Minutes 04-19-04 COMMUNTI'Y DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
PUBLTC PARTZC1'PAI'ZON MEEI'ZNG
HELD ZN COMMZSSZON CHAMBERS, cTrY HALL,
ON MONDAY, APRZL 19, 2004 AT 6:00 P.M.
Opening
Octavia Sherrod, Manager of the Community ~[mprovement Division, City of Boynton
Beach, moderated the meeting that was held for the purpose of explaining the
Community Development Block Grant Program. Ms. Sherrod asked everyone to sign in
so that she would know who had picked up applications.
The meeting commenced at 6:00 p.m. A list of attendees is as follows:
David Zimet
.losephus McDonald
Minister .lames Collins
Steven Miller
Sherry .lohnson
Reverend Ellington
Doris Jackson
Dorothy Davis
Vince Larkins
Teresa Johnson
Katina Thomas
Demetrios Thomas
Ben Bryant
Thomas Tillman
Boynton Beach Faith-Based Community
Development Corporation (CDC)
Boynton Beach Faith-Based CDC, Board Member
Boynton Beach Faith-Based CDC, Board Member
Boynton Beach Faith-Based CDC, Board Member
Community Caring Center
R. M. Lee CDC
Poinciana Heights Neighborhood Association
Palm Beach County Housing Authority
Fair Housing Center of the Greater Palm Beaches
Urban League of Palm Beach County
Palm Beach Elite
Madd Dads of Boynton Beach
Overview of CDBG Program
Ms. Sherrod showed a videotape presentation explaining the history and national
objectives of the CDBG.
Each year, Ms. Sherrod prepares a one-year action plan and in it, tells the federal
government what the City plans to do with its entitlement money. One of the purposes
of this meeting was to get community input on where the money should be expended.
A. History
Ms. Sherrod explained that the City of Boynton Beach was preparing for its eighth year
as an entitlement City under the Community Development Block Grant program. This
program targets aid to Iow and moderate income people, addresses slum and blight,
and is used to meet particularly urgent community requirements. Ms. Sherrod
mentioned the example of 9-11 when CDBG funds were used to rebuild lower Manhattan
in New York, the rebuilding in Florida during the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, and
most recently, assisting the victims of the recent tornado in Riviera Beach.
Meeting Minutes
CDBG Program
Boynton Beach, Florida
April 19, 2004
B. Eligible Activities
Ms. Sherred stated that when the redevelopment plan preceeds in the Heart of Boynton,
CDBG funds will be used to relocate those persons displaced by the redevelopment.
Other eligible uses for CDBG funds are:
Code enforcement - health and safety issues
Construction of housing
Historic preservation
Rehab housing
III. Using Sub-Recipients
Each year the federal government allows a City to share 15% of the CDBG funds with
the City's service providers, also known as sub-recipients. Some examples of service
providers are the Community Caring Center and the Fair Housing Center of the Palm
Beaches.
:IV. Public Audience
Ms. Teresa 3ohnson, Urban League of Palm Beach County, wanted to encourage
the City of Boynton Beach to include housing counseling as part of its process in the
redevelopment activity. The Urban League has continued to service the citizens of
Boynton Beach, providing critical services such as pre-purchase/homeowner counseling,
education, and utility assistance and asks that the City continue to allow those services
to be available for the citizens threugh the Urban League of Palm Beach County.
Ben Bryant, representing Madd Dads of Boynton Beach, said that his organization
had initiated an academic program at Congress Middle School during the past year and
without the financial support of the CDBG program, the program would not have been
the success that it was. He wanted to thank the Community Tmprovement Office for
going out of its way to offer time and much-needed advice to help his program be
successful.
Sherry 3ohnson, Community Caring Center, explained that the CCC provides
emergency funds to help pay for medication, shelter for I or 2 nights, electric bills, gas,
and mortgages (in case of impending foreclosure). They have $150 to apply in these
cases, and when this is not sufficient, they refer people to the County. For example,
mortgage assistance is available through the County up to $5K. Also, when more than
$150 is needed for the above-mentioned services, the Community Caring Center will
exercise its relationship with the church partners in the area in an effort to provide the
needed assistance. Medication comes out of the pocket of the Community Caring
Center alone. Ms. Johnson remarked that the CCC gets $15K from the County in
October and by this time of year, it has usually been completely exhausted and they
have to resort to fundraisers. ]t is difficult for them to say "no" aflcer the money is gone.
In the first nine months of the current fiscal year, including the food they provide, the
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Meeting Minutes
CDBG Program
Boynton Beach, Florida
April 19, 2004
CCC has given out over $90K in aid to the citizens of Boynton Beach. The CCC serves
over 3,500 families in Boynton Beach and has given assistance to over 2,200 families in
the last year.
Ms. Sherrod encouraged the attendees to attend the local churches and acquaint them
with the services and needs of the CCC. As one of the sub-recipients of CDBG funds, the
CCC sends Ms. Sherrod a list of the people they help, and they are helping our
neighbors.
Questions & Answers
Q: How much money will be going into the Heart of Boynton?
A'.
This depends on whether the Section 108 loan from HUD (based on future
entitlement monies) that was requested last August is granted. Part of the
entitlement money would have to be set aside to repay this loan.
Q.'
When do you think thero will be a disposition of the public housing properties in
Cherry Hill?
A:
This is being handled by the Palm Beach Housing Authority and the Assistant City
Manager, Mr. Wilfred Hawkins.
Q: How much do you expect to receive in CDBG funds this year?
A.'
The City expects to receive $635K this year. When cities do not use the money,
it is taken back by the federal government and redistributed among all the
entitlement cities, so there could be more. Fifteen percent of the City's allocation
goes to public services such as the Community Caring Center, Madd Dads, and
the Urban League of Palm Beach. The Boynton Beach Faith-Based CDC is not
considered in the public service category but does fit in a special category.
Q:
Will the tenants have an opportunity to apply for any funds for relocation or will
that be done through the Housing Authority?
A:
The Heart of Boynton process will be done in phases. The initial phase will
include N.W. Martin Luther King Boulevard through N.W. 11th Avenue down to Ist
Street. Ms. Sherrod stated that relocation would be a joint venture with the
Housing Authority. The people affected by relocation will be taken care of
because they are citizens of Boynton Beach. The Housing Authority has money in
its coffers for building homes and also for moving tenants.
Q;
Josephus McDonald, Boynton Beach Faith-Based CDC, asked how this meeting
was advertised.
A:
A large article was placed in the Palm Beach Post the previous week. Many calls
were received from interested parties and the turnout is very good.
Meeting Minutes
CDBG Program
Boynton Beach, Florida
April 19, 2004
Some suggested using the Neighborhood Post or the Boynton Beach Times as
alternative advertising vehicles.
Q'_
:Is this the meeting where people pick up applications for the 2004-05-grant
year?
A: It is and applications are available on the table at the front of the room.
Dorothy Davis asked if money would be allocated to any other service provider in
Boynton Beach besides the Community Caring Center. Rent assistance was one
of the services she was thinking about.
A:
Ms. Sherrod said that CDBG funds did not pay utility bills directly, but could assist
other service providers such as the Community Caring Center. By keeping the
Community Caring Center in operation, the CCC is able to get funding from the
County under an Emergency Shelter Grant that they use to provide these kinds
of services. CCC also has a relationship with Florida Power & Light.
V. Adjournment
Ms. Sherrod encouraged the participants to do fund raisers, write letters, and learn how
to seek out sources of funding.
The participants picked up applications at the end of the meeting, which was duly
adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Collins
Recording Secretary
(04/20/04)
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