C.
Priority Needs Analysis And Strategies
D.
Recommended Funding Allocation
A. Executive Summary
The Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community
Development is a requirement of the 1990 National Affordable Housing Act and
the Community Development Plan, for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD). Such a plan is
required of entitlement communities, which receive Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) funds under HUD’s housing and service programs related to the needs
of low and moderate-income persons. The
development of the third City of Oak Ridge Consolidated Plan took place during
the nine-month period of July 2004 through March 2005 and will be utilized for
the three-year period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008 (CDBG Program Year
2005 through Program Year 2007).
Each Annual Action Plan of the Consolidated Plan
must be submitted to HUD at least forty-five days prior to the beginning of the
entitlement community’s fiscal year. A
citizen participation plan element requires that interested parties have a
30-day period in which to review and comment upon the funding proposals and
that at least one public hearing be held.
Any information received during the public comment period or at the
public hearing will be included with the submitted Annual Action Plan.
The 30-day comment period for the Program Year (PY)
2006 / Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Annual Action Plan will begin on Monday April 3,
2006 and end on Tuesday May 2, 2006. No
public comments were received during the 30-day comment period. A public hearing was held on Monday April
17, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. during the Oak Ridge City Council meeting at the Oak
Ridge Municipal Building with no comments received.
The objectives and outcomes utilizing the HUD
Outcome Framework identified in the PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan include
the following:
Objective
1: Suitable Living Environment Outcome 3:
Sustainability
Objective
2: Decent Housing Outcome 3: Sustainability
Objective
1: Suitable Living Environment Outcome 3:
Sustainability
Objective
1: Suitable Living Environment Outcome 1:
Availability/Accessibility
Copies of the City of Oak Ridge Consolidated Plan 2005 – 2007 including the Citizen Participation Plan and the PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan are available upon written request to:
City of Oak Ridge
Central Services Complex
Public Works Department
100 Woodbury Lane
Oak Ridge, TN
37830
Susan Fallon, Contracts/Grants Coordinator
or
Online at www.cortn.org, CDBG icon.
B. General Information
The City of Oak Ridge is an entitlement
jurisdiction, receiving an annual allocation of Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD). A requirement of CDBG
entitlement communities is the preparation and implementation of a Consolidated
Plan for Housing and Community Development and one-year Annual Action
Plan updates.
The City of Oak Ridge Consolidated Plan for the
period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008 (PY2005-PY2007) was approved by
Oak Ridge City Council Resolution 5-48-05 on May 10, 2005 and establishes the
following priorities to address the community’s needs utilizing CDBG funding during
the three-year period:
1.
Assistance for the improvement of public facilities
2.
Code enforcement activities to address property
maintenance issues in the CDBG target areas
3.
Housing in the Highland View Redevelopment Area
The City of Oak Ridge
will utilize CDBG funds each year included in the Consolidated Plan for the
following strategies:
- Housing
- Homeless
- Special Populations
- Community Development
All programs funded by
the City of Oak Ridge with CDBG entitlement funds will be in accordance with
HUD regulations and meet the City’s strategies for monitoring, fair housing,
lead-based paint hazards and anti-poverty as stated in the three-year
Consolidated Plan.
The Annual Action Plan is a document that describes
the City of Oak Ridge HUD-funded projects and community development related
activities that will be conducted within the community in the upcoming fiscal
year and implements the strategies and priorities of the city’s three-year
Consolidated Plan.
In September of 2001, the Oak Ridge City Manager
established a staff committee to evaluate the process by which Community
Development Block Grant funds are awarded for projects. As a result of the staff review, an
evaluation model was developed that included a new application process and
points system for evaluating the applications.
Each year the CDBG Program Model and the proposed allocation of funds
are presented to City Council for approval, prior to receiving applications for
funding from subrecipients. This allows
the community to present any issue to City Council prior to funding decisions
being made. As a result of the
recommendation of the Consolidated Plan committee, the program model was
modified beginning with FY2006 to include an increase in the points awarded for
subrecipient projects located in the Highland View Redevelopment Area.
The CDBG staff committee is comprised of three staff
representatives from various departments, appointed by the City Manager, along
with the Contracts/Grants Coordinator and the Property Maintenance
Inspector. The committee for
PY2005/FY2006 consists of Susie Stooksbury, Operations Manager, Public Library;
Tim Ward, Division Manager, Community Development Department and Ron Boucher,
Investigations Division, Police Department.
Tim Cochran, Property Maintenance Inspector, Community Development
Department, is responsible for property inspections and other housing issues
within the CDBG Target Areas. Susan
Fallon, Contracts/Grants Coordinator, Public Works Department is responsible
for the coordination and documentation for the CDBG program and the preparation
of the Annual Action Plan.
The City of Oak Ridge allocates its CDBG funds
annually through a competitive process.
The projects funded must comply with the priorities, strategies and
objectives in the City of Oak Ridge PY2005-PY2007 Consolidated Plan. The FY2007 CDBG Program Model allows for a
diversity of projects, and sets the priorities for funding to be focused on
housing related issues. The City of Oak
Ridge FY2007 CDBG Program Model was approved by City Council on December 19,
2005 by resolution 12-124-05. Once the
model was approved, the staff committee distributed and received the
applications, evaluated projects and prepared the funding recommendation for
the City Manager.
The PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan is the second
installment of the City of Oak Ridge CDBG Consolidated Plan 2005 - 2007. As a result of the first public hearing on
October 20, 2005, a housing rehab working group was formed. Members of the working group include
representatives from Housing Development Corporation of the Clinch Valley
(HDC), Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC), Appalachia
Service Project (ASP), City of Oak Ridge Highland View Advisory Board (HVAB)
and the CDBG staff committee. Following
is an outline of the process utilized to develop the PY2006/FY2007 Annual
Action Plan.
|
October
20, 2005 |
CDBG
Public Hearing #1 – Needs Assessment and Proposed Projects |
|
November
7, 2005 |
City
Council Work Session for Presentation of the CDBG Program Model |
|
November
18, 2005 |
Housing
Rehab Working Group Meeting |
|
November
21, 2005 |
CDBG
Public Hearing #2 – CDBG Program Model |
|
December
19, 2005 |
City
Council Approval of the CDBG Program Model |
|
January
18, 2006 |
Subrecipient
Application Deadline |
|
January
26, 2006 |
Housing
Rehab Working Group Meeting |
|
April
3, 2006 |
30-Day
Public Comment Period Begins for the PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan |
|
April
17, 2006 |
CDBG
Public Hearing #3 – PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan |
|
April
18, 2006 |
Housing
Rehab Working Group Meeting |
|
May
2, 2006 |
30-Day
Public Comment Period Ends for the PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan |
|
May
8, 2006 |
City
Council Approval of the PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan |
|
May
11, 2006 |
PY2006/FY2007
Annual Action Plan Submitted to HUD (45 Day Review Period) |
|
May
and June 2006 |
Subrecipient
Agreements Signed and Returned to the City |
|
July
1, 2006 |
CDBG
PY2006/FY2007 Begins |
The City of Oak Ridge FY2007 CDBG funding allocation
represents the 23rd year receiving the entitlement grant funds (see
history of funding). The amount of the
PY2006/FY2007 allocation is $266,461, a decrease of $27,462 (9.34%) from the
previous year’s allocation. The City of
Oak Ridge has CDBG carryover and unprogrammed funds from previous years
totaling $61,739 that is also available for allocation this year. The grand total of CDBG funds available for
FY2007 allocation is $328,200.
The CDBG funding allocation for FY2006 was reduced
by 6% from the amount allocated during FY2005.
During the first two years of the current three-year Consolidated Plan,
with the reductions for both FY2007 and FY2006, the City of Oak Ridge has
experienced a 15% reduction in CDBG funding, in the total amount of
$46,539. The reduction for FY2007 is
comparable to the reductions experienced by all CDBG entitlement cities in Tennessee
(see TN CDBG allocations).
CITY OF OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE
CDBG ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM
HISTORY OF FUNDING
|
Year # |
CDBG Program Year |
COR Fiscal Year |
Grant Amount |
|
1 |
1984 |
1985 |
$ 256,000 |
|
2 |
1985 |
1986 |
$ 253,000 |
|
3 |
1986 |
1987 |
$ 213,000 |
|
4 |
1987 |
1988 |
$ 214,000 |
|
5 |
1988 |
1989 |
$ 199,000 |
|
6 |
1989 |
1990 |
$ 207,000 |
|
7 |
1990 |
1991 |
$ 198,000 |
|
8 |
1991 |
1992 |
$ 222,000 |
|
9 |
1992 |
1993 |
$ 231,000 |
|
10 |
1993 |
1994 |
$ 260,000 |
|
11 |
1994 |
1995 |
$ 283,000 |
|
12 |
1995 |
1996 |
$ 270,000 |
|
13 |
1996 |
1997 |
$ 264,000 |
|
14 |
1997 |
1998 |
$ 257,000 |
|
15 |
1998 |
1999 |
$ 262,000 |
|
16 |
1999 |
2000 |
$ 263,000 |
|
17 |
2000 |
2001 |
$ 282,000 |
|
18 |
2001 |
2002 |
$ 299,000 |
|
19 |
2002 |
2003 |
$ 302,000 |
|
20 |
2003 |
2004 |
$ 309,000 |
|
21 |
2004 |
2005 |
$ 313,000 |
|
22 |
2005 |
2006 |
$ 293,923 |
|
23 |
2006 |
2007 |
$ 266,461 |
|
TOTAL $5,917,384 |
|||
TN CDBG ENTITLEMENT
ALLOCATIONS
|
NAME |
CDBG PY06/FY07 |
CDBG PY05/FY06 |
REDUCTION |
% REDUCED |
|||
|
Bristol |
$ |
241,037 |
$ |
263,464 |
$ |
22,427 |
8.51% |
|
Chattanooga |
$ |
1,963,196 |
$ |
2,161,989 |
$ |
198,793 |
9.19% |
|
Clarksville |
$ |
818,396 |
$ |
910,235 |
$ |
91,839 |
10.09% |
|
Cleveland |
$ |
344,017 |
$ |
382,538 |
$ |
38,521 |
10.07% |
|
Jackson |
$ |
603,465 |
$ |
670,919 |
$ |
67,454 |
10.05% |
|
Johnson City |
$ |
501,105 |
$ |
557,638 |
$ |
56,533 |
10.14% |
|
Kingsport |
$ |
419,768 |
$ |
468,336 |
$ |
48,568 |
10.37% |
|
Knoxville |
$ |
1,929,753 |
$ |
2,137,870 |
$ |
208,117 |
9.73% |
|
Memphis |
$ |
8,355,217 |
$ |
9,202,561 |
$ |
847,344 |
9.21% |
|
Morristown |
$ |
296,610 |
$ |
329,650 |
$ |
33,040 |
10.02% |
|
Murfreesboro |
$ |
626,670 |
$ |
690,044 |
$ |
63,374 |
9.18% |
|
Nashville-Davidson |
$ |
5,049,225 |
$ |
5,622,641 |
$ |
573,416 |
10.20% |
|
Oak Ridge |
$ |
266,461 |
$ |
293,923 |
$ |
27,462 |
9.34% |
|
Knox County |
$ |
1,028,350 |
$ |
1,143,903 |
$ |
115,553 |
10.10% |
|
Shelby County |
$ |
1,069,758 |
$ |
1,296,015 |
$ |
226,257 |
17.46% |
|
TN State Program |
$ |
26,912,038 |
$ |
29,786,399 |
$ |
2,874,361 |
9.65% |
|
|
|||||||
|
Totals |
$ |
50,425,066 |
$ |
55,918,125 |
$ |
5,493,059 |
9.82% |
C. Priority Needs Analysis And Strategies
General
Information
A requirement of the Consolidated Plan process is the analysis of the housing and community development priority needs for the City of Oak Ridge and the development of priority strategies, objectives and performance measures to meet the needs. HUD also requires each CDBG entitlement recipient to develop strategies regarding specific issues.
The PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan is the second annual plan relative to the current three-year Consolidated Plan. The PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan describes the activities for the coming program year to address the priority strategies of the City of Oak Ridge CDBG Consolidated Plan 2005 – 2008.
Strategies
and Objectives
Utilizing the data gathered in the preparation of the City of Oak Ridge CDBG Consolidated Plan 2005 – 2005, the City of Oak Ridge developed priority strategies, objectives and performance measurements to meet the needs described in the Housing, Homeless, Community Development and Non-Homeless Special Needs sections of the Consolidated Plan. The City of Oak Ridge will invest CDBG entitlement funds for the three-year period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008 according to these strategies.
Housing
Strategy
Strategy: Promote Increased Homeownership and Preservation of Affordable Housing
Objectives:
1. Provide
assistance to extremely low, low and moderate-income homeowners for housing
rehabilitation.
2. Provide
assistance to extremely low, low and moderate-income residents for the
maintenance of their property.
3. Support
housing counseling services for low and moderate-income residents.
4. Support
affordable housing opportunities for first-time homebuyers.
5. Support
affordable housing opportunities for extremely low and low-income renters.
Homeless
Strategy
Strategy: Help Homeless Persons and Persons At-Risk of Becoming Homeless Obtain Affordable Housing
Objectives:
1. Support
to organizations to provide transitional housing space for the homeless.
2. Support
the operations of transitional housing providers.
3. Support
case management, housing counseling and job training for homeless individuals
and families.
4. Encourage
the various homeless organizations to continue to coordinate their efforts and
develop appropriate data.
Special
Populations Strategy
Strategy: Assist in the Provision of Housing Options for Persons with Special Needs including the Elderly
Objectives:
1. Provide
assistance for accessibility alterations for existing owner-occupied housing.
2. Provide
assistance to special needs (including the elderly) residents with the
maintenance of their property.
3. Support
public facilities for persons with special needs including the elderly.
Community
Development Strategy
Strategy: Improve the Safety and Livability of Neighborhoods
Objectives:
- Provide financial
assistance for the improvement of public facilities.
- Provide code
enforcement activities to address property maintenance issues, especially
in the priority neighborhood and CDBG target areas.
- Support
infrastructure improvements that provide safety, accessibility and
connectivity.
HUD requires each CDBG entitlement community to provide strategies pertaining to four specific areas. Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan regulations require the City of Oak Ridge to address these strategies during the years covered by the Consolidated Plan, but they do not require CDBG funding of specific projects related to them. The strategies of the four specific areas listed below are included in their respective sections of the PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan.
|
|
|
|
Chronic
Homelessness
A new requirement this year for the Annual Action Plan is to address chronic homelessness within the community. For the previous eight years, the City of Oak Ridge has emphasized homeless prevention activities with the city-funded Social Services Program, CDBG funded transitional housing units and the state set-aside funds of the Emergency Shelter Grant Program. The Oak Ridge Police Department Chaplain program has also served as an integral part of the homeless prevention activities. It must be noted that there is not an overnight homeless shelter located within the city limits of Oak Ridge, so that limits the number of persons seeking one-time shelter. By concentrating our resources on the homeless prevention activities to stabilize residents, the City of Oak Ridge does not seem to have residents that continue to be homeless.
D. Recommended Funding Allocation
The Annual Action Plan recommends the total
allocation of $328,200 for PY2006/FY2007 projects with $266,461 in new program
year CDBG funds, and $61,739 in carryover dollars to support the following
program areas:
- Debt Service-The recommendation for
$95,000 to provide the fifth of fifteen installments for the city’s debt repayment
of the Scarboro Community Center Expansion Project. (Consolidated Plan Priority – Debt
Repayment (SCC), Strategies – Community Development and Special
Populations)
- Code Enforcement-The recommendation for
$57,700 to provide funds for employee and program costs associated with a
city inspector to provide enforcement of municipal codes in CDBG eligible
areas and programs. (Consolidated
Plan Priority – Code Enforcement (CE), Strategies – Housing and Community
Development)
- Housing – Highland View
Redevelopment Area-The recommendation to Aid for Distressed Families of Appalachian
Counties, Inc. (ADFAC) Highland View (HV) Yard Enhancement project, for
$19,000 to be utilized for residents that require assistance with code
issues such as removal of debris from yards, painting and general
cleanup. (Consolidated Plan
Priority – HV, Strategies – Housing, Special Populations and Community
Development)
- Housing – Highland View
Redevelopment Area-The recommendation to ADFAC HV Home Rehabilitation project, for
$35,000 to provide improvements to residences in the Highland View
Redevelopment Area occupied by very low and low-income homeowners. The program will provide minor and/or
major repairs to correct code violations within the home and
property. (Consolidated Plan
Priority – HV, Strategies – Housing, Special Populations and Community
Development)
- Housing – CDBG Target
Areas-The
recommendation to ADFAC Yard Enhancement CDBG Target Areas project, for
$9,000 to be utilized for residents living within the CDBG target areas
that require assistance with code issues such as removal of debris from
yards, painting and general cleanup.
(Consolidated Plan Strategies – Housing, Special Populations and
Community Development)
- Housing – CDBG Target
Areas -The
recommendation to ADFAC Home Rehabilitation CDBG Target Areas project for
$35,000 to provide minor and/or major improvements to residences occupied
by low-income homeowners living within the CDBG target areas. The program will provide for repairs to
correct code violations within the home and property. (Consolidated Plan Strategies –
Housing, Special Populations and Community Development)
- Homeless Prevention -The recommendation to
Ridgeview Psychiatric Hospital and Center, Inc. (Ridgeview) Oak Ridge
Transitional Housing Program for $30,000 to provide two housing units and
a housing coordinator for transitional housing services for the homeless,
mentally ill and/or dually diagnosed Oak Ridge citizens. (Consolidated Plan Strategy – Homeless)
- Homeless Prevention -The recommendation to
Housing Development Corporation of the Clinch Valley (HDC) Transitional
Housing for the Homeless project for $15,000 to provide two housing units
for short-term shelter for homeless families from Oak Ridge. (Consolidated Plan Strategy – Homeless)
- Public Facilities –
Common Area Development-Scarboro Community -The recommendation for
funding to the City of Oak Ridge for $15,000 for the development of the
common area between the Scarboro Community Center and the proposed
Scarboro Housing Development by Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County
(HFHAC) and HDC. This area will
include a walking trail and other amenities providing connectivity for the
two properties. (Consolidated Plan
Strategy – Community Development)
- Program Grant
Administration-The recommendation for $17,500 to be used for general program
administration, project implementation, management of subrecipient
agreements and all reporting requirements for the CDBG entitlement
program.
The City of Oak Ridge received subrecipient CDBG applications
totaling $251,000. With the PY2006
funding and the carryover amount of $61,739 available, the staff committee was
not able to recommend full funding for all projects. The available funding is 63% of the total subrecipient requests.
The staff committee chose to not recommend funding for two projects, in the total amount of $40,000 submitted by HDC. One project was for coordination services for the Highland View Redevelopment Area in the amount of $30,000. Due to HUD reporting requirements and other regulations, the staff committee does not believe this project should be CDBG funded. The second project was for housing counseling services in the amount of $10,000. As of February 28, 2006, HDC has $11,835 remaining for this activity from the FY2005 and FY2006 CDBG allocations. It is anticipated that the Annual Action Plan and the FY2006 Subrecipient Agreement will be amended to allow HDC to utilize the remaining FY2005 and FY2006 funds during FY2007 for the Housing Counseling program.
Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County (HFHAC) submitted a proposal for the development of the common area of their proposed Scarboro Housing Development. After receiving guidance from the City’s HUD officials and consulting with HFHAC, the CDBG staff committee is recommending the City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department should complete this project. HFHAC requested in their original application that $30,000 from two PY05/FY06 activities be reallocated for the common area development. It is planned that the City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will utilize $15,000 of these funds during PY06/FY07 and $15,000 during PY07/FY08 for the common area development.
The recommended
allocations must comply with the following three funding caps:
·
CDBG Required Public Service Cap – 15% of $266,461
= $39,969
·
CDBG Required Program Administration Cap – 20% of
$266,461 = $62,000
·
City Council Required Single Project Cap – 40% of
$266,461 = $106,584
PY2006/FY2007
Entitlement Grant $261,461.00
Previous Year’s
Carryover and Unprogrammed Funds $ 61,739.00
Total Funds Available for Allocation $328,200.00
City of Oak Ridge Programs:
Scarboro
Community Center Debt $ 95,000.00
Code Enforcement $ 57,700.00
Grant Administration $ 17,500.00
Scarboro Common Area Development $ 15,000.00
Total – City of Oak Ridge Programs $185,200.00
(56% of available funding)
Subrecipient
Programs:
Housing – Highland View Redevelopment Area
ADFAC
Yard Enhancement $ 19,000.00
Minor/Major Home Rehabilitation $ 35,000.00
Sub-Total – Investment in Highland View Redevelopment Area $ 54,000.00
(38% of available subrecipient funding)
Housing –
Citywide CDBG Target Areas
ADFAC
Yard Enhancement $ 9,000.00
Minor/Major Home Rehabilitation $ 35,000.00
Sub-Total – Citywide
CDBG Target Areas $ 44,000.00
(31% of available
subrecipient funding)
Homeless Services –
Transitional Housing
Ridgeview $ 30,000.00
HDC $ 15,000.00
Sub-Total – Homeless Services $ 45,000.00
(31%
of available subrecipient funding)
Total
– Subrecipient Programs $143,000.00
(44%
of available funding)
E. Geographic Distribution
A majority of the activities to be undertaken during
PY2006/FY2007 will be located in predominantly low and moderate-income areas
and include minority residents. The
programs may be citywide and are available regardless of geographic area, since
they are based on eligibility qualifications such as income. Two of the programs will be exclusive to the
Highland View Redevelopment Area, which is part of one of the CDBG target
areas. All subrecipients were furnished
a map of the city’s CDBG target areas that were developed using 2000 U.S.
Census data and a map of the Highland View Redevelopment Area. The city’s CDBG funded Property Maintenance
Inspector is responsible for code enforcement within the target areas.
F. Sources of Funds
This section provides an overview of the potential
resources available for programs benefiting Oak Ridge residents. The City of Oak Ridge is an entitlement city
for CDBG funds and a set-aside city for Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds
administered by the State of Tennessee.
The City of Oak Ridge does not have low-income tax credits.
1. Federal
Programs
a. Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG)
CDBG funds are an entitlement received by the City
of Oak Ridge based on a formula related to population and other
parameters. The amount of the
PY2006/FY2007 allocation is $266,461.
Carryover and unprogrammed funds, from previous years CDBG allocations,
in the amount of $61,739, are also available for the PY2006/FY2007 projects.
b. HUD
Economic Development Initiative (EDI) Planning Grant
The City of Oak Ridge was awarded $80,473 for
economic development from the 2003 omnibus spending bill. The city was officially notified on June 10,
2003 and filed the application in August 2003.
On August 18, 2003, Oak Ridge City Council approved two projects to
utilize the EDI funds. The amount of
$40,473 was used in support of the development of a Heritage Tourism Master
Plan to protect, preserve and promote World War II heritage tourism sites in
Oak Ridge. The remaining amount of
$40,000 was allocated for the support of the preparation of a plan for redeveloping
deteriorating housing in the central city area. Expenditures include $28,000 for a services agreement Knoxville’s
Community Development Corporation (KCDC) for the provision of professional
consulting services related to the City’s redevelopment plan and redevelopment
objectives and $4,786 for a services agreement for assistance with the City of
Oak Ridge 2005 THDA HOME grant application, leaving a remaining amount of
$7,214.
c. U.S.
Department of Energy Grant through the Atomic Heritage Foundation
The City of Oak Ridge was awarded $223,000 provided
from the U.S. Congress’ Energy and Water Development Appropriations
Subcommittee Conference Report 108-357 for FY2004 for the “preservation of the
Manhattan Project historical sites.”
The appropriated funds totaled approximately $895,000 with an allocation
of $226,000 to the Atomic Heritage Foundation, Washington, D.C., and $223,000
to each of the three original Manhattan Project communities that includes Oak
Ridge, Los Alamos, NM and Richland, WA.
The grant funds are to be applied to critical preservation needs as
identified by each of the communities.
On August 16, 2004, the Oak Ridge City Council approved Resolution
8-108-04 supporting three broad categories, The Secret City Commemorative
Walk, Oral History Collection and Exhibit, and Heritage Tourism
Implementation, as critical Manhattan Project preservation needs for the
City of Oak Ridge. Several projects
have been funded for each of the categories, in the total amount of $198,823,
leaving a remaining amount of $24,177.
2. Indirect
Federal Programs
a. HUD via
TN Department of Human Services
The City of Oak Ridge has made application to the
State of Tennessee, Department of Human Services, for the set-aside FY2007
Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) Program, in the estimated amount of $25,200,
which includes $1,200 for grant administration by the city. The grant amount of $24,000 is matched 100%
by ADFAC and is used for their Homeless Prevention Program.
b. HUD via
THDA-HOME Grant
The City of Oak Ridge was awarded a 2005 THDA HOME
grant through HUD, totaling $121,000 to be utilized for the development of
single- family housing in the Scarboro Neighborhood ($47,500) and for housing
rehabilitation in the Highland View Redevelopment Area ($73,500). The grant award is for the three-year period
beginning July 1, 2005 and ending June 30, 2008.
c. HUD via
TN Department of Human Services
Ridgeview Psychiatric Hospital and Center, Inc., a
City of Oak Ridge CDBG subrecipient has made application to the State of
Tennessee, Department of Human Services, for FY2007 ESG funding to provide for
preventive services for the homeless special needs populations or co-occurring
populations. (Certification of local
approval signed January 12, 2006)
d. HUD via
THDA-HOME CHDO Grant
ADFAC, a City of Oak Ridge CDBG subrecipient, was
awarded a 2003 THDA-HOME CHDO grant through HUD, totaling $426,120 to be
utilized for the development of single- family housing.
e. HUD
Housing Counseling Grant
HDC, a City of Oak Ridge CDBG subrecipient, was
awarded a 2006 HUD Housing Counseling Grant to be utilized for the provision of
housing counseling, primarily homebuyer education programs. The HUD funding listed by HDC on their
FY2007 CDBG application was $25,000.
(Certification of Consistency with the Consolidated Plan signed March
18, 2005)
f. HUD RHED
Grant
HDC, a City of Oak Ridge CDBG subrecipient, made
application for a HUD RHED Grant to be utilized for capacity building to
improve HDC capacity to provide rental and home ownership opportunities for
low-income residents in their five-county service area. (Certification of Consistency with the
Consolidated Plan signed May 10, 2005)
g. HUD 202
Grant
HDC, a City of Oak Ridge CDBG subrecipient, made
application for a HUD 202 Grant to be utilized for the construction of an eleven-unit
apartment complex within the city limits of Oak Ridge, to provide affordable
housing for persons aged 62 or older who are low-income and HUD eligible. (Certification of Consistency with the
Consolidated Plan signed May 10, 2005)
h. HUD
Continuum of Care Grant
Ridgeview Psychiatric Hospital and Center, Inc., a
City of Oak Ridge CDBG subrecipient applied for a HUD Continuum of Care grant
through the Cumberland Regional Development Corporation to expand existing and
create new transitional housing services to homeless men and women in Oak
Ridge. The grant application was not
funded. (Certification of Consistency
with the Consolidated Plan signed May 12, 2005)
i.
Department of Transportation Federal Enhancement Program via TN
Department of Transportation Project Number STP-EN-9115(8)
The City of Oak Ridge was approved for a $92,000
grant from the State of Tennessee Department of Transportation for construction
of sidewalks located in the Scarboro Community of Oak Ridge. The grant is part of the Federal Enhancement
Program provided under the Tennessee Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21),
which requires an 80/20 percent grant-matching ratio. The City of Oak Ridge will utilize general fund dollars for the
required match in the estimated amount of $23,000, for the total estimated cost
of the construction project $115,000.
The construction of these sidewalks should begin during FY2006.
3. State of
Tennessee
a.
Department of Transportation Operating Assistance
The City of Oak Ridge began contracting the
operation of a demand response van transit system during February 1993. The City’s current contractor for operating
the transit system is East Tennessee Human Resources Agency (ETHRA). The City of Oak Ridge plans to appropriate
$195,000 for this program in the FY2007 budget. The primary source of revenue for this program is a special
one-cent-per-gallon inspection fee levied on all petroleum products bought,
sold or stored in the state, and an operating assistance grant from the State
of Tennessee, Department of Transportation (TDOT).
4. City
General Fund Resources
a. Economic
Diversification Fund
Oak Ridge City Council approved Resolution 4-35-06 on April 17, 2006 authorizing that $250,000 be designated from the City’s Economic Diversification Fund for use by the Highland View Redevelopment Advisory Board for property acquisition in support of the City’s redevelopment project. It is planned for this funding will be utilized to acquire any property that may be available in the future at fair market value without the use of eminent domain.
b. Social
Services Program
The City of Oak Ridge plans to appropriate $136,500
during FY2007 for the Social Services Program.
The program was developed to assist City residents with short-term
housing and prescription drug needs.
Assistance guidelines were adopted by the Oak Ridge City Council in the
Social Services Policy and include payments for rent, utilities, and
prescription drugs for eligible Oak Ridge residents. Historically, these funds have been utilized by ADFAC as match
funding for the ESGP. FY2007 will be
the first of four annual renewal options with ADFAC for these services and
funds will be available on July 1, 2006 for this program.
c. Healthy
Start Program
The City of Oak Ridge plans to appropriate $31,850
as a grant for the Healthy Start Program administered by the Anderson County
Health Council. This program assists
first time mothers who are assessed as “at risk” of not being an effective parent
due to family history and the mother’s current status. The program provides assistance using Family
Support Workers who visit participating families in their homes at least weekly
for three to five years, or until the child starts school.
d. Capital
Improvements Program
Each year City of Oak Ridge staff prepare a Capital
Improvements Program (CIP) that provides detailed information on capital
projects for the upcoming six-year period.
The capital projects are to maintain and enhance city facilities, parks,
utility infrastructure and streets. The
amount included in the CIP for FY2007 for these programs totals
$23,760,000. Funding for the capital
projects is provided by several agencies within the federal and state
governments and funding resources by the City of Oak Ridge.
e. Affordable
Housing Fee Adjustments
In order to facilitate the provision of affordable
housing in the City of Oak Ridge, zoning and permit fees are adjusted for
residential construction (including renovation) projects. Construction occurring in a CDBG target area
is one of the specific criteria that must be met for the fees to be adjusted.
5. Other
Resources
During the summer of 2006, the City of Oak Ridge
will house volunteers from Appalachia Service Project (ASP) in an elementary
school while they complete housing repair projects in the Highland View
Redevelopment Area and CDBG Target Areas.
This will be the second summer ASP will stay and work in Oak Ridge at no
cost to the residents or taxpayers.
The City of Oak Ridge and the CDBG subrecipients
consistently search for funding sources through grant opportunities, community
organizations and other philanthropic groups.
G. Institutional Structure
CDBG entitlement funds, Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) set-aside funds and city general fund dollars are utilized to assist the City of Oak Ridge residents with the three national goals of the CDBG program to provide decent housing, create a suitable living environment and expand economic opportunities. Leadership begins with the City’s elected officials with the approval of the Consolidated Plan strategies and Annual Action Plan activities and contracts.
The City of Oak Ridge utilizes a committee approach
instead of assigning one staff member and/or one department with total
responsibility for the CDBG program.
The CDBG staff committee is comprised of three staff representatives
from various departments (Susie Stooksbury, Operations Manager, Public Library;
Tim Ward, Division Manager, Community Development Department and Ron Boucher,
Investigations Division, Police Department), appointed by the City Manager,
along with Susan Fallon, Contracts/Grants Coordinator, Public Works Department
and Tim Cochran, Property Maintenance Inspector, Community Development
Department.
The committee approach is also utilized by the Oak
Ridge City Council to address the housing objectives of the community. The Oak Ridge City Council’s Housing
Committee was instrumental in the creation of the Highland View Redevelopment
Area, including the establishment of the Highland View Advisory Board.
Susan Fallon, Contracts/Grants Coordinator continues
to receive tremendous support and assistance in the Public Works Department for
the preparation of the required HUD reports including the three-year
Consolidated Plan, the annual CAPER and the Annual Action Plan updates. This support also allows for the design and
update of a web page for the CDBG program.
During the upcoming CDBG program year, the City of
Oak Ridge, Office of Neighborhood Improvement, a division of the Community
Development Department, will be tasked with assisting the residents of the
Highland View Redevelopment Area with addressing the neighborhood’s housing
concerns as well as the neighborhood revitalization effort.
The effective program delivery would not be possible, however, without the efforts of Federal, State and local partners. The City of Oak Ridge staff and officials rely on the area non-profit organizations, state and federal officials to provide insight into the needs of the residents. The non-profit organizations are vital partners for the delivery of services and programs for Oak Ridge residents. These organizations work well together, do not hesitate to seek guidance from each other, thus forming a valuable network of resources for the residents of Oak Ridge.
The Oak Ridge Ministerial Association is a Faith-Based Organization that provides assistance to Oak Ridge residents with homeless prevention activities. This organization partners with the volunteer chaplains of the City’s police department to provide emergency motel, food and fuel vouchers to homeless persons traveling through Oak Ridge.
The Knoxville HUD office provides advice and assistance with statutory and regulatory requirements, technical assistance and training for the CDBG entitlement program for City of Oak Ridge staff and officials. The HUD office also helps with marketing and outreach efforts to promote community development and affordable housing for the region. The State of Tennessee Department of Human Services provides advice and assistance with the statutory and regulatory requirements for the ESG program for the City of Oak Ridge staff and officials.
H. Monitoring
The City of Oak Ridge is responsible for monitoring
the CDBG funds that it receives from HUD.
As a recipient of CDBG entitlement funds, the City of Oak Ridge is
required to follow the applicable laws and regulations of the program. The City of Oak Ridge staff and officials
view monitoring as an opportunity to provide ongoing technical assistance and
support to help its subrecipient partners reach project goals and improve
services for the residents. The open
and consistent communication of City of Oak Ridge staff and officials,
subrecipient partners and citizens is vital for a successful CDBG program.
The project monitoring activities can include desk
monitoring, performance reports and onsite reviews. These three methods combine to provide a clear and timely picture
of each funded CDBG activity’s progress.
Desk monitoring requires the complete and
accurate documentation regarding client eligibility, property eligibility,
appropriate funding levels for the activity and the compliance with all program
requirements (i.e. environmental review).
Utilizing the subrecipient agreements, the City of Oak Ridge requires
this documentation by each subrecipient be available to the City upon request.
Performance reports are required on a periodic
basis for all CDBG entitlement funded projects. These reports consist of the time record of the Contracts/Grants
Coordinator, monthly activity reports for the Property Maintenance Inspector
and quarterly reports from the subrecipients.
The City of Oak Ridge requires performance reports to review the
progress of the activities and to better ensure timeliness with IDIS (HUD
computerized data system) input.
The City of Oak Ridge Contracts/Grants
Coordinator shall, as appropriate, conduct annual onsite reviews of activities
to assess the capabilities of subrecipients and to review case files. Each year, the Contracts/Grants Coordinator
and a member of the CDBG staff committee will “hand deliver” the agreements
with each subrecipient, which ensures at least one onsite visit each year.
The City of Oak Ridge has additional monitoring
procedures included in each subrecipient agreement that requires the
subrecipient to provide the following assurances:
- Ensure consistency with primary objective—not
less than 70 percent of CDBG funds used during the program year must be
for activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons
- Ensure each activity meets the criteria for
one or more of the national objectives
- Ensure compliance with all other regulatory
eligibility requirements for each activity
- Ensure compliance with all other applicable
laws and program requirements
- Ensure production and accountability
- Evaluate organizational performance
- Evaluate each activity utilizing the HUD
Outcome Framework that includes specific objectives and corresponding
outcomes
The monitoring activity is part of the grant
administration duties performed by Susan Fallon, Contracts/Grants
Coordinator. She will continue to build
and maintain a close working relationship with grant subrecipients. She will monitor the progress of all
PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan programs and prepare the Consolidated Annual
Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER), which will cover the progress made for
each activity, as well as number of beneficiaries, number of units and number
of dollars spent through the annual Grantee Performance Report.
The primary monitoring goal for PY2006/FY2007 will be
the implementation of the HUD Outcome Framework and that the reports submitted
by the subrecipients verifies their performance. The secondary monitoring goal will be the increase city staff
assistance to ADFAC with their rehab/repair activities.
The reporting requirements will be specific to each
subrecipient and will be part of the written agreement between the city and the
subrecipient. Monthly invoices and/or
activity reports plus quarterly reports are required of all subrecipients. Annual housing counseling reports will be
submitted, if required. All
subrecipients are required to follow federal procurement standards and labor
standards.
I. Public Housing
Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Public housing includes federally subsidized affordable housing that is owned and operated by the local public housing authority (PHA). The public housing authority also administers the federal Section 8 tenant-based rent subsidy program, which assists very low-income families in paying rent for privately owned housing units of their choice.
Residents of the City of Oak Ridge are served by the Oak Ridge Housing Authority (ORHA), which was incorporated September 5, 1969 under the “Housing Authorities Law” Chapters 8 through 11 Title 13 TCA Sections 801 through 1113. The Oak Ridge City Council is responsible for all board appointments to the ORHA. However, the City has no further accountability for the organization. The City cannot impose its will on the ORHA board since it does not have the ability to modify or approve their budget or overrule or modify decisions of the board. The ORHA board is fiscally independent and there is no financial benefit or burden relationship with the City of Oak Ridge.
The ORHA submitted to the City of Oak Ridge a HUD Certification by State or Local Official of PHA Plans Consistency with the Consolidated Plan. According to the Executive Summary submitted with the request for signature of the certification, the ORHA Agency Plan for the period of October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2010 includes the following goals:
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opportunities. |
Historically, the ORHA has applied and received CDBG entitlement funds from the City of Oak Ridge for their programs. The program approved for PY2005/FY2006 was cancelled by amending the Annual Action Plan and the funding will be reallocated during PY2006/FY2007. The ORHA did not submit an application for CDBG entitlement funds from the City of Oak Ridge for PY2006/FY2007.
J. Fair Housing
On April 21, 1969, the City of Oak Ridge adopted a Fair Housing Ordinance, which when adopted was one of the first of its kind in the State of Tennessee. The City of Oak Ridge continues to be committed to working with the public, private, and nonprofit partners in the community to ensure fair housing choice for all residents. This commitment includes incorporating fair housing strategies into activities supported with CDBG entitlement funds.
The development of the City of Oak Ridge CDBG
Consolidated Plan for 2005 - 2007 included an update to the June 1994 City of
Oak Ridge Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI). The Consolidated Plan also lists the
following eight recommendations included in the original AI that the City of
Oak Ridge staff and officials will continue to implement.
- The City government should continue to support fair housing by
proclaiming, “April is Fair Housing Month,” by formal City Council action
and by input to the media.
- The City should continue to appoint members to the Board of Housing
Code Appeals whereby charges of housing discrimination may be addressed.
- The City should continue to address the issue of emergency housing
in a fair manner through its social service programs, and through
referrals to private, state and federal programs.
- The City should support affordable housing programs with local
housing providers and make applications for funding of rehabilitation
grants and other housing assistance.
- The City’s housing-related staff should seek out further
opportunities for training regarding fair housing.
- The City staff should continue to monitor lending institutions and
landlords periodically for disclosure of practices and fairness regarding
lending and renting.
- The City staff should use non-traditional as well as traditional
means, aimed to reach the lower-income, less-educated population, to make
sure they are aware of fair housing laws and policies.
- The City should add a short message on its monthly utility bills
that Fair Housing is the City’s policy, with a telephone number for
questions.
Specific Fair Housing actions for PY2006/FY2007
include:
- Oak Ridge City Council
is to proclaim April 2006 as Fair Housing Month
- During the month of
March, the City will place a message on the utility bills that will reach
more than 14,000 customers
- A display notice will
be placed in a local newspaper during April
- The City of Oak Ridge
has two staff members that are trained to assist with fair housing
issues; Tim Cochran, Property Maintenance Inspector, Community
Development Department and Kay Littlejohn, Code Enforcement Officer,
Community Development Department
- The City Council
appoints citizens to the Board of Housing Code Appeals that is tasked
with addressing any housing discrimination charges
- The City of Oak Ridge
requires all subrecipients to promote Fair Housing with all of their
clients
K. Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Childhood lead based paint poisoning is a significant problem nationally. On September 15, 2000, HUD regulation (24 CFR Part 35) took effect that streamlined, modernized and consolidated all lead-based paint requirements in federally- assisted housing to ensure that children are adequately protected from lead poisoning. The regulation prescribes certain action by HUD grantees to identify, stabilize or remove lead-based paint hazards in any housing receiving HUD assistance.
The rule only affects residential structures built
before 1978. The scope of activities
required by HUD is dependent upon the type of housing impacted and the amount
of federal assistance being provided, with rehabilitation activities using in
excess of $25,000 of HUD funds requiring the highest level of treatment.
The City of Oak Ridge includes a detailed and strict requirement in the CDBG subrecipient agreements pertaining to the treatment of lead-based paint. The article of the subrecipient agreement specifies the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act and the HUD Lead-Based Paint Regulations. The City of Oak Ridge also verifies from the subrecipients that information concerning lead-based paint hazards is provided to their clients.
Rehabilitation projects by ADFAC are the most
affected by the HUD ruling. ADFAC
assumes that all units built prior to 1978 have lead-based paint, so all
contractors must use safe work practices.
Once the project is complete, each unit is required to be inspected and
given clearance, utilizing HUD specified standards. ADFAC provides all of their client’s detailed information
regarding lead-based paint and its possible effects to children, elderly and
others in the household.
Tim Cochran, Property Maintenance Inspector,
Community Development Department, is certified as an EPA Model Lead Abatement
Contractor/Supervisor and an EPA Lead Risk Assessor. He is certified to conduct all lead-based paint initial inspections,
risk management programs/inspections and final clearance inspections. He will be assisting ADFAC and other
subrecipients with any issues concerning lead-based paint.
The City of Oak Ridge and partners will continue to
address the hazards of lead-based paint in the activities receiving HUD
funding, in compliance with the prescribed regulations and for the health,
safety and welfare of our citizens.
L. Anti-Poverty Strategy
Data from the 2000 U.S. Census indicated that there were 2,947 (10.9%) of Oak Ridge residents living in poverty. Poverty is defined as the condition of having insufficient resources or income.
Data included in an article in the February 5, 2006 issue of the Knoxville News-Sentinel stated that Oak Ridge ranked tenth in median annual household income within the Knoxville area that included twenty communities (zip codes). The following data was provided by Claritas 2005 and was included in the newspaper article.
· $46,901 Median Annual Household Income
· 98.0% of National Median Annual Household Income
· 29.8% Households with Income of $75,000+
· 6.13% Households with Income of $150,000+
· 55.2% Population Employed
· 20.0% with Bachelor Degree
· 10.5% with Master Degree
· 5.2% with Doctorate Degree
· $123,227 Median Home Value
· 18.6% Homes Valued $200,000+
· 1,591 Homes Valued $200,000+
· 2 Homes Valued $1,000,000+
· 27,923 Population 2005
· 12,372 Households 2005
· 85.5% White Population
· 7.8% Black Population
· 2.6% Asian Population
· 2.0% Hispanic Population
The City of Oak Ridge recognizes that it has little control or influence on the most critical factors related to poverty such as wages, family disruptions, health problems and mental illness, social responsibility and employment opportunities. The City’s primary tools to address poverty are limited to tax policies, social service programs, housing assistance and economic development programs. When these are combined with the provision of life safety programs such as police and fire protection and the construction and maintenance of city streets, parks and utilities, they help create the kind of environment where citizens can concentrate on working and making a living.
Generally, the City, in conjunction with other public agencies and private organizations, will seek to provide very low- and low-income households with various opportunities to gain the knowledge, skills and motivation to become fully self-sufficient. Specifically, the City of Oak Ridge will continue to pursue resources and innovative partnerships to support the development of affordable housing, rental assistance, homeless prevention, emergency food and shelter, counseling and health services and transportation all with the intent of providing the direction to build a community empowered to provide a good quality of life for all its citizens.
M. Underserved Needs
The PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan attempts to
address the priority needs established in the City of Oak Ridge CDBG
Consolidated Plan 2005 - 2007. As with
most communities, Oak Ridge has more needs than there exists resources to meet
them. The two City staff members, Susan
Fallon and Tim Cochran, involved with the CDBG program, will continue to work
with the citizens and the subrecipients to more clearly identify the unmet
needs of the City of Oak Ridge. The
tracking of the complaints reported to the Office of Neighborhood Improvement
and the performance measures developed with the subrecipients should be able to
provide the City with information regarding underserved needs.
N. Strategy Implementation
In 2002, the CDBG Staff
Committee developed a prioritized list of project categories that meet the
community’s priorities and are included in the City of Oak Ridge CDBG
Consolidated Plan 2005 - 2007. The
following form is provided in the city’s CDBG Application Packet and is utilized
to evaluate each project submitted.
|
Priority |
CDBG Project Category |
Definition and Examples |
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1 |
Housing Rehabilitation & Construction |
30 |
The Housing Rehab and Construction
category is for “bricks and mortar” housing projects for people of low to
moderate income. Examples of these
projects and programs include, but are not limited to, physical improvements
to existing housing stock, repairs to existing housing stock, and
construction of new housing stock. |
|
2 |
Housing Subsidies and Loans, including
transitional housing assistance. |
25 |
The Housing Subsidies and Loans category
is for projects that provide people of low to moderate income with loans,
assistance with closing costs, rent subsidies, or rent. This category is for actual provision of a
subsidy; it is not for programs that provide counseling with no monetary
component. Examples of the projects
and programs include, but are not limited to, providing rent for transitional
houses for people leaving shelters and institutions, supplementing rent for
qualified people, supplements towards closing costs on mortgages, and
providing housing incentives for people of low to moderate income. |
|
3 |
Public Improvements – by community
organizations. |
20 |
The Public Improvements category is for
community-initiated projects on public or private property benefiting areas
of low to moderate income. Examples
of these projects would include, but not be limited to, parks or park
equipment, gazebos, landscaping, buildings, parking areas, sidewalks, and
greenways. |
|
4 |
Counseling and Education Programs, and
Non-housing subsidies. |
20 |
The Counseling and Education Programs
category is for projects that provide counseling, educational programs, and
non-housing subsidies to people of low to moderate income. Examples of these projects and programs
would include, but not be limited to, child care programs, counseling on
budgeting, education on how to obtain a loan, education on how to handle a
mortgage during crisis, counseling for battered women on how to obtain
housing, job training, counseling on how to obtain a job, and emergency help
with utilities, medicine, and transportation. |
|
5 |
Studies, Evaluations, & Assessments |
15 |
The Studies, Evaluations, and Assessments
category is for projects that perform studies, evaluations, or assessments
involving people of low to moderate income.
Examples would include, but not be limited to, energy audits,
evaluation of housing stock, studies evaluating housing for the homeless or
transient, and evaluating discrimination issues and disparities in housing
options. |
|
6 |
Business Development and Job Creation |
10 |
The Business Development and Job Creation
category is for projects that help people of low income start businesses and
programs that provide jobs. An example would be an owner/operated business. |
|
7 |
Program Administration and Project Management (This category is subject to additional caps and
constraints by HUD) |
5 |
The Program Administration and Project Management
category is for projects where funds are used to support administrative staff
in eligible organizations, or support project management services. Examples would include, but not be limited
to, funding for a sub-recipient’s administrator or staff personnel, purchase
of equipment for personnel, and funding for management of projects. |
The projects recommended
in the PY2006/FY2007 Annual Action Plan will assist with meeting the strategies
developed for the City of Oak Ridge CDBG Consolidated Plan 2005 – 2007. The City of Oak Ridge will use innovative
approaches and cooperative partnerships with other public agencies and private
organizations to meet its housing and community development goals and
objectives. In accordance with the Oak
Ridge City Council Strategic Plan, The Path Forward 2003 – 2007 and
updated for the period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2009, the Highland View
Redevelopment and Urban Renewal Plan and the City of Oak Ridge CDBG
Consolidated Plan 2005 – 2007, the City has prioritized CDBG funds for housing
needs, including homeless and populations with special needs, and community
development needs. The City of Oak
Ridge will pursue the following strategies and objectives to assist with its
housing and community development needs for its extremely low, low and
moderate-income residents.
Housing Strategy
Strategy: Promote Increased Homeownership and Preservation of Affordable Housing
Objectives:
1. Provide assistance to extremely low, low and
moderate-income homeowners for housing rehabilitation.
2. Provide assistance to extremely low, low and
moderate-income residents for the maintenance of their property.
3. Support housing counseling services for low
and moderate-income residents.
4. Support affordable housing opportunities for
first-time homebuyers.
5. Support affordable housing opportunities for
extremely low and low-income renters.
Homeless Strategy
Strategy: Help Homeless Persons and Persons At-Risk of Becoming Homeless Obtain Affordable Housing
Objectives:
1. Support to organizations to provide
transitional housing space for the homeless.
2. Support the operations of transitional
housing providers.
3. Support case management, housing counseling
and job training for homeless individuals and families.
4. Encourage the various homeless organizations
to continue to coordinate their efforts and develop appropriate data.
Special Populations Strategy
Strategy: Assist in the Provision of Housing Options for Persons with Special Needs including the Elderly
Objectives:
1. Provide assistance for accessibility
alterations for existing owner-occupied housing.
2. Provide assistance to special needs
(including the elderly) residents with the maintenance of their property.
3. Support public facilities for persons with
special needs including the elderly.
Community Development Strategy
Strategy: Improve the Safety and Livability of Neighborhoods
Objectives:
1.
Provide financial assistance for the improvement of
public facilities.
2.
Provide code enforcement activities to address
property maintenance issues, especially in the priority neighborhood and CDBG
target areas.
3.
Support infrastructure improvements that provide
safety, accessibility and connectivity.
Required Strategies
Annual Action Plan regulations require the City of Oak Ridge to address strategies pertaining to the four specific areas of monitoring, fair housing, lead-based paint hazards and anti-poverty, but they do not require CDBG funding of specific projects related to them. These strategies are included on Table 3 for the associated projects.
O. Performance Measurement
Except
for administrative activities, the
Consolidated Plan activities must meet one of the three national goals of the
CDBG program determined by HUD. The
City of Oak Ridge is responsible for ensuring that Annual Action Plan
activities meet these goals. Objectives will be measured by the proposed and
actual accomplishments. The Annual
Action Plan will list the proposed measurements for each objective and the
CAPER will list the actual measurement for each objective.
A HUD Table 3 is required for each project of the
Annual Action Plan. The table includes
the HUD Program Outcome based on the 2005 Outcome Framework, provides basic
information about the project and the performance expected from the activity.
The HUD Outcome Framework is a method to
standardize and track the performance of CDBG projects from the local
level. Once all the entitlement
communities utilize the Outcome Framework and report the results, then HUD can
provide performance results on a national level.
