City Council Meeting Date: July 23, 2019
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Janine Atchison, Housing Coordinator
Title
Consideration of Cooperation Agreement for the Dakota County Community Development Block Grant Program.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the Cooperation Agreement for the Dakota County Community Development Block Grant Program.
Summary Report:
Dakota County is qualified as an urban county and is entitled to receive an annual allocation of CDBG funds. Although only a portion of the City of Northfield is located within Dakota County, the entire City of Northfield is eligible for a small portion of the annual Dakota County CDBG allocation. The Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) serves as the program administrator for CDBG funds dispersed to the City of Northfield. The City was allocated $61,591 in CDBG funds for FY 2019.
CDBG funds have been utilized to assist moderate and low-income families with 1st time Home Buyers Down Payment Assistance, Residential Rehabilitation for owner occupied homes, Rental Rehabilitation, and Manufactured Housing Demolition & Site Clearance. In addition, CDBG funds were used to assist Three Rivers Community Action Agency (TRCA) in the purchase of the 44-unit North & South Oaks Apartment complex, effectively maintaining the units as affordable to people at or below 60% of the area medium. CDBG funding is currently being used to assist TRCA with the rehabilitation of Northern Oaks Townhomes on Dresden Ave.
Staff recently received notification from the CDA regarding fiscal year (FY) 2019 CDBG funding. HUD announced the FY 2019 CDBG allocation on Friday, April 12, 2019. Dakota County will receive $1,887,578, which is a 2.8% decrease from FY 2018. The CDA has adjusted the funding for the activities submitted for FY 2019. The Northfield allocation for FY 2018 was $63,305. Due to the decrease in funding the CDBG allocation for FY 2019 will be $61,591. Funds are currently available for 1st Time Homebuyers down payment assistance, residential rehab for owner occupied properties and Northern Oaks rehabilitation. 2019 CDBG funds are allocated to preserve and rehab manufactured homes at Viking Terrace Manufactured Home Park.
Every three years, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) requires urban counties to requalify their entitlement status and participating communities must renew their cooperation agreements for the purpose of awarding CDBG and other funding. Dakota County has qualified as an urban county and has received an annual allocation of CDBG funds since 1984. The CDA would like to continue their partnership with the City of Northfield. The Northfield Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) unanimously supports a renewed cooperation agreement between the CDA and the City of Northfield.
Alternative Options:
Currently because of the CDBG entitlement status with the CDA, the City is not eligible to apply for the state Small Cities CDBG program for use in the portion of the City that is in Dakota County while receiving entitlement CDBG funds through the CDA. The City of Northfield may decide to discontinue receiving entitlement CDBG funds through the CDA. However, applications for Small Cities CDBG program are very competitive. The City of Northfield would have to make funding application to HUD each year for each individual CDBG program, which may, or may not be successful due to competition with all other small cities.
Financial Impacts:
Although CDBG funds do not have a budget impact, there is a positive financial impact within the City. Allocated funds are only received by the City as reimbursement for expenditures on designated and approved programs & projects.
Tentative Timelines:
CDA has requested the signed cooperation agreement be returned as soon as possible after the July 23, 2019 City Council meeting.