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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-095-1690 - CDBG 7th Program Year Action Plan1515  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: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program 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) N/A X Sponsor Name Danny Crew, City Manager Department:Community Development  Short  Title:  A  RESOLUTION  OF  THE  CITY  COUNCIL  OF  THE  CITY  OF  MIAMI  GARDENS, FLORIDA, APPROVING  THE  COMMUNITY  DEVELOPMENT  BLOCK  GRANT  SEVENTH  PROGRAM  YEAR  ACTION  PLAN, ATTACHED  HERETO  AS  EXHIBIT  “A”; PROVIDING  FOR  THE  ADOPTION  OF  REPRESENTATIONS; PROVIDING  FOR  AN  EFFECTIVE  DATE.  Staff  Summary:  Background  As  required  by  the  US  Department  of  Housing  and  Urban  Development  (HUD), each  Community  Development  Block  Grant  (CDBG) Entitlement  City  must  submit  an  Annual  Action  Plan  that  outlines  the  activities  (programs) to  be  carried  out  by  each  grantee  using  Federal  funds. The  Annual  Action  Plan  details  the  types  of  projects  that  will  be  carried  out, th e  individuals  who  will  benefit  from  these  projects, and  sets  the  goals  for  what  will  be  accomplished  during  the  plan  year  (2012 ‐2013). The  CDBG  Annual  Action  Plan  must  correspond  with  the  5 ‐Year  Consolidated  Plan, which  covers  2011 ‐2016.  ITEM J-1) RESOLUTION PUBLIC HEARING CDBG 7th Program Year Action Plan   1515  NW  167  Street, Building  5  Suite  200    Miami  Gardens, Florida  33169  Current  Situation  In  accordance  with  HUD  and  CDBG  regulations, City  staff  has  prepared  the  Annual  Action  Plan  for  the  City’s  Seventh  (7 th ) Program  Year  (2012 ‐2013).  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  has  been  allocated  $943,925  in  CDBG  funds  for  its  7 th  program  year, which  starts  October  1, 2012.  This  amount  represents  a  decrease  of  $320,022  (or  25.3%) from  the  previous  year’s  allocation. This  is  the  second  year  in  which  the  City  has  seen  a  significant  decrease  to  its  CDBG  funding.  The  2011 ‐2012  program  year  funding  was  cut  by  $252,729  (or  16.7%) from  the  2010 ‐2011  program  year.   Program Year Allocation 2010-11 $1,516,676 2011-12 $1,263,947 2012-13 $943,925  The  attached  Annual  Action  Plan  is  for  the  City’s  Seventh  (7 th ) Program  Year, and  provides  the  details  of  the  activities  to  be  carried  out.  Two  (2) public  meetings  were  held  on  June  19 th  and  26 th , 2012.  A  draft  of  the  attached  Annual  Action  Plan  was  also  publicly  advertised  for  thirty  (30) days  beginning  June  11, 2012  through  July  11, 2012, allowing  for  public  comments.  Comments  that  were  received  during  the  30 ‐day  comment  period  and  at  the  public  meetings  are  incorporated  into  the  Plan.   Hard  copies  of  the  draft  Plan  were  made  available  at  City  Hall, the  Department  of  Community  Development, the  Betty  T. Ferguson  Recreational  Complex, and  the  local  public  library.  Additionally, the  Plan  was  posted  on  the  City’s  website  for  download.  Information  about  the  public  meetings, along  with  addresses  and  links  to  submit  comments  on  the  Plan  were  advertised  in  the  North  Dade  Neighbors  Section  of  the  Miami  Herald  on  Sunday, June  10th.  Finally, flyers  were  distributed  to  all  clients  receiving  services  through  our  public  services  partnering  agencies, to  residents  who  have  received  assistance  or  are  on  the  waiting  lists  of  the  City’s  housing  rehab  program, neighborhood  crime  watch  groups, homeowners  associations, area  clubs, and  churches.  For  the  Program  Year  7  Annual  Action  Plan, City  staff  is  recommending  the  following  allocations:              Upon  City  Council’s  approval, the  Plan  must  be  submitted  to  HUD  prior  to  the  August  15 th  deadline  in  order  to  secure  the  City’s  funding  allocation.  Proposed  Action:  That  the  City  Council  approves  the  attached  resolution.  Attachments: CDBG Project Allocation Infrastructure Improvements $168,552 Public Services $141,588 Commercial Redevelopment $200,000 Housing Rehab $245,000 Program Admin $188,785 Total Allocation $943,925   1515  NW  167  Street, Building  5  Suite  200    Miami  Gardens, Florida  33169    7 th  Program  Year  Annual  Action  Plan  (2012 ‐2013)[Draft ‐will  become  approved  plan  upon  approval  by  Council]   City of Miami Gardens Department of Community Development Seventh Program Year Action Plan FY  2012 ‐2013  Submitted to: The US Department of Housi ng & Urban Development Community Planning & Development 909 SE First Avenue, Room 500 Miami, Florida 33131‐3028   City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 2 Version 2.0  Seventh Program Year Action Plan  The  CPMP  Seventh  Annual  Action  Plan  includes  the  SF  424  and  Narrative  Responses  to  Action  Plan  questions  that  CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, and  ESG  grantees  must  respond  to  each  year  in  order  to  be  compliant  with  the  Consolidated  Planning  Regulations. The  Executive  Summary  narratives  are  optional. Narrative Responses  GENERAL  Executive Summary Program Year 7 Action Plan Executive Summary: The  Program  Year  7  Action  Plan  for  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  covers  the  period  beginning  October  1, 2012  through  September  30, 2013.  As  in  previous  years, the  programs  and  activities  described  in  this  Seventh  Year  Action  Plan  are  developed  with  three  primary  objectives, 1) providing  benefits  to  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  individuals, and  households, 2) providing  benefits  to  neighborhoods  with  high  concentrations  of  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  residents, and  3) benefits  to  the  City  as  a  whole.  The  City  will  also  use  the  plan  to  coordinate  its  efforts  with  other  federal, state, and  local  grant  programs  to  produce  decent  housing, a  suitable  living  environment  and  increase  economic  opportunities  in  the  community. The  City  intends  to  fully  utilize  its  Program  Year  7  allocation  of  $943,925  to  address  the  priority  needs  identified  in  the  2011 ‐2016  Consolidated  Plan. The  economic  conditions  of  the  past  several  years  have  shown  that  sustaining  affordable  housing  stock  remains  the  highest  priority  in  this  community. However  with  a  26% decrease  in  CDBG  funding  in  Program  Year  7, the  City  has  been  tasked  with  making  tough  decisions  regarding  some  of  the  programs  funded  through  the  CDBG  Program. Specifically, Public  Facilities  Improvements  such  as  infrastructure  and  parks  capital  projects  and  code  enforcement  activities  will  no  longer  be  funded  in  Program  Year  7.  Furthermore, the  City’s  American  Recovery  and  Reinvestment  Act  (Recovery  Act) grants  have  come  to  an  end, forcing  the  City  to  scale  back  on  its  existing  programs, including  energy  efficiency, homelessness  prevention, and  homeownership  assistance.  NSP  Round  1  and  3  funds  will  continue  to  be  used  to  implement  revitalization  strategies  in  communities  with  high  foreclosure  rates. As  part  of  NSP  1, the  City  has  already  purchased  73  abandoned  and  foreclosed  homes  in  neighborhoods  where  high  foreclosures  and  sub ‐prime  mortgages  exist, rehabbed  50  homes, and  sold  42  of  these  homes  to  eligible  first ‐time  The  Executive  Summary  is  required.  Include  the  objectives  and  outcomes  identified  in  the  plan  and  an  evaluation  of  past  performance.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 3 Version 2.0 homebuyers, including  7  properties  to  households  under  50% of  the  area  media  income.  The  City  will  continue  to  provide  indirect  subsidies  to  eligible  homebuyers  participating  in  the  NSP  program  by  selling  the  homes  purchased  and  rehabbed  with  NSP  funds  at  affordable  prices.  These  activities  are  already  underway  and  will  continue  as  part  of  the  Program  Year  7  Action  Plan.  The  expected  overall  outcome  of  the  NSP  program  is  revitalization  of  communities  where  foreclosures  are  prevalent  in  causing  decline  in  home  values  and  the  quality  of  life.  It  is  anticipated  that  the  remaining  31  housing  units  that  have  been  purchased  will  be  rehabilitated  and  sold  to  eligible  homebuyers  during  Program  Years  7  and  8 . As  part  of  NSP  3, the  City  has  selected  two  developers  to  continue  the  City’s  stabilization  efforts. These  agreements  are  leveraging  the  funds  originally  granted  to  the  City  to  achieve  the  total  number  of  impact  units  needed  in  the  target  areas  proposed  in  the  NSP  3  Action  Plan. One  of  those  developers  will  provide  5  low  income  housing  units  for  sale  at  affordable  prices, while  the  other  will  provide  a  low ‐income  rental  housing  program  for  the  elderly. Both  agreements  will  continue  into  Program  Year  7. In  2011, the  City  welcomed  the  establishment  of  the  Greater  Miami  Gardens  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Through  this  newly  created  non ‐profit  organization, the  City  expects  to  expand  its  economic  development  activities  through  enhancement  of  the  current  façade  improvement  program  and  implementation  of  programs  geared  toward  financial  assistance  to  new  business  owners  and  attracting  new  business  to  the  community, hence  creating  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  jobs.  Furthermore, the  City  has  also  adopted  a  Comprehensive  Economic  Development  Strategy  intended  to  facilitate  the  development  of  a  healthy, diversified  economy  in  which  businesses  can  locate, innovate, grow  and  prosper, and  all  residents  have  opportunities  for  economic  prosperity.  As  a  result, the  City  entered  into  a  partnership  with  the  Greater  Miami  Gardens  Chamber  of  Commerce  to  administer  the  City’s  Commercial  Redevelopment  Programs  and  provide  technical  assistance  to  small  and  local  business.  The  Department  will  continue  this  partnership  into  Program  Year  7. General Questions Action  Plan  General  Question  responses: 1. Describe  the  geographic  areas  of  the  jurisdiction  (including  areas  of  low  income  families  and/or  racial/minority  concentration) in  which  assistance  will  be  directed  during  the  next  year.  Where  appropriate, the  jurisdiction  should  estimate  the  percentage  of  funds  the  jurisdiction  plans  to  dedicate  to  target  areas. 2. Describe  the  basis  for  allocating  investments  geographically  within  the  jurisdiction  (or  within  the  EMSA  for  HOPWA) (91.215(a)(1)) during  the  next  year  and  the  rationale  for  assigning  the  priorities. 3. Describe  actions  that  will  take  place  during  the  next  year  to  address  obstacles  to  meeting  underserved  needs. 4. Identify  the  federal, state, and  local  resources  expected  to  be  made  available  to  address  the  needs  identified  in  the  plan.  Federal  resources  should  include  Section  8  funds  made  available  to  the  jurisdiction, Low ‐Income  Housing  Tax  Credits, and  competitive  McKinney ‐Vento  Homeless  Assistance  Act  funds  expected  to  be  available  to  address  priority  needs  and  specific  objectives  identified  in  the  strategic  plan.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 4 Version 2.0  1. Geographic  areas  of  the  jurisdiction  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  was  incorporated  on  May  13, 2003, as  the  33 rd  city  in  Miami ‐Dade  County.  With  an  estimated  population  of  107,167  it  is  the  third  largest  sity  in  the  County, according  to  the  2010  US  Census.  The  City  is  located  in  North ‐Central  Miami ‐Dade  County  and  covers  an  area  of  approximately  20  square  miles.  Miami  Gardens  borders  Broward  County  to  the  north, the  City  of  Miami  Lakes  and  Unincorporated  Miami ‐Dade  County  to  the  west, the  City  of  Opa ‐Locka  to  the  south, and  the  City  of  North  Miami  Beach  and  Unicorporated  Miami ‐Dade  County  to  the  east. Miami  Gardens  is  an  urban/suburban  community  that  was  heavily  developed  between  1950  and  1969.  It  is  a  solid, working  and  middle  class  community  of  unique  diversity  and  holds  the  distinction  of  being  the   largest  predominantly  African ‐American  municipality  in  the  State  of  Florida.  The  City  is  74% non ‐Hispanic  Black, 20% Hispanic, 5% White  non ‐Hispanic, and  1% other. According  to  the  2005 ‐2009  American  Community  Survey, approximately  15,982  households  in  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  earn  80% of  the  area  median  income  or  less, and  are  therefore  classified  as  low ‐income  by  HUD.  This  represents  approximately  47% of  the  citywide  population  for  whom  household  income  could  be  determined.  Maps  I ‐1  and  I ‐2  in  the  2011 ‐2016  Consolidated  Plan  illustrate  the  following  areas  of  the  City: (1) the  City  location  and  (2) the  CDBG  priorty  areas  by  census  block  group  and  neighborhood.  2. Basis  for  Allocating  Funding  Since  the  primary  national  objective  of  the  Consolidated  Plan  programs  are  to  benefit  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  residents, the  City  of  Miami  Garden’s  CDBG  program  funds  will  be  utilized  to  develop  programs  and  activities  that  will  provide  assistance  to  this  target  population, and  benefit  the  City  as  a  whole  in  improving  the  quality  of  life  for  the  residents. Target  Areas:  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  has  identified  twelve  areas  that  have  more  than  50% of  their  residents  within  the  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  range  category, as  defined  by  HUD.  These  areas  are  designated  CDBG  priority  areas  for  the  purpose  of  program  funding.  Neighborhood  Census  Tracts  Brentwood  & Vicinity  010002 ‐1  *Bunche  Park  000401 ‐6, 000402 ‐2, 000402 ‐3*, 000402 ‐4* *Cloverleaf  Estates  & Vicinity  009501 ‐9* Kings  Gardens  010010 ‐2  Lake  Lucerne  009904 ‐1, 009904 ‐9  LeJeune  Gardens  & Vicinity  010006 ‐1  Leslie  Estates  & Vicinity  010002 ‐2  Myrtle  Grove  & Vicinity  009400 ‐1  *Rainbow  Park  000403 ‐1*, 000403 ‐5*, 000403 ‐6  Vista  Verde  & Vicinity  010001 ‐9  Unidentified  009600 ‐2, 009902 ‐3  *indicates   neighborhood  with  greater  than  70% low ‐mod  income   City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 5 Version 2.0 Neighborhood  Revitalization  Strategy:  The  City  has  designated  the  areas  of  Bunche  Park  and  Rainbow  Park  as  a  Neighborhood  Revitalization  Strategy  Area  (NRSA).  This  community  has  more  than  a  70% low ‐income  population.  Rehabilitation  programs  in  the  NRSA  include  infrastructure  improvements  as  well  as  economic  development  activities.  Public  Services:  The  City  has  implemented  several  programs  including, home  delivered  meals  for  elderly  residents.  This  program  provides  nutritious  food  for  senior  citizens.  Also  for  seniors  the  City  has  partnered  with  a  non ‐profit  agency  that  provides  telephone  reassurance  services  for  seniors  who  live  alone  or  are  alone  for  most  of  the  day. The  City  continues  to  partner  with  not ‐for ‐profit  agencies  that  provide  services  to  youth; including  services  for  children  who  are  victims  of  abuse, after  school  tutoring, and  a  youth  development  program  for  children  living  in  HUD  assisted  housing  in  Miami  Gardens.  Economic  Development:  A  Business  Incentive  Program  has  been  ongoing  for  business  owners  in  the  City.  This  program  provides  financial  assistance  for  items  such  as  acquisition, space  build ‐out, and  permits  and  fees. Additionally, this  program  offers  façade  improvements  to  existing  businesses  with  the  intent  of  increasing  their  aesthetic  value  and  thus  increasing  their  business  volume  that  will  ultimately  result  in  the  need  to  create  jobs  within  that  business. 3. Obstacles  to  Meeting  Underserved  Needs  One  primary  obstacle  to  meeting  underserved  needs  is  identifying  not ‐for ‐profit  organizations  with  adequate  capacity  to  deliver  and  administer  social  services  while  meeting  all  HUD  regulations  and  requirements.  In  Program  Year  6, the  City  had  greater  success  with  public  service  providers; however, the  types  of  programs  carried  out  were  limited  to  services  for  youth  and  seniors.  A  lack  of  resources  for  these  programs  continues  to  be  an  obstacle  when  compared  to  the  population  of  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  individuals  and  households  in  the  City.   The  economic  downturn  has  impacted  federal, state, and  local  government  budgets. The  national  foreclosure  crisis  and  the  generally  slow ‐moving  recovery  from  the  economic  downturn  has  caused  the  City  to  rely  on  its  municipal  budget  reserves  to  offset  some  of  the  budget  deficits, which  has  reduced  the  reserve. These  budgetary  constraints  have  forced  the  City  to  make  difficult  decisions  regarding  the  allocation  of  resources  for  programs  in  the  community. These  factors  will  limit  the  City’s  ability  to  fully  fund  all  the  program  needs  identified.  Furthermore, the  City  has  seen  a  dramatic  decrease  in  its  federal  funding.  Since  the  2010 ‐11  program  year, the  City’s  CDBG  allocation  has  been  reduced  by  38%.  Additionally  the  City’s  Recovery  Act  funded  grants  come  to  an  end  in  September  2012.  These  are  HUD’s  CDBG ‐Recovery, Homelessness  Prevention  and  Rapid  Re ‐housing  Programs  (HPRP) and  the  Department  of  Energy’s  Energy  Efficiency  and  Conservation  Block  Grant  (EECBG).  Despite  these  funding  challenges, the  City  will  continue  to  seek  partnerships  with  various  state, county, and  non ‐profit  agencies  with  existing  programs  in  the  community  to  leverage  the  City's  CDBG  allocation.     City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 6 Version 2.0 4. Federal, State, and  Local  Resources  Expected  In  Program  Year  7, the  City’s  only  expected  resources  include  the  Neighborhood  Stabilization  Program  1  and  3  funds  (NSP) in  the  amount  of  $8.8  million, which  is  a  continuing  program  through  March  2013, and  its  CDBG  allocation  of  $943,925.  Homeless  assistance  grants  are  administered  by  the  Miami ‐Dade  County  Homeless  Trust, which  services  as  the  regional  Continuum  of  Care.  The  City  has  applied  for  an  Emergency  Food  and  Shelter  Program  grant  through  the  United  Way  of  Miami ‐Dade. This  funding  is  intended  to  be  used  as  leverage  for  public  service  programs.  The  City  is  awaiting  notification  from  the  United  Way. Managing the Process Action  Plan  Managing  the  Process  response: 1. Lead  Agency  As  the  entitlement  grantee  for  the  CDBG  programs, the  City  of  Miami  Gardens’ Department  of  Community  Development  is  the  lead  agency  for  the  development  of  this  2012 ‐2013  Action  Plan  that  outlines  the  proposed  activities  and  expenditures  under  these  programs. Community  Development  staff  will  also  act  as  the  public  agency  that  will  administer  the  programs  and  activities  under  the  plan. This  Department  will  oversee  economic  development, community  development, housing, lead  paint  abatement, public  facilities  and  infrastructure  improvement  programs. 2. Plan  Development  Process  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  has  implemented  a  process  for  the  development  of  the  5 ‐Year  Consolidated  Plan  and  the  2012 ‐2013  Action  Plan  that  encouraged  broad  participation  from  the  community.  At  each  step  in  the  process, care  has  been  taken  to  ensure  that  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  residents, members  of  minority  groups, agencies  involved  in  the  provision  of  services  to  these  populations, and  others  who  are  directly  impacted  by  the  programs  and  projects  supported  by  the  Consolidated  Plan  programs  have  been  actively  involved. The  organizations  that  actively  participated  in  the  process  included  homeowner  associations, faith ‐based  organizations, community  organizations, other  service  providers, residents  and  business  owners. 3. Enhanced  Coordination  As  stated  above, the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  has  limited  resources  to  address  the  many  priorities  identified  by  the  community.  As  such, during  the  upcoming  year  the  City  will  continue  working  to  create  partnerships  with  public  and  private  housing  agencies, and  health  and  social  service  providers  to  leverage  the  2012 ‐2013  CDBG  allocation.   1. Identify  the  lead  agency, entity, and  agencies  responsible  for  administering  programs  covered  by  the  consolidated  plan. 2. Identify  the  significant  aspects  of  the  process  by  which  the  plan  was  developed, and  the  agencies, groups, organizations, and  others  who  participated  in  the  process. 3. Describe  actions  that  will  take  place  during  the  next  year  to  enhance  coordination  between  public  and  private  housing, health, and  social  service  agencies.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 7 Version 2.0 Citizen Participation Action  Plan  Citizen  Participation  response: 1.  Citizen  Participation  Process  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  encourages  its  citizens  to  participate  in  the  development  of  its  Consolidated  Plan, Annual  Action  Plan, any  Amendments, and  required  Consolidated  Annual  Performance  and  Evaluation  Report  (CAPER).  The  City  publicly  advertises  the  meetings  and  holds  the  meetings  in  the  City’s  Council  Chambers  and  other  central  locations  in  the  City, such  as  the  Betty  T. Ferguson  Recreation  Complex, which  are  publicly  accessible. In  addition, the  City  will  take  steps  to  encourage  the  participation  of  all  its  citizens, including  minorities  and  non ‐English  speaking  persons, as  well  as  persons  with  disabilities  by  providing  translation  services  for  any  public  meeting  or  public  hearing, if  a  request  for  such  services  is  requested  four  days  in  advance  of  the  meeting.  In  addition, all  meetings  are  conducted  in  areas  and  locations  that  are  accessible  to  persons  with  disabilities.  Citizen  Input:  The  City, on  an  annual  basis, will  make  available  to  citizens, public  agencies, and  other  interested  parties, information  that  includes: the  amount  of  assistance  the  City  expects  to  receive, including  specific  grant  funds, available  unspent  prior  years  funds, and  related  program  income. The  City  will  also  disclose  the  range  of  activities  that  may  be  undertaken  including  the  estimated  amount  that  will  benefit  persons  of  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income.  City’s  Notification  Requirement  Regarding  Draft  Plan  Availability:  For  Program  Year  7, notification  was  advertised  in  a  local  newspaper  of  general  circulation  (Miami  Herald) to  inform  the  public  that  a  draft  Annual  Action  Plan  was  available  to  examine  and  subject  to  public  comment. The  notification  provided  a  summary  of  the  proposed  Annual  Action  Plan, and  described  the  contents  and  purpose  of  the  particular  plan. The  notice  was  also  posted  on  the  City’s  website  (www.miamigardens ‐fl.gov ) and  at  the  locations  below. The  public  notice  stated  that  copies  of  the  Plan  were  available  for  review  on  the  City’s  website  and  at  the  following  locations  for  a  period  of  30 ‐days:  City  of  Miami  Gardens  ‐ City  Hall    North  Dade  Regional  Library  1515  NW  167  Street, Building  5, Suite  200   2455  NW  183rd  Street  Miami  Gardens, FL. 33169     Miami  Gardens, Fl. 33056  City  of  Miami  Gardens      Betty  T. Ferguson  Recreation  Complex  Dept  of  Community  Development    3000  NW  199  Street  1. Provide  a  summary  of  the  citizen  participation  process. 2. Provide  a  summary  of  citizen  comments  or  views  on  the  plan. 3. Provide  a  summary  of  efforts  made  to  broaden  public  participation  in  the  development  of  the  consolidated  plan, including  outreach  to  minorities  and  non ‐English  speaking  persons, as  well  as  persons  with  disabilities. 4. Provide  a  written  explanation  of  comments  not  accepted  and  the  reasons  why  these  comments  were  not  accepted. *Please  note  that  Citizen  Comments  and  Responses  may  be  included  as  additional  files  within  the  CPMP  Tool.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 8 Version 2.0 1515  NW  167  Street, Building  4, Suite  190   Miami  Gardens, FL  33056  Miami  Gardens, FL  33169  Public  comment  could  also  be  submitted  electronically  by  sending  emails  to: hudcomment@miamigardens ‐fl.gov . Citizen  Response  Time  Frame: The  City  will  make  the  Plan  public, and  upon  request  in  a  format  accessible  to  persons  with  disabilities. The  City  will  provide  citizens  a  reasonable  opportunity  to  comment  on  the  Plan, and  on  any  amendments  to  the  Plan  as  defined  by  this  Citizen  Participation  Plan.  The  City  will  consider  any  comments  or  views  of  citizens  received  in  writing, or  orally, at  any  of  the  public  hearings, or  during  the  30 ‐day  public  review  and  will  address  those  comments  in  the  preparation  of  the  final  Annual  Action  Plan. The  City  will  include  any  written  or  oral  comments  in  the  final  Annual  Action  Plan  submitted  to  HUD. The  City  will  also  make  copies  of  the  draft  plan, and  final  plan  available  to  the  general  public, at  no  cost  on  the  City’s  website  (www.miamigardens ‐fl.gov ). Hard  copies  will  also  be  available  upon  request. Amendments:  The  City  will  amend  its  approved  plan  whenever  it  makes  one  of  the  following  decisions: 1. To  make  a  change  in  the  goal, priority, or  project  of  the  Consolidated  Plan; or  2. To  carry  out  a  project, using  funds  from  any  program  covered  by  the  Consolidated  Plan  (including  program  income), not  previously  covered  in  the  Action  Plan; or  3. To  change  the  purpose, scope, location, or  beneficiaries  of  a  project  included  in  the  Annual  Action  Plan. Each  amendment  must  be  authorized  by  the  City  Manager  or  his  designee, and  submitted  to  HUD.  All  amendments  will  also  be  made  public  by  posting  at  City  Hall  and  on  the  City’s  website  (www.miamigardens ‐fl.gov ).  Amendments  involving  at  least  $50,000  will  also  be  advertised  in  the  local  newspaper.  The  amendment  may  be  implemented  immediately  after  submitting  it  to  HUD  and  making  it  public.  A  substantial  amendment  to  the  Consolidated  or  Annual  Action  Plan  is  defined  by  the  City  as  a  transfer  between  two  or  more  Plan  projects  that  is  greater  than  20% of  each  CDBG  funding  year  allocation. Moving  funds  between  same  projects  under  different  funding  years, where  accomplishments  and  activities  do  not  change, will  not  require  a  substantial  amendment. Substantial  amendments  to  the  Plan  will  need  to  be  presented  to  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  City  Council  for  their  review  and  approval. The  public  will  also  be  notified  of  the  amendment  by  advertising  in  the  local  newspaper. The  advertising  of  the  substantial  amendment  will  begin  a  30 ‐day  citizen  review  and  comment  period. The  City  will  consider  any  comments  or  views  of  citizens  received  in  writing  or  orally  during  the  comment  period, and  will  be  submitted  to  HUD, and  made  available  at  City  Hall, the  Betty  T. Ferguson  Recreation  Complex, and  the  North  Dade  Regional  Library. The  City  Manager  will  submit  a  letter  to  HUD  authorizing  the  amendment  after  the  30 ‐day  comment  period  and  will  implement  the  amendment  at  that  time. Performance  Report:  At  the  end  of  each  program  year, a  Comprehensive  Annual  Performance  and  Evaluation  Report  (CAPER) must  be  submitted  to  HUD.  The  CAPER  gives  an  actual  account  of  the  activities  that  occurred  during  the  previous  program  year, and  how  the  City  maintained  and  expended  the  funds  outlined  in  the  Annual  Action  Plan  for  that  program  year.   City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 9 Version 2.0 Upon  completion  of  the  CAPER, and  at  least  15 ‐days  prior  to  its  submission  to  HUD, the  City  will  hold  2  public  hearings  to  adopt  the  CAPER.  The  hearings  shall  be  advertised  at  least  1  week  in  advance  in  a  newspaper  of  general  circulation  throughout  the  area(s) eligible  to  receive  funds  under  the  programs  advertised.  Additionally, the  report  will  be  made  available  to  the  general  public  for  a  15 ‐day  public  review  and  comment  period. The  notice  and  the  draft  CAPER  will  also  be  made  available  to  the  public  via  the  City’s  website   (www.miamigardens ‐fl.gov ) at  least  2  weeks  prior  to  the  hearing  date.  Any  comments  received  from  the  general  public  will  be  included  in  the  CAPER  submitted  to  HUD. Each  public  hearing  notice  must  include  the  availability  of  an  interpreter  if  a  significant  number  of  non ‐English  speaking  or  hearing ‐impaired  persons  are  expected  to  participate  at  the  hearing.  It  will  be  the  responsibility  of  the  residents  to  notify  the  City  at  least  4 ‐days  in  advance  of  the  hearing  if  interpreter  services  are  needed.  Each  public  hearing  notice  will  indicate  this  policy  and  provide  a  telephone  number  to  contact  the  City.  The  City  will  consider  any  comments  or  views  of  citizens  received  in  writing, or  orally  at  the  public  hearings. Access  to  Records:  The  City  will  provide  citizens, public  agencies  and  other  interested  parties  access  to  information  and  records  relating  to  the  City’s  Consolidated  Plan  and  the  City’s  use  of  funds  for  the  CDBG  funds. Citizens  will  be  able  to  download  program  information, action  plans, and  the  consolidated  plan  documents  from  the  City’s  website.  In  addition, citizens  will  be  able  to  request  hard  copies  or  to  meet  with  City  staff  to  go  over  the  records.   Technical  Assistance: The  Community  Development  Department  will  privde  technical  assistance  to  groups  representative  of  persons  of  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  that  request  such  assistance  in  developing  proposals  for  funding  assistance  under  any  of  the  federal  or  state  programs  covered  by  the  Consolidated  Plan.  The  level  and  type  of  assistance  will  be  determined  by  the  Community  Development  Department, but  shall  not  include  the  provision  of   funds  to  any  person, group, or  agency. Complaints: Citizens  with  complaints  related  to  the  Consolidated  and  Annual  Action  Plans, amendments, and  the  CAPER  must  submit  the  complaint  in  writing  to: City  of  Miami  Gardens  ‐ Community  Development  Department  1515  NW  167th  Street, Building  5, Suite  200  Miami  Gardens, FL  33169  Attention: Community  Development  Director  If  the  complaint  is  given  orally, the  person  initiating  the  complaint  must  schedule  a  meeting  with  the  Community  Development  Director  at  the  above ‐mentioned  address  and  a  formal  complaint  letter  will  be  transcribed. The  person  must  sign  the  letter  and  submit  an  address  for  response.  Upon  receipt  of  the  written  complaint, the  Community  Development  Staff  will  respond  to  the  complaint  in  writing  within  15  working  days. A  meeting  to  discuss  the  complaint  must  be  scheduled  by  the  person  initiating  the  complaint. Use  of  the  Citizen  Participation  Plan: The  requirements  for  citizen  participation  do  not  restrict  the  responsibility  or  authority  of  the  jurisdiction  in  the  development  and  execution  of  the  City’s  Consolidated  Plan.    City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 10 Version 2.0 2.  Citizens  Comments/Views  on  the  plan  The  City  scheduled  2  citizens  participation  meetings  to  give  residents  an  opportunity  to  give  their  input  on  the  use  of  Program  Year  7  federal  funds.  Meetings  were  held  on  June  19, 2012  during  the  evening  and  on  June  26, 2012, during  the  morning.  Additionally, a  public  hearing  was  held  on  July  11, 2012  during  the  regularly  scheduled  City  Council  meeting.  All  meeting  were  held  at  City  Hall  in  the  Council  Chambers.   3. Efforts  made  to  broaden  public  participation  Each  year  the  City  makes  every  effort  to  reach  out  to  residents, businesses  and  non ‐profit  organizations  to  ensure  their  participation  in  this  program  year’s  process.   A  flyer  was  created  detailing  the  program  with  dates  and  times  of  the  meetings  and  was  widely  distributed  throughout  the  City.  Flyers  were  posted  in  City  Departments, City  Hall, the  Betty  T. Ferguson  Redreation  Complex, and  the  local  public  library.  Additionally, flyers  were  distributed  to  all  clients  receiving  services  through  our  public  services  partnering  agencies, to  residents  who  have  received  assistance  or  are  on  the  waiting  lists  of  the  City’s  housing  rehab  program, neighborhood  crime  watch  groups, homeowners  associations, area  clubs, and  churches. 4. Explanation  of  comments  not  accepted  All  comments  were  accepted. Institutional Structure Action  Plan  Institutional  Structure  response: The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  Community  Development  Department  is  the  lead  administrative  agency  for  the  Consolidated  Plan  programs. The  Department  provides  fiscal  and  regulatory  oversight  of  all  CDBG  funding  sources, as  well  as  other  Federal  and  State  grants  for  housing, economic, and  community  development.  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  City  Council  acts  as  the  final  authority  for  the  appropriation  of  funds  for  Annual  Action  Plan  activities  under  the  Consolidated  Plan  grant  programs, following  the  recommendations  of  the  City  Manager.  Within  each  of  the  priority  funding  areas, activities  will  be  completed  and  managed  by  a  diverse  team  of  public, private, not ‐for ‐profit, and  institutional  partners. The  lists  below  identify  some  of  the  principal  partners  for  each  priority  funding  area. Decent  Housing  ‐ Programs  in  Support  of  this  Goal  Program  Partners: • Miami ‐Dade  Public  Housing  Agency  • Miami  Dade  Department  of  Housing  and  Community  Development  • City  of  Miami  Gardens  Building  Services  and  Code  Compliance  Division  • City  of  Miami  Gardens  Planning  and  Zoning  Department  Housing  Rehabilitation  Program:  In  Program  Year  6, an  analysis  was  conducted  of  current  and  future  funding, as  well  as  other  Housing  Rehabilitation  programs  being  implemented  throughout  the  country.  The  City  found  that  in  order  to  make  a  larger  impact  on  the  housing  1. Describe  actions  that  will  take  place  during  the  next  year  to  develop  institutional  structure. City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 11 Version 2.0 stock  in  the  community, it  is  necessary  to  make  two  major  modifications  to  its  Housing  Rehabilitation  Program  in  Program  Year  7: 1) The  City  will  narrow  the  focus  of  housing  rehabilitation  activities  to  exterior  improvements  such  as  roof, shutters  and  doors.  By  limiting  the  amount  of  work  done, it  will  reduce  the  amount  of  assistance  needed  for  each  home, thereby  allowing  the  City  to  assist  more  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  homeowners.  Additionally, Recovery  Act  funded  programs  such  as  the  Residential  Energy  Efficient  Retrofits  Program  allowed  the  City  to  leverage  its  housing  rehab  program  with  energy  efficiency  and  water  conservation  activities.  Now  that  the  Recovery  Act  has  come  to  an  end, the  City  will  no  longer  be  able  to  provide  these  types  of  activities  in  its  housing  rehab  program; and  2) Due  to  reduced  funding  from  CDBG  and  other  funding  sources, the  City  must  consider  avenues  in  order  to  maintain  and  continue  the  housing  rehabilitation  program.  As  a  result, the  City  will  adopt  a  tiered, 0% interest  loan  repayment  schedule. By  recapturing  funds  in  this  capacity, the  City  will  be  able  to  assist  more  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  homeowners. Housing  rehabilitation  assistance  will  continue  to  be  offered  to  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  residents  Citywide.  Given  the  age  of  the  City’s  housing  stock, priority  will  be  placed  on  addressing  building  and  code  violations, along  with  meeting  Housing  Quality  Standards  (HQS).   Homeownership  Assistance  Program: The  City  would  like  to  continue  to  provide  both  direct  and  indirect  homeownership  assistance  to  low ‐ to  moderate ‐income  first ‐time  homebuyers  city ‐wide.  However, due  to  reduced  funding, the  City  will  be  unable  to  continue  this  program  in  Program  Year  7.   Neighborhood  Stabilization  Program  (NSP): With  NSP  Round  1  and  3  funds, the  City  will  continue  to  purchase  and  rehabilitate  foreclosed  and  abandoned  homes.  The  rehabilitation  will  be  done  using  the  same  standards  as  the  housing  rehabilitation  program; however, because  of  the  condition  of  some  of  these  homes, repairs  will  be  more  extensive. Suitable  Living  Environment  ‐ Programs  in  Support  of  this  Goal  Program  Partners: • City  of  Miami  Gardens  Public  Works  Department  • City  of  Miami  Gardens  Building  Services  and  Code  Compliance  Division  • City  of  Miami  Gardens  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  • City  of  Miami  Gardens  Community  Development  Department  • City  of  Miami  Gardens  Police  Department  • Homeowners  Associations  • Faith  Based  Organizations  Livable  Neighborhoods  Initiative  Program: Fund  improvements  to  residential  storm  water  drainage  facilities, street  lighting, and  landscaping  to  address  flooding, and  safety  issues  in  three  specifically  designated  neighborhoods.  All  three  neighborhoods  have  been  determined  to  be  at  least  51% low ‐to ‐moderate  income.  In  Program  Year  7, the  City  will  not  allocate  any  2012 ‐2013  CDBG  funds  to  this  program. Instead  it  will  complete  improvements  already  underway  in  these  neighborhoods  that  are  funded  by  prior  years  CDBG  funding.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 12 Version 2.0 Public  Facilities  Improvements: Provide  funding  for  improvements  to  parks  and  recreational  facilities  in  low ‐mod  census  tracts. In  Program  Year  7, the  City  will  not  allocate  any  2012 ‐2013  CDBG  funds  to  this  program. Instead  it  will  complete  improvements  already  underway  in  parks  that  are  funded  by  prior  years  CDBG  funding. Public  Services  ‐ Programs  in  Support  of  this  Goal  Program  Partners: • Faith  Based  Organizations   • Not ‐for ‐Profit  Organizations  Youth  and  Senior  Services: Provides  funding  support  to  eligible  non ‐profit  agencies  that  will, through  a  sub ‐recipient  agreement, carry  out  public  service  activities  that  benefit  youth  and  assist  elderly  residents. Expanded  Economic  Opportunities  ‐ Programs  in  Support  of  this  Goal  Program  Partners: • Greater  Miami  Gardens  Chamber  of  Commerce  • Beacon  Council  • Miami ‐Dade  Department  of  Housing  and  Community  Development  • Partners  for  Self  Employment  • Miami  Dade  Chamber  of  Commerce  • Financial  lending  institutions  Commercial  Redevelopment/Special  Economic  Development  Programs  (Technical  Assistance): Provides  funding  to  improve  commercial  corridors  throughout  the  City  and  provides  technical  assistance  and  access  to  capital  to  City  businesses. As  a  result  of  the  creation  of  the  Greater  Miami  Gardens  Chamber  of  Commerce, the  City  expects  that  greater  leveraging  of  resources  will  occur  in  the  furtherance  of  the  City’s  economic  development  initiatives  by  attracting  new  businesses  and  providing  a  network  for  persons  wishing  to  do  business  in  the  City.  Furthermore, the  City  adopted  a  Comprehensive  Economic  Development  Strategy  intended  to  facilitate  the  development  of  a  healthy, diversified  economy  in  which  businesses  can  locate, innovate, grow  and  prosper, and  all  residents  have  opportunities  for  economic  prosperity.  As  a  result, the  City  entered  into  a  partnership  with  the  Greater  Miami  Gardens  Chamber  of  Commerce  to  administer  and  implement  the  City’s  Commercial  Redevelopment  Programs  and  provide  technical  assistance  to  small  and  local  business.  The  Department  will  continue  this  partnership  into  Program  Year  7. Consolidated  Plan  Delivery  System  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  strives  to  use  the  CDBG  program  to  create  successful  partnerships  among  public  and  private  sector  entities. The  delivery  system  for  the  Consolidated  Plan  programs  is  no  exception. Communication  and  cooperation  between  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  Department  of  Community  Development  and  the  partner  agencies, organizations, and  departments  that  administer  activities  is  strong.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 13 Version 2.0 Monitoring Action  Plan  monitoring  response: The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  Community  Development  Department  shall  conduct  an  initial  site  visit  with  each  new  sub ‐recipient  within  the  first  quarter  of  the  contract  period  to  provide  technical  assistance  with  implementing  the  program. A  comprehensive  annual  on ‐site  monitoring  visit  will  also  be  scheduled  during  the  program  year. New  sub ‐recipients  may  be  visited  more  frequently  in  order  to  assist  with  questions  and  check  on  program  progress. A  monitoring  schedule  will  be  prepared  and  the  sub ‐recipient  visits  will  be  prioritized  by  determining  if  any  organizations  are  considered  high  risk, i.e., new  to  the  CDBG  program ‐first  year  as  a  sub ‐recipient; high  staff  turnover ‐especially  in  key  positions; carrying  out  high ‐risk  activities, such  as  economic  development  and/or  conducting  multiple  CDBG  activities  for  the  first  time. The  annual  monitoring  visits  include  the  following: First, the  assigned  monitor  contacts  the  agency  to  explain  the  purpose  of  monitoring  and  schedules  a  date  and  time  for  the  on ‐site  visit. Once  this  is  completed, a  confirmation  letter  is  sent  before  the  scheduled  visit  to  confirm  all  aspects  of  the  monitoring  and  to  explain  what  can  be  expected. In  preparation  for  the  monitoring  visit, the  monitor  will  review  all  written  data  on  file  for  the  sub ‐recipient, such  as  application  for  CDBG  funding, written  agreement  and  amendments, monthly  reporting  requirements, documentation  of  previous  monitoring, and  copies  of  audits. During  the  actual  visit, a  thorough  review  of  the  sub ‐recipient’s  files  ensures  they  comply  with  all  regulations  governing  their  administrative, financial  and  programmatic  operations  and  that  they  are  achieving  their  performance  objectives  within  schedule  and  budget. A  clear  written  record  of  the  on ‐site  visit  is  kept  by  using  one  or  more  of  the  City's  monitoring  checklists. The  assigned  monitor  will  fill  out  the  form  during  the  visit. At  the  end  of  the  visit, the  monitor  concludes  the  visit  by  reviewing  the  tentative  conclusions  from  the  monitoring. At  this  point, there  will  be  a  clear  understanding  between  the  monitor  and  sub ‐recipient  of  the  areas  of  disagreement  and  agreement  regarding  the  monitoring  results. Once  the  on ‐site  visit  is  completed, the  monitor  prepares  a  formal  written  letter  describing  the  results  of  the  visit, providing  recognition  of  the  sub ‐recipient’s  strengths  and  weaknesses.  A  copy  of  this  letter  is  kept  on  file  with  the  sub ‐recipient’s  grant  agreement  and  monthly  reports. If  the  sub ‐recipient  is  experiencing  problems  or  is  failing  to  comply  with  regulations, these  issues  will  be  specifically  outlined  in  the  monitoring  follow ‐up  letter, along  with  recommendations  or  requirements  to  address  and  rectify  the  problems. If  a  concern  or  finding  is  issued  for  noncompliance  with  federal  rules  and  regulations, the  monitoring  follow ‐up  letter  will  provide  recommendations  on  how  the  situation  can  be  remedied, but  no  additional  action  is  required. When  a  finding  is  issued, the  monitoring  follow ‐up  letter  will  identify  a  deadline  for  1. Describe  actions  that  will  take  place  during  the  next  year  to  monitor  its  housing  and  community  development  projects  and  ensure  long ‐term  compliance  with  program  requirements  and  comprehensive  planning  requirements.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 14 Version 2.0 when  the  specific  issues  must  be  corrected. The  monitor  will  then  follow ‐up  with  the  organization  to  make  sure  the  corrections  have  been  made.  For  situations  in  which  the  recommended  corrections  have  not  been  made, the  organization  will  be  placed  on  a  probationary  period, which  must  be  approved  by  the  Community  Development  Director, until  the  issues  have  been  rectified  and  the  sub ‐recipient  is  once  again  in  compliance  with  Federal  regulations  and  the  grant  agreement. Lead-based Paint Action  Plan  Lead ‐based  Paint  response: Participant  property  owners  are  notified  of  the  hazards  of  lead ‐based  paint  and  of  the  symptoms  associated  with  lead ‐based  contamination. The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  further  prohibits  the  use  of  lead ‐based  paint  in  any  federally  funded  construction  or  rehabilitation  project. The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  shall  either  perform  paint  testing  on  the  painted  surfaces  to  be  disturbed  or  replaced  during  rehabilitation  activities, or  presume  that  all  these  painted  surfaces  are  coated  with  lead ‐based  paint. For  residential  properties  receiving  an  average  of  up  to  and  including  $5,000.00  per  unit  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  shall: Perform  paint  testing  on  the  painted  surfaces  to  be  disturbed  or  replaced  during  rehabilitation  activities, or  presume  that  all  these  painted  surfaces  are  coated  with  lead ‐based  paint. If  testing  indicates  that  the  surfaces  are  not  coated  with  lead ‐based  paint, safe  work  practices  and  clearance  shall  not  be  required. In  addition, the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  will  follow  all  additional  requirements  as  listed  in  24  CFR  35.930  (b). For  residential  properties  receiving  an  average  of  more  than  $5,000.00  and  up  to  and  including  $25,000.00  per  unit  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  shall  follow  requirements  of  24  CFR  35.930(c) which  include  but  are  not  limited  to  risk  assessments  and  interim  controls.  For  residential  properties  receiving  an  average  of  more  than  $25,000.00  per  unit  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  shall  follow  regulations  as  set  forth  in  24  CFR  35.930(d) which  include  abatement. The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  will  further  coordinate  with  the  Miami ‐Dade  Public  Health  Unit  to  implement  educational  programs  on  the  hazards  of  lead ‐based  paint  and  blood  testing  of  children  at ‐risk.      1. Describe  the  actions  that  will  take  place  during  the  next  year  to  evaluate  and  reduce  the  number  of  housing  units  containing  lead ‐based  paint  hazards  in  order  to  increase  the  inventory  of  lead ‐safe  housing  available  to  extremely  low ‐income, low ‐income, and  moderate ‐income  families, and  how  the  plan  for  the  reduction  of  lead ‐based  hazards  is  related  to  the  extent  of  lead  poisoning  and  hazards.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 15 Version 2.0    City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 16 Version 2.0 HOUSING Specific Housing Objectives Action  Plan  Specific  Objectives  response: 1. Housing  Objectives  The  following  table  outlines  the  specific  Housing  accomplishment  goals  that  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  hopes  to  achieve  over  the  2012 ‐2013  Action  Plan  period.  ACTIVITY  ACCOMPLISHMENT  UNITS  GOAL  NSP  Rehabilitation  Households  12  Rehab, Single ‐Unit  Residential  Housing  Units  7  2. Use  of  Resources  In  Program  Year  6, the  City  received  a  small  allocation  from  the  Florida  Housing  Finance  Corporation  of  $50,914  in  State  Housing  Initiatives  Partnership  (SHIP) Program  funds.  The  City  used  this  allocation  to  augment  the  housing  rehabilitation  program  by  performing  emergency  roof  repairs  and  replacements.  The  City  does  not  anticipate  receiving  an  allocation  of  SHIP  funds  during  Program  Year  7.  Nonetheless, the  City  will  continue  to  maximize  its  resources  by  leveraging  the  funds  it  does  receive  and  work  creatively  to  attempt  to  meet  the  community’s  needs.  The  $8.8  million  allocation  of  NSP  funds  will  continue  to  expand  our  housing  program  activities, including  rehabilitation  and  homeownership  assistance. Needs of Public Housing Action  Plan  Public  Housing  Strategy  response: 1. Partnership  with  Public  Housing  Agency  The  Miami ‐Dade  Public  Housing  Agency  (MDHA) encourages  public  housing  residents  to  become  more  involved  in  the  management  of  the  housing  developments  and  to  participate  in  homeownership  through  its  Family  Self ‐Sufficiency  (FSS) program. MDHA  has  also  implemented  *Please also refer to the Housing Needs Table in the Needs.xls workbook. 1. Describe  the  priorities  and  specific  objectives  the  jurisdiction  hopes  to  achieve  during  the  next  year. 2. Describe  how  Federal, State, and  local  public  and  private  sector  resources  that  are  reasonably  expected  to  be  available  will  be  used  to  address  identified  needs  for  the  period  covered  by  this  Action  Plan. 1. Describe  the  manner  in  which  the  plan  of  the  jurisdiction  will  help  address  the  needs  of  public  housing  and  activities  it  will  undertake  during  the  next  year  to  encourage  public  housing  residents  to  become  more  involved  in  management  and  participate  in  homeownership. 2. If  the  public  housing  agency  is  designated  as  "troubled" by  HUD  or  otherwise  is  performing  poorly, the  jurisdiction  shall  describe  the  manner  in  which  it  will  provide  financial  or  other  assistance  in  improving  its  operations  to  remove  such  designation  during  the  next  year.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 17 Version 2.0 a  Section  8  homeownership  program  to  provide  section  8  participants  the  opportunity  to  purchase  a  home.  The  housing  agency  also  offers  a  variety  of  homeownership  programs  to  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  families  through  its  Development  and  Loan  Administration  Division  and  New  Markets  Division. Homeownership  programs  include: Surtax, State  Housing  Initiative, HOME, and  infill  programs. 2. Troubled  Designation  Two  public  housing  projects  have  been  identified  as  troubled  designations  in  the  City.  These  sites  have  a  history  of  high  crime  including  violent  crimes.  Although  these  sites  are  administered  by  the  Miami ‐Dade  Public  Housing  Agency, the  City  has  been  actively  involved  in  an  effort  to  increase  public  safety, health  and  welfare  of  citizens  residing  in  this  area.  The  City  has  held  meetings  with  the  local  HUD  office, as  well  as  with  the  County  regarding  the  issues.  In  Program  Year  7, the  City  will  continue  in  its  efforts  to  resolve  issues  surrounding  these  projects. Barriers to Affordable Housing Action  Plan  Barriers  to  Affordable  Housing  response: 1. Barriers  to  Affordable  Housing  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  has  experienced  a  significant  decrease  in  housing  prices  (‐46%) over  the  past  five  years.  Miami  Gardens  is  an  urban  community  that  is  93% built  out  with  a  forecasted  9% increase  in  population  growth  by  2015.  In  addition, the  nationwide  sub ‐prime  mortgage  and  foreclosure  crisis  and  subsequent  economic  downturn  have  put  downward  pressure  on  home  prices  in  the  City.  The  recent  economic  crisis  throughout  the  country  has  created  an  increase  in  job  losses  and  foreclosures  thereby  creating  a  decrease  in  persons  who  are  “mortgage  ready.”   2. Strategy  to  Remove  Barriers  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  has  established  a  new  comprehensive  development  master  plan  and  associated  land  development  regulations  specific  to  the  City.  In  recognition  of  the  impact  that  regulatory  requirements  have  on  the  cost  of  development, the  City  has  developed  goals, objectives, and  policies  to  address  affordable  housing  issues  in  the  City.  These  policies  will  guide  all  future  growth  management  policies  established  by  the  City.  The  goals  are  as  follows:  Affordable  Housing  Incentives:  Provide  incentives  to  assist  in  the  provision  of  affordable  housing.  Adopt  land  development  regulations  and  appropriate  policies  that  assist  private  developers  with  providing  (and  sustaining) affordable  housing.  Through  the  comprehensive  planning  process  and  the  land  development  regulations, streamline  the  permitting  process  providing  for  efficient  review  with  minimal  delays  and  waiving  or  reducing  costs  for  development  with  a  substantial  affordable  housing  component. 1. Describe  the  actions  that  will  take  place  during  the  next  year  to  remove  barriers  to  affordable  housing.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 18 Version 2.0  Offer  technical  assistance  and  referral  services  to  applicants  interested  in  developing  affordable  housing  opportunities.  Investigate  the  feasibility  of  using  inclusionary  zoning  to  encourage  or  require  a  certain  percentage  of  dwelling  units  of  new  development  or  redevelopment  to  be  set  aside  for  low ‐ or  moderate ‐income  housing.   The  City  has  adopted  a  new  zoning  code  that  includes  Article  VI  Housing  which  addresses  the  following: a) Promote  the  development  and  provision  of  high  quality  housing  in  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens;  b) Implement  the  goals, objectives  and  policies  of  the  Housing  Element  of  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  Comprehensive  Development  Master  Plan  to  the  maximum  extent  practicable;  c) Implement  the  recommendations  of  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  Affordable  Housing  Advisory  Committee  to  the  maximum  extent  practicable;  d) Increase  and  otherwise  encourage  home  ownership  opportunities  within  the  city;  e) Stimulate  private  sector  production  of  workforce  housing  units  for  ownership, available  to  families  within  the  range  of  65  percent  to  200  percent  of  the  area  median  income;  f) Facilitate  and  encourage  residential  development  that  includes  a  range  of  high  quality  housing  opportunities  through  a  variety  of  residential  types, forms  of  ownership, and  home  sale  prices;  g) Encourage  even  and  widespread  distribution  of  high  quality  housing  opportunities  throughout  the  City; and   h) Insure  that  new  housing  in  the  City  meets  high  quality  development  standards.   Consider  awarding  density  and  height  bonuses  for  the  provision  of  workforce  housing  in  new  developments, on  infill  sites, or  within  mixed ‐use  developments  as  referred  to  in  the  Future  Land  Use  Element.  Encourage  the  development  of  rental  housing  alternatives  for  family  households.  Examine  the  feasibility  of  adopting  a  mixed  income  ordinance  that  requires  any  new  mixed ‐use  development  exceeding  a  specific  threshold  of  units  to  include  an  affordable  component.    Develop  incentive  programs  in  conjunction  with  a  Community  Design  Element  of  the  Comprehensive  Development  Master  Plan  for  increasing  residential  housing  densities  and  providing  enhanced  urban  amenities  with  funding  programs  for  multistory  parking, combining  public  open  space, shared  parking  areas  for  use  in  high  density/intensity  projects  and  other  similar  techniques  and  mechanisms.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 19 Version 2.0 HOME/ American Dream Down payment Initiative (ADDI) Action  Plan  HOME/ADDI  response: Not  applicable; the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  does  not  receive  a  direct  allocation  of  HOME  funds.         1. Describe  other  forms  of  investment  not  described  in  § 92.205(b). 2. If  the  participating  jurisdiction  (PJ) will  use  HOME  or  ADDI  funds  for  homebuyers, it  must  state  the  guidelines  for  resale  or  recapture, as  required  in  § 92.254  of  the  HOME  rule. 3. If  the  PJ  will  use  HOME  funds  to  refinance  existing  debt  secured  by  multifamily  housing  that  is  that  is  being  rehabilitated  with  HOME  funds, it  must  state  its  refinancing  guidelines  required  under  § 92.206(b).  The  guidelines  shall  describe  the  conditions  under  which  the  PJ  will  refinance  existing  debt.  At  a  minimum  these  guidelines  must:    a. Demonstrate  that  rehabilitation  is  the  primary  eligible  activity  and  ensure  that  this  requirement  is  met  by  establishing  a  minimum  level  of  rehabilitation  per  unit  or  a  required  ratio  between  rehabilitation  and  refinancing. b. Require  a  review  of  management  practices  to  demonstrate  that  disinvestments  in  the  property  has  not  occurred; that  the  long ‐term  needs  of  the  project  can  be  met; and  that  the  feasibility  of  serving  the  targeted  population  over  an  extended  affordability  period  can  be  demonstrated. c. State  whether  the  new  investment  is  being  made  to  maintain  current  affordable  units, create  additional  affordable  units, or  both. d. Specify  the  required  period  of  affordability, whether  it  is  the  minimum  15  years  or  longer. e. Specify  whether  the  investment  of  HOME  funds  may  be  jurisdiction ‐wide  or  limited  to  a  specific  geographic  area, such  as  a  neighborhood  identified  in  a  neighborhood  revitalization  strategy  under  24  CFR  91.215(e)(2) or  a  Federally  designated  Empowerment  Zone  or  Enterprise  Community. f. State  that  HOME  funds  cannot  be  used  to  refinance  multifamily  loans  made  or  insured  by  any  federal  program, including  CDBG. 4. If  the  PJ  is  going  to  receive  American  Dream  Down  payment  Initiative  (ADDI) funds, please  complete  the  following  narratives: a. Describe  the  planned  use  of  the  ADDI  funds. b. Describe  the  PJ's  plan  for  conducting  targeted  outreach  to  residents  and  tenants  of  public  housing  and  manufactured  housing  and  to  other  families  assisted  by  public  housing  agencies, for  the  purposes  of  ensuring  that  the  ADDI  funds  are  used  to  provide  down  payment  assistance  for  such  residents, tenants, and  families. c. Describe  the  actions  to  be  taken  to  ensure  the  suitability  of  families  receiving  ADDI  funds  to  undertake  and  maintain  homeownership, such  as  provision  of  housing  counseling  to  homebuyers.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 20 Version 2.0 HOMELESS Specific Homeless Prevention Elements Action  Plan  Special  Needs  response: 1. Source  of  Funds  The  Homeless  Trust  pools  the  Entitlement  Jurisdiction  funds  for  all  of  Miami ‐Dade  County  to  provide  a  wide  variety  of  Homeless  Assistance  Programs. The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  along  with  the  cities  of  Miami, Miami  Beach, Hialeah, Homestead  and  North  Miami  has  joined  in  partnership  with  the  Miami ‐Dade  County  Homeless  Trust  to  provide  countywide  Homeless  Assistance  Services.  These  funds  will  go  directly  to  Miami ‐Dade  County  for  regional  distribution. The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  has  mirrored  the  priorities  of  the  Homeless  Trust  as  its  regional  service  provider.  The  table  below  outlines  the  relative  priorities  of  various  categories  of  homeless  needs  within  the  Continuum  of  Care. Activities  that  are  identified  as  “Medium” priorities  will  likely  receive  Consolidated  Plan  funding  if  the  applicable  formula  grants  to  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  are  increased  during  the  next  five  years. Activities  that  receive  a  “Low” priority  will  not  receive  Consolidated  Plan  funding  over  the  next  five  years  without  an  amendment  to  this  Consolidated  Plan.  A  “Low” rating  does  not  necessarily  diminish  the  importance  of  these  activities  or  indicate  that  there  is  no  need  for  them  in  the  City. Many  activities  that  are  assigned  a  “Low” priority  for  CDBG  funding  are  nevertheless  important  needs  for  the  community  or  high  priorities  for  other  *Please  also  refer  to  the  Homeless  Needs  Table  in  the  Needs.xls  workbook.1. Sources  of  Funds—Identify  the  private  and  public  resources  that  the  jurisdiction  expects  to  receive  during  the  next  year  to  address  homeless  needs  and  to  prevent  homelessness. These  include  the  McKinney ‐Vento  Homeless  Assistance  Act  programs, other  special  federal, state  and  local  and  private  funds  targeted  to  homeless  individuals  and  families  with  children, especially  the  chronically  homeless, the  HUD  formula  programs, and  any  publicly ‐owned  land  or  property.  Please  describe, briefly, the  jurisdiction’s  plan  for  the  investment  and  use  of  funds  directed  toward  homelessness. 2. Homelessness—In  a  narrative, describe  how  the  action  plan  will  address  the  specific  objectives  of  the  Strategic  Plan  and, ultimately, the  priority  needs  identified.  Please  also  identify  potential  obstacles  to  completing  these  action  steps. 3. Chronic  homelessness—The  jurisdiction  must  describe  the  specific  planned  action  steps  it  will  take  over  the  next  year  aimed  at  eliminating  chronic  homelessness  by  2012.  Again, please  identify  barriers  to  achieving  this. 4. Homelessness  Prevention—The  jurisdiction  must  describe  its  planned  action  steps  over  the  next  year  to  address  the  individual  and  families  with  children  at  imminent  risk  of  becoming  homeless. 5. Discharge  Coordination  Policy—Explain  planned  activities  to  implement  a  cohesive, community ‐wide  Discharge  Coordination  Policy, and  how, in  the  coming  year, the  community  will  move  toward  such  a  policy.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 21 Version 2.0 sources  of  funding. Some  activities  receive  “Low” ratings  if  they  are  funded  under  the  County's  programs, if  the  Consolidated  Plan  funding  would  be  insufficient  to  have  a  meaningful  impact  on  these  needs, or  if  adequately  funding  them  would  result  in  minimal  output  or  outcome  accomplishments  relative  to  the  amount  of  funds  expended  at  the  expense  of  other  priority  programs.  Table  III ‐4: Priority  Homeless  Needs  Funding  Housing  Continuum  of  Care  Individuals  Families  Funding  Source  Emergency  Shelter  Low  Low  Other, County  Transitional  Housing  Low  Low  Other, County  Permanent  Supportive  Housing  Medium  Medium  Other, County  Chronically  Homeless  Medium  Medium  Other, County  The  addition  of  HPRP  funds  in  Program  Years  4, 5, and  6  allowed  the  City  to  address  the  needs  of  individuals  and  families  that  are  either  at  risk  of  homelessness  or  currently  homeless  with  assistance  in  housing  stability; directly  meeting  the  needs  of  populations  that  were  at  or  below  50% AMI.  However, in  the  7 th  Program  Year, the  City  will  no  longer  receive  a  direct  allocation  of  HPRP  funds.  Instead, all  Federal  Homeless  Assistance  funding  will  go  directly  to  the  Miami ‐Dade  Homeless  Trust, as  the  Continuum  of  Care, for  regional  distribution.  2. Homelessness  As  required  by  HUD  each  jurisdiction  must  develop  a  local  continuum  of  care  plan, the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  in  partnership  with  Miami ‐Dade  County  Homeless  Trust  (the  Trust) operate  under  the  Miami ‐Dade  County  Community  Homeless  Plan.  The  Trust  serves  as  the  lead  agency  implementing  a  countywide  strategy  to  serve  homeless  individuals  and  families  throughout  our  community. The  Trust  pools  the  entitlement  jurisdiction  funds  for  all  of  Miami ‐Dade  County  to  provide  a  wide  variety  of  Homeless  Assistance  Programs. The  City  of  Miami  Gardens, along  with  the  Cities  of  Miami, Miami  Beach, Hialeah, Homestead, and  North  Miami  has  joined  in  partnership  with  the  Trust  to  provide  countywide  Homeless  Assistance  Services. Each  year  the  Trust  meets  with  all  of  its  entitlement  partners  to  establish  funding  priorities  for  the  upcoming  year. The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  in  partnership  with  the  Trust  established  the  priority  homeless  needs  identified  in  this  plan.   3. Chronic  Homelessness  The  following  describes  the  action  steps  which  the  Trust  will  implement  in  order  to  eliminate  chronic  homelessness. Phase  One  ‐ Temporary  (Emergency) Care:   Increase  coordination  with  One  Stop  Centers, State  and  Federal  agencies  and  other  social  services  systems  to  maximize  available  resources;  Assess  the  impact  of  the  hard ‐core, chronic  homeless  with  high  service  needs  and  access  to  the  emergency  housing  system  to  determine  what  additional  resources  may  be  required;   Enhance  the  role  of  emergency  housing  in  the  “housing  first  approach” model  to  address  homelessness  by  moving  families  and  individuals  directly  into  permanent  housing;  Increase  the  inventory  of  emergency  housing  serving  the  chronic  homeless  population   City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 22 Version 2.0 Phase  Two  ‐ Primary  Care  (Transitional) housing:   Shift  of  Food  and  Beverage  funding  from  transitional  non ‐treatment  housing  to  permanent  housing, via  a  Housing  1st, housing  placement  program;  Identify  additional  resources  to  maintain  and/or  expand  the  inventory  of  beds  to  provide  mental  health  and  substance  abuse  treatment;  Identify  a  funding  source  for  capital  and  supportive  services  match  funds;  Coordinate  homeless  funding  by  other  local  social  service  funders; Phase  Three  ‐ Advanced  Care  (permanent  supportive) housing  units:   Creation  of  100 ‐200  units  of  permanent  supportive  housing  per  year, for  10  years;  Via  a  new  Case  Rate, pay  for  performance  model, those  people  idetified  by  homeless  outreach  and  the  courts, who  are  experiencing  chronic  homelessness, high  utlizers  of  jails, emergency  rooms, and  crisis  services  and  are  typically  service  resistant, are  being  placed  in  a  variety  of  permanent  housing  models;    Remove  barriers  to  the  funding  of  permanent  housing: draft  local  and  state  legislative  proposals  that  set ‐aside  and/or  prioritize  housing  for  formerly  homeless  persons  and  participate  actively  in  rule ‐making  processes;  Identify  a  funding  source  for  capital  match  funds; and  explore  the  use  of  permanent  housing  in  the  “housing  first  approach” in  ending  homelessness; Via  the  Homeless  Prevention  and  Rapid  Re  Housing  Program, homeless  individuals  and  families  are  being  placed  into  permanent  housing  directly  from  the  streets  and  emergency  and  transitional  housing  programs. 4. Homelessness  Prevention  Through  the  Countywide  Homeless  Hotline, individuals  and  families  at  risk  of  homelessness  are  assessed  and  provided  with  or  linked  to  appropriate  services, including  but  not  limited  to: case  management, rental  assistance, mortgage  assistance, utility  assistance, and  other  services.  FEMA  funds  available  through  the  Emergency  Food  and  Shelter  Board, are  used  for  the  same  purpose. The  Greater  Miami  Prosperity  Campaign  via  the  Human  Services  Coalition  provides  Tax  and  Earned  Income  Tax  Credit  Assistance  to  individuals  residing  in  Miami ‐Dade  County  Homeless  Assistance  Centers  and  in  One  Stop  locations. In  February  2009  the  American  Recovery  and  Reinvestment  Act  was  signed  into  law, and  the  Homelessness  Prevention  and  Rapid  Re ‐Housing  Program  (HPRP) was  created  and  funded  as  a  result.  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens, along  with  the  Trust, and  the  Cities  of  Miami  and  North  Miami  pooled  their  HPRP  funds  and  partnered  with  the  agency  Citrus  Health  Network  to  create  the  Housing  Assistance  Network  of  Dade  (HAND), which  has  greatly  enhanced  the  County’s  currently  in  place  homeless  system  and  prevention  activities  and  services. However, in  Program  Year  7, the  City  will  no  long  receive  a  direct  allocation  of  HPRP  funds.  5. Discharge  Coordination  Policy  In  2007, Miami ‐Dade  County  underwent  a  process  to  implement  a  cohesive  community ‐wide  discharge  coordination  policy. As  a  result  of  that  process, the  County  developed  a  Memoranda  of  Agreement  establishing  discharge  policies  for  all  agencies  that  provide  services  to  homeless  persons  or  those  at  risk  of  homelessnesss. The  interagency  Agreement  includes  the  Miami ‐Dade  Homeless  Trust, State  and  County  Correction  agencies, the  11 th  Circuit  Court, Jackson   City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 23 Version 2.0 Memorial  Hospital/Public  Health  Trust, community  mental  health  facilities, Our  Kids, Inc., and  the  Florida  Department  of  Children  and  Families. Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) Action  Plan  ESG  response: Not  applicable; the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  does  not  receive  a  direct  allocation  of  ESG  funds.  Instead, these  funds  are  awarded  to  Miami ‐Dade  County  through  the  Homeless  Trust  for  regional  distribution.                              (States  only) Describe  the  process  for  awarding  grants  to  State  recipients, and  a  description  of  how  the  allocation  will  be  made  available  to  units  of  local  government.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 24 Version 2.0 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Community Development Action  Plan  Community  Development  response: 1. Priority  non ‐housing  community  development  needs  As  defined  in  the  City  of  Miami  Garden’s  mission  statement, the  City’s  core  community  development  needs  are  those  activities  that  enhance  the  quality  of  life  through  the  efficient  and  professional  delivery  of  public  services.  The  City  is  committed  to  fostering  civic  pride, participation  and  responsible  economic  development  for  the  community, and  as  such  the  City  anticipates  using  Community  Development  Block  Grant  (CDBG) funding  to  support  programs  to:   Assist  in  the  development  of  state  of  the  art  recreational  facilities  and  services.  Provide  funding  to  redevelop  blighted  commercial  and  residential  areas.  Improve  infrastructure  facilities, including  storm  water  drainage, sewer, street  lighting, sidewalks, and  othe  infrastructure  facilities.  Create  economic  development  programs  that  promote  business  attraction  and  retention   Creat  programs  and  services  for  youth  and  elderly  residents  CDBG  and  other  funding  will  be  used  to  strengthen, preserve, and  enhance  the  physical  character  of  and  quality  of  life  in  City  of  Miami  Gardens  neighborhoods. Designated  funding  will  be  used  to  improve  the  housing  stock, as  well  as  economic  development  with  particular  emphasis  on  the  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  neighborhoods.   Economic  Development  Programs: The  City  will  seek  to  partner  with  entities  that  provide  training, education, and  employment  opportunities  to  help  expand  Miami  Gardens’ workforce, particularly  by  lifting  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  residents  into  stronger  positions  in  the  evolving  economy. Through  the  Business  Incentive  Program, the  City  intends  to  create  new  jobs  that  could  be  filled  by  individuals  that  are  trained  by  the  City’s  partners  in  this  effort.  To  assist  in  the  successful  accomplishment  of  this  goal  the  City  has  partnered  with  the  newly  formed  Greater  Miami  Gardens  Chamber  of  Commerce  that  will  carry  out  economic  development  *Please  also  refer  to  the  Community  Development  Table  in  the  Needs.xls  workbook.1. Identify  the  jurisdiction's  priority  non ‐housing  community  development  needs  eligible  for  assistance  by  CDBG  eligibility  category  specified  in  the  Community  Development  Needs  Table  (formerly  Table  2B), public  facilities, public  improvements, public  services  and  economic  development. 2. Identify  specific  long ‐term  and  short ‐term  community  development  objectives  (including  economic  development  activities  that  create  jobs), developed  in  accordance  with  the  statutory  goals  described  in  section  24  CFR  91.1  and  the  primary  objective  of  the  CDBG  program  to  provide  decent  housing  and  a  suitable  living  environment  and  expand  economic  opportunities, principally  for  low ‐ and  moderate ‐income  persons. *Note:  Each  specific  objective  developed  to  address  a  priority  need, must  be  identified  by  number  and  contain  proposed  accomplishments, the  time  period  (i.e., one, two, three, or  more  years), and  annual  program  year  numeric  goals  the  jurisdiction  hopes  to  achieve  in  quantitative  terms, or  in  other  measurable  terms  as  identified  and  defined  by  the  jurisdiction.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 25 Version 2.0 activities  utilizing  CDBG  funds  and  also  on  a  broader  level  to  benefit  the  City  at  large. One  of  the  primary  components  of  the  Business  Incentive  Program  is  the  creation  of  new, permanent  jobs. The  City’s  policy  mandates  a  certain  amount  of  new, permanent  jobs  be  created  as  a  direct  result  of  financial  assistance  received  from  the  City. Through  the  City’s  newly  adopted  Comprehensive  Economic  Development  Strategy, particular  emphasis  will  be  placed  on  programs  that  cultivate  entrepreneurship  and  create  opportunities  for  larger ‐scale  job  creation  through  site  assembly, environmental  remediation, building  rehabilitation, infrastructure  development, technical  assistance, and  assistance  to  businesses. One  of  the  targeted  areas  in  the  Strategy  is  the  Sunshine  State  International  Park, a  once  vibrant  and  thriving  business  district  with  both  manufacturing  and  retail  businesses.  The  area  has  experienced  significant  deterioration  and  businesses  have  either  gone  out  of  business  or  relocated  to  another  community. It  is  the  City’s  intention  to  re ‐engage  the  industrial  park  as  a  mixed ‐use  site  with  the  appropriate  combination  of  commercial, entertainment  and  service  uses  that  harmonize  with  existing  industrial  uses.  The  City  has  already  taken  steps  to  initiate  this  process; passing  new  zoning  codes  to  allow  mixed  uses, as  well  as  seeking  out  other  funding  sources  to  help  in  the  redevelopment  of  the  park. The  redevelopment  of  the  park  will  spur  economic  activity  into  the  local  economy  through  tourism/visitor  revenues, job  creation  and  tax  revenues. Create  Programs  and  Services  for  Youth  and  Elderly  Residents:  CDBG  and  other  funding  will  be  used  to  implement  programs  to  assist  the  youth  and  elderly  populations  in  providing  them  increased  access  to  benefits  and  credits.   Consistent  with  HUD  Community  Development  Needs  Table, the  relative  priority  of  community  development  activities  were  identified  with  input  obtained  from  numerous  outreach  efforts, and  consultations  during  the  2011 ‐2016  consolidated  planning  process. Three  distinct  tables  in  the  Consolidated  Plan  document  defines  activities  that  received  high, medium  and  low  priority  ranking  during  the  visioning  and  focus  group  exercises  conducted  in  support  of  the  Consolidated  Plan.  The  first  table  (Table  IV ‐1), identified  Public  Facilities  and  Improvements  Priorities, the  second  table  (Table  IV ‐2), identified  Public  Services  Priorities, and  the  third  table  (Table  IV ‐3), identified  Housing, Economic  Development, & Historic  Preservation  Priorities.  Activities  identified  as  high  and  medium  priorities  were  consistent  in  all  three  tables.  High  and  medium  priorities  centered  around  housing  rehab, street  and  drain  improvements, homeownership  assistance, energy  efficiency, services  for  youth  and  seniors.  2. Specific  Long  Term  and  Short  Term  Objectives  Accomplishment  goals  have  been  established  for  those  activities  that  received  a  high  priority  ranking. The  following  tables, consistent  with  HUD  Community  Development  Need  Table  provide  the  specific  output  accomplishment  goals  for  each  activity. These  activities  are  listed  under  the  five  community  priorities  as  defined  by  the  stakeholders  throughout  the  visioning  process. Because  funding  for  "medium" and  "low" priority  activities  may  not  be  available, accomplishment  goals  have  not  been  provided  for  these  categories. The  accomplishment  goals  represent  the  activities  anticipated  in  the  2010 ‐20111  Action  Plan  period.  A  discussion  of  anticipated  outcomes  for  each  conceptual  goal  is  as  follows:   City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 26 Version 2.0 1) Public  Services  ACTIVITY  ACCOMPLISHMENT  UNITS  GOAL  Youth  Services   People  Served  100  Senior  Services  People  Served  100  Priority  projects  in  this  category  include  support  for  public  service  activities  that  benefit  youth  and  senior  populations. These  activities  will  assist  the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  in  moving  closer  to  achieving  its  goal  of  providing  sustained  services  for  the  residents  of  Miami  Gardens. 2) Redevelop  aging  housing  stock  in  residential  areas  ACTIVITY  ACCOMPLISHMENT  UNITS  GOAL  Rehab, Single ‐Unit  Residential  Housing  Units  7  The  priority  projects  in  this  category  includes  housing  rehab  projects  benefiting  low ‐ to  moderate ‐income  residents  with  a  focus  on  code  enforcement  activities  to  eliminate  substandard  and  blighted  influences. 3) Commercial  Redevelopment  Programs  ACTIVITY  ACCOMPLISHMENT  UNITS  GOAL  Building  Acquisition, Construction, Rehabilitation  (façade) Businesses  1  Direct  assistance  to  new  businesses Businesses  1  Priority  projects  in  this  category  include  Economic  Development  activities  to  improve  blighted  conditions  within  commercial  corridors  citywide.  Antipoverty Strategy Action  Plan  Antipoverty  Strategy  response: The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  Anti ‐Poverty  Strategy  describes  the  programs  and  policies  that  will  be  utilized  to  reduce  the  number  of  households  with  incomes  below  the  poverty  line, in  coordination  with  affordable  housing  efforts. The  Department  of  Community  Development  will  deploy  a  strategy  responsive  to  the  needs  of  low ‐income  citizens  and  disadvantaged  populations  throughout  the  City.   The  Department  of  Community  Development  will  further  the  U.S. HUD  national  objectives  by  coordinating  the  priorities  established  in  the  City’s  visioning  process  with  goals  and  objectives  adopted  by  HUD.  The  City’s  strategy  will:   Work  with  existing  programs  to  maximize  program  dollars  for  residents.  Leverage  potential  CDBG  eligible  activities  with  private, state, and  local  funds. 1. Describe  the  actions  that  will  take  place  during  the  next  year  to  reduce  the  number  of  poverty  level  families.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 27 Version 2.0  Implement  programs  in  the  Neighborhood  Revitalization  Strategy  Areas  to  maximize  funding  and  program  opportunities  in  neighborhoods  with  greater  than  70% low  to  moderate ‐income  residents.                                           City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 28 Version 2.0 NON-HOMELESS SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING Non-homeless Special Needs (91.220 (c) and (e)) Action  Plan  Specific  Objectives  response: 1. Priorities  and  specific  objectives  The  chart  below  outlines  the  relative  priority  needs  for  various  identified  special  needs  categories  for  housing  and  supportive  services  in  Miami  Gardens.  Activities  which  are  labeled  as  “High” priorities  in  the  table  below  and  elsewhere  in  this  plan  are  those  which  will  receive  2011 ‐2016  Action  Plan  funding. Activities  which  are  identified  as  “Medium” priorities  are  those  that  will  not  receive  Action  Plan  funding  unless  additional  funds  are  secured  or  particularly  strong  projects  are  identified. Activities  that  receive  a  “Low” priority  will  not  receive  Plan  funding  without  a  Plan  Amendment.  Special  Needs  Category  Housing  Supportive  Services  Elderly   High  High  Individuals  with  Disabilities  Medium  Low  Individuals  with  HIV/AIDS  Low  Low  Public  Housing  Residents  Medium  Medium  2. Use  of  Resources  The  City  of  Miami  Gardens  is  working  to  secure  various  funding  streams  to  enhance  our  CDBG  programs. Currently, the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  will  expand  programs  for  homelessness  prevention  by  utilizing  HPRP  funding.  The  City  will  also  utilize  funds  from  the  Department  of  Energy  to  implement  energy  efficiency  and  conservation  strategies  that  will  enhance  the  CDBG  program  as  well  as  benefit  the  City  as  a  whole. *Please also refer to the Non-homeless Special Needs Table in the Needs.xls workbook. 1. Describe  the  priorities  and  specific  objectives  the  jurisdiction  hopes  to  achieve  for  the  period  covered  by  the  Action  Plan. 2. Describe  how  Federal, State, and  local  public  and  private  sector  resources  that  are  reasonably  expected  to  be  available  will  be  used  to  address  identified  needs  for  the  period  covered  by  this  Action  Plan.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 29 Version 2.0 Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS Action  Plan  HOPWA  response: Not  applicable; the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  does  not  receive  a  direct  allocation  of  HOPWA.  Instead, these  funds  are  awarded  to  the  City  of  Miami  for  regional  distribution. *Please  also  refer  to  the  HOPWA  Table  in  the  Needs.xls  workbook.1. Provide  a  Brief  description  of  the  organization, the  area  of  service, the  name  of  the  program  contacts, and  a  broad  overview  of  the  range/ type  of  housing  activities  to  be  done  during  the  next  year. 2. Report  on  the  actions  taken  during  the  year  that  addressed  the  special  needs  of  persons  who  are  not  homeless  but  require  supportive  housing, and  assistance  for  persons  who  are  homeless. 3. Evaluate  the  progress  in  meeting  its  specific  objective  of  providing  affordable  housing, including  a  comparison  of  actual  outputs  and  outcomes  to  proposed  goals  and  progress  made  on  the  other  planned  actions  indicated  in  the  strategic  and  action  plans.  The  evaluation  can  address  any  related  program  adjustments  or  future  plans. 4. Report  on  annual  HOPWA  output  goals  for  the  number  of  households  assisted  during  the  year  in: (1) short ‐term  rent, mortgage  and  utility  payments  to  avoid  homelessness; (2) rental  assistance  programs; and  (3) in  housing  facilities, such  as  community  residences  and  SRO  dwellings, where  funds  are  used  to  develop  and/or  operate  these  facilities.  Include  any  assessment  of  client  outcomes  for  achieving  housing  stability, reduced  risks  of  homelessness  and  improved  access  to  care. 5. Report  on  the  use  of  committed  leveraging  from  other  public  and  private  resources  that  helped  to  address  needs  identified  in  the  plan. 6. Provide  an  analysis  of  the  extent  to  which  HOPWA  funds  were  distributed  among  different  categories  of  housing  needs  consistent  with  the  geographic  distribution  plans  identified  in  its  approved  Consolidated  Plan. 7. Describe  any  barriers  (including  non ‐regulatory) encountered, actions  in  response  to  barriers, and  recommendations  for  program  improvement. 8. Please  describe  the  expected  trends  facing  the  community  in  meeting  the  needs  of  persons  living  with  HIV/AIDS  and  provide  additional  information  regarding  the  administration  of  services  to  people  with  HIV/AIDS. Please  note  any  evaluations, studies  or  other  assessments  that  will  be  conducted  on  the  local  HOPWA  program  during  the  next  year.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 30 Version 2.0 Specific HOPWA Objectives Specific  HOPWA  Objectives  response: Not  applicable; the  City  of  Miami  Gardens  does  not  receive  a  direct  allocation  of  HOPWA.  Instead, these  funds  are  awarded  to  the  City  of  Miami  for  regional  distribution.                         Describe  how  Federal, State, and  local  public  and  private  sector  resources  that  are  reasonably  expected  to  be  available  will  be  used  to  address  identified  needs  for  the  period  covered  by  the  Action  Plan.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 31 Version 2.0   City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 32 Version 2.0 OTHER NARRATIVE                                         Include  any  Action  Plan  information  that  was  not  covered  by  a  narrative  in  any  other  section. City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 33 Version 2.0 PUBLIC COMMENTS The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  Questions  and  Comments  received  during  the  Citizen’s  Participation  Meetings  held  on  June  19  & 26, 2012. Comments  have  been  grouped  into  categories.  Questions/comments  are  in  bold , responses  from  staff  are  in  italics . Public  Services: Are  public  services  offered  year  round? Services  are  provided  throughout  the  funding  year, some  services  are  offered  year  round  and  some  are  seasonal, it  all  depends  how  the  public  service  proposal  was  presented.  For  public  services, do  all  vendors  have  to  have  a  DUNS  number? Yes, any  agency  receiving  CDBG  funding  has  to  have  one.  It's  there  a  priority  given  to  high  school  seniors  trying  to  get  job  training? The  priority  is  youth  not  job  training, so  if  an  agency  proposes  a  youth ‐focused, job  training  program, then  the  priority  will  be  because  the  program  is  youth ‐focused.  Are  there  any  age  restrictions  for  job  training  programs? No, the  only  restriction  is  that  the  beneficiaries  be  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  residents.  What  is  the  age  limit  for  youth? Youth  is  18  and  under   Public  Facilities: What  park  programs  have  been  cancelled? Capital  improvements  for  parks  have  been  eliminated  due  to  reduced  funding.  Are  you  planning  to  add  additional  activities  at  parks  that  have  received  improvements? That  is  a  question  for  the  City’s  Parks  Department, as  they  determine  the  programs  and  activities  run  in  the  parks.  However, there  have  been  extended  programs  such  as  football  and  baseball  in  the  parks  where  sports  lighting  has  been  installed  with  CDBG  funding.  What  kinds  of  programs  are  being  offered  at  the  parks  department? That's  a  question  for  the  Parks  Department   Consolidated  Plan: How  does  the  5  Year  Consolidated  Plan  fit  with  the  City's  overall  Strategic  Plan?  They  do  not  match  exactly, but  they  do  complement  each  other. Where  the  Strategic  Plan  goal  is  to  improve  the  quality  of  life  for  residents, the  Consolidated  Plan  goals  are  creating  decent  housing  and  suitable  living  environment  for  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  residents.  Consolidated  Plan  goals  have  a  narrower  focus  on  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  residents, businesses, and  areas.  Also, where  the  Strategic  Plan  has  a  goal  to  improve  public  safety  through  policing, the  Consolidated  Plan  goals  do  not  focus  on  that.  City of Miami Gardens Seventh Program Year Action Plan 34 Version 2.0  I  was  looking  at  the  Consolidated  Plan  map  of  the  CDBG  priority  areas.  More  than  70% of  the  population  needs  assistance, do  your  programs  assist  everybody  in  the  City  or  just  the  shaded  areas  [low ‐to ‐moderate  income  census  tracts]? Programs  like  housing  rehab  are  offered  city  wide, because  it  is  driven  by  individual  applications, and  each  applicant  must  be  low ‐to ‐moderate  income  to  receive  assistance.  But  programs  like  parks  and  infrastructure  improvements  benefit  an  area, therefore  we  can  perform  these  improvements  in  the  shaded  areas  [low ‐to ‐moderate  income  census  tracts].   Other: Did  the  city  receive  any  [CDBG] DRI  from  the  County? Yes, originally  in  2007, and  since  then  the  City  has  received  additional  dollars.  All  the  DRI  funds  the  City  has  received  have  been  fully  spent. The  City’s  DRI  contract  with  the  County  expires  at  the  end  of  June  2012.