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FY1999 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA MEMORANDUM October 27, 1999 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Annual Performance Report Housing Services Manager David Harris has submitted the attached Fiscal Year 1 999 annual report of the Housing Services DeA7Jk:~~k Michael C. Van Milligen MCVM/j Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager David Harris, Housing Services Manager CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA MEMORANDUM fV\' A~\;\~() to "' 22 October 99 To: Mike ~\\Milligen, City Manager From: David Harris, Housing Services Department Re: Annual Performance Report As you now, our annual performance report is now made part of the CAPER ( Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report) submitted by the Community Development Department to HUD. No separate Council action is needed for approval of the Housing Department's evaluation. As a result, we don't have as much an opportunity to "tell our story" as in years past. I think our last year performance is a story worth telling. In retrospect, this summary report shows a record of meaningfully impacting the quality of life for hundreds of Dubuque households and of establishing and maintaining a broad network of partnerships and connections with many other agencies throughout the community in delivering services. I feel that our record shows that Housing is continuously improving its operations, refining ways of responding to citizen needs and leveraging resources to accomplish our mission. I hope from your reading of this you'll agree. Our goal at Housing is always to be raising our standard of performance. We want to be the standard bearer for the City. My thanks to you and other department heads and staff who provide us the support needed to continue this high level of service delivery. cc: Tim Moerman Jim Burke Laura Carstens Mary Rose Corrigan Rich Russell John Mauss Kelly Larson GiI Spence Barry Lindahl Scott Neyens Housing Services Department Accomplishments - FY 99 Rehabilitation Activity The Department received another $220 000 HOME Program award from the Iowa Department of Economic Development - the second grant awarded by IDEO to Dubuque in the past two years. These funds are used for extensive rehabilitation of rental properties for low-income tenants. Approximately $225000 was expended during FY99, including nearly $150 000 in private matching funds. A $350 000 grant was received from the Des Moines Federal Home Loan Bank, for assistance to very low-income homebuyers. This program was co-sponsored with the Housing Department by six area lending institutions and was very well received by the lending and real estate communities. Within six months, 38 loans had closed, with more than $1.6 million in private lender funds committed. A second application was submitted, in October 99, to the Federal Home Loan Bank for a continuation of this program, named "PATH: Pathways Available To Homeownership," in the amount of $225000. The First Time Homebuyer Program - using City CDBG funds for purchase assistance to moderate-income buyers - provided $140 000 in City financing, matched by $1.5 million in private funds, for purchase of 30 homes. Using grant funds received from the Department of Development's (IDEO) Local Housing Assistance Program, additional home purchase assistance was provided to 4 households earning up to 100% of area median income. The Housing Department sponsored this application to encourage families with higher incomes to purchase homes in selected downtown and near- downtown neighborhoods. Total City and private investment exceeded $250000. Total private investment match for all homebuyer programs - from buyer families, the Federal Home Loan Bank, state funds and area lenders - equaled approximately $3.5 million. The Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program committed more than $330 000 for rehab of homes occupied by low- and moderate-income families; 34 homes were completed. Another application for Local Housing Assistance Program (LHAP) funds was submitted, sponsored by the Housing Trust Fund Committee, in the amount of $500 000. This award, if received, will fund two high-priority projects: a transitional housing shelter for women and children; and a replacement single room occupancy (SRO) facility, for both men and women. A "pre-application" was approved by IDEO and the City was notified to proceed on a final application due in November 99. The Trust Fund Committee awarded $100 000 to Heartland Housing Initiative, toward a total project cost of $700 000, to purchase and rehabilitate 17 rental units at four locations. Housing Department staff facilitated transfer of partners within the ownership structure of the Bishop's Block apartments, to Mercy Housing Inc. Mercy is the parent corporation of Heartland Housing Initiative. Management of the Bishop's Block was SUbsequently transferred to Heartland Housing, providing additional income for Heartland to continue its mission of providing tenant- supportive services to lower-income Dubuque rental households. A third annual City-wide rental unit survey was completed, under contract to the Loras College Center for Business and Social Research. Housing staff worked with the Intercongregational Housing Project toward successful establishment of Opening Doors Inc. This new non-profit will develop Maria House, a transitional housing facility to be located in the former St Mary's Convent. A second application was submitted to the Iowa Finance Authority for a $3.4 million renovation of the former Iowa Inn into an affordable rental housing project. Staff worked with the Iowa Housing Corporation - owner of the Inn - to modify the application, with the goal of obtaining housing tax credits to assist in financing. Notification of this award is expected in November 99. An application was submitted by the Housing Department, to HUD, for "consortium" status under the HOME Program. The proposed consortium will include Dubuque County and twelve small cities within the County, for purposes of receiving the HOME funds as an entitlement jurisdiction. If successful, this will result in upwards of $400000 additionally available to the Housing Department for its programs of housing improvement, development and home purchase assistance. Notification of this award is expected in early 2000. Total City investment in housing programs for Fiscal Year 99 exceeded $4 million, matched by more than $4.2 in private matching funds. Over $8 million was invested in Dubuque in support of affordable housing efforts for more than 200 home and apartment improvement projects and rental assistance for more than 1000 households. Section 8 Rental Assistance Activity A sixth-year HUD grant to fund the Family Self-Sufficiency Program was received, in the amount of $29 750. The Housing Department utilizes these funds to contract with Alternative Services Inc for administration of case management services to the 45 participating Program families. All heads of household are required to be enrolled in schooling or be employed. Eight families graduated; 60 families received supportive services during the year. A $350 000 Mainstream Program grant was received from HUD, to provide rental assistance to 40 disabled Section 8 Program households. This application was co-sponsored by Area Residential Care and Hills and Dales. The 40 housing vouchers are the first Dubuque has received since 1993, due to HUD funding cutbacks and national competition for awards. 972 families are now receiving Section 8 rental assistance. Area landlords receive HUD funds administered through the Housing Department totaling almost $3 million annually to subsidize the rents of these very low-income tenants. General Housing Activity The General Housing Activity includes housing code enforcement in the City's 7400 rental units and all activities under the Housing Department's programs to reduce lead paint hazards. A fifth- year grant was received from the Iowa Department of Public Health, in the amount of $23000, to continue the Childhood Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention Program. This is operated in partnership with the Visiting Nurses Association and the Health Services Department. As part of continuous code enforcement activities, 3240 units were inspected during FY99. 7200 inspections were performed; this number includes initial visits, re-inspections and complaint inspections. 10 600 violation notices were sent to owners; 10 100 violations were corrected. . < The Housing Department was approved as a certified training provider by the Department of Public Health, to conduct State-required training of all lead paint abatement contractors and workers. To continue the programs of lead hazard reduction activities, Housing staff submitted two applications to HUD for additional funding, in the amount of $7 million. Notification of these awards, made in national competition, will be announced in early 2000. Other Activities The Housing Sevices Department hosted the Spring 99 Iowa National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) conference in Dubuque. This successful conference was attended by more than 140 persons and served to highlight many of our area housing and community development activities and initiatives. The Department received an Iowa NAHRO President's Award, presented in recognition of the DREAMS Program, which to-date has converted 24 abandoned and derelect houses into homes for first-time buyer families; and the accomplishments of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. A six-month customer services survey and research project was sponsored by the Housing Department, culminating in a two-day Housing Summit attended by 80 persons in February. An "appreciative inquiry" approach was used to interview more than 200 stakeholders throughout the community, engaging them in a dialogue about how to improve Department operations and to better deliver services. This process was recognized by HUD with a "Best Practices" award in FY99. Coupled with this emphasis on customer service was a response to area landlords regarding the Housing Department's program of code enforcement in rental properties. A series of meetings was held with a group of property owners; input was also received from neighborhood associations, the Board of Realtors, the Housing Code Appeals Board and Housing Commission. This process produced a Department response plan for more than 30 policy and procedure changes in operations, as well as a comprehensive package of housing code amendments. Planned Initiatives - FYOO-01 Organize the Dubuque/Dubuque County HOME Consortium and implement an entitlement program promoting affordable housing initiatives, supported with a $500-700 000 annual allocation. Implement a second-year PATH homebuyer assistance program, with a grant received from the Des Moines Federal Home Loan Bank, in the amount of $225 000. Issue a request-for-proposals, from the Housing Trust Fund Committee, for projects providing transitional housing and single room occupancy (SRO) housing; fund these with a grant received from IDEO's Local Housing Assistance Program, in the amount of $500 000. Hold a three-day Future Search Conference, as a follow-up to the 1999 Housing Summit. This conference will be structured to design a comprehensive housing and community development strategy, to be incorporated in the FY2000-2005 Consolidated Plan required by HUD. A planning committee began work on this project in late 1999, with the conference date set for February 2000. A $13 000 grant for consultant services has been received to help with expenses, donated by the Iowa Housing Corporation. The Housing Department is partnering with the Community . ' ' Development Department in organizing this ambitious community planning effort. Provide over $700 000 in City assistance toward successful conversion of the Iowa Inn to Stout Place Apartments, as part of a $3.4 million project, resulting in 32 affordable rental units and restoration of an historically significant downtown building. Request a 12-month extension from HUD to continue activities under the 1997 Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. This grant, in the original amount of $3.69 million, will have a sufficient remaining balance at the end of the 3-year term to remain in operation for an additional year. A regional conference will be co-sponsored by the Housing and Health Departments to promote lead hazard awareness and to share experiences of other programs in Iowa and other midwestem states. Implement a second Hazard Reduction Program, beginning in late FY01, with a grant received from HUD in the requested amount of $4.005 million. Also to be implemented is a "Healthy Homes Initiative," with another HUD grant requested in the amount of $3 million. This Initiative will emphasize owner and tenant responsibilities in maintaining healthy living environments. Organize another "consortium," this one to plan a community response to the needs of homeless and special needs persons. This consortium will include all area agency providers of services to these populations. Once organized, the consortium, under the leadership of the Housing Services Department, will be eligible to apply in national competition for available entitlement awards under HUD's "Continuum of Care" funding.