Hud report 2005
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Omaha Field Office
Executive Tower Centre
10909 Mill Valley Road
Omaha, Nebraska 68154-3955
November 22, 2006
'_.,
Honorable Roy D. Buol
Mayor of Dubuque
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque,IA 52001-4864
Dear Mayor Buol:
Subject: Consolidated End-of- Year Review - Program Year 2005
HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development has sought to establish partnerships
with state and local governments. The focus of our partnership has been to work with communities to
ensure that our joint efforts result in housing and community development programs and policies that
benefit and serve low- and moderate-income persons. These efforts occur within the framework of the
statutes we administer and the regulations and emerging policies that are designed to improve program
performance.
The provisions of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, and the
National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, require the annual submission of performance reports by grant
recipients receiving federal assistance through programs covered under these Acts. Additionally, these Acts
require that a determination be made by the Secretary, that the grant recipient is in compliance with the
statutes and has the continuing capacity to implement and administer the programs for which assistance is
received.
Traditionally, these determinations were made through the review of annual reports submitted by
grantees for each individual program receiving assistance. With the implementation of the Consolidated
Planning Regulations of January 5, 1995, the Department is required to conduct a comprehensive
performance review of your overall progress at least annually (24 CFR 91.525). The review consists of
analyzing your consolidated planning process; reviewing management of funds; determining the compliance
of funded activities with statutory and regulatory requirements; determining the accuracy of required
performance reports; as well as evaluating your accomplishments in meeting key Departmental objectives.
We congratulate you on your many accomplishments during program year 2005 on achieving
Departmental Objectives. Some of these accomplishments occurred in the area of housing. The city
invested $371,000 for homeowner improvement projects. The city's inspection staff inspected 2718 rental
units including Section 8 units, performed 2727 re-inspections and inspected 330 units for lead-base paint
hazard. A total of$901,700 was expended on lead remediation. The city held it's 4th annual "Road to
Success" jobs fair, which provides counseling on financial independence and possible homeownership. The
city worked with the Des Moines Federal Home Loan Bank to provide $44,000 in grants to II very low-
income families to purchase and improve their first homes. The City's Section 8 Program received their
tIfth consecutive "High Performer" housing authority rating with a score of 100%. The City's Housing
Department received an award from the Governor's Office for service to persons with disabilities.
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Public service accomplishments included:
11851 people received resources for neighborhood improvements and cleanup
2859 individuals received assistance from Information and Referral Services
1269 individuals benefited from the Child Care Resource and Referral program
855 people were given free food from the Dubuque Area Labor Harvest
54 elderly persons were provided dental care through the Home-based Dental Program
650 senior citizens received services from the Senior Center
446 people benefited from Literacy Program for preschool through second grade
945 people benefited by working with the Multicultural Center
596 persons benefited from the Washington Tool Library
204 individuals received assistance from the Gannon Center for Community Mental Health
5519 people have benefited from the Neighborhood Infrastructure improvements
The city is working with Mid-America Housing Partnership on the City's first "affordable housing
subdivision" in Eagle Valley. Eight town homes were sold to first-time buyers, lower-income families,
eight others will be purchased by moderate-income households.
The city certified that it would provide overall benefit to LMI person for program years 2005 through
2007 of at least 70 percent. The actual principal benefit for the year was 100 percent, which is in
compliance with the regulatory standard.
The city has continued to obligate and disburse its CDBG funds in a timely manner. The city had a
balance of 1.30 years offunds unexpended 60 days prior to the end of its 2005 program year. This meets
the statutory standard for timeliness at 24 CFR 570.902. The standard for timeliness requires that no more
than 1.5 years offimds remain unexpended 60 days prior to the end of the program year.
In addition, there have been no major findings in the city-wide audit reports concerning the CDBG
program, nor during anyon-site reviews conducted by HUD staff. Again, we congratulate the city on its
continuing effort in carrying out Departmental objectives.
Recommendation from our Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Division is as follows:
An August 4, 2004, memorandum for Nelson R. Bregon, General Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Community Planning and Development and Carolyn Peoples, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and
Equal Opportunity provided guidance to be shared with state and local entitlement jurisdictions receiving
funding through the Consolidated Plan process. The memorandum states, "Once the jurisdiction completes
the AI, it must report on its implementation by summarizing the impediments identified in the analysis and
describing the actions taken to overcome the effects of the impediments identified through the analysis in its
Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). Although AIs are not submitted or
approved by HUD, each jurisdiction should maintain its AI and update the Al annually where necessary.
Jurisdictions may also include actions the jurisdiction plans to take to overcome the effects of impediments
to fair housing choice during the coming year in the Annual Plan that is submitted as part of the
Consolidated Plan submission."
The City's FY05 CAPER indicated the City currently has an AI. However, the CAPER did not
address the activities conducted during the program year or evaluate the results of those actions. The City
should include a yearly evaluation of its plans in its CAPER and its Annual Plan.
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Please contact our Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity office if you have any questions at 402-492-
3109.
In conclusion, as a result of our analysis, we have determined that your overall progress in 2005 was
satisfactory. This determination is based upon the information available to this office and does not reflect a
comprehensive evaluation of specific activities.
Sincerely,
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Patricia M. McCauley 7
Director
Community Planning and
Development Division
cc:
Mr. David Harris