TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Interlocal Agreement for Community Development Block Grant Program with Sarasota County for fiscal years 2020, 2021 and 2022
Recommended Action
Approve Interlocal Agreement for Community Development Block Grant Program with Sarasota County for fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Background Information
The City of North Port has been part of the Sarasota County Community Block Grant program since 1990. City staff is requesting a three-year renewal with Sarasota County for the allocation and administration of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The City of North Port originally entered into an agreement in 1995 to allow Sarasota County to receive the funds on behalf of the City. Because of this agreement, North Port residents also benefit from the following programs:
• HOME Investment Partnership Initiatives: Provides formula grants to fund affordable housing and direct rental assistance to low income households.
• Disaster Relief: Grants provided after Presidentially declared disasters to assist with community and neighborhood recovery.
• State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program: Provides funding to local governments to create and preserve affordable housing.
• Neighborhood Stabilization Program: Provides emergency assistance to stabilize communities with high rates of abandoned and foreclosed homes.
• Emergency Solutions Grant: Provides funding for emergency shelters and prevent individuals/families from becoming homeless.
Between 2014 and 2019, the City of North Port and its residents have received $4,375,389.10 from the County programs:
• 128 Single family homeowners - Home rehabilitation
Includes such items as roof replacement, HVAC,
plumbing, electrical and code compliance $2,379,473.44
• 2 Businesses - Facade Improvement Program $ 150,000.00
• 19 Single family homeowners - Hurricane hardening
Includes window and slider replacement $ 156,404.16
• 14 Lift Station pumps $ 401,855.00
• 2 New home construction projects $ 320,968.56
in partnership with non-profit developers
• 4 Homes acquired and renovated for use as $ 524,722.06
transitional housing for homeless families
• 6 Households - down payment assistance $ 175,565.88
• 5 Years’ salary/benefits for Social Service Attendants $ 266,400.00
The following activities are currently in progress:
• Sidewalks on Pan American Boulevard,
South Biscayne Drive, Wesley Lane and Porto Bello Avenue $ 100,000.00
• Accessibility improvements to Garden of Five Senses Park $ 350,000.00
• 3 Single family houses - New construction in partnership with
non-profit developer $ 500,000.00
• 2 Social Service Attendants $ 54,000.00
Staff evaluated the amount of money received by Sarasota County and the impacts of becoming an entitlement community and has determined that staying with the County program would be the best choice at this time. If the City chose to become an entitlement community, a consultant would be needed to set up a consolidated plan and annual work planning documents (cost of approximately $40,000), and additional staff would be needed to monitor the various programs and funds. The scenarios and options will be reevaluated before the next three-year renewal with Sarasota County to determine if the City should become an entitlement community in the future.
The City will continue to have a proactive role in the Countywide Staff Steering Committee to ensure funds are being used in North Port.
The City Attorney has reviewed the Interlocal Agreement for legal form.
Strategic Plan
Infrastructure, Neighborhood Development, and Efficient and Effective Government
Financial Impact
There is no current financial impact. Individual funding agreements will be presented to Commission as funding is allocated.
Procurement
Attachments:
1. Letter from Jonathan R. Lewis, ICMA-CM, County Administrator
2. Interlocal Agreement for Community Development Block Grant Program
Prepared by: Valerie Malingowski, Grant Writer
Department Director: Cari Branco