Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, February 15, 2011,
Item 1
Item number 1 is a public hearing to receive the community development block grant availability -- available from h.u.d.
regarding the community needs and project ideas for the unincorporated areas of Travis County for program year 2011 and funding priorities for program years 2011-2013.
>> move the public hearing be open.
>> second.
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote with Commissioner Gomez temporarily absent.
>> good morning, christy moffett, Travis County health and human services.
today we're hear to talk about community project ideas for two different areas of information.
the first is related to consolidated planning which covers October of 2011 through September of 2014.
and during the consolidated plan we establish funding objectives and set performance indicators for the three-year time period.
additionally today we're also wanting to talk about the next year's budget, so for program year 2011.
it's something that we do annually.
we receive input from residents, service providers and county departments.
we establish ideas for projects to fund and then the community also informs us about their needs and we use that as a part of the consolidated plan needs section.
in terms of opportunities for input, there are five public hearings that are being held this week and next week.
the first one is today here at Commissioners court.
then there's one tomorrow at the south row community center at 1:30 p.m., Thursday at 1:30 and next week the 23rd one at the east rural center and the last one is Thursday February 24th at the Travis County community center in Pflugerville.
so during the public hearings, the public can prioritize funding areas and identify project ideas for program year 2011 and also determine funding areas or funding priorities for program years 2011 to 2013.
if you are not able to attend a public hearing, we have available on the website and also available to mail out to you if you would like to call us and request one a participation form, and basically what this does is it mimics a public hearing without you actually having to travel to one.
and so this has been very successful for us over the last couple of years and we've received more input from people who weren't able to make it for numerous reasons.
additionally there's also a project proposal form that allows neighborhoods, county departments or agencies who have a specific project idea to fill out so that we can consider it and bring it to Commissioners court for consideration.
for funding.
and then in terms of how projects are prioritized, we get project ideas from a variety of different sources, then we look at those projects and determine whether or not they meet h.u.d.
national objectives and regulations and is it a eligible activity, and then we also put it through evaluation criteria.
I will say that traditionally we have the evaluation criteria approved in January, but because we are going through a new consolidated planning process, we will be coming to Commissioners court in April to request that the court consider and approve new evaluation criteria so that when we come back to the Commissioners court in June for project selection we know under what criteria to bring those recommendations forward.
in terms of cdbg basics, the purpose is improve affordable housing options, to improve community facilities and services and revitalize neighborhoods and at least 70% of funds must benefit residents with low to moderate income and also live in the unincorporated areas.
and there's a map of the unincorporated area.
eligible activities through economic development, redevelopment, which is considered improvements, public services, planning and housing.
ineligible activities generally are acquisitions, construction and reconstruction for the general conduct of government, construction of new housing.
in terms of cdbg priorities, the staff took a look at what we had done in our first consolidated planning process and also looked at other jurisdictions.
and so what we've done is we've rolled up the priorities into six different areas rather than I think we had 30 different options through our first consolidated planning period.
those possible priority areas are business and jobs, community services, housing, infrastructure, public buildings and facilities, and populations with specialized needs or services.
in terms of funding for program year 2011, I will say that it is up in the air so the federal budget, we're under continuing resolution right now and so we are not sure the amount of money that we're looking for in terms of planning and for program year 2011.
we are anticipating a cut in funding.
and you know, we've heard various things from, you know, 7%, 25%, there's -- it's really hard to tell at this moment in time and so as soon as we are aware of funding amount that we will be receiving for next year, we will notify the court and we will also make all the decisions based on that funding amount once we receive it.
>> christy, to that, just a bug in the ear, there was some conversation about that among the c.a.n.
partners on Friday, that many are concerned about the cdbg cuts, how they are going to affect the county and the city and there was discussion we could pickup up, and deece eckstein was there, about getting all the legislative consultants to look at what could be coordinated in terms of federal level lobbying.
>> we're getting father --getting information and we'll continue to pass that forward.
>> thanks so much for that.
>> how do we notify the public where each one of these publichearings will be held.
some of these have limited capabilities, but as far as those persons who may not have access to computers, how do we let them know that we're having a public hearing in a certain area?
>> we've done is all the community centers post notices.
they also -- we send out mail, notices to anybody who has ever attended a public hearing in the past.
we also use email notices in that same way.
it's running on the Travis County television.
there's notice letting them know the public hearings are coming up.
and we also put things in newspapers.
so we put them in many of the newspapers that target the -- you know, outside the city of Austin because that's where we're focusing.
>> and if there is a telephone number that a person may need to call to get additional information, what would that telephone number be?
>> that number is 854-3460 and that's my phone number and they can just call and leave a message and I will call them back and let them know.
okay?
>> thank you.
>> you're welcome.
in terms of cdbg project history, the program has funded -- affordable housing development, some rehabilitation, home buyer assistance, general public services, youth planning and planning and administration.
so looking forward in terms of the spring of 2011 and the next steps how do we get to turn in this annual report or the annual plan and consolidated plan, so we'll have our five public hearings in February and March.
we are also are requiring submission of project ideas for March 31 for consideration for program year 2011.
in April staff will come to Commissioners court and request approval of the priority areas and strategic direction for the consolidated plan.
during that time staff will also evaluate project ideas based on the Commissioners court direction.
in June staff will come to Commissioners court and request approval for project ideas.
that will go out for public -- for public comments for 30 days.
we'll also have two public hearings, and then final approval of projects and the final document needs to occur by August 15th.
for
>> [indiscernible].
and then there's my contact information.
>> any questions from the court?
we are posted to have a public hearing to receive input from residents regarding community needs and project ideas for cdbg funds.
dr. Kim.
>> yes, sir.
the page how are project prioritized, the resident groups, who are they, who will choose the residents groups?
>> the resident groups self-identify and they turn in a project proposal.
so, for example, if there's a neighborhood who thinks that their roads are really in poor condition, then what they can do is if they have a neighborhood association or a group of residents who have a concern, they can fill out the project proposal and then send it in to us.
>> any individual may join the groups?
>> this is for a specific neighborhood to organize themselves.
so if --
>> must be organized?
>> well, I mean in terms of just agreeing that they need to have their roads improved.
>> must be
>> [inaudible] groups or individuals may be join in this program?
>> they can put in a project proposal.
>> who will decide in.
>> staff makes recommendations and the Commissioners court makes the final decision.
>> and you have a public hearing.
how will you conduct a public hearing?
>> I can talk with you off line to give you -- we have a process that looks very different than what we do today.
so the public hearings that we do out in the precincts look very different that are held in the evenings and I'm happy to talk to you about that.
>> thank you.
and the public hearing includes citizens communication right here?
>> yes, just like right now.
>> okay.
thank you, sir.
>> this is one of those public hearings.
right.
anybody else to provide input?
>> move the public hearing be closed.
oh, sorry, got somebody.
>> > I understand some of the funding will come --
>> name, please.
>> miss artemus.
I understand some of the funding will come from h.u.d.
>> all of the funding will come from h.u.d.
>> okay.
well, I know it sounds counter intuitive to recommend turning down h.u.d.
funding, especially since I'm currently homeless; however, I became homeless directly due to a serious crime committed against me and it was precisely h.u.d.
funded organizations which perpetuated my homeless status because they stood to gain from doing so.
I even went so far as to visit the houston h.u.d.
field office in person in order to report some of the criminal activities of certain h.u.d.
funded entities.
yet that office showed no diligence whatsoever in investigating nor in prosecuting those h.u.d.
funded crimes.
worse, it tried to feed me back into the h.u.d.
funded human slave trafficking system.
so I commend you for trying to help solve the many problems in these communities, but I am going to ask you get some kind of alternative source of funding.
>> thank you very much.
>> anybody else?
please come forward.
Commissioner Davis moves that the public hearing closed.
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote: thank you.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, February, 2011 2:19 PM
