HomeMy WebLinkAboutChapter III Consolidated Plan DIII. CONSOLIDATED PLAN DEVELOPMENT
A. MANAGING THE CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS
As the lead agency for the consolidated planning process, the City formed various partnerships
and new relationships with community groups, residents, businesses, and interested citizens.
With citizen input and collective problem solving, considerable coordination and agency
participation permeated the consolidated planning process. From these collaborative efforts,
the Consolidated Plan 2010 (ConPlan) evolved. At the end of this chapter is a strategic
planning model the City will use in managing the ConPlan development, implementation and
reporting.
B. PURPOSE OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires cities and counties to
complete a Consolidated Plan to receive funds for the Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)
programs. CDBG funds can fund a variety of activities to help low-income people and
neighborhoods, such as housing accessibility, public facilities, infrastructure, and economic
development. The HOME program can fund housing-related activities for lower-income people
such as housing construction, housing rehabilitation, and first-time homebuyer assistance. ESG
program funds can be used for homeless and homeless prevention activities.
The Consolidated Plan serves as:
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A planning document which builds on a comprehensive consultation and citizen’s
participation process.
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An application for HUD funds.
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A strategy for housing, homelessness, community development, and economic
development.
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An annual business plan that presents an investment strategy for CDBG, HOME and ESG.
It contains six major components:
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A housing market analysis.
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An assessment of housing, homelessness, community development, economic
development, and related needs.
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A description of priority needs.
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Long-term strategies to address those priority needs.
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An explanation of how the City will work with its partners in the public, private, and nonprofit
sectors to carry out these strategies.
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A description of annual projects and activities the City will take to carry out those
strategies—also called an Annual Action Plan.
Each component serves a specific purpose. The housing market analysis and needs
assessment allows the City staff to determine existing needs. Identifying needs helps the City
set priorities for its CDBG, HOME and ESG programs. Finally, assessing needs and identifying
priorities allows City staff, with the advice of citizens and partner organizations, to set five-year
strategies to address the priority needs. The City then proposes how to invest CDBG, HOME,
and ESG funds for projects to carry out ConPlan strategies.
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010 III-1 May 2005
ONE YEAR PLAN AND CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND
EVALUATION REPORT
To receive CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds, the City must produce an Action Plan each year.
The Action Plan is a one year work plan that describes the City's planned investments for the
coming program year, including proposed actions, and proposed CDBG, HOME, and ESG
projects. The Action Plan is similar to a yearly operating plan for a business. It outlines the
City's proposed activities in several areas and relates these activities back to the five-year
strategies to address priority needs described in the Consolidated Plan.
C.
The City must also submit a Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report
(CAPER) each year. The CAPER reports the City's progress in meeting its proposed actions
and projects, as well as its progress in carrying out the Consolidated Plan's 5-year strategies.
The CAPER is similar to an annual report to stockholders except with this example, the
stockholders are citizens and taxpayers.
D. CONSOLIDATED PLAN GOALS
The City of Bakersfield must use its CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds to provide decent and
affordable housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic opportunity for its
residents, particularly those earning low- to moderate-incomes. The statutes for the Federal
grant programs covered by the Consolidated Plan set forth three basic goals against which
HUD will evaluate the City's performance:
1) Provide decent and affordable housing, which includes activities to:
. Help homeless people obtain appropriate housing.
. Assist people threatened with homelessness.
. Retain the affordable housing stock.
. Make available permanent housing that is accessible to job opportunities and is
affordable to low-income people and families without discrimination.
. Increase the supply of supportive housing for persons with special needs.
. Promote Fair Housing Choice to all citizens.
2) Provide a suitable living environment, which includes activities to:
. Improve safety and livability of neighborhoods.
. Increase access to quality facilities and services.
. Reduce isolation of income groups within an area through decentralization of housing
opportunities and revitalization of deteriorating neighborhoods.
. Restore and preserve properties of special value for historic, architectural, or aesthetic
reasons.
. Conserve energy resources.
3) Expand economic opportunity, which includes activities to:
. Create and retain jobs, especially for low-income people.
. Expand small businesses.
. Provide employment training and workforce development.
. Increase access to capital and credit for development activities that promote the long-
term socioeconomic viability of the city.
. Empower low-income persons to achieve self-sufficiency to reduce generations of
poverty in Federally-assisted public housing.
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010
111-2
May 2005
E. LEAD AGENCY
The City of Bakersfield's Economic and Community Development Department (EDCD) is the
lead department responsible for overseeing the development of the ConPlan and the significant
aspects of the process by which the plan was developed. As a means to enhance coordination
between public and assisted housing providers, and among private and governmental health,
mental health, and service agencies, EDCD established a procedure (ConPlan Public
Involvement Plan) for involving and contacting the public as part of the consolidated planning
process.
The primary purpose of the Public Involvement Plan (PIP) is to solicit input and comment from
residents, particularly from the low income community for needs such as affordable housing,
creation of jobs, public facilities/services, and adequate infrastructure. During the preparation of
the ConPlan, the City solicited input from community stakeholders involved with housing, job
development, public facilities, and health/social services. The PIP (Appendix C) was placed on
the City’s web site during the summer of 2004. (See Appendix B for the City’s Citizen
Participation Plan which prescribes minimum submission, performance and record maintenance
requirements.)
To further enhance cooperation and coordination among agencies and groups, a series of
stakeholder workshops were held to discuss the needs assessment and the following strategic
planning categories: affordable housing, homelessness, special needs, economic development,
and community development. There were many interested persons and representatives who
attended and gave valuable input and dialog for improving the City's ConPlan.
EDCD coordinated with City departments, County agencies, and community stakeholders in
developing housing and community development priorities and activities. The partnerships and
collaborative efforts will continue to be the focus of the lead agency in implementing the City's
ConPlan during the next five years.
F. REQUIRED CONSULTATION
Throughout the preparation of the ConPlan, consultation was sought and obtained by the City
with other public and private providers of housing, health, and social services. The types of
agencies invited to stakeholder meetings included: social service agencies, health service
organizations, providers of low-income housing, financial institutions which have or may provide
financial assistance for lower income housing, and church organizations.
G.SOCIAL SERVICES/LEAD BASED PAINT (LBP)/ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND
RELOCATION PLAN
During the development of the ConPlan, efforts were made to consult with public, private and
governmental health, mental health and service agencies with the intent of improving the
exchange of information, coordination of services, and collaboration of efforts to meet the
ConPlan requirements and needs assessment for low-income populations.
As the ConPlan was being developed local health and child welfare agencies were consulted to
obtain existing data related to lead-based paint hazards and poisonings. The agencies
providing this information included the Kern County Health Department, Kern County
Environmental Health, and California Children Services. Information on lead poisoning was also
obtained from the Centers of Disease Control. Additionally, the Housing Market Analysis
chapter contains more information on LBP.
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010 III-3 May 2005
As required by the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of
1970 and CDBG certifications of the Annual Action Plan, the City has developed a residential
anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan in connection with any activity assisted with
funding under the CDBG and/or HOME programs. (See Appendix E for a copy of this plan).
Managing the Consolidated Planning Process Model
City of Bakersfield
Con Planning and Peñormance Reporting
Five Year Consolidated Plan
Goals, Strategies, Objectives
and Outcomes
Annual Action Plan
Site Specific Activities and
Programs with Budgets
IDIS
CAPER
Consolidated Annual
Performance Evaluation
Reporl
Integrated Disbursement
Information System - HUD
H. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
As part of the consolidated planning process, a strategy was developed to meet the major
following components of the citizen participation process for the Con Plan:
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Provide for and encourage citizen participation primarily from moderate, low-income and
extremely low-income groups.
Seek input through a bi-lingual needs survey to be distributed through public meetings,
organizational meetings and the City's website. About 170 need surveys were completed
and tabulated for the draft ConPlan.
Afford adequate and timely notification to local meetings and forums.
Provide access to relevant information by way of translation and disability accessibility.
Make available technical assistance to lower income groups who request assistance in
developing applications for housing and community development funds.
Hold at least two public meetings at convenient times to obtain views of citizens, agencies,
and interested persons.
Publish a summary of the Con Plan and notify the public where the plan can be reviewed for
possible comment.
Encourage the receipt of public comments.
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1. Participation
Citizen participation is the backbone behind the Con Plan. It is the engine that drives the
process for achieving effective public participation from citizens, particularly low-income
residents. The following was done to obtain maximum citizen participation: developed a
Public Involvement Plan for the ConPlan and a survey instrument (Appendix); provided
information at community meetings regarding the consolidated planning process; held four
stake holder meetings (see invitation, Appendix); and held two public information
forums/workshops (see public notice Appendix).
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010
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May 2005
The survey instrument was developed to receive input from a broad cross section of citizen
and service providers on housing and community development needs and to assist in
developing priorities for expenditure of CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds. The survey was
distributed at meetings attended by the City of Bakersfield Economic and Community
Development staff. It was also distributed at Bakersfield area libraries, City Hall, and on the
City’s website. A tabulation of survey responses is included in the Appendix. The deadline
for completing the survey was September 1, 2004.
City of Bakersfield Economic and Community Development staff distributed survey
instruments at the following: African American Community Health and Employment Fair,
February 21, 2004; Ward I public meeting, April 1, 2004; Kern County Homeless
Collaborative meeting, April 28, 2004; and the Hispanic Health Fair, June 13, 2004.
Approximately 240 agencies were mailed invitations to attend four stakeholder meetings:
The first meeting held was the Housing Stakeholders Meeting on September 22, 2004; five
people attended. The Homelessness and Special Needs Stakeholders meeting was held on
September 28, 2004, four people attended. The Public Facilities/Services and City
Infrastructure/City Services Stakeholders meeting was held on October 7, 2004, 11 people
attended. The Economic Development Stakeholders meeting was held on October 13, 2004
with four people attending.
Two meetings open to the general public were held on November 4, and November 9, 2004
with 10 persons attending. The focus of the meetings was to provide information to citizens
who were interested in providing input into the consolidated planning process. Staff
received and responded to verbal comments at the meetings. The comments received were
considered for inclusion and incorporated in this ConPlan.
2. Access to Meetings
Public publications and/or written notifications were made in advance of all meetings
including public hearings. All facilities were accessible to the disabled, and special need
assistance was offered ten days prior to each public event.
3. Access to Information
At the community events, stakeholders meetings and public hearings, the amount and types
of federal assistance available were discussed. A written report on the categories and
federal assistance expended previously was distributed to attendees.
4. Technical Assistance
Technical assistance was provided at the four stakeholder and two public meetings as
needed. Technical assistance was also provided through private meetings, when requested.
5. Public Meetings
The first public meeting was held on November 4, 2004, and the second meeting on
November 9, 2004. The November 4, 2004 meeting was held at the Housing Authority of
the County of Kern’s Oro Vista Public Housing Complex meeting room at 6pm. Six citizens
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were in attendance. The second meeting, held on November 9at the centrally located
Bakersfield Convention Center, was attended by four persons in a room that was accessible
to physically handicapped persons. This meeting was also a Fair Housing Stakeholders
meeting; 73 stakeholders were invited by e-mail or by letter. The hearings were publicized
through paid publications and public service announcements through the Bakersfield
Californian, and by mass mailings to all those on the City’s Economic and Community
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010 III-5 May 2005
Development’s mailing lists. Views of citizens, agencies, and interested persons were
sought at the meetings. Needs were identified from residents verbally, in writing, and by
completion of the needs assessment survey.
A public meeting of the draft ConPlan was held on March 29, 2005, at the Martin Luther
King Jr. Community Center at which 2 citizens attended. A second public hearing was held
on March 31, 2005, at Hall Ambulance’s Community Room at which 1 citizen attended.
Views of citizens, agencies, and interested persons were sought, responded to and made
part of the final ConPlan. The 30-day public comment period began March 12, 2005 and
ended on April 11, 2005.
I. CONSOLIDATED PLAN PUBLICATION
A summary of the ConPlan was published on March 12, 2005, which noticed two public
meetings that were held on March 29, 2005 and March 31, 2005. Both public meetings were
noticed in the newspapers 10 days in advance of the meetings. The ConPlan was approved by
City Council on April 27, 2005.
J. PUBLIC COMMENTS
The published summary of the ConPlan described the purposes, priorities, and proposed
activities of the ConPlan and listed locations where copies of the entire plan could be examined.
The following places and groups received a draft ConPlan during the 30-day review period:
County of Kern Administrative Office; County of Kern Community Development Program
Department; County of Kern Public Health Services; Kern Council of Governments (KernCOG);
Employers’ Training Resource; Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc.; California State
University, Bakersfield; Governor’s Office of Planning and Research; and Housing and
Community Development Department.
K. COMMENTS TO 30-DAY PUBLIC REVIEW OF CONPLAN
Summary of Comments – Ms. Teri McClanahan
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Ms. McClanahan of Community Action Partnership of Kern (“CAPK”) submitted an e-mail with
the following summarized comments.
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CAPK’s Helpline Information and Referral Program, needs to be converted to a 24 hour
service and is not included as part of the Community Development needs as a line item
cost.
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The list of available services offered by service providers to homeless residents does not
accurately reflect CAPK’s programs and services.
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Statistical data of the Head Start program operated by CAPK was not noted.
City Response
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The Community Development needs and the dollars necessary to address those needs are
not listed by individual agency’s projects or programs but rather by broad and encompassing
categories, more representative of the entire community.
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The list of available services offered by service providers to homeless residents was
provided by the Kern County Homeless Collaborative’s 2004 Continuum of Care. The list
will be updated to more accurately reflect CAPK’s programs and services.
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The Head Start program operated by CAPK is a county wide program as was the statistical
data provided. The City will utilize CAPK’s data during its annual reporting.
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010 III-6 May 2005
Summary of Comments – Housing Authority of the County of Kern (HACK)
Written suggestions from HACK were received from Mr. Stephen Pelz, Executive Director, and
Ms. Susan Gonzales, Administrative Analyst. The following statements summarize those
comments and the City’s response.
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on page IV-19, “Major Employers in the County” – the number of employees for Kern county
appears to include the number for Kern Medical Center.
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On page V-7, in 2002, HACK purchased the Sunny Lane Apartments, 2601 Sunnylane, to
maintain its affordability.
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On page V-7, HACK received 24 additional Section 8 vouchers to provide continued
assistance to the affected households when the owners of the Royal Palms Apartments,
1001 W. Columbus, opted out of HUD’s Section 236 Program.
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On page VIII-17, the Family Self-Sufficiency Program is designed to assist both Section 8
and Public Housing tenants.
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On page VIII-17, in addition to the grants named in the Plan, HACK receives the Resident
Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency – Resident Service Delivery Model (ROSS) grant (replaces
much of the funding for activities previously covered under PHDEP grant).
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On page IX-7, in addition to the families already on the Waiting List, between Jan. 17, 2005
and April 15, 2005 HACK received approximately 3,800 additional Sec. 8 applications.
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On page IX-62, a seven member independent board appointed by the Kern County Board of
Supervisors governs HACK.
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On page IV-10, change the text statement regarding “In 2000, the five or more person
households represent 9% to 16.1%”.
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On page IV-11, percentages in the second paragraph do not coincide with the table below
the paragraph.
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On page IV-17, amend Table to reflect bedroom size only and delete waiting list reference to
race or ethnicity since the data in the table does not reflect household demographics.
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On page V-2, amend first paragraph to reflect “Female – No Husband – Under 5 years and
5-17 years” to show missing word (Children).
City Response:
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Between the two correspondences from HACK there were a total of eleven (11) suggestions
to the Draft ConPlan. All but one will be included in the final version of the ConPlan. Item
regarding page IV-11 that “the second paragraph does not coincide with the table below the
paragraph” will not be amended. On a closer examination City EDCD staff found the
paragraph consistent with the table.
Summary of Comments – Local Initiatives in Child Care (LINCC)
Dana Adams, head of Local Initiatives in Child Care (LINCC), which is a project under the
direction of Steve Sanders of Community Connection for Child Care. The following is a
summary of LINCC’s letter and the City’s response.
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LINCC wants to include the creation of 1,200 childcare spaces as an outcome on the table
in Chapter X. Ms. Adams demonstrated that a need for 6,000 additional spaces will exist in
five years and that 1,200 spaces is a reasonable and attainable goal.
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Ms. Adams asked that staff reduce the amount of dollars needed to address development of
childcare centers from $450 million to $65 million. Data was shown that substantiated her
numbers.
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010 III-7 May 2005
City’s Response:
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The five-year goal for additional childcare spaces was increased to a minimum of 1,200
spaces.
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Staff changed the figure for “dollars needed” to $65 million.
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Staff requested that Community Connection for Child Care assist the City in collecting
annual accomplishment data as it pertains to licensed childcare space levels in the City.
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Staff responded to LINCC in writing with the changes mentioned in this summary.
City of Bakersfield
Consolidated Plan 2010 III-8 May 2005