Agenda Item # 3
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
05/28/2013
Agenda Report # 82
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant Application
INITIATED BY: Amy Carbajal, Community Reinvestment
Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application and, if
approved, accept the 2013 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant and authorize the
City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Housing Authority to be a
Co-applicant and partner in the implementation of the grant.
Background: Choice Neighborhoods is a highly competitive grant that
awards up to $500,000 to eligible applicants to produce a "Transformation Plan"
for a blighted neighborhood. The plan must address a distressed public housing
community, blighted neighborhood and distressed public school. The City
Village neighborhood has been selected as a candidate for the grant (see
attached map for the City Village boundaries). Chase Homes will be the
targeted public housing development and Fox Elementary and Jordan High School
will be the targeted distressed schools. Community Reinvestment will be the
lead for the planning process while the Housing Authority, as the Co-applicant,
will focus their attention on the public housing portion of the grant.
The grant is scheduled to be awarded in the fall of 2013 and grantees will be
given 24 months to complete the Transformation Plan. Staff is requesting
$300,000.
Analysis: Developing a holistic redevelopment plan of the City Village
neighborhood and Chase Homes is in the best interest of the City and the
residents of the neighborhood.
Financial Considerations: Historic Columbus has committed to a $10,000 match
to assist in leveraging the grant funds. Staff has committed $2,000 of travel
and training matching funds to leverage grant funds in the Capacity Building
requirement of the gran.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: There are no projected impacts.
Legal Considerations: Council must approve the pursuit of any grant.
Recommendations/ Actions: Authorize the City Manager to submit and, if
approved, accept the 2013 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant and authorize the
City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Housing Authority to be a
Co-applicant and partner in the implementation of the grant.
A RESOLUTION
NO. _____
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBMITTAL OF THE APPLICATION FOR 2013 CHOICE
NEIGHBORHOODS PLANNING GRANT TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF
AGREEMENT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA TO BE A CO-APPLIANT.
WHEREAS, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued a Notice
of Funding Availability for the 2013 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus and the Housing Authority of Columbus are both
eligible applicants and enter into a Memorandum of Agreement; and,
WHEREAS, City Village has been identified as an eligible Target Neighborhood
with Chase Homes as the eligible distressed public housing development and Fox
Elementary and Jordan High School as the distressed public schools that serve
this neighborhood; and,
WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of Columbus has agreed to be a co-applicant in
the process; and,
WHEREAS, the grant requires a Transformation Plan to be developed which will
greatly benefit the residents of this neighborhood and the entire City; and,
WHEREAS, the Historic Columbus Foundation has committed to providing $10,000 in
matching funds; and,
WHEREAS, the Real Estate fund will commit $2,000 in matcing grant funds from
the travel and training budget to address the Capacity Building requirements of
the grant.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the City Manager is hereby authorized to submit an application and
if approved, accept the 2013 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant of $300,000 in
requested funds and authorize execution of all relevant documents and enter
into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Housing Authority of Columbus, Georgia
to be a Co-applicant in the process.
___________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held
the _________ day of _____________ 2013, and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of
_____________ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor McDaniel voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_____________________________
_________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council , Mayor
Attachments