Travis County Commissioners Court
February 10, 2009, 2009
Travis County Housing Finance Corporation
Now let's call to order the Travis County housing finance corporation one item.
1.
consider and take appropriate action on request to approve a grant application for funding from the Texas department of housing and community affairs for a 2009/2011 home tenant based rental assistance program.
>> good afternoon, him harvey Davis, manager of the corporation.
and on November 25th, last year, you -- you authorized us to prepare this grant application for the -- for the tenant based rental assistance.
and -- and so we're here to -- to ask you to approve the application, it is -- it is prepared pretty much in the same form or criteria that we explained last November this application is due April 30th, so -- so it is early, it is -- it is -- there is a resolution that you -- in which you authorize that we set aside $30,000 in cash reserves and this is so that we have money to pay rent, utilities and -- and security deposits before we're reimbursed by the state.
this is a -- this is a $300,000 grant that we are applying for.
and this is to help Travis County citizens that do not live in the city of Austin whose income is below 50% of the Austin median family income to assist them for up to two years, with rent, utility and security deposits.
they -- as part of the requirement for those that are assisted, they have to -- they have to -- to participate in a family self sufficiency program.
and this program is -- we have developed the program in close collaboration with -- with the health and human services department who has had an ongoing program for -- for more than 36 years.
and so this -- this -- the idea of this grant is that it will augment and strengthen their family self sufficiency program.
if you approve proceeding with this grant application, you are authorizing a $30 application fee.
there is a 4% administrative fee that we -- that we receive, $12,000, for this grant that we will have -- we will have up to three years to -- to spend the money.
we predict that -- that we will be able to assist 20 families at -- at any one time.
so we may end up assisting more than 20 families, but -- but 20 families would be the -- sort of the maximum at any period of time.
>> have we had a program like this before?
>> we have never had a program like this before.
this -- this -- the tenant based rental assistance is part of the h.u.d.'s home program.
these funds came from h.u.d.
we -- another component of home is that -- that home buyer assistance, which we've had a series of grants to home buyer assistance.
so of course we -- we do have experience in -- in managing grants with the state and with the home program.
but this will be a -- a -- a new -- new challenge for us, but we're very much looking forward to this because these are funds that are -- that are really needed in this community and probably in every community.
and they have -- the funds that are available through the state have -- have not been applied for.
so these funds for several years have been there and no one has applied for more and probably one of the main reasons is because they don't -- the administrative fee that they pay which in this case is 4% of the grant would not cover the cost to administer it.
>> susan, sherri?
any comments?
>> I have a question.
>> okay.
>> she's coming up.
>> as a new Commissioner, when a grant like this is applied for, where no funds are available, is it pretty much assumed it will be granted to us?
>> yes.
if we -- if we score to -- if they have a -- a floor that you have to perceive on the score and if you do receive enough points to exceed that floor, then you will be -- you will be granted the fund.
so we expect that --
>> so we have a pretty good idea of what our point score may be on that level?
>> we have gone through the application and have done, I believe, everything that we're supposed to do to have a credible and sufficient application and again this -- this application, tenant based rental assistance grant was very similar to the home buyer assistance grant so feel pretty confident that we will score enough points to receive the funds.
>> we feel pretty good at this point.
we just want to -- won't know for sure until after the decision is handed down.
>> right.
doug, I mean we -- not having done a tbra program, you know, we will have a learning curve.
there's no doubt about that.
>> mr.
davis is shy about claiming to have -- to having a -- good working relationship with our -- with the powers that be.
in this area.
ms.
flemming?
>> good afternoon, sherri flemming, our executive manager for health and human services.
i only wanted to remind you, I think, of the point that I may all of the -- that I make all of the time that is the only source of revenue for rental assistance is the -- the resources of the taxpayers of Travis County.
and so certainly we look for opportunities to -- to augment those services by -- by other sources of funding because those source of funding are few and far between.
>> so we think our federal -- we thank our federal friends for stepping up to the plate in this area, is that what you're saying?
>> yes.
>> move approval.
>> discussion?
the decision will be made when?
>> I would expect the decision being made in -- we would probably have funds available within three months, I mean, they all have -- they all notified us of the decision.
we have to -- we have -- it usually takes them a couple of months once we get approval for them to produce the contract.
then so -- so the next time we would come back to you on this issue would be asking you to approve a contract with the state.
and after the contract --
>>
>> [multiple voices]
>> see how positive he is?
>> we will place our faith in him.
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> move adjourn.
>> second.
>> all in favor?
that passes unanimously, also.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 2:00 PM