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HomeMy Public PortalAboutA 2005-01-05 CDBG AGENDA - �:� � . _ �, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ����\���� �` ADVISORY BOARD COMMISSION pc � r. 6�' j� � CITY OF LYNWOOD ��T}� !�.�j;(+!��T��•F WEDNESDAY JANUARY 5, 2005 DEC 2 9 2004 6:00 P.M. �� LYNWOOD CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 7 l�i�t'��Iui�1 1 t��; 3 j 4�5PG 11330 BULLIS ROAD, LYNWOOD, CA 90262 �'l1e-��L.. � AIDE CASTRO .3 C\ ��\ C " \ �� �' CHAIRPERSON � MARGARET ARAUJO JOANETTE GUTIERREZ VICE CHAIRPERSON COMMISSIONER MARTHA SALDANA PATRICIA CARR COMMISSIONER � COMMISSIONER SYLVIA ORTIZ JOE BATTLE COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER OPENING CEREMONIES: A. CALL TO ORDER B. FLAG SALUTE C. ROLL CALL D. CERTIFICATION OF AGENDA POSTING E. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES F. PUBLIC ORALS: (ITEMS ON AGENDA ONLY) G. NEW BUSINESS: 1. SWEARING IN OF NEW COMMISSIONER-ANDREA HOOPER 2. REORGANIZATION OF COMMISSIONERS 3. PUBLIC HEARING - HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS H. STAFF ORALS I. BOARD ORALS � J. ADJOURNMENT 1' . � � MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ADVISORY BOARD COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2004 CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Castro called the meeting to order on the above captioned date. FLAG SALUTE: All those present participated ROLL CALL: Present Absent Chairperson Castro Commissioner Araujo Commissioner Gutierrez Commissioner Carr Commissioner Saldana Commissioner Ortiz CERTIFICATION OF AGENDA POSTING: Staff stated that the agenda was posted per the Brown Act. PUBLIC ORALS: Sylvia Herron stated that she has been reassigned to another Commission and she wanted to come and tell the CDBG Commission that she has enjoyed working with them and the CDBG program. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Inducfion of new Commissioners: Andrea Hooper, City Clerk was in attendance to swear in the new commissioners. Upon completion of ceremony, Ms. Hooper gave a brief overview of the Commission/Boards rules and regulations. She also stated that the term of the Commissioners were 4 years and at the end of the four years the Commissioner may submit a request for reinstatement. However, if the particular Councilperson that appointed the Commissioner leaves office, the Commissioner will be automatically dismissed. Mayor Pro-Tem Vasquez was also in attendance and congratulated the newly appointed Commissioners. Mayor Pro-Tem Vasquez stated that Commissioner Saldana and Commissioner Ortiz will do well in their new positions. Mayor Pro- Tem also stated that she believes in allowing opportunities for new leadership and has no doubt that both Commissioners will provide valuable input. I . 1 2. Code Enforcement Presentation: Jorge Arellano, Code Enforcement Manager, gave an overview of the Code Enforcement program. He stated that Code Enforcement currently has 7 areas that are eligible for CDBG funding, and that the Division has 5 officers who respond to 10-15 requests per day. Mr. Arellano informed the Commission that each officer has a certain area of the City to patrol in addition to complaints received daily. Commissioner Castro stated that Code Enforcement is funded with CDBG funds to work in HUD approved low/moderate approved areas. She then asked how the areas qualify. Ms. Potts, Deputy Director of Administrative Services, replied that HUD provides income information for each census tract and block group within the City, and that each block has to have least 51 % low rnoderate residents. Ms. Potts also stated that Code Enforcement has two funding sources, the City's General Fund and CDBG funds. General fund monies assist with commercial inspection, vendors and other activities, which are not eligible through CDBG, Commissioner Ortiz asked Mr. Arellano how active is Code Enforcement in pursuing garage conversions? She stated that it was her understanding that the Amnesty program would help alleviate that problem. Mr. Arellano replied that the Amnesty program is officially closed, and that the City received approximately 120 permit requests to reconvert. Commissioner Castro asked if the officers are utilizing proper time management in order to properly cover their areas. In addition, she stated that anyone can drive by and see certain garage conversions and violations from the street. Do the officers stop to cite a violation in such a case? Mr. Arellano stated that the officers have a schedule, which includes counter hours in order to assist residents, prepare correspondence and return phone calis. In addition, if any of ' the officers are in the field and notice violations, they respond accordingly. Mr. � Arellano stated that in order to ensure that officers are responding to complaints and completing assignments, an inspection log is kept for each officer and ; submitted to the supervisor for review. Commissioner Ortiz asked how does Code Enforcement operated the Amnesty + Program? Were there specific officers assigned to work with the program? She also stated that there was a fire recently and it was discovered that 17 people were living in the garage. ' � I Commissioner Ortiz stated that the illegal conversion must be stopped. She assumed that the Amnesty program would help alleviate the problem. Mr. Arellano stated that his ideal situation would be to proceed block by block and issue citations as needed to be corrected within 15 days. After the 15 days that case would be forwarded to the City prosecutor and counted as a misdemeanor. However, this would have to be approved from the Director and City Council to put that plan into action. Commissioner Carr referred to Mr. Arellano's previous statement regarding 120 permits pulled as a result of the Amnesty program. She asked if all 120 permits resulted from 'the program. Mr. Arellano stated that approximately 7 permits resulted from the Amnesty program and the other 113 resulted from other active cases. Commissioner Carr asked how did staff get the information on the Amnesty program out to the community. Mr. Arellano replied that Code Enforcement placed adds in the local newspapers, attended block watch meetings, rotary meetings and sent information in the water bills. - Commissioner Carr stated that since the response was not great, did staff go out in the community to patrol the neighborhoods to uncover the illegal conversions. Mr. Arellano stated that staff was pushed to do that, and the officers went door to door to pass out information with the exception of commercial/industrial areas. He felt that proper notification was given to the community. Commissionec. Carr asked if Code Enforcement is deliberately looking the other way due to under staffed or other issues? Because on her street there is a home that has a window on the garage and it is obvious that this is a conversion. Why does staff patrol and not see the same things as the residents. She stated that the residents are tired of the garage conversions and will continue to press the issue. Commissioner Saldana asked how many times a day does Code Enforcement patrol an area? Mr. Arellano stated that each officer has an area and each area , is patrolled every day. After brief discussion, the Commission thanked Mr. Arellano for his presentation. 3. HOME Program Grant Review Mark Fullerton, HOME Coordinator, give a brief presentation on the City's HOME program Grant application process. He stated that HOME provides $10,000 grants and $30,000 loans to rehabilitate the property. Submitted for the Commissions review were program procedures and the application process. Mr. Fullerton stated that staff is constantly reviewing and revising the procedures _ because there are 24 required procedures that staff must follow before the application is approved and the property rehabilitated. In addition, because the City offers grants, there is an overwhelming response to the program. However, the applications must also comply with HUD guidelines. Mr. Fullerton stated that the City currently contracts with a consulting firm in order to stream line the process. The new system will store pa�ticipant information in addition to generating reports in a timely manner. The new system will also be used to track an applicant from the application stage to construction to completion. Mr. Fullerton apologized to the Commission for not having more information on the computer program, but stated that he will bring additional information to the , next meeting. Hopefully by January, HOME program staff will have a presentation for the Commission on the status of the HOME program. Commissioner Castro asked if staff would forward a report to the Commission on the funds spent on a consultant as apposed to the cost of hiring an additional staff person. In addition, how many days will the consultant work for the City of Lynwood, and what other cities are contracted with them. Mr. Fullerton stated that he would bring that information to the next meeting. Commissioner. Carr stated that the application submitted with the agenda is a revised application as per the Commission's request. In an effort to help reduce the unnecessary paperwork for the residents, the application was streamlined. Commissioner Ortiz asked if the updated application will speed the process along? Mr. Fullerton replied that hopefully the reports submitted in the future will show a boost in the turnaround time. Commissioner Ortiz asked if residents that received a$5,00� grant in the past are now eligible for the additional $5,000 since the grant limit was raised to $10,000. Mr. Fullerton stated yes. There being no further discussion, the Commission accepted the revised application as a receive and file item and thanked Mr. Fullerton for his presentation. STAFF ORALS: Staff distributed invitations to the City's Annual Commissioners Christmas dinner and reminded the Commission to RSVP accordingly. BOARD ORALS: The existing Commissioners welcomed the new Commissioners. ADJOURNMENT: The Commission adjourned to the next regularly scheduled meeting. Motion to adjourn carried unanimously. Chairperson Annette Potts, Staff Person