Travis County Commissioners Court
February 17, 2009, 2009
Travis County Housing Finance Corporation
Now let's call to order the Travis County housing finance corporation 1.
consider and take appropriate action on request for home-buyers who purchase a home through Austin habitat to treat their sweat equity as an investment of $500.00 in their home.
>> good afternoon, him harvey Davis, manager of the corporation.
one of the requirements of our down payment program is that the home opener has to invest at least 500.
austin habitat, who is -- has not used the program to date, but does want to, has requested that -- that their home buyers be allowed to substitute their sweat equity for the 500 investment and we -- we do -- we recommend that the board approve that request with the rationale that 400 hours of sweat equity is worth more than 500.
>> move approval.
>> how do they document the sweat equity?
>> well, that's a requirement for the home buyer to be able to purchase the home through their program.
so they --
>> how do they show it?
let's say that home john doe home buyer, I get my 400 hours in.
what document is available to show that?
>> mike gonzalez with the corporation.
we actually did do -- or myself did an audit of Austin habitat a while back.
the records they maintain are pretty precise, almost like time cards they fill out.
so anyone who does do any type of work on the -- on the home that they are working on, they do document the date and the time and how much time was actually put into it.
i think even details what type of work was done while on site or what phase, so it's pretty extensive documentation.
>> we'll have documentation in the file to show is it 400 hours?
>> yes, it is.
>> okay.
>> move approval.
>> motion by director Gomez to approve.
>> second.
>> discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
i thought that was a real, real simple question, y'all.
number 2.
consider and take appropriate action on request to approve payment to Texas department of housing and community affairs.
>> and the payment amount is $500 and the reason is that our consultant, who -- who -- whose job is to -- to assess each home buyer, make sure that -- that the home buyer fits all the requirements of the program and to inspect the closing document, the h.u.d.
1, to make sure that they are all in order before the loan -- before our assistance is provided.
she made a mistake because the -- she has paid $500 per closing at the closing and these funds -- and this particular case the funds came out of the -- from the seller.
and -- and that is against the rules of the program.
and so we're required to -- to repay the state the funds that were paid the consultant and she acknowledged her mistake and has -- has reimbursed the corporation $500, so that money is in the bank and so -- so the corporation is not out any money, but the consultant lost her fee on it.
>> that's why I move approval.
>> second.
>> discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
3.
consider and take appropriate action on request to prepare a grant application for funding from the Texas department of housing and community affairs for a 2009/2010 home-buyer assistance program.
our current program, which started in August, was for 40 homes.
and we had two years to use those funds.
all the funds have been reserved.
we have -- we have really in the last -- 30 to 45 days have had a -- a tremendous run on it.
i mean, more than half of -- have been reserved in the last month or so.
so -- so I'm -- I'm requesting permission to prepare another grant application with the state to -- to seek additional funds.
the -- this -- the grant that we started in August was for $300,000, which is the most that we can ask for, for this home buyer assistance program.
and so -- so we would prepare a grant and come back fairly shortly with the -- asking you to approve the grant application.
the -- I have kind of a basic outline of -- of what the grant would -- the sources and uses of funds for the grant that we would recommend when we -- when we on -- when we came back with a completed application.
i think the main -- the main recommendation that we would be making is whether -- whether to do the qualification in house or continue to use our consultant.
and the consultant who has done an excellent job, in spite of the $500 mistake in the previous agenda item, she does really a good job and has been our consultant for several grant cycles.
i feel like we have a really good team as far as doing these grants.
correctly and efficiently.
and building up good relationships.
but -- but there are also some good reasons to do it in-house.
so -- so we haven't come down on making a recommendation on that issue.
>> thank you.
at the appropriate time, there will be a --
>> [laughter] -- a properly worded agenda item.
>> that's right.
>> that's why I move approval of the request to file the grant application for 300,000, right?
>> yes.
>> that a nice round number.
>> yes, sir.
>> any more discussion?
any more delay, mr.
davis?
>> [laughter]
>> all in favor?
>> not at this time.
>> that passes by unanimous vote.
item no.
four today, the final item, consider and take appropriate action on request to pay to fund 475, contractual capital projects, of the Travis County transportation and natural resources department for kennedy ridge water supply corporation utility relocation project.
we don't say the amount here, but the amount is 105 --
>> let me get that.
>> 105377.
>> it's 104377.
>> 104 or 105.
>> I just verified that a second time, it's 104,377.
>> 104?
>> yes.
>> all right.
>> here's my thinking on this, it's like a 51/49 percent for me.
but we have a lot more flexibility with this money in the housing finance corporation than in general fund allocated reserve.
that's why I would take it from allocated reserve, which is where we've done the others.
that's legal, right?
>> well, you would do a budget transfer, yes.
but this company would still owe you the money.
just because you do the budget transfer does not make that go away.
now, if the corporation paid it, yes.
Travis County would not have to worry about it any longer.
>> the auditor's concern is that it be in the right transportation, right t.n.r.
line item.
>> and then as long as you are still willing that Travis County will get paid back $20 a month, however long it takes, that's what they have offered you.
maybe they will offer more in the coming years.
but all that achieves for you is a budget transfer and it solves his grant line item problem.
>> you still have an accounts receivable, which at some point will be a problem in the future.
>> so, in essence, this motion is to -- made the motion to allow $104,377 to be placed in fund 475, would that take care of that?
>> if it's from the housing --
>> from the Travis County housing finance corporation.
>> it will wipe out the accounts receivable.
>> right.
>> hum.
so the difference between this and the others, in the others there never was a loan or anything, it was just from the allocated reserve directly.
>> exactly.
>> uh-huh.
well, 49 just went to 50 I guess.
or 50.000009.
>>
>> [laughter]
>> Commissioner Davis moves that we authorize use of these funds from the Travis County housing finance corporation.
>> second.
>> right?
>> yes in the amount of $104,377.
>> seconded by director Gomez.
discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you.
>> move adjournment.
>> second.
>> all in favor?
>> wait.
>> we have an added item.
>> there's another item.
we had item 5 add-on.
>> I don't know that I have that then.
>> is that that a 1.
>> it the item 5 --
>> item 5.
>> on the agenda.
>> I didn't receive that.
>> it's on the back.
>> okay.
>> okay.
all right.
it's not on mine, either.
>> on page 7.
>> on page 7 of the agenda, on my agenda.
>> not on mine.
>> not on mine, either.
>> the staff always did like you better than me.
>> [laughter].
number 5, the added item, is to consider and take appropriate action on the following, a, a progress report regarding the visitation center at the Travis County community justice center; and b, request for the budget increase for the construction of the visitation center.
>> good afternoon, roger el khoury, director of facilities management department.
the construction of the visitation center basically is finished.
the only thing left as we discussed earlier is the sidewalk and two parking space on existing asphalt.
and I believe that once we construct those two items and the facility will be ready for the tdlr inspection, which is the a.d.a.
inspection.
i think it's going to pass.
so that's what we are asking right now to secure the fund up to $5,000, not going to be more than that, to have the sidewalk, 64 linear feet of sidewalk, about 256 square feet of asphalt and signs for the -- for the handicapped and wheel stop for the two parking spaces.
i don't believe it's going to cost up to 5,000, but it's going to be between 4,000 and 5.
but it doesn't increase in our budget.
so we can get this done in two weeks by the end of the month.
>> our problem is that we have already spent 250,000?
>> 27 -- I'm sorry.
>> 250,000 of housing finance corporation money.
>> 275.
>> 275.
>> then we add 25,000 from -- from -- from mr.
-- so 300,000 total?
i thought the total was like 275.
>> the total is just under 275 spent, we received 25,000.
so the net is just under 250.
>> from housing finance.
>> right.
>> that's the thing.
we need there would be handicapped accessibility issues and some relief required.
this little drive is kind of a little bit more than I anticipated.
but we've had it reduced after negotiations with the state.
>> yes.
>> and we finally heard from the facilities people at the state and they -- they seem to think that what we have in mind is -- is adequate, also.
>> that's correct.
we send them the -- the site plan, less time, they sent back the same day the approval of the layout for the handicapped area.
>> yeah.
>> and everything is ready except for this and us using it basically.
that's why I move approval.
>> second.
>> thank you.
>> mr.
davis, any supportive comments?
>> the corporation is able to come up with the additional funds.
$5,000.
>> any opposing comments?
>> no.
>> thank you, mr.
davis.
>> you are welcome.
>> one of my favorite managers at the county, by the way.
any more discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
>> now move adjourn.
>> all in favor?
passes by unanimous vote, too, thank you all, very, very much.
now, let's call back to order the voting session of the Travis County Commissioners court.
and lad patillo and others were in the hallway and they have joined us in the courtroom.
and they are here on number 26.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 2:10 PM