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6/27/2008 - A Summary Of The City of Waterbury 2008-2013 Consolidated Housing And Community Development Plan And 2008-2009 Annual Action Plan/Use Of Funds And Notice Of Second Public Hearing On JULY 15, 2008

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

A SUMMARY OF THE CITY OF WATERBURY 2008-2013 CONSOLIDATED HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND 2008-2009 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN/ USE OF FUNDS AND NOTICE OF SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 15, 2008.

Citizen’s comments are welcome and encouraged for the proposed 2008-2013 City of Waterbury Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan, including the 2008-2009 Annual Action Plan. Copies of the proposed Plan will be available on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at the Silas Bronson Library, 267 Grand Street, Waterbury, the Waterbury Development Corporation (WDC), 24 Leavenworth Street, Waterbury and the City Clerk’s Office, 236 Grand Street, Waterbury. The Plan is also available on the City of Waterbury website: www.waterburyct.org and the WDC website: www.wdconline.org.

Also on display is the City of Waterbury Draft Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.

This notice will commence a thirty (30) day public commentary period. Comments may be submitted in writing to Kathleen McNamara, Waterbury Development Corporation, 24 Leavenworth Street, Waterbury, CT. 06702. Any written comments received prior to the July 15, 2008 Second Public Hearing will be read aloud before the public at the hearing. Any comments received during the comment period will be forwarded to the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) and HUD.

A Second Public Hearing on the Consolidated/Annual Plans will be held Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 6:30pm before the CAC in the atrium of the Waterbury Arts Magnet School (WAMS), 16 S. Elm St., Waterbury. The facility is handicapped accessible. The City will provide interpretors & assistance for non-English speaking, hearing-impaired or disabled residents upon receiving a request at least four (4) days prior to this hearing date. Residents should call Kathleen McNamara at 203-346-2607 x 115 to make this request.

SUMMARY OF 2008-2013 CITY OF WATERBURY CONSOLIDATED HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The Consolidated Plan is a planning and application document for three US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) formula grants: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) and Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME). The Plan contains five-year objectives for addressing identified City of Waterbury community development, housing and homeless needs. The Consolidated Plan includes the Annual Action Plan which identifies how this year’s 2008-2009 funds will be used. The objectives of the Consolidated Plan are:

Establish and Maintain a Suitable Living Environment and Economic Opportunities

  • Support infrastructure improvements in low-moderate income (LMI) areas
  • Support public facilities and improvements in LMI areas
  • Support construction of public facilities in LMI areas
  • Support acquisition, clearance & demolition for the removal of blighting influences & deteriorated property/facilities & facilitation of brownfield remediation & redevelopment in LMI areas
  • Support public services for LMI persons
  • Support relocation and interim assistance programs related to essential services or repairs in emergency conditions which endanger public health, safety or welfare
  • Support business retention and expansion programs in LMI areas
  • Provide assistance to nonprofit and for-profit entities that create or retain employment opportunities for LMI persons
  • Provide financial assistance for non-residential historic preservation, façade improvements and other beautification efforts in the downtown
  • Direct assistance to housing programs and related supportive services for special needs populations

Ensure Decent Affordable Housing

  • Increase opportunities for very low and low income households to become and remain renters through rental subsidies; provide counseling to tenants in assisted housing with expiring subsidies to prevent involuntary displacement
  • Increase opportunities for very low/low income households to become and remain homeowners through home purchase or rehabilitation financing assistance
  • Provide pre-and post-purchase housing counseling and mortgage foreclosure assistance
  • Expand the supply of affordable rental housing through acquisition, rehabilitation and construction financing assistance
  • Expand the supply of affordable owner-occupied housing through acquisition, rehabilitation and construction financing assistance
  • Improve the quality of existing housing stock of affordable rental housing through rehabilitation financing assistance; and preserve existing affordable rental housing threatened with the loss of expiring Federal contracts
  • Improve the quality of the existing stock of affordable owner-occupied housing through rehabilitation financing assistance

Provide Services to End Homelessness

  • Direct assistance to shelter facilities for operational maintenance costs and essential supportive services to homeless persons
  • Provide short-term homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing housing due to eviction, foreclosure or utility shutoff
  • Strengthen mechanisms for effective homeless planning, information sharing, and service coordination; enhance collaboration among agencies through the creation of a centralized database and tracking system

ANNUAL ACTION PLAN /USE OF 2008-2009 FUNDS

The Waterbury Development Corporation (WDC) on behalf of the City of Waterbury has prepared the City's proposed 2007-2008 Annual Action Plan as part of its 2008-2013 Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan. The WDC has solicited funding applications and has held its first public hearing before the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) on April 1, 2008 and will hold a second public hearing on July 15, 2008. The Annual Plan outlines how the City plans to use its resources to move toward achieving the goals set forth in the Consolidated Plan.

This year's U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development CDBG, HOME and ESG funding resulted in the following 2008-2009 allocations: $2,241,978 in CDBG funds, $938,351 in HOME funds and $99,746 in ESG funds. Program income for 2008-2009 is anticipated to be $53,200 (CDBG) and $8,600 (HOME). In addition, approximately $322,500 in prior CDBG funds have been re-programmed. The following allocations have been proposed:

Establishing and Maintaining a Suitable Living Environment and Economic Opportunities

Administration: $448,396. Allocation of 20% of CDBG funds to WDC to provide for administration of CDBG/ ESG programs

Public Facilities: Fire Station Improvements: $175,000. Renovations at North Main Street and Highland Avenue stations

Public Improvement: Neighborhood Sidewalks: $394,000. Reconstruction of sidewalks

Demolition: $200,000. Demolition of buildings to remove of slum and blight

Acquisition of Property: $150,000. Acquisition of Brownfield property for clean-up

Public Facility: Neighborhood Parks: $450,000. Park improvements

Public Facility: Neighborhood Community Garden Facility: $110,000. Brass City Harvest Community Garden

Interim Assistance: $25,000. The securing/ boarding up of unsafe vacant buildings

Community Based Development Organization: In- the-Making: $25,786. Job training.

Public Services:

HUD allows for a maximum of 15% ($336,296) of CDBG funds to be used on public services:

ASPIRA of Connecticut, Inc. $7,000.Funds administration, salaries and programmatic costs of Hispanic after-school program..

Children's Community School 31 Wolcott St.:$10,000. Funds after school programs: salary, insurance, supplies and administrative costs.

Family Services of Greater Waterbury, Inc. 34 Murray St.: $8,000. Funds an intake coordinator position in the behavioral health program.

Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries. Inc. 515 South Main St.: $25,000 Funds food, supplies, utilities and salaries at soup kitchen and food pantry.

La Casa Bienvenida: 135 East Liberty St.: $15,000. Funds administration, salaries, insurance and operating costs of the senior center.

Literacy Volunteers: 267 Grand St.: $5,500. Funds salaries & expenses of the literacy program.

Mattatuck Historical Society: 144 West Main St.: $9,000. Funds salaries, visiting artist fees, snacks and supplies for the youth after-school program.

Mattatuck Senior Center, 117 Southmayd Rd.: $11,000. Funds salaries, utilities and insurance of the senior center.

Morris Foundation, 402 E. Main St: $11,000. Funds salaries that support outpatient services.

Mt. Olive Senior Center, 86 Pearl St: $15,000. Funds salaries, fringe benefits, utility and insurance costs at the senior center.

Police Activity League of Waterbury, Inc., 58 Griggs St.: $25,000. Funds will be used for utilities, payroll and insurance costs to support programs at two PAL facilities.

Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury. Inc. , 29 Central Ave.: $11,000. Funds utilities and insurance to support services for abused women/children.

St. Margaret/Willow-Plaza NRZ Assoc. Inc., 60 Elmwood Ave.: $15,000. Funds community center salaries.

Staywell Health Care Inc. , 80 Phoenix Ave.: $8,000. Funds will cover dental clinic salaries.

Waterbury Day Nursery, 74 Buckingham St.: $6,000. Funds will be used for staff salaries.

Waterbury Senior Shuttle -WDC, 24 Leavenworth St.: $110,000. Funds transportation costs.

Waterbury Youth Service System , 95 N. Main St.: $10,000 Funds truancy program salaries.

Wellpath, 70 Pine St.: $10,000. Funds salaries for youth counseling programs.

WOW-NRZ Association, Inc.:308 Walnut St.: $14,796.Funds operating expenses of community center..

Ensuring Decent Affordable Housing

Emergency Relocation: $250,000. This allocation, along with $53,200 in proposed program income, will be used for the relocation of low-moderate income individuals due to unsafe housing conditions, code violations etc.

HOME Program – WDC, 24 Leavenworth St.: 2008-2009 Allocation: $938,351. Funds will benefit low/mod households, targeted as determined by the WDC. 10% ($93,835.10) will be used for administration and 15% ( $140,752.65) will be used for CHDO housing development. $703,763.25 will be used for housing activities. An estimated $8,600 in program income will be put back into the program.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury, Inc., 139 Prospect St.: $10,000. Funds will support salaries, utilities and insurance of NHS in connection with a comprehensive Homeownership and Loss Prevention Program (CDBG Public Service program)

Provide Services to End Homelessness

Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG):

Family Services of Greater Waterbury,Inc.34 Murray St.: $14,999. Funds staffing at Chapman House

Morris Foundation, 95 Scovill St.: $3,891. Funds utilities and food supplies at the Shelter.

Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury.Inc.,PO Box 1503: $5,502.Funds utility and insurance at shelter

Salvation Army, 74 Central Ave.: $10,367. Funds salaries, utilities, support services at shelter.

St. Vincent DePaul Society, 114 Benedict St.: $64,987. Funds utilities, insurance, auto leases, client transportation office supplies, and client support items at shelter.