Travis County Commissioners Court
January 4, 2005
Housing Finance Corporation
Now let's call to order the Travis County housing finance corporation. 1. Consider and take appropriate action on request to elect officers of the corporation. This is something that we do annually. I hadn't thought about it a whole lot. Anybody else.
>> I move the Biscoe slate, which is the officer that's we currently have are doing an excel leapt job. I would reurge their nomination.
>> I would.
>> is that what you had in mind mr. Davis.
>> I didn't have anything in mind on this issue here, it's the board's decision.
>> leave the politics to us.
>> yes, sir.
>> that's why I’m in favor. All in favor? Show commissions and directors Davis, Sonleitner, yours truly voting in favor. [laughter] and Daugherty. Passes by unanimous vote.
>> see what kind of a rise I can get out of you. [laughter]
>> are you arguing for a different slate.
>> you would have been taking me out of my misery [laughter] if you defeated mr. Davis' recommendation. 2. Consider and take appropriate action on request to approve contract with southwest key program, inc.
>> good afternoon, I’m harvey Davis, manager of the corporation. And on -- on August 10th of this year, you approved a -- a $100,000 commitment for southwest key to assist them in the construction of a facility on jane street near johnston high school. And so -- so they -- I have a contract that's been prepared by cliff blunt asking the board to approve the contract. I believe the contract does contain the -- the sentiments of the board, but if it's okay, I would like to briefly go through the provisions of the contract.
>> okay.
>> the $100,000 is payable in two installments. One -- they are eligible for $50,000 in this fiscal year and then an additional $50,000 after octobe 31st, 2005. The release, the initial release of the first $50,000 is conditional. Mainly on -- that they actually start construction of the facilities so that the desire of the board is that funds aren't released until we -- until we are pretty certain that there -- they actually have sufficient funds in position to construct the facility on jane street. They do have in the contract quarterly report commitments to the board, the first quarterly report is due after December 31st, 2004. The reports become annual reports after December 31st, 2005. And they run through 2008 and -- and they -- they do -- exhibit a of the contract contains -- contains the -- the services that they are expected to provide at the facilities. In general the services are the programs that they had talked about when we met with the board last summer. The main services being the contracts that they have with Travis County for juvenile counseling. Then finally they are -- they are to provide recognition to the corporation if they choose to have a black for recognition on people who have contributed to the facilities, the corporation would be included. They are people from southwest key are here to answer any questions that you may have and I think that they would like to make a very short update to the board of where they are with the program dr. Cavasos and veronica delgado savage are here to make that short presentation.
>> good afternoon.
>> good afternoon, judge and commissions, we are happy to be here with you this afternoon. A brief update on our progress. We are very excited about our -- about our project in east Austin to serve youth and families in east Austin. Particularly there in jane lane, johnston govalle terrace neighborhood. We are happy to share with you that we have raised approximately 75% of the funding needed for this project and from different foundations and other government entities and we are -- we are headed to the final stretch to get the -- the final fund thank we need to -- final funding that we need to complete this project. We are going to schedule the ground breaking for March of this year and you will all be getting an invite for this ground breaking. Our counsel has met with us and is very excited about this project. We are here to finalize this contract and to answer any questions that you might have. D is there anything that you wanted to add?
>> I would just like to update as far as additional funds that we have received over the last few months. I know representative lloyd doggett's office has awarded southwest key $97,000 for this project. As well as the city of Austin has -- has waved all of our fees, all of other building and permit fees in support of this project as well as we are still working with the city of Austin and the -- working very closely with us through their ncnp program to get us the $624,000 loan at zero percent interest over 25 years to be paid after the fifth year, they are really working with us on making this happen. So we can continue to provide the services for our families. Then we are currently in the process of -- of working very closely with the dell family foundation and the mettis foundation on completing proposals to them, they asked a lot of detailed collections, so it's been a long process, but we are confident that we will be able to get some hopefully the rest of the funding from those pursuits.
>> you have had a chance to review the contract now under consideration?
>> we have. Judge, we actually have our attorney working with, mr. Davis' office, priscilla that has been working with us.
>> any issues?
>> no issues.
>> last time we discussed this matter in court there seemed to be a little division in the -- in the full neighborhood out there, including new operation. Is there a neighborhood healing subcommittee.
>> we actually have.
>> there's been actually an additional neighborhood association developed in that area, too. Now there's actually two. We have tipped to invite the neighborhood association people that had an issue with this and we continue to just keep them abreast of some of the situations, we really be haven't been out there as much -- you know, we have been working more with johnston high school and been involved in supporting that process right now because of all of the issue that's have been going on this fall, but we are also worked very closely with the other neighborhood association, that's right actually across, it's called the johnston terrace boggy creek neighborhood association and they have also been very involved and have come to some of our youth summit that's we've had at pastor snead's church, they are supportive of the project, too.
>> I should add as we stated earlier, when the vote was taken and state again today in that the healing process as you noted, judge, is ongoing and we will continue that.
>> yes.
>> tell me what the total price should be of the project, building project.
>> 4.8 memorandum of understanding.
>> and what -- what is the -- what is the -- you say that the fee waiver from the city of Austin is one of the things that they have brought to the table, what amount of fees would $4.8 million have been.
>> it's approximately $24,000.
>> then they also helped you to do something else?
>> they were, as we stated earlier, we had come forth with a loan, excuse me, a grant for $367,000 before the 24,000 and now they have come forth with a -- with an opportunity for an ncmp loan at zero percent interest for $624,000. To be paid out in the next 25 years as ms. Delgado savage alluded to.
>> then you have the fee of the cost avoidance related to the fees.
>> that's correct. It's connected very closely to our initial ask of the city, which was a million for this project.
>> is that a -- harvey this might be a -- more of a question of yours, when the city does something like this, where they help secure a -- half a million, three quarter of a million dollar grant, is that something that -- that -- I mean obviously that's not coming from the city of Austin. That they are -- I mean, if they are not using it for this, is there argument that, you know, we would be using it for something else that we may be doing ourselves? I mean, is that sort of the way that you've -- that an organization should look at something like the city securing a grant? I guess there are only so many grants that the city of Austin or that we, you know, can go after.
>> the $367,000 was -- those funds were very competitive. Those are cdbg funds. I've been -- I went to one of their neighborhood association meetings and certainly there are lots of organizations that have many worthwhile projects. So -- so -- there's a long process of -- of just -- that the city has for deciding who gets those funds.
>> we were at the last city council meeting, the Austin city council meeting, and several -- some of the councilmembers, including the mayor, indicated willingness to -- to continue to seek out funding for this project that they support.
>> thanks.
>> anything further? Anybody else here on this item?
>> I would move approval of the contract with southwest key.
>> second.
>> discussion? All in favor? Show commissions Sonleitner, Daugherty, yours truly voting in favor.
>> abstaining, judge. I would like to base that object extension -- base that abstention -- let me say that again. I am definitely in support of southwest key, I think that you are doing an outstanding job. I've had a chance to visit the things that you do with the youth and things in that community. However, I have to abstain basically because of the fact that the representatives of the johnston terrace neighborhood association, that is the office holders, within this association, do not agree on the location of whether the facility -- of where the facility is being constructed and built. From that standpoint I think that I have to continue to support the neighbor associations as far as their contingent on this particular location. So again I do support your concept. I want the record to reflect that. However the abstention is on the location of the new construction within the confines of the neighborhood and I think the representatives have continued to say that. I haven't heard anything different from this point that they are -- that they have changed their position of supporting this. So I’m going to continue to vote consistently on this particular project.
>> okay.
>> keep us posted.
>> director Gomez is absent. Second to the motion to adjourn. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, October 26, 2005 12:11 PM