Affordable Housing and Community Equity Development Commission - Regular Meeting

Um, this is a meeting of the Affordable Housing Community Equity Development Commission. My name is Terry Bond. I'm stepping in for our chair, Nancy Lipson, who's out today. So, I'm acting chair. And right now, um, let's do a call to order because we have one member here. You want to um, introduce yourself? Oh, you're you're off. Your audio is off, I think, there you go. Patrick Sheridan. All right, I guess that's it. We'll go to the minutes then. That's the next item. Um, approval of the minutes. It'll be you'll have to you'll have to make the motion, Patrick. Um, you can't you can't approve them because you don't have a quorum. Okay. Then then we'll we'll hope other people show up. And a quorum is four. Um, so hopefully the two others will come. So, we'll see. We can always approve them in our next meeting. So I don't I was I was absent from the last meeting anyway. So there you go. All right. All right. Um I guess I'm not going to keep this job very long at this rate. So um why don't we go then to item four which um is the 2025 29 2620 5-year con consolidated plan and then the FY2026 annual action plan. This is the public meeting for that. And thank you, Terry. Um, so my name is Alexis Robinson. I am a senior comprehensive planner with the department of planning and zoning and I'm here to kind of open and introduce for the second time uh the five-year consolidated plan and annual action plan uh that we do for our uh community

development block grant funding through HUD. um at our April meeting or your April April meeting uh we came and had a public hearing that was focused on the needs uh that we would include in this plan. Um since then we have introduced a resolution with the city council um that went to the city council on June 16th. Uh that will also be going to before the housing and human welfare committee. Um and we will get a final vote on that through the city council uh hopefully at the July 14th uh city council meeting. Um in this time period, well, I'm getting ahead of myself. I have a few slides to share um if that's okay. Oh, sure. And uh I'll use Alexis, are you going to go over the public comments you got because that was the part that you were waiting for at the last meeting you talked about. Yes. Uh that we have a a segment for that as well. Great. So, uh yeah. So, uh, just an introduction as we stated before, um, the city of Annapolis as an entitlement community under the Department of Housing and Urban Development um is required to provide um a report every five years for the consolidated uh plan. Uh the consolidated plan is basically how we plan to use that funding that is allocated towards us. Um the community development block grant program

um helps to fund uh opportunities for low and moderate income communities within the city of Annapapolis. And um yeah, so this is really a a standard thing that we do every five years. We've been doing it since apparently 2009. I learned that earlier this week. All right. And so um just a summary of the objectives and outcomes. So we have identified six need areas or priority needs within the consolidated plan and this is where our objectives and outcomes focus on. um six strategies for housing, homelessness, uh special needs, community development, economic development, and um administrative planning and management. Um before I move away from this slide, I also want to introduce uh John Hagland who is our um our consultant with Urban Design Ventures who is helping us put together this plan. Um, John, if you want to just say anything or expound on kind of, you know, how these need areas come together. Thank you for the uh introduction. Um, really um, one thing just to kind of clarify that the plan is specific to the city's CDBG program. Um so it shouldn't be um uh it mistaken for the comprehensive plan. Um there are similar types of objectives and goals uh that would be in both plans, but this is specific to the CDBG funds that the city receives. Um and is basically set up to

recognize how the CDBG funds will be spent over the next five years. Uh and so for each uh project that CDBG funds will be used for, it would meet one of these priority need areas that we have um and is designed just to basically identify what those needs are um and uh you know how we'll use those funds to address those during the next five years. Thank you. Um and so included in the uh consolidated plan is also uh a summary of the evaluation of our past performance or the uh caper which is prepared annually. Um I believe we also came to uh this commission to talk about the caper uh earlier this year but uh the caper is produced every year to show how funding has been used in that past fiscal year. Um, and this is really a summary of what uh the end of our last uh federal fiscal year funding did for those five years. Um, so next uh is the citizen participation. Um, like I said before, we held a public hearing with the housing commission in April that opened uh public comment for public needs um for the that would be included in the consolidated plan. Um, the draft of the consolidated plan was placed on public display on I guess that was like June 12th officially. Um, it's been advertised in the Capitol Gazette and is currently

available online as well as in person um for viewing and comments by the public. Um, that's that's anyone who who is uh living and working within the city of Annapapolis. Uh, the the plan the draft plans will be on display for 30 days. Um, so that will end on July 14th, which is also the day that we will go back to the city council. Um, this is the second public hearing for this plan. Um, well, I keep switching between singular and plural because it's technically two plans, uh, but one document. Um, additionally, we have three public surveys that are circulating that have been advertised as well. uh to collect uh public comment on particular areas such as housing opportunity um and the like for low and moderate income populations. Um John, is there anything that you'd like to add for this section? I I think only um just to expand upon u citizen participation that uh there was also stakeholder participation uh where we reached out um to um stakeholders in the community. Uh had group meetings uh that were attended. Uh one of the online surveys was specific to stakeholders. Um so that allowed those groups uh to speak specifically as to the population that they serve uh and the needs specific to that population. Thank you. And so um just as some next steps um like I said before the draft plan is on

display. Uh anyone is welcome to make a comment or on the plan. You can submit a comment through the comment form on the DPZ website uh by calling or emailing myself um and by um mailing in comments as well. Um and so we'll be meeting with the city council housing and human welfare committee on Monday, June 30th. Uh and then the uh resolution will go to the city council for a vote on July 14th and a copy of the plan again can be found on the website. Um and just a closing summary um this is um the overall goal is to improve the living conditions for all residents in city the city of Annapapolis. Um like John said, the goals of this uh consolidated plan do align with what is in the comprehensive plan. Um and yeah, at this I guess at this time we can open it up for any comments or questions from the commission. And then uh if there's anyone online that would like to give public testimony to the plan uh tonight, we can do that. Uh Terry, you're still on mute. the public comments because you did you presented all that information in our last meeting and I don't think anything's probably changed from that because it was going to be modified based on public comments if I was

understanding correctly and I just wondered if you got any information that that you know you're going to being to modify the plan in any way. Um I don't believe there was any information to change the direction um of the plan. We did have some draft goals based on um projects and what we anticipate coming up in the next 5 years within the city. Um John, was there anything that stood out to you from public comments that we received before? No, other than just participation um from the public as well as stakeholders went into the formation of the plan. Um and just um any comments would be appreciated at this time. Um Terry, like you heard Teresa was speaking earlier, we're just going to update some some Hacka information. Uh there's additional information just as it's uh on display that we're updating. Um kind of the turnaround period was very short. Um, HUD kind of has a a a hurry up and wait scenario where we didn't know our allocations and that's what we discussed at the the last uh public hearing and then we got the allocations and it was uh you know quick turnaround uh you know about less than 60 days to to get everything finished up with that. So uh that's always a challenge with that. No, nothing came out um uh that that wasn't incorporated into the plan or or um already a part of of the planning document that we are looking at with that. Okay, thanks. I guess that Patrick, you have anything any comments questions? No, I didn't have any questions. Okay. All right. Thank you all.

Um Terry, I know the next item is also um kind of related as well. Should I just go ahead and get into that? Sure. Okay. Well, I guess I can share my screen again. Um so, um Alexis, you are the show tonight. So share your screen. Yes. I I don't know why I'm so reluctant. So uh so this next uh presentation I guess is uh about the fiscal this next fis fiscal year uh 2026 are the applications that we have received for the CDBG. Um, this is also included in the draft 5-year compreh uh consolidated plan fiscal year 2026 annual action plan. Uh, so this information can be found there. Uh, this is going to be very brief. Um, I know we do have a few of the applicants on the uh on the call with us today. Um so if the commission has any questions or comments for the applicants um you can ask then. All right. So um just to overview for this uh 2026 fiscal year, we have four applicants. uh the Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis and Anaundo County, the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, Homes for America Incorporated, as well as a Rundle Lodge. Um no final decision has been made on funding these projects. Uh that won't be finalized until the five-year plan is uh submitted and approved. But can I can I just clarify something because this is the

first year I think that we're just using CDBG money for capital projects, right? And that's different than past years because maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we did it earlier, but I don't think so. So, um that's correct. Um so, usually it's a capital projects and services. Um right. and and the services services are being funded out of a different fund this year with the city. Right. Right. With the city. Yeah. I just I just want the anybody that's asking that question to to know that those services will still be funded but in a different way through a different funding source. I was curious about that because I didn't see any list. Oh, great. Um, I'm going to go through the applications really quickly. Uh, just a short summary. So, Boys and Girls Club is seeking funding to update flooring throughout the Bates Boys and Girls Club in Annapolis. Um, they're requesting $23,000 $23,6763 uh for a total project amount of $42,365. Um, and the city is recommending providing them with $23,68. Kind of just rounding that up. Uh, Arundle Lodge is seeking to improve the conditions for a deaf residential uh, housing program. The renovations will include upgrading flooring, bathrooms, and kitchens to create a more comfortable living environment. They're requesting 65,000 of the $85,000 project budget. Uh, and the city is recommending providing $65,000

in funding. Homes for America is requesting funds to replace an elevator at Bowman Place. Uh this funding will help to offset the costs for the elevators in their six-story mid-rise residential building consisting of 60 uh apartments. And they are requesting $125,000 of a $428,400 project budget. The city is recommending providing uh Homes for America with $65,726. And uh the housing authority is requesting funding for capital improvements and infrastructure improvements uh requesting $135,000 of their $4,195,000 project budget. And the city is recommending providing $60,000 in funding. Um, oh, I thought I included another slide. I just want to clarify that we are anticipating uh $1.3 million estimately over the next five years. And that's also what factors into how much we would be able to give to these projects. Um, so that that is a summary of the applications and applicants. As you can see, most are uh capital improvements to facilities that are currently existing. Thank you, Alexis. I have to mention we have two more members of the commission now available, Rich Halverson and Karen Brit.

Wonderful. Um, so are there any questions for the applicants or staff about the CDBG proposed funding or applications? I'm just happy that two of those projects they got full amounts that they requested good projects. It's it's that's a positive positive. It is. I mean they nice to be able to do that the lower end of what um was being asked. So, it seems I had an earlier question, but I think I answered it myself reading through the application, but on a Boys and Girls Club, uh, since they don't actually own the building, I was curious as to why the landlord, which appears to be the county, isn't doing the repairs, but in reading the lease, apparently there is a requirement for the uh, Boys and Girls Club to cover their own improvements. That's good to know. Um, I was hoping Lauren from Boys and Girls Club would be able to join us. Um, she would have probably been able to answer that, but I don't think she's on now. We know where the house is that that they're renovating for the deaf um population. We know where it is. It's probably in the application. I apologize. I've forgotten. it. I'm not sure if it's specifically listed in the application. I do I know the application that's listed there is their um their particular address that like the the address for a run lodge. Yeah. Some

somewhere in the application I think I did see the actual addresses but they're the uh town houses on Genesis. Okay, between guess it. Any more questions or comments? Well, thank you, Lexis. Thank you, John. Thank you, Terry. And thank you, John, for those updated statistics, too. They'll be really helpful that you sent us. Yeah, you you're welcome. Um, I just wanted to kind of send that off, uh, get you started. um please um you know through Alexis or Teresa get in touch to uh kind of continue what you're looking for if there's other information that would be helpful. I think your ending two paragraphs gave us some good talking points and that will will help us. So thank you. Good. Glad to hear and we thank you for your consideration as we continue to um help preserve our public housing uh units here in Annapolis. and we thank you for making improvements in the infrastructure. That will go a long way. Yeah. Can't wait to see what you do. Seems like people like to complain. Hopefully they'll they will uh acknowledge the improvements you're making, too. Yes. Thank you. Thank you all. I guess we can close out item number four and five. Um, and I don't know. So, the next item on our agenda was um homeless policy con discussion, but Rich, unless you want to talk about it, Elijah couldn't come tonight, so we may want to continue that item. I think that's right. I think it's advantageous to jump back in when he's here. Okay. All right. Well, this might

be a short meeting. Does anybody have any new business they want to bring up? I just wanted to I just was wondering if um the groups that are requesting and getting funds would like to talk about their projects. Oh, I'm I'm sorry. If they want to go ahead um we'd love to have you talk about them. That's why you're here. Last minute request, too. So, go ahead. You want to talk, Melissa? Sure. Um, can you hear me? Yeah. Okay. Uh, Melissa Maddox Evans, executive director from the housing authority, city of Annapapolis. So, we have uh requested the funding um for um our public housing sites um namely Eastport Terrace and Harbor House to assist and um uh preserving uh some of our uh systems as we are on the road to redevelopment. We have uh secured a developer for the site. So we look to start the first phase of redevelopment in the next 3 or 4 years but in the meantime there are a lot of infrastructure needs uh with on the site in order to keep the units safe, decent and habitable until we can perform a wholesale uh redevelopment of um substantial rehabilitation and new construction on the site. And these funds will assist us in that endeavor. That's great and assuming you can add any anything else I might have omitted. No uh not really. I think you have given a good summary. So we are happy to be here and we we are very grateful to the commission for recommending you know the

CDBG fund and to the city staff for working you know with us. So we want to take advantage of these funds as long as they can survive in the new budget. So, uh, and these funds go a long way in keeping, you know, the the folks that we work with on a daily basis housed and to provide decent and safe, affordable housing in the city of Annapolis. So, thank you very much for the consideration. We really appreciate it. Thank you. Teresa, can you help me identify the different um different applicants that are here? Sure. Well, Dana Johnson is um from Homes for America. Hi everybody. Uh sorry I'm not on camera. I I you guys sped through the agenda and I didn't quite make it home, so I'm in my car, but I pulled over. Um I just I want to also just say thank you. Um, you know, we have been uh able to access CDBG grants um for pres preserving some of our properties in the city of Annapolis. And I um I know you're talking about your larger plan, but I I think you know you most of you know that maintaining our affordable housing has become an increasing challenge with the dramatic escalation in our operating costs. Um, and so, you know, I just think these these opportunities to come and apply for capital funds for repairs and updates to our properties is incredibly valuable and we just we are very grateful. Um, the application that we submitted this year was to replace elevators at our uh mid-rise building in the city, Bowman Place. Um and uh you know we we bought this property and renovated it about 10

years ago, but we did sort of elevator light on the renovations and now we need a full replacement um which is incredibly expensive and well beyond what we have reserves for. So um it's it's you know critical that we identify other funds to help get that done. And then of course uh we have a lot of uh you know folks in the building that desperately need an elevator in order to get to their apartment and be able to go about their business and go to the grocery store and things like that. So we want to make sure we get this done as soon as possible and um this this these funds will really help us do that. That's great. Do you have do you have potential sources for the rest of good good places to look? Um we have some reserves that we'll use. Um and then you know we're depending on the level of funding and uh you know what uh we'll have to you know talk to the investor and the state about how much of the reserves we can use and um you know go from there. Great. We wish you luck with that. It's a good project. Thank you. And thanks all the applicants for coming kind of last minute. There was sort of a mixup, but I'm glad you could come and talk about your projects today with the commission. Just so everybody knows, um the funds that um these funds, which was about $270ome, thousands, that's all we got. Um, so we would have probably loved to have funded the total project, but we only had $270,000 to um to spend and that's what we'll have to spend this year. Actually, this is last year's HUD money. So, this is relatively okay. It's next year that we have to worry about because um uh the

president has xed out the CDBG funding in the budget. Um so, we need to keep an eye on on that. So, um, but these are, you know, they've they've said they they're allocated, so I think we're pretty safe with that. Hope so. And and the reason that we um stopped funding the um public service projects was because um the city has a community grants program that funds public service projects um funds operating and um CDBG is limited to spending only 15% of its allocation and that's like 35 $40,000 citywide which it just doesn't make any sense to be giving people $2,000 to, you know, to spend on CDBG, which probably costs them $2,000 just for all the recordkeeping. Um, so we decided to move forward with just funding capital projects. And I think it's easier for applicants too because they can just apply to one source rather than Well, that plus the fact that it probably costs us more than $40,000 to administer processing all those payments and administering the grant. So, you know, was a smart move. Smart move. So, Teresa, do we have any other applicants here tonight to talk? I don't think so, but I don't know who Bianca is. I thought you would. Bianca. Are you with Hacka? Oh, good evening. I'm with the Office of Law. Oh, okay. I haven't met you yet. I know. Hi. Good afternoon. Welcome. Welcome. Thank you. All right. Well, that's all our applicants. Thank you all for coming on such short notice and and sharing information on the projects. You know, we're excited about that. So, we'll go back to any new business for the commission. Anything

else anybody wants to talk about? Anybody? Nope. All right. Short meeting tonight. Yeah. Sorry I was late. Sorry I missed everything. Hopefully I can catch a recap of someone. Apologies for Sorry. So, does somebody want to move for adjournment? Anybody want to second that? I'll second. All right. So moved. All those in favor of a journey. All right.