially in the low ‐to ‐moderate income categories.  The City has approximately 36,043 housing units, just 3.7% of the total housing stock in Miami ‐Dade County. Agencies with a countywide mission do not focus sufficiently on the relatively small percentage of Miami Gardens housing stock.  52.7% of the housing stock in the City was built before 1970. As the City’s housing stock continues to age, more and more structures will be in need of rehabilitation.  81% of both renters and homeowners in the low ‐to ‐moderate income categories are experiencing housing problems; these range from overcrowded conditions to deteriorated structures.  In the low ‐to ‐moderate income population, the homeownership rate is 57% which is significantly below the City’s average homeownership rate of 69.1%  The average persons per household in Miami Gardens is 3.25, whereas the County’s is 2.88 In addition to the data, the City has attempted to identify and engage local non ‐profit organizations to fulfill the need to address significant, and far reaching housing issues. Unfortunately, what has been 1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 discovered is organizations with limited capacity in these endeavors and a mission different than what is intended with this resolution. Through the creation of a Miami Gardens Housing Agency, the entity will have the ability to assist low ‐ and moderate ‐income families in Miami Gardens to attain the City’s goal of homeownership by providing affordable mortgage financing, support community and economic development in the area of housing, and lessen the impact of the demand for affordable housing on local governmental resources. The benefits of a Miami Gardens Housing Agency are several:  The Miami Gardens Housing Agency will be a 501(c)3 (not for profit), and can solicit and accept grants, donations, gifts and other financial awards that a local government cannot.  The Agency will be able to operate with less restrictions than are imposed on entitlement cities  Housing programs carried out by the agency would reduce or eliminate certain risks and liabilities from the City  The Agency would be able to negotiate and procure services and goods in a more economic manner which will make the funds go farther  The Miami Gardens Housing Agency will operate in concert with the City’s overall mission for neighborhood and community development, and will work closely with City staff to ensure leveraging of resources The Miami Gardens Housing Agency adds value to the City and its residents by creating its own brand, programs and initiatives that will have a direct benefit to local residents and meet their housing needs that have gone unmet by other established organizations. This resolution seeks Council’s approval to direct the City Manager and the City Attorney to investigate and take any and all necessary steps to assist in the creation of aMiami Gardens Housing Agency. Proposed Action: That the City Council approve the attached resolution. Attachment: