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  County Administrator's Report     12. 4.    
BCC Regular Meeting Budget & Finance Consent  
Meeting Date: 08/01/2019  
Issue:    Escambia Consortium 2019 Annual Action Plan
From: TONYA GREEN
Department: Neighborhood & Human Svcs  
CAO Approval:

RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation Concerning the Escambia Consortium 2019 Annual Action Plan - Tonya Green, Neighborhood & Human Services Department Director 

That the Board take the following action concerning the Escambia Consortium Florida 2019 Annual Action Plan:

A. Approve the Escambia Consortium Florida 2019 Annual Action Plan for Housing and Community Development, detailing the use of 2019 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, in the amount of $1,434,463, and 2019 HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds, in the amount of $1,094,533; and

B. Authorize the County Administrator to execute all Escambia Consortium Florida 2019 Annual Action Plan Forms, Certifications, and related documents, as required to submit the Plans to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and authorize the County Administrator or Chairman, as appropriate, to execute documents required to receive and implement the 2019 CDBG and 2019 HOME Programs.

[Funding:  Fund 129/CDBG, Cost Centers 370234 and 370235; Fund 147/HOME, Cost Center 370271]
BACKGROUND:
Escambia County, in conjunction with other members of the Escambia Consortium (comprised of Escambia County, the City of Pensacola, and Santa Rosa County), has prepared the Escambia Consortium 2019 Annual Action Plan, which incorporates the specific funding Applications of all member jurisdictions for the CDBG and HOME Programs for that Fiscal Year. Plan activities must support the five year Consolidated Plan that was prepared and approved in 2015. A full copy of Annual Action Plan is attached as Exhibit I, with the funding and activities that will encompass the HUD Program Year extending from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020. A summary of annual activities to be financed with 2019 CDBG and HOME resources is provided in Exhibit II. Activities listed in the Annual Action Plan are also in support of the County's Comprehensive Plan Housing Element and the County's Community Redevelopment Area Plans.

A public notice regarding preparation of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Plan was published in the Pensacola News Journal on March 7, 2019, to initiate the public participation process in order to receive public input, comments and agency proposals or recommendations concerning housing and community development needs and priorities in the area. A public hearing was held in Escambia County on March 26 and a public hearing was held in Santa Rosa County on March 21. Following the input phase, the Plans were drafted and made available for public review and comment. The CDBG and HOME activities proposed for funding through the 2019 Annual Action Plan were advertised in the Pensacola News Journal on May 18, for a minimum 30 day comment period, and an additional public meeting was held in Santa Rosa County on May 22 and in Escambia County on May 21 to receive public review, comments and specific input concerning the draft Plans, with comments being accepted through June 18. A summary of the Citizen Participation is included in Section AP-10 of the Plan, with copies of ads and written public comments in the Citizen Participation Addendum included in the Plan.

The final step in the process is to obtain approval of the Plans by all governmental bodies within the Consortium. The City of Pensacola, and Santa Rosa County will approve the Plans during their respective July meetings. Escambia County serves as the lead participating jurisdiction for the Consortium. The Plan is due to HUD on or before August 16, 2019, with HUD approval anticipated October 2019.

The County will not receive Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding which supports homeless activities this Fiscal Year due to falling below HUD's formula threshold for receipt of funds. Funds that would have been received by the County will be distributed to the state for allocation.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
The Annual Action Plan does not commit any County General Fund revenue. The County will directly receive the following amounts for uses specified in the Annual Action Plan and summarized in Exhibit II:

 
FUNDING AMOUNT
CDBG/Fund 129 $1,434,463
HOME/Fund 147 $1,094,533
TOTALS: $2,528,996







For reference, last year's CDBG allocation was $1,552,350; HOME was $1,199,416.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS/SIGN-OFF:
Kristin Hual, Senior Assistant County Attorney, has reviewed and approved the SF-424's and Escambia County Certification forms that must be executed in order to receive HUD funds.
PERSONNEL:
There is no new impact on County personnel or positions as a result of the Board's approval of the Escambia Consortium Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan. Preparation of the Plans and implementation of the CDBG and HOME activities financed hereunder are administered by Neighborhood Enterprise Division staff and/or staff of the Consortium's member jurisdictions.
POLICY/REQUIREMENT FOR BOARD ACTION:
The Annual Action Plan requires formal approval by the Board prior to submission to HUD in order to receive CDBG and HOME funding.
IMPLEMENTATION/COORDINATION:
Completion of the Consolidated Plan process has necessitated extensive coordination with many sectors of the local community, such as public and private affordable housing interests; County departments with respect to CDBG activities; non-profit public service agencies; local public housing authorities; homeless organizations; Escambia County, City of Pensacola, and Santa Rosa County administrative staff; interested citizens; and low/moderate income families.

For reference, the use of CDBG funds must be used for activities that primarily benefit lower income families in areas such as: housing rehabilitation and affordable housing development activities, CDBG eligible public infrastructure improvements, and public services. HOME funds are restricted to activities that produce or preserve affordable housing. 

Attachments
Ex I-2019 HUD Annual Plan
Ex II-HUD Annual Plan Summary

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