HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-12-27 94-58 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION
Date: December 29 1993
2tam No. 94-58
Item/Subject: Authorization to Submit Comprehensive Housing Affordability
Strategy (CHAS) and Annual Performance Report for FY 1994 and FY 1995
Responsible Department: Community and Economic Development
See attached Memorandum from the Community Development Director dated
December 15, 1993.
Associated Infeemation:
Oiel A"414'
Finance Director
Legal Approval: Mi
Ci tyV„S/ol gTym
i Ci to
% Passage
First Reading
Referral
Page of
94-58
A Apedto Coundtor Popper December 27, 1993
CITY OF BANGOR
aims MrbeT Authorization to Submit a,Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Strategy (CHAS) and Annual
Performance Report for By 1994 and By 1995
By w Cita Cement! of an ofBavonr:
ORDERED,
THAT
the
City
Council
of
Bangor,
as
the
local
governing
body, hereby authorizes and directs the City Manager to submit to
and file with the Department of Housing and urban Development a
Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) and Annual
Performance Report for the 1994 and 1995 federal fiscal years, a
required by 24 CPR Part 91 of the federal regulations. A copy of
the completed CHAS and Annual Performance Report shall be placed on
file with the City Clerk and be available for public review.
9¢-50
O ROER
IN CITY COUNCIL
December 27, 1993
p Title, Authorization
it to Submit a Com(CHAS)
and sive Housing nce Report
Strangy199 (GRAS) and Annual
Performance Report ... .. .... and .. 1995
CITY- 'ERK......................................
.......................................... '
............. I: I r ................
// Councilman
94-58
MEMORANDUM
TO: Community a Economic Development Committee
FROM: Rodney McKay, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS)
DATE: December 15, 1993
To maintain its eligibility for federal programs available
through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
Title I of the National Affordable Housing Act requires the City to
prepare and submit to BUT a Comprehensive Housing Affordability
Strategy (CHAS).- The CHAS is a comprehensive planning document
that identifies the City's needs for affordable and supportive
housing and addresses a strategy to address those needs.
The CRAB contains 14 elements which:
1. Describe the City's housing needs and market
conditions,
2. Set out a five year strategy that establishes
priorities for meeting those needs,
3. Identify resources anticipated to be available for
the provision of affordable and sportive housing,
and
4. Establish a short-term investment plan that
outlines the intended uses of resources.
To receive funding from HUD for.any of the programs listed
below, an applicant, whether the City of Bangor or another entity
such as the Bangor Housing Authority or other nonprofit
organizations located in Bangor, must include in its application a
certification that it is consistent with the City's CHAR. The HUD
programa affected are:
1. 1 HOME Program (Available to states and cites with
populations over 50,000. Funds can be used to
acquire, rehabilitate - or construct affordable
housing and provide tenant based rental
assistance.)
2. HOPE 1 (Public Housing Homeownership) Program
3. HOPE 2 (Homeownership of Multifamily Unite) Program
4. HOPE 3 (Homeownership of Single Family Homes)
Program
94-58
S. HOPE for Youth (Youthbuild) Program
6. Community Development Block Grant Programs
7. Low -Income Housing Preservation Program (State -
administrated)
8. Shelter Plus Care Program
9. Supportive. Housing for the Elderly (Section 202)
Program
10. Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Program
11. Emergency Shelter Grants Program
12. Safe Havens for Homeless Individuals Program
13. Supportive Housing Program
14. Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy
Program
15. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program
16. Rural Homeless Grant Program
17. Revitalization of Severely Distressed Public
Housing Program
RECOM4:HDED CHAS STRATEGY
Severely reduced levels of federal funding to support
affordable housing make it extremely difficult for communities to
address the needs that exist.. In general terms, themstrategies
proposed in this CHAS to increase affordable housing opportunities
for low-income, elderly, homeless and disabled persons are:
1. Rehabilitation ofexisting housing to:
a. Preserve the existing housing stock;
L. Correct code violations and life safety
deficiencies;
C. Increaseergy efficiency and
maintainability
d. Remove accessibility barriers to persons with
disabilities;
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e. Modify vacant space for use as affordable'
housing which will pay full property taxes;
I. Increase the capacity of existing emergency
shelters, transitional housing, supportive -
housing, group homes, and independent living
centers.
Rehabilitation will be financed through
available federal and.state programs such as HOB's
Community Development Block Grants (COED), EOE's
weatherization Program, IRS low-income housing tax
credits, and MENA- shelter, property owner and
rental property assistance programs.
2. Rental subsidies for very low-income persons who
have a rent burden greater than 30& of household
income, when the occupied living units pay full
property taxes. Rental subsidies will be provided
by HUD's Section 8 Existing Housing Rental
Assistance Certificates and Vouchers, when
available. Temporary rental assistance will
continue to be provided through the State and
locally -funded General Assistance Program when such
assistance is required to prevent homelessness.
3. Acpuisition by the City of surplus and vacant tax-
exempt housing units for use
e by the City and
participating non -profits fortransitional housing
for the homeless. The City's acquisition of excess
Charleston Family Housing units is the primary
example of such acquisition.
4. New Construction of affordable housing when:
a. Existing affordable housing is inadequate or
unavailable to prevent homelessness;
b. New construction will pay full property taxes;
C. New construction will not displace existing
taxable housing;
d. New construction allows greater geographic and
locational choice;
e. New construction conforms to zoning, land use
plan and ABA requirements; -
f. New construction does not require unplanned
expansion or extension of public and utility
infrastructure.
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94-58 . "
New construction of affordable housing will be
carried out by either for-profit developers who
receive a federal financial incentive, or by non-
profits who receive subsidized financing from HUD
and/or MBNA preferably at terms which permit an
after debt -service cash flow adequate for the
payment of property taxes.
S. Provision of support facilities and serviceo, by
means of the continued:
a. Operation .of the Health and welfare
Department's Domestic Violence Shelter;
b. operation of the Children's Dental Clinic;
C. Operation of the General Assistance Program;
d. Operation of the Greater Bangor Ride Program
subsidized transportation voucher program;
e. Operation of the Bangor School Department's
Homeless Education Project;
f. Operation of the Bangor School Department's
After School Latch Key Program;
g. United way and Combined Charitable Campaign
support of non-profit health and social
service providers;
h. Availability of the State of Maine Circuit
Breaker Program to assist low-income property
tax payers with a high tax liability relative
to income.
Although the City has prepared and adopted two five year CHAS
documents in the last 2 1/2 years, the last being 170 pages long,
changes in administrations, legislation, and the recent
availability of 199D census information require that's completely
new CHAS be adopted and submitted no later than December 31st.
Another new five year CHAS will be required next year when the
Clinton administration initiates its new policy consolidating all
presently required HUD submissions.
The complete document, expected to be near 200 pages in
length, will be completed and on file in the City Clerk's office
prior to the December 2?th City Council meeting.