It's not in any department. It was a partnership of multiple departments working with the state and a non-profit organization that received funding from the state to do the proactive outreach. But, again, it was really a partnership driven by the Mayor's Office with a whole range of City agencies because so many are involved, but they're all federal and state benefit programs.
Right. The concept of BenePhilly initially -- I mean, it seems to me that CEU is the natural place -- is where everybody goes now who is seeking those benefits that were the subject of BenePhilly, and I just wonder who are the experts, who are the people in which departments doing 261 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. BenePhilly versus CEU? Do you understand what I'm saying?
It's not clear to me. We did this press conference about BenePhilly and what it was going to do, and it sounds like basically that it was described as BenePhilly doing CEU does, and I just --
I can explain. There are a variety of different ways to do benefit enrollment, and no one way gets the job done. You have to go at it in multiple different approaches. There are different populations. BenePhilly was an overarching initiative and we decided to focus initially on the elderly. MOCS is doing benefits enrollment for a whole variety of different populations. And specifically the component last fall with the campaign you're referring to was an approach to using databases to target and over the 262 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. phone and through mailings try to enroll people. What MOCS is doing is doing a broader population using a whole variety of different other techniques, but part of the reason we had MOCS at the table with a whole range of agencies was to try to determine what is the best way to leverage these databases with different offices and experiences, and we're continuing that work today. (Bell rung.)
Well, right now BenePhilly is not operating, but you can provide the Chair with information about who did what in which department to support BenePhilly, where the funding came from, how many people were reached out to on a proactive basis and what the response rate was?
And it sounds to me like MOCS is a reactive organization. People call in and they help. And BenePhilly was a proactive 263 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. effort. Is that --
I mean, I think MOCS probably does a combination. It's just different.
MOCS does a combination of we react, but we are proactive as well. But in this particular situation, that was an actual concentrated program.
Right. I'm asking about MOCS now. So could you please provide to the Chair what you do on a proactive basis?
As opposed to -- so when you're differentiating clients that you served last year, if you could have one column be for people that you were reacting to and the other for people you served based on your outreach.
Right. We can break down our numbers by program and type of services and provide that to the body. 264 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a point of information.
Thank you, Madam President. In addition, I understood in a hearing we did on the Benefit Bank about 12 months ago that there's a quantitative figure that averages out that an average person on assistance can get in by way of tangible benefits and there was a dollar amount attached to that. I think, if I recall, it was somewhere around an additional $12,000 per family, and if that is in case in fact true, that was the estimate, I'd like to know what it actually measures out to per participant in a Benefit Bank style so that if in fact it means $12,000 to a person under the poverty guideline, that's a hell of an infusion of resources to a family. So 265 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. I'd like to measure that, if you would.
Yeah. I would be glad to provide you that. But just briefly, it really depends on the population. So whether it's a family, an elderly person, they are eligible for different programs family size, but it is a significant amount of dollars, which is why we've devoted significant energy to increasing our enrollment and participation in these federal and state programs that are all federal and state dollars.
Even though I know there are different populations that can apply for different programs, there's a mean. There's a mode of what people actually receive by way of tangible benefit, and I would love to know what that is based on that codification of all of those services that they are eligible for.
And I know 266 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. it's tangible. I'd like to measure it, that's all. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. What linkages do you have with the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives?
Well, not only do we work closely with the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, but we work closely with many, many religious organizations throughout the City, churches, to use their food cupboards.
Tell me what that means, you work closely with the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives. What does that mean?
Well, we accept referrals from them and provide services to the people who contact them. Some of 267 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. our staff work programs with them.
Okay. of your testimony where you talk about the Foster Grandparent Program, what tie-in do you have with DHS and other kinship care organizations that are providing similar services?
The Foster Grandparent Program is funded by the national corporation and it is funded for 110 seniors to do volunteer services 13 hours a week to receive a stipend at host 14 institutions. We don't connect with DHS 15 or any other kinship care program, 16 because it's funded directly for those 17 services. 18
Are you 19 familiar with Experience Corps that is in 20 the same business?
Because 268 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. the broader point I think it's important to make is, the extent to which we get systems to talk with each other in a substantive way, we do a better job in capturing those who might fall through the net. So I put Experience Corps on the table because they do the exact same thing, but their focus is in schools.
That's important to know. How do families get referred to -- bottom of , Special Events. How do families get referred to these type of activities?
When we put together one of these programs, a type of program; for instance, the Please Touch Museum was a holiday party, we remained 269 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. contact with -- we had worked closely with the School District for the referral of children who were at need. When we did the Easter egg hunt at -- we did an Easter egg hunt at the Zoo. We worked with the shelter systems to identify the children that were in need.
Are you open to receiving recommendations from District Council offices and Council offices --
-- who come in contact with families that are desperate for things for their children?
And actually when we start to do a number of these things, we make contact. If it's going to be in particular areas, we'll contact that District Council person to try to involve them in the process.
All right. I know that the Fatherhood Initiative Program has come before us many times. 270 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. What can you say now about the success and track record? I've never been able to get hard numbers that say as a result of this program, X number of fathers are back on track doing X, Y, Z with their children, and it's been funded for many years. So what internal systems do you have in place that sort of track and quantify or qualify the value of the program? And further, are you tied in to the program at 1218 Chestnut Street? I can't recall the name of it. It doesn't matter. So do you keep numbers --
-- that you can speak to what your success rate has been?
Please provide that to the Chair. 271 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc.
That would be helpful. Community Engagement Unit -- different question. On LIHEAP, I continue to be amazed at still the many citizens who are not aware, A, that it exists and, B, more importantly, what the deadlines are. So consequently they miss out on taking advantage of that particular program. So what do you do internally with regards to marketing and promotion and outreach of LIHEAP so that families who qualify indeed get the benefit that it offers?
We've done some outreach on the program. We've done door knockers. Over the last two years we did 10,000 door knockers. With a limited staff of ten, it's hard to get a lot of outreach done.
And so is there any relationship with the senior citizen programs that you run?
Absolutely. All of the senior citizen centers receive the services of our Community Engagement Unit, the six that we fund especially through the Department of Recreation.
And in addition to that, we have a location at 1231 -- well, WorkWise Program is at 1231 North Broad Street. So we have information there. Then we also have information at our 6th and Lehigh site. We also have information and employees working out of 22nd and Somerset, at that location as well.
I missed in your testimony how many sites you have. How many sites do you have?
Well, we have -- well, 990 is our main site. That's where the bulk of our employees are. We have a 273 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. satellite office at 6th and Lehigh where we have two people. (Bell rung.)
The WorkWise Program presently is at 1231 North Broad Street, and then we have three people who are in the 22nd and Somerset.
You're welcome. I think this will be the last line of questioning. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam President. On of the testimony, it's indicated that CEU, quote, "also 274 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. provides residents with the necessary referrals to emergency services and/or linkages to meet their needs." When CEU staff are in contact with a citizen, what do they do to assess the person's full scope of needs and eligibility for benefits and services?
Well, they complete our intake form. They talk to the client, ask the client what their needs are. They assess what the client's needs are through meeting, face-to-face meeting with the client. If the client does not have or we do not have the availability to photocopy income documentation to certify they're income eligible, we have a self-certification form that we use so we can keep them in the client's file. The client then -- they assess what the clients needs are and they give them referrals or set up linkages, meetings or counselors to address their immediate emergency needs, and then ideally the staff contacts them 275 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. a few days after that to make certain that they've gone and gotten whatever service they needed, that their emergency has been ameliorated or that they've connected with their linkage without our support. If they haven't, then the staff then provides them additional supports so they can connect that linkage.
Okay. So can you please provide the Chair with information on everybody that you have helped and your assessment of what other benefits that they were entitled to receive and then either -- I don't know whether you track this or not, but if you track it, the benefits that were actually received by your customers last year, which raises a question -- provide to the Chair, please -- does the CEU track the success of these referrals, both in terms of the citizen following up -- following through with the citizens and following through with the referred-to agency providers so that you would have that 276 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. data?
There is a tracking system in place. It definitely needs to be upgraded and improved.
The system itself. There is a practice. The intake forms allows them to track what they do. As one of the things we noticed very early, we're looking at two -- well, we're looking at one system and we're looking at --
For the sake of time, if it's okay with you, unless you feel the need to explain, if you could provide the answer to that question to the Chair also.
Thank you. So outcome measures, and I'm referring to of your testimony, on the subject of measuring outcomes, I just have a few questions on your chart. The 277 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. left-hand column lists different services provided by MOCS. Could you describe briefly, review the categories listed and describe the services provided.
Sure. Employment is employment and training services. It's job readiness training, time management, conflict resolution, job search, anything that would go into helping a person obtain employment, obtain and maintain employment.
And the second and fourth column reflected outcomes achieved. What does that mean?
Those are the numbers of clients who at or below 125 percent who achieved the outcome. So in this particular case, in the first one, 1,723 people received the service, 711 people achieved the outcome. That's 711 below the poverty level achieved the outcome. They obtained employment.
Okay. In the emergency services and linkages 278 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. categories, the chart indicates that outcomes were achieved for 100 percent of clients. How did you measure this? (Bell rung.)
The staff measure it and they report it to us. I should note too that all of our data is tracked manually. We do not have a data-tracking system.
Okay. How much time do you think that costs you in terms of --
So you think you could generate significant efficiencies if you were to have an automated intake system?
Okay. Could you please provide to the Chair an estimate of what it would cost to provide you with an automated system and what the expected efficiencies would be?
Okay. Just a few more. So I'm talking about your testimony on and reference to the Community Services Block Grant, and it's mentioned that we don't know what we'll receive under the federal Recovery Act, but we do know that the income eligibility level for new funding is being increased from 125 percent to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. How many additional Philadelphians will this make eligible for services from MOCS?
We'll have to get that number for you. 280 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc.
And how are you ramping up to serve this expanded population?
Well, as I talked about a couple of the things that we were looking to do earlier to increase our ability to provide direct services, a number of the -- talking about developing additional job training programs, we think that if we're able to do that --
Rather than repeat that testimony, just for the sake of time -- and it's not because I don't think this is very important -- if you could provide an answer to the Chair about what your business plan is to provide services to many more Philadelphians, and include in that your view of whether or not the implementation of technology would allow your staff to serve citizens rather than push paper, and maybe that's one way to help you ramp up for this. So your testimony noted that 281 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. you're performing a needs assessment in conjunction with Temple University to help it develop programs and services to fill identified gaps. How is this assessment being performed?
We're performing the assessment with -- we've just completed a needs assessment survey, a survey that would identify areas that the client -- that the residents feel they need services in. We're going to conduct forums, community forums. We're going 14 to conduct one large community meeting to 15 get information. We'll do it online. We'll conduct a survey through our partners, our stakeholders in the community, other community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and then we will work with Temple to analyze this data.
Okay. And so have Councilmembers been given notice of these forums?
We don't have 282 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. them identified yet, but we certainly are willing to work with any Councilmember who has an idea of where they would like a forum in your area.
When you have a schedule or you're setting it up, would you please let the Council President's Office know what the plan is for these forums around the City. I'm 11 sure many Councilpeople would be 12 interested in participating. 13 So there are no findings with 14 respect to this needs assessment yet; is 15 that correct?
When all of that information is finalized, please provide the President's Office a copy of the end result. Finally, your testimony says that MOCS has completed a study of best practices by Community Action Agencies across the country and identified several 283 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. areas of interest. Is this study in writing?
It's nowhere in writing, so how have you -- is it anecdotal?
Okay. If you could maybe put your conclusions on paper and provide them to the President. Okay. That's all I have, Madam President.
Thank you. MR. McPHERSON: The next department is the Mayor's Office of Housing and -- or I should say the Commerce Director - Housing and Community 284 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. Development. (Witness approached witness table.)
Please identify yourself for the record. MS. McCOLLOCH: I'm Deborah McColloch, Director of Housing. Good afternoon, President Verna and members of the Council. I am Deborah McColloch and I am the Director of Housing. I am here today to present testimony on the Office of Housing and Community Development, OHCD, proposed Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2010. The proposed Operating Budget under the Community Development Fund, Grants Revenue Fund, Housing Trust Fund and General Fund will also be presented in the spring to the Finance Committee at its hearing on the Consolidated Plan. That hearing will authorize the 285 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. submission to HUD of the Consolidated Plan that includes the budget for the Community Development Block Grant and other housing programs for Fiscal Year 2010, Community Development Block Grant Year 35. Ideally, the Consolidated Plan hearing should occur prior to the consideration of the Operating Budget by City Council. However, as in the past 12 years, the hearings are reversed. Should 13 the results of the Consolidated Plan 14 hearing require adjustment to OHCD's 15 Operating Budget as adopted by Council, 16 there will still be time subsequent to the adoption of the Consolidated Plan to amend the Operating Budget. The complete Fiscal Year 2010 proposed budget will be presented as part of the Consolidated Plan hearing. Due to the nature of its funding, OHCD is required to plan its annual budget to comply with the federal objectives as outlined in the annual 286 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. Consolidated Plan. HUD's mandated goals are the creation of suitable living environments, the provision of decent, affordable housing, and the creation of economic opportunities. These federal goals inform the agency's commitment to improve the quality of life for residents and businesses of the City of Philadelphia. This commitment is demonstrated through OHCD's support of the Philadelphia Plan service goals of economic recovery and jobs to promote Philadelphia's growth as a green city, enhancing public safety to make Philadelphia the safest large city in the country, investing in youth and protecting the most vulnerable City population, and reforming City government to work better and cost less. Reductions in federal funding in recent years have had an impact on the community development programs in Philadelphia. Federal funding has decreased by 25 percent over the past 287 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. seven years, and at this time, we have not yet been informed of our Year 35 award amount. However, additional funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program are anticipated in FY10 for a planned eight percent increase in funding for Class 200 activities. 4 million to support the vacant land stabilization and maintenance activities of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and 400,000 to support the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program and Vacancy Prevention activities. This total has been reduced from the original FY 2009 budget of 5 million and the FY 2009 rebalanced budget of 4 million, resulting in a reduced funding for greening activities and the Utility 288 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. Emergency Services Fund. 5 million to the Housing Trust Fund for its activities. 8 million in the General Fund. This Operating Budget represents the cost for all housing programs as well as salaries for all OHCD, Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, PHDC, and Redevelopment Authority staff, rents, materials, supplies and so forth. The decrease in budget Class 100 is the result of OHCD's plan to reduce its budgeted positions by a minimum of 11, from 90 in FY09 to 79 in FY10. The increase in budget Class 200 is primarily the result of 289 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. anticipated funding and the related activities from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Neighborhood Stabilization Programs.
The changes in budget Class 300 and 400 are for increased appropriation authority for overhead costs associated with housing operations. OHCD, together with the delegate agencies of PHDC and the Redevelopment Authority who are funded in this budget, awarded $76 million in contracts to non-governmental vendors in Fiscal Year 2008, of which approximately million, or 29 percent, went to 17 disadvantaged firms. 18 OHCD is committed to providing 19 housing and community development 20 services in a professional and ethical 21 manner to support the City's plan to 22 improve the quality of life for the residents of Philadelphia. I'm happy to answer any questions that you and other members of 290 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. Council may have.
Thank you, Ms. McColloch. I was actually cued up to ask you questions about fourth and I won't take advantage of sitting in the big chair, so I'll call on Councilwoman Brown.
Good afternoon. Thank you for the numbers regarding the disadvantaged businesses. The good news is that that's partially what we asked for. The bad news is that it's not detailed enough. So if you would please indicate -- and you may not have gotten this heads-up, that we want it broke down by prime and subcontract. MS. McCOLLOCH: Okay.
And more specifically, women and minority owned. MS. McCOLLOCH: Okay. We have that information. I can provide it.
Terrific. Childcare Facilities Fund, what do you understand that the purpose and 291 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. function of that program? MS. McCOLLOCH: The Childcare Facilities Fund provides grants to childcare providers to make improvements to their facilities in order to bring them up to state code or help them get certified by the state to be -- or licensed, I should say, by the state to be childcare providers, and it also provides technical assistance to childcare providers to help them create a business plan or other activities so that they will be able to be licensed by the state.
And a budget cut has been proposed for the Childcare Facilities Fund; is that correct? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes.
And that budget amount is? MS. McCOLLOCH: In the current fiscal year, it has $200,000 budgeted and in FY10 there's no capital program -- 292 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. excuse me; General Fund money proposed.
How does that align with the Mayor's commitment that services to children and youth will not be negatively impacted? MS. McCOLLOCH: It is in alignment because there's still approximately $2.3 million in the Childcare Facilities Fund that is unspent. So it will have funding to spend throughout the next fiscal year.
With the anticipated stimulus dollars, would it be proper to assume that -- and in learning that, if I remember correctly, the stimulus dollars, their use is very, very narrow and very defined. Would the function of the Childcare Facilities Fund fit into the appropriate use of the stimulus dollars? MS. McCOLLOCH: I believe you're referring to the Community Development Block Grant part of the recovery dollars, the stimulus dollars? 293 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc.
Yes. MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes. We do not yet have the guidance from HUD on how those funds may be spent. We're awaiting it from HUD. But assuming that the guidance is similar to the current Community Development Block Grant guidance, it would be an eligible activity.
So is it safe to assume that because they have X number of dollars that are unspent, that that led to the $200,000 cut? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes.
And was that conveyed to them in writing, If you don't use the money, you lose the money? MS. McCOLLOCH: No, it was not conveyed in writing.
So they discovered this at the time of the departments making decisions around budget cuts? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes, through 294 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. conversations, but it was not conveyed in writing.
What is the standard operating procedure in departments when programs have to face budget cuts or when programs are going to be notified about budget cuts, number one, and, number two, are reasons given so that program managers can get a heads-up and do the internal fixing that they need to do so that they don't lose the dollars, which are there to service the very constituencies they're trying to serve? MS. McCOLLOCH: Well, we have conversations with them throughout the year. These funds, the specific funds that you're referring to, are placed under contract to PHDC, Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, and PHDC in turn holds the contract with the Non-Profit Finance Fund, which carries out the Childcare Facilities Fund program. And so there have been ongoing 295 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. conversations throughout this whole fiscal year between PHDC and NFF about the Childcare Facilities Fund program and what some of the concerns have been about moving the program forward and trying to spend the money more quickly.
And what are the dilemmas, what are the glitches, what are the bumps that are preventing it from spending those dollars in a way that they then do not lose those dollars? (Bell rung.) MS. McCOLLOCH: There have been a series of concerns about that the contract -- that they've had to negotiate the contract between PHDC and NFF. Some of them have been around what activities we will support with the Community Development Block Grant funds, because our goal has been to support as much of the actual facilities work as possible, that that's what we really had allocated the funds for, the actual, if you will, capital grants to the daycare providers, 296 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. childcare providers, and there have been some -- there's been a lot of negotiation about what's the appropriate split between how much should be spent on technical assistance and how much should be spent on the capital improvements. And I don't know all the details of all those negotiations, but I know that's been part of the ongoing conversation between NFF and PHDC.
The bell has rung. I have to honor it, but I'll circle back, period. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Councilwoman Brown. Councilman Goode, you no longer want to ask -- Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. McColloch, of the $74 million that you say in contracts are non-governmental vendors in Fiscal Year 2009, what is that $74 million? Is that 297 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. part of the over $200 million under Class 200 or is that a subset of that $200 million? What does that $74 million represent? MS. McCOLLOCH: I'm sorry, Councilman. I'm not sure I --
On your testimony, it says, "OHCD, together with the delegate agencies of PHDC and RDA who are funded in this budget, awarded $74 million in contracts to non-governmental vendors in Fiscal Year 2009, of which approximately million, 15 32 percent, went to disadvantaged firms." 16 I'm asking, what's the source 17 of that $74 million? Is that a subset of 18 the $200 million in Class 200? Is that 19 simply money under the Community 20 Development Fund, the $85.5 million, or 21 is that part of the Grant Revenue Fund? 22 Is that part of the total $200 million? 23 MS. McCOLLOCH: It's part of the total, yes.
And what 298 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. other part of that $200 million is not accounted for and why is it not accounted for? MS. McCOLLOCH: I'm sorry. (Witness approached witness table.)
Hello. My name is William Yurkow. I'm the Director of Finance and Administration for OHCD. The $74 million awarded contract is actual contracts awarded in FY09 to date, and that is a subset of the Class 200 total there. We exclude contracts to non-profits, which OHCD mainly does business with, because non-profits aren't part of the ratio that we calculate here. So we break out of the 200 class contracts only for private --
Well, non-profits are not part of a basis for MBEC 299 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. requirements when we do those formulas.
Well, basically my understanding is the MBEC requirements relate to private vendors and contractors. Non-profits are non-profit contractors not owned by anybody.
Per Charter change that was passed a few years ago per the Finance Department's requirement to set annual participation goals, there are actually goals set for non-profits in terms of for-profit contracts they have, and if -- I mean, as Council has dealt with this issue, as we now deal with issues related to disadvantaged business participation, why we aren't counting those opportunities related to non-profits, particularly since we're contracting with non-profits, they then contract with for-profits. That's still money that we gave to them under contract. So why would we not be setting 300 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. goals --
I can't answer why goals aren't being set, but I can certainly say we will go back and provide that information.
Because the first year that we asked for goals to be set for for-profit activity under non-profits, the goal was just symbolically set at five percent, which makes no sense. And I don't know what the goal is going to be in the next report, but clearly, these are taxpayer dollars, like any other taxpayer dollars. There's no reason simply because they're going to a non-profit entity. If a non-profit entity is still purchasing goods and services from for-profits, they should be held just as accountable as the for-profits.
Great. 301 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. MS. McCOLLOCH: We'll get the information for you, Councilman.
Thank you very much. Normally I would have waited until our next session with OHCD and Deb McColloch when we talk about the Consolidated Plan, et cetera, but I have a time issue. I wanted to raise the issue of -- everybody knows, you know too obviously, Mr. Chairman, about our relocation efforts in Mantua, and I understand we have a deadline Thursday as our funds run out, our federal funds. That deadline is the 10th. So I want to bring the issue up. I've learned that there may be some glitch to see if we could get some clarification on our relocation. There's only five 302 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. properties, but we have some issues, and I'm hoping that we can resolve them. It's been so long, and we're just there, and I didn't know if there's any way we could be helpful to clarifying this situation. But we're just there and need to do what we can to resolve any issue. (Witness approached witness table.)
Hi. I'm Terry Gillen, the Executive Director of the Redevelopment Authority. I had a conversation with Carl Greene several hours ago, so we are aware of his issue, and it is, in short, that he's trying to get the folks relocated this week and had anticipated that the new houses would be built. They're not built. So Deb and I talked about it in fact over the weekend, and I think I can say today we're going to get a resolution 23 either way. So we're on it, and I think we'll be able to figure it out. I can't say right now what the resolution will 303 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. be, but I think tomorrow I could report back to you when we've figured it out.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Thanks, Ms. Gillen. Thanks, Deb. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was looking in the testimony and there's a portion of $400,000 for Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion, and I wanted to know how that was going to be applied, what you were going to do with those dollars. I'm glad to see it there, but what are you going to do with them? MS. McCOLLOCH: Those funds are going to be used to support the hotline that we use for the program. The funds will be put under contract to Community 304 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. Legal Services, which is the contractor for the hotline.
Have you gotten any recent statistics on how that program has worked? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes. I don't have them with me today, but we have -- I can provide you with detailed reports on how the program has been operating.
By way of the stimulus dollars, I heard there was a difference between what the Block Grant money is now and what the criteria for the spending under the Recovery Act is. What are the general salient differences? MS. McCOLLOCH: We don't know yet. My only point was that the guidance from HUD has not yet been issued for, as we're calling it, the ARRA Community Development Block Grant funds, the CDBG funds that will come out under the Recovery Act. HUD is going to issue a set of specific guidelines for that funding, which we don't yet have, so I 305 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. don't know if it's going to be identical to the existing Community Development Block Grant funds or not, because we don't have the guidance yet.
Now, this is different than the, I think it's, 32 million we had for the Stabilization Fund. MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes, it's different.
So that's in addition? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes. We're getting $14 million in Community Development Block Grant funds under the Recovery Act, but we don't yet have the guidance from HUD on whether the regulations governing how those monies can be spent will be identical to the current CDBG regulations or if there will be changes.
So let's take a snapshot from a year ago. We've received one infusion of capital ranging 306 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. about $32 million from the federal government for stabilization. MS. McCOLLOCH: No. For the Neighborhood Stabilization Program? 6 million. That's now being spent. 7
And then in 8 the CDBG allocation, we are asking for 9 what amount? 10 MS. McCOLLOCH: Well, we don't 11 have our allocation yet for Year 35. 12 That will be the Consolidated Plan that 13 comes back to Council. We don't yet have 14 that number from HUD about what our Year 15 35 number will be, but separate from 16 that, we're going to have the additional 14 million in Recovery Act CDBG funds.
So do you anticipate it being at least what it was last year or more? MS. McCOLLOCH: I anticipate it being the same or similar.
So that was 307 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. 53 million? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yeah, almost 53 million.
Do we have any deadlines on spending that 7 million, like another stimulus package? 8 MS. McCOLLOCH: The 16 million 9 of the Neighborhood Stabilization 10 Program, yes. 11
What is the 12 timeframe for that? 13 MS. McCOLLOCH: For the 14 Neighborhood Stabilization Program? Two 15 years. 16
And so we have identified properties. Do we have to in any way work with some of the property disposition agencies in order to do some of this? MS. McCOLLOCH: Well, the funds have been put under contract to the Redevelopment Authority, and the Redevelopment Authority has, in conjunction with OHCD, issued a request 308 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. for qualifications from developers, which are being reviewed. And then once folks have sort of gotten through that part of the -- after the RFQ review, then we're working together to identify properties that would be appropriate for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
We've identified properties and forwarded them on to the Administration and are hopeful that -- how are we matching that with, for example, money that PHA is putting into a neighborhood? Are we matching that with money that PHFA is putting into a neighborhood? Is there an overarching plan that kind of gives some direction to how we allocate those dollars in a way that will actually play off of other money that's being put in to stabilize certain neighborhoods? MS. McCOLLOCH: Well, we submitted an application to HUD for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program that identified the zip codes in the City that 309 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. would be eligible to receive the NSP funds. That had to go in last fall. And within those zip codes, as we get the list of properties that are eligible for the program, the foreclosed-upon properties, we're doing the review of the block and the property to ensure that if we rehabilitate and sell a property, we're not selling one house in a row of vacants or something like that. We're looking at properties that will have an impact on the neighborhood, on the block in which it's located. (Bell rung.)
All right. I'm going to end it. To what degree are we working with PHA, PHFA to coordinate resources? MS. McCOLLOCH: Well, insofar 310 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. as they're within those neighborhoods, we're working in neighborhoods where there are foreclosed-upon properties and we're looking at those properties, but we we're looking at the properties on the blocks and seeing the overall strategy for that block.
Thank you. Ms. McColloch, can you tell us why OHCD is now under the Commerce Department instead of the Mayor's Office, as it has been in the past? MS. McCOLLOCH: Well, OHCD is still part of the Mayor's Office, but the Deputy Mayor to which I report is Andrew Altman. All of the departments are within report to specific Deputy Mayors, and the Deputy Mayor to which I report and OHCD reports is Andrew Altman, who is the Deputy Mayor for Commerce and Economic Development. 311 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc.
But doesn't the ordinance say to the Commerce Director, not the Mayor? MS. McCOLLOCH: I'm sorry. The ordinance?
Doesn't the ordinance say to the Commerce Director? It doesn't say anything about this being under the Mayor's Office. MS. McCOLLOCH: I'm sorry. I'm -- (Witness approached witness table.)
Hi. Rob Dubow. Yeah. I think that was mislabeled in the ordinance and we'll need to change that before the process is over. We need to change it back to the Mayor's Office.
We will do that before this process is over. I'm assuming there may be other changes that 312 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. we have to make and we'll do it at the same time.
Okay. Thank you. Ms. McColloch, where are the additional funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program budgeted in the FY10 request before us? MS. McCOLLOCH: They're just included in the appropriations request. They're not specifically detailed yet because we don't yet have the guidance on what I was just describing, the $14 million of CDBG funds. So we're requesting the appropriations authority at this time.
Where? By what class? MS. McCOLLOCH: Hold on. (Witness approached witness table.)
Hi. I'm Paul Cesario. I'm Fiscal Officer. 313 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. The appropriations for the $14 million is in the Community Development Grant. It's an allotment of $35 million, which is part -- the City requires us to liquidate prior year obligations every two years. So that amount was 8 million, and then we added an additional 9 15 million for this proposed increase, 10 for a total reserve appropriation of $40 11 million. So it's included on Section 12 1005, . You'll see "OHCD reserve 13 appropriations." That $36 million, part 14 of that is an allowance for the $14 15 million that we're expecting under that 16 program. And the 12 million for 17 Neighborhood Stabilization is in the 18 Grants Revenue Fund, and that is . 19
Can 20 you tell us how you are proposing to use 21 these funds? 22 MS. McCOLLOCH: The 23 Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds 24 are the ones that I was just explaining 25 in which we, with the Redevelopment 314 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. Authority, issued an RFQ for developers. The Neighborhood Stabilization funds are going to rehabilitate vacant foreclosed-upon properties and resell them. The $14 million in CDBG funds we have not yet put out a plan for because we don't yet have the guidance from HUD, and when we get that guidance from HUD, then we will prepare -- we will prepare, depending on the timing of it, either an amendment to the Consolidated Plan or it will be in the proposed Consolidated Plan that we bring before this Council later in the spring.
Thank you. You indicate in your testimony that you have reduced or eliminated your General Fund funding for greening activities and the Utility Emergency Services Fund. Can you tell us what you have reduced it from to what is being requested in FY10? MS. McCOLLOCH: In the -- 315 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc.
You say you've reduced. MS. McCOLLOCH: In the greening activities, the FY09 budget was originally 4 million, and then in the rebalancing, it went to 3 million. And so what's proposed here for the greening activities is 2.4 million in General Fund, and we hope to supplement that with Community Development Block Grant funds. That would be presented as part of the proposed Consolidated Plan that we'll bring back to City Council. And for the Utility Emergency Services Fund, that fund receives $525,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds. That will remain, and that will be part of the proposed plan again that we bring to you, and the million dollars in General Fund is being eliminated.
The $2.8 million that you are requesting from the General Fund for FY10, is any of that eligible for funding from the Recovery 316 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. Act? MS. McCOLLOCH: Are any of the activities that we're supporting with General Fund also eligible for --
The $2.8 million that you're requesting from the General Fund for FY10, is any of that eligible for funding from the Recovery Act? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes. Some of the same activities that we're supporting -- that are being requested for support from General Fund may be eligible for support under the Recovery Act. Again, the part with which I am familiar is the 14 million of the Community Development Block Grant funds, and that's the portion that we don't yet have the guidance from HUD. So I can't guarantee it, because we don't have the guidance yet.
Also, you are requesting $124,733,000 in the Grants Revenue Fund for Fiscal '10, 317 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. correct? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes.
Paul Cesario. These numbers are just appropriations authority. As I alluded to earlier, part of the amounts that are included here are requirements by the City, which they require us to liquidate any prior year obligations. So in order to restore these obligations in the upcoming year, we need to have appropriations authority to reestablish the funds that we had to liquidate in May of the prior year. I would say about a third of our funding is just bringing balances forward.
Well, let me ask a question. Why shouldn't the 318 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. uncertain amount be placed in the Grants Fund reserve for unanticipated grants?
We do have some appropriations for unanticipated grants, but these specific grants have a life expectancy of five years or more and they will be rolled forward into the same grant. They have specific -- each grant has a specific purpose, whether it's HOME or HOPWA. So when you liquidate a grant, you have to restore it in the same grant. So we will have additional appropriations in HOME and HOPWA. In state appropriations there's a reserve to carry forward the prior year liquidated amounts.
You might as well stay up there. You're requesting $85,465,000 in the Community Development Fund, correct? MS. McCOLLOCH: Yes.
How much of this request is a certainty? 319 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc.
I would say we have a reserve of about $40 million. So take $40 million off. About 55 million is real new award amounts.
I'm sorry? MS. McCOLLOCH: This is the number that I just mentioned we don't have our actual allocation from HUD yet for the next fiscal year. So we are assuming that our Community Development Block Grant funding will be approximately the same next fiscal year as it is currently. So that's approximately $53 million. So of the 85.5, approximately -- I mean, again, at this moment, because we don't have the allocation from HUD, I can't tell you what the exact number is, but assuming that the number is similar.
When do you think you would know what the allocation you would be receiving from 320 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. HUD? MS. McCOLLOCH: I would have thought that we would have had it by now. So we are simply awaiting it from the federal government, from HUD.
Yes. My name is William Yurkow. I'm Director of Finance and Administration at OHCD. I think the best way of answering your question is simply to give you the information when we go back to the office. Any budget is a mix of certainty, funds coming in that we know about, and some projections, and we can certainly give you the projections in our budget as soon as we get back to the office.
Thank you. 321 4/6/09 - WHOLE - BILL 090212, etc. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.