2004 AGN SEP 07 I23 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR THE 'tem #23 CITY OF COLTON For the City Council Meeting of September 7, 2004 TO: Honorable Agency Chairperson and Board Members FROM: Candace E. Cassel, Redevelopment Manager SUBJECT: Establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Home Beautification Grant Program Guidelines. DATE: August 18, 2004 BACKGROUND On September 18, 2001, the Agency Board adopted a Home Beautification Grant Program. The Program was subsequently adopted by the City Council on February 5, 2002. Twenty- nine low/moderate income households were able to benefit from the Program. Currently, the Agency has the potential of three different funding sources for its Home Beautification Grant Program: $50,000 for the Rancho Mill Project Area, which was funded by the Agency Board on April 6, 2004; $100,000 from a Joint Powers Authority, which the Council modified on August 17, 2004 and which the use of funds has not yet been designated; and a $250,000 loan the Agency is seeking from the State of California Housing Finance Agency's (CHFA) Housing Enabled by Local Partnerships (HELP), which the Agency Board has not yet considered. DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS During the last round of home beautification grants offered, some Agency Board Members expressed a desire to modify the Program's guidelines. Suggestions for modifications to the guidelines include: providing preference to homes older than a specific age or specifically for historic home preservation; reducing the recipient's match amount; establishing criterion for the use of funds for roof repairs; lowering the income level of the recipients from 120% of the median income; and recording covenants against the properties to enable the Agency to meet its low/moderate incoming housing production obligations. In order to fully take into account the suggestions for modification to the program, it is requested that an ad hoc committee of a minimum of two, no more than three members be established to review the Program's guidelines. Historically, Agency subcommittees have been made up the following: the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson and the Council Member representing the district of the item to be discussed. Given the fact that the Home Beautification Grant Program may be offered citywide, based upon available financial resources, the process typically used to establish an ad hoc committee for Agency activities may not be the most appropriate method to review the guidelines. FINANCIAL IMPACT None