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Community Block Grant 2004 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, ON MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2004 AT 6:00 P.M. I. Opening Octavia Sherrod, Manager of the Community Improvement 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 Josephus McDonald Minister James Collins Steven Miller Sherry Johnson 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 II. 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. Historv 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 low 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. Sherrod stated that when the redevelopment plan proceeds 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 Johnson, 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 through 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 Improvement Office for going out of its way to offer time and much-needed advice to help his program be successful. Sherry Johnson, Community Caring Center, explained that the CCC provides emergency funds to help pay for medication, shelter for 1 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 fund raisers. It is difficult for them to say "no" after the money is gone. In the first nine months of the current fiscal year, including the food they provide, the 2 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. Ouestions & 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 there 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 1st 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. 3 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. Q: 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, ~4L~J Susan Collins Recording Secretary (04/20/04) 4 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH Department of Development Community Improvement Division AGENDA Community Development Block Grant Public Participation Meeting April 19, 2004 6:00 p.m. I. Opening A. Call to order - Octavia S. Sherrod II. Overview of CDBG Program A. History B. National Objectives C. Eligible Activities III. Using Sub-recipients IV. Public Audience V. Adjournment S1:'~.U.\m tuuIWJ.""CDM\""""CIIM MIIM1Þk..Me: CDBG Public Meeting Monday, April 19, 2004 PLEASE SIGN IN anization Phone # j:)c:v/rJ 2~pf- ~'A~"I Av-,,~r;..;ft,~c.J'€'d Cl:K F4,~~ ~<:.f-Ld "7r¿ ~ 030 S".:?? - ~ f:33^-/Y-6/ 7'-¡tJ - DL}OI (þ£ ~ ~<tb C> b/.P , 4 \f' - '-f ~ f(J I ~\~~\CDe6\r.ms\SJ.6M.ÐL_