Travis County Commissioners Court
February 19, 2008
Item 1
Number 1 is a public hearing to receive comments -- receive input from residents of Travis County regarding their needs related to the use of program year 2008 community development block grant funds from the united states department of housing and urban development, office of community planning and development, that are required to be used in the unincorporated areas.
>> move that the public hearing be opened.
>> second.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. And Commissioner eckhardt will miss today's meeting.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, christie moffat, health and human services service. Today we are here to receive input from residents regarding their needs for program year 2008 with the community development block grant. Travis County is expecting to receive its third year funding for cdbg. This money comes from the u.s. Department of housing and urban development. This public hearing is a part of a series of hearings conducted to help the county development it's annual action plan to determine how to spend the upcoming year's allocation. Who benefits from cdbg? It's low to moderate income residents in the unincorporated areas, at least 70% of our funds must target low to moderate income residents as defined by h.u.d. In terms of eligible activities, cdbg can carry out a wide range of community development activities that's included but not limited to economic development, public services, redevelopment or improvements, planning and housing activities. Items that or activities that cdbg generally cannot assist with are acquisition construction or reconstruction of buildings for the general conduct of government, construction of new housing by units of general local government, certain income payments and political activities. In August of 2007, the Commissioners court revised the high priorities of the 2006-2010 consolidated plan, setting seven different areas as high priorities for the investment of community development block grants for a five-year period. Those high priorities are water and sewer improvements, street improvements, owner housing, production of new residents, owner housing rehabilitation of existing units, infrastructure to support affordable housing development, youth services and public services, other. For program year 2008, we are expecting to receive $833,185. This is a different amount than was originally publicized of 800 -- approximately $856,000. That amount was an estimate provided by h.u.d. In October. Subsequently since the advertisement we have received notification of the award and it's actually 833,000 rather than $856,000. Cdbg can spend up to 20% of its allocation annually on administration and planning activities, up to 15% on public services, and the rest a minimum of 65% on development activities. In terms of the funding that has been previously allocated by Commissioners court for years 1 and 2, cdbg has provided funding for owner housing, production of new units through land acquisition, water and wastewater project for north ridge acres, street improvements to substandard roads in apache shores, social work service expansion in unincorporated areas. Water, sewer and other prisons, grant administration through the general fund.
>> ms. Moffett, what's the deadline for spending in year one funding?
>> it's actually -- we have to look at our full line of credit with cdbg and so we can't have any more than one and a half times our allocation 10 months into a grand year. So -- so technically program year can live on for several months or several years. It just depends on how quickly we're spending other dollars. So -- so there's actually not an expiration date.
>> we're in good shape on year one funding.
>> that is correct, yes.
>> thank you.
>> in terms of how projects are prioritized we take interests identified by the Commissioners court, also citizens suggestions in public hearings and surveys, we enter those into a list of possible projects identified, then we funnel those through h.u.d. National objectives, regulations, eligible activities. We enter into a scoring matrix where we evaluate the feasibility of projects, then we present that to Commissioners court and Commissioners court makes final selections of the projects. So the actions for public comment today are to identify cdbg -- which cdbg high priorities need to be addressed in program year 2008 and identify any specific project ideas.
>> this is a first public hearing that would be -- there will be many others.
>> yes, this is the first of five regarding this part of the citizens participation process.
>> some of these hearings are required by h.u.d., the others are encouraged.
>> correct.
>> so we normally have numerous public hearings, one at the courthouse here and we try to take the public hearings to residents in various parts of the county.
>> correct.
>> okay.
>> okay, this is a public hearing. Would anyone like to give testimony during this public hearing? Community development block grant funding for 2009 is the subject matter.
>> judge good morning, Commissioners, gus pena. I don't live in the areas that are specified for this funding but I do have family and friends that live out in the areas, one of them where water service needs to be improved. Streets need to be paved, but, you know, I’ve always been supportive of youth services, youth programs for many years since I was at johnston high school more than 35, 38, 39 years ago actually, but anyway more funding for affordable housing, that's a given for housing and housing repair. A lot of units out there are in need of -- of big repair and I also spoke to -- to our former secretary of h.u.d., henry cisneros, who used to be our mayor, the mayor in san antonio. And I -- I voiced my concern about the concerns that the community had in these areas, not enough funding is being allocated to our area over here. I only speak about our area, I don't speak about any other counties or whatever. But those concerns were related to the secretary of h.u.d. In washington that we went to washington on these issues, also, when it first came out last year. So -- so more money needs to be done, but I think -- I think you all are doing a good job, bringing in as much money as we can so h.u.d. Can allocate those. As we spoke to the under secretary of h.u.d., more needs to be done for our community. Having said that, youth services, programs, affordable housing, things mentioned as priorities already, already on the list, but need to be emphasized strongly to improve the quality of life of the people there in those areas. That's all that I have to say. I was just questioning where it says here administration and planning, 20%, $166,637. I’m not quite sure what that is all about. If you can explain to the community, also a lot of people do not have computers, do not have capable. So these -- do not have cable, these public hearing notices are not carried to them via any communication method. We can improve that method to communicate to the people they don't know when the public hearings will be held and when that would be most appreciative. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> do you want me to respond that?
>> we provide notices in the papers. In areas that target the unincorporated areas. We also provide postings at the 7 Travis County community centers and we try to send out information to anyone who has attended a public hearing in the past. So that they are aware of the activities that are occurring with cdbg.
>> we are still going to have the one at the precinct one satellite 1 building out on johnny morris, right? Gus, I think you preside in precinct 1, don't you?
>> no, sir. I’m in 4. But I have family and relatives in 1.
>> where he want to make sure they know that the satellite 1 office on johnny morris road will be the -- be the place where -- where we normally have our meetings. I don't think that's changed any.
>> no. After we finish receiving all of the comment, I have a couple of slides that will actually put all of the dates and locations for the remaining four hearings.
>> okay.
>> thank you, Commissioner.
>> anybody else to give testimony during this public hearing? Yes, sir.
>> thank you, judge. My name is michael willard, executive director of ace habitat for humanity. I’m here to speak to you today just on the priorities that you all have outlined for the cdbg funding. Let me just echo again or let me just first of all start out by saying thank you for the support that the Commissioners court has provided habitat and the acquisition of properties in the past. But what we have been able to do right now is just a small step and what is needed is much more efforts at funding spent on affordable housing in -- in Travis County. We know that there are almost 50% of the -- of the renters in Travis County are paying more than 30% of their income for the -- for the rental units that they are getting. Now, most of you all know, that -- that if you are paying more than 30% of your income on a rental unit or your housing, you are cost burdened by h.u.d. Standards. Here we're looking at nrjs community that almost half of the folks who are doing the renting are having to pay more than that 30% of their income for housing. The need for affordable housing in our community is great. We also if we look down the road about the growth of central Texas. We know that more people are coming here, the need for affordable housing for those folks is going to continue to go up. As we look into the future. So I ask you today to continue to fund affordable housing in terms of the acquisition of land, providing the infrastructure and the development of units as part of your cdbg plan.
>> thanks.
>> thank you very much for your time.
>> thank you.
>> anybody else for citizens communication? I’m sorry. For the public hearing in item no. 1. A little different than citizens communication.
>> move that the public hearing be closed.
>> second.
>> I don't think she finished it.
>> yeah, let me --
>> if it's okay for me to -- we have upcoming public hearings in the precincts. There are 4. In precinct 1 it's Thursday, February 21st.
>> could you give that address publicly. A lot of folks don't know exactly where the satellite office building is.
>> 10 r satellite office, 9301 johnny morris road in Austin.
>> thank you.
>> precinct 2 is Monday, February 25th, 2008 at 6:30. That's at the Travis County community center at 15822-foot hills farm loop, building d in Pflugerville. The precinct 3 public hearing is Wednesday, February 27th, 2008, at 6:30 at the west world community center at 8656 a highway 71 west, south a, oak hill, Texas. And the final hearing is in precinct 4, Monday, March 3rd, at 6:30. At the south rural community center at 3518 f.m. 973 in del valle. And then once we hear about all of the needs, we'll compile that data, provide it to Commissioners court along with -- with all of the different project ideas that we have received and we will request that Commissioners court select the projects. We will put an action plan out for public comment on a proposed uses and we expected that those tentative dates of those public hearings will be July 1st and July 22nd and of course that's the -- upon approval of the Commissioners court. That's it.
>> do we have a list of the neighborhood associations in the unincorporated areas?
>> I did not. But we can work with t.n.r. And see if we can get a list of that.
>> that may be a good idea
>> okay. Anybody else for this public hearing? Move to close the public hearing second.
>> motion to close, seconded by Commissioner Daugherty. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you very much.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 8:09 PM