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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Approving the Second Substantial Amendment to the CDBG 2019/20 Annual Action Plan to Incorporate a Special Allocation of CDBG CARES Act Funding RESOLUTION NO. 20-249 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SECOND SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE CDBG 2019/20 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN TO INCORPORATE A SPECIAL ALLOCATION OF CDBG CARES ACT FUNDING FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA WHEREAS, on April 2, 2020, in response to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD)notified the City of Ames that it will receive a special allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) funds in the amount of$354,515 to be used to prevent,prepare for,and respond to the COVID-10 pandemic;and, WHEREAS, the allocation was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act(CARES Act), Public Law 116-136,which was signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020; and, WHEREAS, the CARES Act funds will be available for "eligible activities" meeting the national objective of the CDBG-CV program and respond to the spread of infectious disease such as COVID-19; and, WHEREAS,HUD guidance dated April 9,2020,stated that"grantees are advised to amend or prepare their Action Plans as soon as possible and not to wait for the pending Federal Register notice, which may provide additional waivers and alternative requirements, etc.;" and, WHEREAS, the guidance also urged entitlement communities to amend their current approved Action Plans rather than submitting their upcoming program year plans then having to wait for HUD approval (which maybe delayed due to the development of the CARES Act); and, WHEREAS, for the City of Ames,this would be the Second Substantial Amendment to the 2019-20 Annual Action Plan that was approved in March 2020; and, WHEREAS, in order to expedite implementation of this funding,the typical 30-day public comment process has been reduced to a five-day comment period with a two-day notification request to the area HUD Field offices; and, WHEREAS, staff submitted a request for a five-day comment period for the CARES Acto funding that was approved by HUD on April 16, 2020; and, WHEREAS, beginning April 23 through April 27, 2020, staff sought input from citizens within the community, private for-profit enterprises, and not-for-profit organizations on what and how the CARES funding should be distributed; and, WHEREAS,there is one major caveat to the CDBG-CV funds that is different from typical CDBG funding that will develop parameters for the proposed programs, and entitlement communities must establish a Duplication of Benefits (DOB)policy; and, WHEREAS, the regulations state that the grantee must prevent DOB when implementing activities utilizing the CARES Act funding; and, WHEREAS, grantees must limit their assistance to unmet needs for eligible activities to prevent a DOB; and, WHEREAS, failure to develop and maintain policies and procedures to adequately address duplication of benefits could lead to a violation of the requirement for grants under Public Law 113-2 that the grantee has "established adequate procedures to prevent any duplication of benefits" or otherwise lead to a violation of section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and, WHEREAS, the CDBG-CV funding is to be used after all other funds are exhausted or unavailable; and, WHEREAS, after consideration from the public input, conversations with human service agencies,financial institutions,local housing trust fund,utility companies,medical institutions,other entitlement communities,and past CDBG programming,staff is proposing to utilize this new source of funding to accomplish two programs; 1) COVID-19 Renters Relief Assistance(Rent,Utilities), and 2) COVID-19 Homeowners Relief Assistance (Mortgage,Utilities). NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that the Second Substantial Amendment to the CDBG 2019/20 Annual Action Plan to incorporate a special allocation of CDBG CARES Act funding in the amount of$354,515 is hereby approved. ADOPTED THIS 12`'day of May, 2020. Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor Introduced by: Corrieri Seconded by: Gartin Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Junck, Martin Voting nay: None Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 12t' day of May, 2020.